Is it possible to create key command for cycle marker zoom presets?

[strumm]

Hi all,

I create cycle markers for the different sections of my song: intro, verse1, chorus1, etc… And I love the fact these show up in the zoom preset dropdown, so I can instantly move to different sections of the song, and they are properly zoomed to that section.

What I would like…

I would like to create key commands for some of these. As an example say for chorus1, chorus2, chorus3. I’m a Logical Editor newbie. Is there a way to do this?

thanks!

[m.c]

Hi, not sure if this can be done by name (more experienced users may be of help here), however, there are already shortcuts for cycle markers (in the “Transport” section, 1 to 9, plus X. So, by memorising the number, you can always recall the cycle you want to.

[strumm]

Thanks!

I’ll do that for now. Current song has 12 sections, so I can get 9 of them… maybe the key command with X as the variable can be set from the Logical Editor?

[m.c]

Not sure, however I do know that when triggering “recall cycle marker x” a small inputBox appears to enter the number of the desired cycle marker.

[raino]

@strumm

maybe the key command with X as the variable can be set from the Logical Editor?

No. There is no mechanism within Cubase to pass a value to the command outside of typing it in from a keyboard. Variables for Macros have long been requested, but we still ain’t got 'em. Also none of the various Logical Editor tools can pass a value out to anything else. The only thing they can do is manipulate the objects they select in the top section.

Currently the way to do this is to standardize your ID numbers (e.g. Verse1 is always ID 4, etc.) then you can easily create a Macro for each section. The problem is that only gives you nine IDs before you have to use the dreaded X ID. However if you use Metagrid (or AutoHotKey if think) you can set them up to enter the numbers greater than 9. But even then Cubase opens a dialog asking for the ID and Metagrid is typing it in instead of me.

[m.c]

@raino

The problem is that only gives you nine IDs before you have to use the dreaded X ID.

Wondering if you’ve experimented with multiple marker tracks. From what I see, once we activate a marker track the shortcuts for the cycle markers work for this particular track, thus perhaps we can live with multiple marker tracks and limit the cycle markers to 9 for each one of them. This of course, for those who like to select using shortcuts, but I don’t know if it’s really worth because maybe it will complicate things.

[m.c]

Just to finish with the above idea, if we have multiple marker tracks and limiting the markers to 9, we can then have a logical editor preset, an example is shown in the screenshot, which activates Marker track 02, and then the cycle marker 1.

So this way we can assign shortcuts to more than 9 cycle markers.

[raino]

@m.c

Wondering if you’ve experimented with multiple marker tracks. From what I see, once we activate a marker track the shortcuts for the cycle markers work for this particular track, thus perhaps we can live with multiple marker tracks and limit the cycle markers to 9 for each one of them.

That’s a really clever approach.

An idea I had is that if the intention is to use this to Loop various sections maybe it is easier to not even use a Marker Track. Instead use a dummy MIDI Track and name it Song Sections and on this Track draw in empty MIDI Parts with names like Verse1, Chorus3, etc. Now it is pretty easy to use the PLE to Select Parts on Song Sections based on their names. Once Selected, set the Locators to the Selection and you’re good to go.

[m.c]

Brilliant!
You mean something like this:

In fact this takes out the need for multiple marker tracks!

The only issue is that we have to manually assign names, while in the marker tracks, they are added by shortcut.

[raino]

Yeah, except if you add a second Filter Item so both the Part & Track names need to be correct then it wouldn’t select Parts with (potentially) the same name on other Tracks.

[m.c]

True! I’ve just set it up as an example In fact, if I would use it I would most probably add a unique prefix.

[raino]

@m.c

The only issue is that we have to manually assign names,

But you’d only need to do it once if you put it in your Template.

Here’s some other ideas in the same neighborhood.

Marker vs Cycle Markers? What's the point

Just cannot fathom the benefit of Markers compared to Cycle Markers. It seems Cycle Markers have everything Markers have and then some… Anyone care to chime in?

[m.c]

@raino

But you’d only need to do it once if you put it in your Template.

True, but then we’d have to nudge parts to fit our new arrangement, when of course we have different sections, or maybe you mean something else?

[strumm]

Thanks everyone and especially @m.c ! So I settled on this methodology… the only drawback compared to the zoom cycle marker, is that you lose the current selection… so I guess when that matters, I will just use the dropdown menu.

My idea for this was to hook the sections up to my 12 button Razer mouse.

[m.c]

@strumm

s that you lose the current selection… so I guess when that matters, I will just use the dropdown menu.

Would this help? If of course I understand what you want to achieve.

[strumm]

Really it’s just to get a visual overview of the section, not to play the section… so the transport stuff is not needed usually. Maybe I’ll do both, and use a modifier key to also set up the transport stuff.

thanks!

[strumm]

@m.c

Wondering if you’ve experimented with multiple marker tracks. From what I see, once we activate a marker track the shortcuts for the cycle markers work for this particular track, thus perhaps we can live with multiple marker tracks and limit the cycle markers to 9 for each one of them. This of course, for those who like to select using shortcuts, but I don’t know if it’s really worth because maybe it will complicate things.

Still playing around with this…I’m wondering if there is a way to switch the active Marker track with the Logical Editor? I can’t seem to figure this one out. There is not a Track Operation for this.

EDIT - Nevermind @raino has solved this already here.

Is there a way to switch the active marker track with a keyboard shortcut?

I’ve tried various things in the PLE, but nothing seems to work. I wondered if anyone had a solution for this. I use multiple marker tracks frequently, and being able to switch between them without opening the markers window or clicking on the track itself would be useful. Thanks!

[m.c]

Note that if your aim is to use multiple markers (as I’ve suggested earlier), you can try this one:

[steve]

@strumm

these show up in the zoom preset dropdown, so I can instantly move to different sections of the song, and they are properly zoomed to that section.

What I would like…

I would like to create key commands for some of these.

Yes:

[strumm]

I created a nice solution for myself in the end using multiple ‘hidden’ marker tracks and using the Num Keypad on the keyboard as navigation input. I decided to leave my mouse buttons for tool selection.

So I have my main marker track with all song sections that I alway keep visible. Then I have 6 other marker tracks that I call ‘section type’ marker tracks which appear and become activated with the following keys.
4=verse
5=build
6=chorus
7=intro
8=bridge
9=outro

These keys don’t do anything but make that ‘section type’ marker track visible and active.

Then I set up keys 1,2,3,0,dot as Zoom Cycle 1,2,3,4,5 so I can go to up to 5 markers on any of these tracks.

I set up the Enter key to hide any visible ‘section type’ marker tracks, and then make my main marker track active again.

So it works like this…

If I want verse 1, I type 4-1-Enter. By ending with Enter, it resets things back to normal.
If I want chorus 3, I type 6-3-Enter.

Or if want to quickly scan all the chorus’s
type 6, then scan with 1,2,3, then back to normal with Enter.

In a college job, I use to add receipts on a Numpad without looking, so my Numpad skills are pretty good without looking.

Also this works nice, because the key strokes will be the same for every song. First key gets me section type. second key gets me the occurrence, and Enter returns back to main marker track and hides any visible section type marker tracks.

It’s also easy to setup. Just make the main marker track as normal. The only extra work is you then simply option drag each cycle marker down to it’s appropriate section type maker track, and change the id number.

Thanks to everyone for all their help in setting this up!