Layering 2 virtual instruments on one MIDI track?

Cubase
#1

Hi guys

I’m a long-term Logic user, who was a Cubase user in the 90s. Looking seriously at moving back to Cubase, but I need to close off a few questions about Cubase before I make the switch.

One feature in Logic Pro X I’ve really enjoyed using has been the “track stacks” feature, where I can layer several virtual instruments easily on top of each other to produce a “patch”, and record it as a single MIDI track.

I’m wondering how this is best achieved in Cubase, in situations where I want to make a composite synth sound of, say, an Omnisphere sound and a Massive sound, and record them together.

Track stacks also groups the audio of the layers into one output when chosen in a track stack - is there a quick way in Cubase to do this, or is it a case of running all the layers into an aux channel and then working from there?

Cheers and thanks,
Mike

#2

Hi Mike

I know this is not exactly the same thing, but you can load 2 instruments on separate tracks, record enable both of them and record as if they were one track, you end up with two tracks with identical midi info but driving different instruments. This of course means you have to edit the midi separately which I presume is not what you want. There’s plenty of clever chaps on this forum who’ll probably come up with an answer though.

Best Regards

Dave

#3

Use midi sends, would be my first thought.

#4

Hi again Mike

I was curious about your post so had a go at it in C8. If one does what I said in the last post, i. e. Load two instrument tracks, BUT, put them inside a folder, then record enable the folder and record as normal, you end up with two midi tracks inside the folder that can be edited as if they were one track, there are small differences I think to the way you’d work in Logic but it seems to work fine, I just tried it :wink:

Best Regards

Dave

#5

You could use MIDI sends.

An alternative is using a plugin such as BlueCat PatchWork which will allow you to layer instruments and effects in all sorts of ways.

That’s my preference for layering instruments that I want to control from one MIDI part.

#6

Hi guys,

Thanks so much for these ideas - I will try them out (starting with group tracks) and see how I go!

Cheers,
MIke

#7

+1