Instrument track vs Rack Instrument?

Cubase
1

Hi, I am a little confused with the implementation of the instrument rack in Cubase 8. What I normally always did in previous Cubase versions is load a vst instrument in the rack, and then I was able to create several separate midi tracks and route the midi to a single instrument that is loaded in the rack. I did the routing by unfolding the midi output destinations in the inspector. In the past, all active vst instruments that were loaded into the rack appeared in the dropdown in the inspector, so I could choose any instrument to route the output of a midi track to. Is this not possible anymore? Now, when I want to select a destination for a midi track’s output, when I open the list in the inspector, it gives me the choice of all installed vst instruments, but it always creates a new instance.

So in short, the question is: can I route multiple midi tracks to a single instance of a vst instrument or has this feature disappeared?

2

Hi, can it be that you maybe do not try to route an additional MIDI-Track but an INSTRUMENT_Track?

Cheers, Ernst

3

Thanks for your reply Elien. I am definitely creating additional midi tracks, not instrument tracks. In the meantime, I found that, with the instrument rack (F11) open, I can right-click and then I have the choice to add an Instrument Track or a Rack Instrument. I find it weird that there is only a shortcut button in the top left to add Instrument Tracks and no button for adding Rack Instruments. Anyway, so I replaced my Battery Instrument Track with an instance of Battery loaded as a Rack Instrument. I then go to the inspector on one of the midi tracks I want to route to Battery, I click the field to select the output routing and… there is still only the list with all my plugin instruments. I can not choose a loaded Rack Instrument to route the midi to. Anyone?

4

Hi, unfortunately I am not in my Studio currently, so I cannot try.

So I am a Little bit guessing: Maybe it is necessary that the vst-Instrument has more than one OUTPUT activated in order to accept more than one midi channel routed to it?

Regards, Ernst

5

I then go to the inspector on one of the midi tracks I want to route to Battery, I click the field to select the output routing and… there is still only the list with all my plugin instruments.

You’re assuming they are midi tracks because they have midi on them but as Elien already said that is an instrument track.
Right click in the track list & add a midi track and then go to the inspector for this track…now you’ll see the options you are looking for.

6

When I add Battery4 as a rack instrument a MIDI IN option appears for it selectable by any MIDI track as expected.

BatMIDI.jpg
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7

Thanks for your replies! Must be one of those days… I did this a hundred times before and for some reason I was unaware that I was creating instrument tracks instead of midi tracks. duhhh :slight_smile: Thanks!

8

Hi, glad that the origin of your Problem is found and things are solved.
We all sometimes miss something and insist… ;o)

Cheers, Ernst

9

let me say thank you … i have spent the last hour having a stroke … trying to find the Midi Sends … so if you do NOT see Midi Sends in the inspector area you have an instrument track … i wonder if there is a pref to set what tracks your imported midi lands on … in my case i imported 4 tracks of midi (separate drums) and the main track went to an instrument track whilst the others should have gone midi but went instrument …

thank you again kind person … stroke averted