I've spent an 1.5hrs trying to draw a line...

Cubase
#1

A straight line, to be exact. A straight, horizontal line. With the input points of said line quantized to quarter notes.

In an automation lane. In the Key Editor. In the Controller area of the editor window. Anywhere, really. Can I just have a straight line, please? :cry:

The most obvious choice for this was the line tool. It seemed like there would be a way to select the “straight line” option and then use a keyboard modifier as you click-n-drag said line to restrict its movement to the horizontal - similar to what happens when you hold ctrl and move an automation point.

Oh good! There is! According to the manual:

https://steinberg.help/cubase_pro_artist/v9/en/cubase_nuendo/topics/midi_editors/midi_editors_notes_with_line_tool_drawing_c.html

“Drawing Note Events with the Line Tool
In the note display, the Line tool allows you to draw a series of contiguous note events along different line shapes.
To create contiguous note events, click and drag in the note display.
To restrict movement to horizontal, press Ctrl/Cmd and drag.
The notes have the same pitch.
If Snap is activated, the note events and controller events are positioned and sized according to the Quantize and Length Quantize values.”

Look at that! Press ctrl! In the Key Editor! That’s where I am! With the line tool! That’s what I’m using! On v9! That’s what I have! And quantized controller events, just like I want! It’s almost as if someone wrote this manual page specifically for me! :exclamation: :exclamation: :smiley: :smiley:

Except - no. That’s not what happens. Ctrl does not do that with the line tool - literally ANYWHERE. Holding ctrl with the line tool has the same functionality everywhere in Cubase, and that is to defeat Snap To. It does not lock the line tool to the horizontal. Why does the manual say otherwise??

Am I just crazy or something!?

#2

Hi,

First of all, I don’t understand, why do you need to send the same value again, and again. You can send it only once, and then the value remains until you change it.

Yes, you are right, this doesn’t work.

You can observe the value you are drawing on the left side of the Key Editor, under the name of the Controller you are currently working on. SO you can make sure your Start and End values are the same. But in this case, Cubase will draw only 2 points, because it doesn’t make sense to draw more of them.

Draw any line (steeper = more nodes). Then select all these nodes, double click to the value in the Info Line, type new value. Hold down Ctrl/Cmd and hit Enter to confirm the value. All events get the same value.

Or draw any line, and use MIDI Logical Editor. If Event = Controller X, Value 2 Set to Fixed Value Y.

#3

Because the events are re-triggering the rhythmic playback of a sample in an external fx unit.

Thanks for the suggestion. I’ll try that.

Still don’t really understand why the manual seems to have incorrect information.

#4

Can you just put in quarter notes with the same velocity and use those to trigger? Either basic note on command or if you need CC then use the velocity?

#5

Hi,

I was searching for the part you mentioned in the documentation. Actually I would say it’s pretty clear:

  • To restrict movement to horizontal, press Ctrl/Cmd and drag.
    The notes have the same pitch.
#6

Martin-have you actually tried it? As he said, the documentation is very clear. The problem is that it doesn’t work-at least on a mac (in my case).

#7

Hi,

OK, I just tried it and you are right, it doesn’t work even for the MIDI Notes.

#8

Are you going to report it or me? ;p

#9

If I will not see your report tomorrow morning in the system, I will do so. :wink:

#10

CAN-11437. :slight_smile:

#11

Btw in the Drum Editor, these lines tool don’t work in the “note-area” at all. These are working in the Controller-area only. :-/

#12

Doesn’t the line tool work for midi as well?

#13

Hi,

What do you mean by “midi” here?

In the Key Editor, you can draw MIDI Notes and MIDI Controllers by using the line tool(s). In the Drum Editor, you can draw MIDI Controllers (not MIDI Notes) only. This is what I’m talking about.

But sorry for the off topic.

#14

You can actually draw a straight line with the square tool by holding ctrl + shift. Not with quantized input points though.

#15

Midi cc data in the bottom of midi

#16

Ok, then it’s possible to draw MIDI CC data in the Drum Editor too.