The way i use MCU mode (Which is the best as you get screen feedback) AND the pads in Cubase is to create a virtual MIDI port (Such as loopmidi) and loop the pads through that so they have their own device.
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Firstly you set the pads to a different MIDI Channel (I use Ch.2) via the NI Controller editor. (Just do one bank/group first so you can check it’s ok).
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Then, You create a new port in loopmidi called something like ‘Maschine Pads’.
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Download a tool called TransMIDIfier, and use this to route MIDI Ch.2 data to the virtual MIDI Device, i.e:-
(I use a Mk2 so i have also applied a velocity map to my mapping too - handy if you don’t find the pads very responsive).
In Cubase:-
4. Set the standard Maschine ports as the IN/OUT for MCU. (As you have done)
5. Ensure that the standard Maschine ports ‘all midi’ is deselected. (This prevents the MCU pads from sending to each track)
6. Your virtual ‘Maschine Pads’ port should be showing and set to ‘all midi’. (Which it will be default)
And you should be good to go, you can just create mappings as to which notes you want the pads to send in the NI software. I have a group for chord pads, one for minor scales, major scales, and another for drum mappings. Works great.
The other option is to set the pads to MIDI Ch2 and use MIDI channel filtering within Cubase, but this method works so much better. It sounds tricky, but it’s really simple to setup, and will work for any other DAW too once you have it running.
Really curious what the MCU mode is like on the Maschine Plus/Mk3 - as screenshots are quite sparse on it. I’ve hesitated buying one as i’ve seen no-one else doing this to confirm if it works, so please report back how it goes if you try it.
Links:
Loop Midi: loopMIDI | Tobias Erichsen
Transmidifier: Be Wary Software - Products - TransMIDIfier
Edit: One other note, is that you’ll have to modify the default MCU control to really get the best from Cubase. As it doesn’t use traditional MCU mapping. i.e. the instrument button is ‘save’ on the standard mapping which is confusing. And you need that instrument button to control VSTi parameters.
So, I created a reference sheet here which may help if you want to dive deeper:-
If it helps, load my Mk2 mapping in to the controller editor to see how i’ve got mine setup:-
MaschineMk2_Cubase_MCU.zip (145.1 KB)
(Select Mk2 as the controller and then File > Open config)