Is there an easy way to move midi CC to Quick Control?

Cubase
#1

Is there an easy way to move a specific midi CC that I recorded in a midi track to quick control automation? I’m having a weird issue with one of my instruments where I learn a parameter with a midi CC and it forgets it when I reopen my project. So I was thinking I could just learn that parameter via quick controls and that way it never forgets. However, I’m having a hard time moving this data from the midi CC I’ve already recorded to quick control automation. Is this even possible?

If not, it would be a great feature, as I could imagine a scenario where you might have recorded some modulation CC data, but later want to quickly double it with say a filter or something, so you learn the quick control for the filter, and then copy-paste the modulation midi CC. Hopefully this is possible?

#2

Hi,

I’m afraid, there is no way, how to assign a QuickControl from the MIDI (or Instrument) track. The routing of the MIDI signal doesn’t allow this in Cubase. The only way, I could imagine is to make a MIDI loopback, and use MIDI Learn.

#3

I was simply looking to copy-paste the data from the midi part to the quick controller lane in the project view. I dont necessarily need it to read it off the midi data.

On what might be a related note, when I open the automation disclosure triangle in the project view, and click on the view selector and actually choose modulation (its stared = data on it) I dont actually see anything show up. I guess there is a difference between track automation and midi automation? I guess I’ll have to read the manual on why its even an option to select modulation if you dont see the data in that view.

Thank you very much for your reply Martin! Bummer it doesn’t seem to be possible. I was hopeful since you can assign midi CC’s to quick controls that they were related to midi data. (guess not). Maybe I’ll draft a feature request.

#4

Hi,

Sorry, this is not the concept of Quick Controls. The concept is following:

  • You have (lets say) 8 physical controllers (sliders) on your hardware. And you want to control more than 8 different parameters in your project (8 in every single track as maximum).
  • So you will assign the HW MIDI controllers to the Quick Controls slots. It means, the 1st slider always control the 1st QC slot of the track. The 2nd slider always controls the 2nd QC slot, etc.
  • Then in every single track, you could define, which parameter would be controlled by this QC. For example, on the 1st track, the 1st QC can control Compressor Attack. On the 2nd track, the 1st QC can control Volume.
  • So you will use only 8 sliders to control different parameters on every single track.
#5

Yes, I understand the concept of Quick Controls. I’ve setup my keyboard controller to use them and they are working great!! Really and awesome feature!!

My Question - is it possible to copy the automation from a recorded midi CC and paste that same automation shape into the quick control automation?

#6

I see, you don’t want to learn the QuickControl to the MIDI controller… Sorry.

Yes, you can do this.

  • Open the MIDI part in KeyEditor.
  • menu MIDI > Functions > Extract MIDI Automation.
  • Close KeyEditor.
  • Right-click the MIDI/Instrument track in the project window, and select Show Used Automation (Selected Tracks)
  • Select the automation track.
  • Right-click on it, and select Select All Events
  • Menu Transport > Locate Selection
  • Ctrl+C (to copy the automation curve)
  • Click to + button: Append Automation Track
  • As an automation parameter, select Quick Control 1.
  • Ctrl+V (to paste the the automation curve)

Done. Does it work to you?

#7

EDIT: Martin posted while I was writing (so this will either work, or we are both telling lies! :stuck_out_tongue:)…

To converted your already-recorded MIDi CC data into data for Quick Controls?..
There is a way, but it isn’t particularly straightforward, so try to follow these steps exactly :wink:…

  1. If your MIDI Track also contains other CC# data that you don’t want to convert, make a duplicate of this MIDI track.
  2. Solo this duplicate MIDI Track, and select the MIDI Part.
  3. Go to the MIDI Menu>Functions>“Extract MIDI Automation”.
  4. Right-click on that track, in the track list, and choose from the pop-up menu, “Show Used Automation (Selected Tracks)”
    You will now see your recorded CC# data, but as an Automation lane (along with any other CC data you have recorded)
  5. In the VST Instrument rack, right-click on the knob for the desired destination automation, and select “Show [parameter name] Automation Track”. If that parameter isn’t immediately visible, you should be ably to change “Pages”, to show a new row of eight knobs).
  6. (very important :wink: ) Select the Range tool.
  7. Select (with the Range tool) all the desired CC# data from that duplicate MIDI Track.
  8. Drag it to that newly-opened Instrument Automation Lane.
    (Done! :slight_smile: )
    8 ) Delete the duplicate MIDI track.
  9. Go back to your original MIDI track, and delete that original CC# data from its CC# lane, and you’ll probably also want to “Unlearn” the MIDI CC control.
#8

It worked!! Very cool! Thank you so much!!! Interesting side note, this is how I would have done it in Logic too - its just a matter of knowing the names of the features (i.e. the extract midi automation function). In Logic its called “move region parameters to track parameters” but its basically the same functionality (though I think Logic had the option to move selected parameter rather than all like cubase?)

Thank you both very much!!! I really appreciate you both helping newbs like me better understand how to use Cubase. Its people like you, willing to help others and share your knowledge, that make this world a better place!! THANK YOU!!!

#9

ok - this is going to sound odd - but how would I go about doing the opposite? (turning track automation into midi cc region automation). I can follow most of the steps in reverse, but what is the opposite of “Extract MIDI Automation?”

#10

I hope, there is a better way, then I have in my mind…

  • File > Export > MIDI File
  • Set the name of the file.
  • In the Export Options dialog, enable Export Automation.
  • File > Import > MIDI File
  • Import the file, you just exported.