If the file is indeed General MIDI, and you intend to play them through the HALion engine that is included with Cubase, then you’ll need to set up HSSE to respond to the respective instrument program change events as described earlier in this thread. If the file is NOT GM compliant, then you’ll need to manually select instruments that are viable substitutes. This might involve either changing, or stripping program change events, or forcing HSSE to assign appropriate substitute programs/instruments to those embedded in the MIDI file.
Be aware that you have a number of choices in how to load HSSE into the rack and connect tracks to it. When working with general MIDI projects, it’s a good idea to load ONE instance of HSSE in ‘rack mode’ as a 16 channel multi-timbral plugin, and connect all the tracks to that ONE instance.
To export proper GM (smf) files also requires a bit of knowledge and understanding on the GM protocol itself. For instance, do you want it to be type I or type II? Does the instrument require some sysex headers, or NRPN events to let it know it needs to go into GM mode? What reverb and chorus types should it use? Etc…
If your PSR isn’t GM, or you aren’t trying to use the GM mode, then you’ll still need to call up instruments in a way that is valid for your PSR. It’s not necessarily going to match HSSE. I.E. For all GM instruments, that are properly initialized to GM mode, program change 1 (in Cubase) will always call up an grand acoustic piano. However, if the instrument isn’t in a GM mode, then program change 1 could call up something totally different (or be ignored all together).
I am downloading LE to take a closer look at your MIDI files. I use Pro, but think it’ll be better if I install LE to see exactly what options you have rather than ‘guessing’. Perhaps I can upload a ‘project’ with everything properly set-up and connected for you to examine and post questions about.
Start a fresh Cubase instance and open a new empty project.
Go to Edit/Preferences/MIDI/MIDI File, and change the “MIDI Destination” drop down to “MIDI Tracks”.
Tap F11 to bring up the VST Instruments manager. Click “Rack” and select HALion Sonic SE. You’ll be asked if you want to create a fresh track connected to this new instance. Choose cancel.
Click File/Import/MIDI File to Import. You’ll be asked if you want to import it into a new project. Click NO (so it goes into your current project).
Select all of the MIDI tracks that have just been imported. You can click the top one, hold the “shift” key and click the last one to select them all together. Or, you can hold the “ctrl” key and select them each one by one.
Once all of the imported tracks are all selected, hover the mouse over the “Output Selector” field in the Track Inspector. Do a “shift + alt + left-mouse-click” on the field, and select your instance of HALion Sonic SE.
This process will connect all the tracks to HALion SE.
Go back to your Instrument Rack. If you have closed it, or it’s not showing in your right pane, just tap F11 again to bring it back up. Click the little “e” to bring up the HSSE User Interface.
Notice how Channel 10 is blank. You’ll need to manually find and chose a Drum Kit that uses a General MIDI layout. Here, I’ve used the “LOAD” tab of HSSE, clicked the Drum&Perc category to filter my options down a bit, PLUS typed “GM” into the search field to narrow it down even further. I’ve decided I want to try the Techno Kit here, but you can try others. I’ll click slot 10 on the left, and double click the “[GM 135] Techno Kit” program to load it into the slot.
Note: If this drum-kit keeps changing to one you do not desire each time you start the transport, then you might need to use the list or key-editor to mute/change/remove the Program Change event on the drum track. Typically for SMF files we don’t want a Program Change event on channel 10. Some instruments can use it, some will simply ignore it, but it’s not really part of the standard for a true GM mode streaming of the file. GM2 files can support sending a sysex event to pick from a list of drum kits, and GM2 instruments can also use channel 11 for percussion kits. I’m not sure if HSSE3 supports that (I’m pretty sure version 2 and before do NOT)…experiment at your leisure in regards to HSSE3 accepting GM sysex events for selecting different drum kits in HSSE.
Next I want to click the “OPTIONS” Tab in HSSE, and make sure the Global Setting for “Program Change” is set to the General MIDI Mode.
At this point I’m ready to hit play on the transport and see what happens. Be sure to pull the master volume down on the main Cubase Mixer and gradually bring it up to a comfortable level! It’s a good habit…otherwise you can damage your hearing and/or equipment…
I’ll go to the “EFFECTS” Tab in HSSE, and set up a reverb in AUX 1, and a Chorus in AUX 3, and set them to my liking.
Note: GM2 standard allows you to choose reverb and chorus type using sysex events. I don’t think HSSE responds to these (though I could be wrong with HSSE3…in my trial case here no effects were set up automatically, however, your MIDI file does have CC events for reverb (CC91) and chorus (CC93) sends. So…I went in and manually set some up real quick.
Here is an MP3 mixdown of what I now hear…(oops, I accidentally cut the ending short when setting the locators, but you get the idea).
And here is a copy of the Cubase Project loaded as described in the steps above…
Exporting SMF files from Cubase is yet another topic, and you do have a LOT of options. In this case, it’s important to know if you want type I or type II. It’s important to have the proper program changes for the target instrument. It might even require entering some sysex events in some cases to set the target instrument up as intended. Personally, I usually end up ‘freezing’ everything to a fresh set of tracks, so that anything that was handled by stuff entered in Track Inspector fields gets put into the tracks in a way I can carefully verify before exporting. Again, exporting a true GM, GM2, or XM compliant file is a whole new kettle of fish…
thank you so much for the explanation.
Something must be wrong on my system then.
I loaded the project, and getting the same crappy sound.
When I play the mp3, it sounds how it should be.
Already re-installed cubase several times (included deleted all the temp folders)
so not sure what is going on then
Sorry it has taken me so long to get back to this thread.
Your export sounds decent here in terms of instrument selection and the raw performance play-back. I can’t detect anything listening to this that might be helpful for you
I’m puzzled at why you aren’t hearing things properly before the mix-down…
no worries.
you can hear it in the beginning. The drums are practical missing, and replaced with something else.
same with some other instruments.
i must admit, i didn’t listen to the mp3 file, except to make sure it had sound, since the volume was sooo low.
when I was playing back your midi file.
As tracks other than the drum channel, the way your composition was done, there are some channels that change sounds a few times. Most notably the sea sounds. I notice it hops around between gun shots and ocean waves.
So…for the drums…
If the drum track is bouncing sounds on you.
Try muting any sysex channels. I haven’t had time to test if newer versions of HSSE try to interpret incoming General MIDI sysex packets. I believe fully GM2 compliant instruments can swap drum kits using a special Sysex command. I just don’t know at this time if HSSE ignores such packets, or tries to do something with them.
If that doesn’t help…
Open the drum kit Track in your key-editor, open a controller lane for Program Change, and try muting or deleting any and all program changes on Channel 10. Technically, for a General MIDI compliant file, if using a drum kit on channel 10, one should not use any program changes on Channel 10.
If your PSR needs the Program Changes for some reason…clone the track before deleting the program changes and work from your copy.
As for low volume…that would be due to how you’ve configured your audio buses.
What kind of audio interface are you using? Is it a an ASIO device? Or maybe it’s the built in audio of your motherboard, and you’re having to use the WDM to ASIO converter packaged with Cubase?
What monitors/speakers are you using? Computer speakers? Headphones?
Since LE doesn’t have a ‘control room’, chances are you’ll be connecting your MASTER output to your sound interface. This leads to a situation where when you pump up the volume on that master fader, it can drive you out of the room for it being too loud! To rectify that, you’d most likely want some sort of amp between the interface outputs and your speakers. I.E. If you have computer speakers, they’ll have an amp built in, so pump up the master in Cubase, and turn the volume knob down on your speakers.
If you’re mixing with headphones straight into your computer, and everything’s cranked up in both Cubase, and in your audio-device’s configurations…look around on your computer to see if might have separate jacks for head-phones, vs line level connections. Study all the options in your OSes sound control panels to see if you can get a better calibration for your needs.
It is a standard MIDI file with a sysex that shows up on my Sound Canvas 8850. Its by Hands On.
I had no problems playing it back in Cubase Pro 10 or Cakewalk. All the channels played except for channel 16 (Alto Sax) which needed a volume increase via the fader. Its really a very simple file with no program changes beyond the header.
“As tracks other than the drum channel, the way your composition was done, there are some channels that change sounds a few times. Most notably the sea sounds. I notice it hops around between gun shots and ocean waves.”
I hear the gun shots and ocean waves.
(again , this is all on the PC, no Keyboard attached)
Then something is messed up with the install of Cubuse.
I did remove it and uninstalled it, but it’s probably something windows related.
Once I do a new install of Windows (repair, and re-install did not work(, I will try it again.
I still have other issues with it, so I must have some files in the windows folder, or registry that is causing issues.
I know it’s a simple midi file, that’s why I am so puzzled with it.
I formatted my C Drive, and re-installed windows.
Installed Cubase, and now the sounds are all fine.
not sure what caused it to be so messed up with in.
Hi
This maybe the same problem as i had with the Genos .
I**n the Inspector change the ALL MIDI or ANY MIDI to NOT CONNECTED**
You may be getting a midi loop back to the PSR .
This can result in bells whistles and all sorts of glitches
Try putting NOT CONNECTED in .
This probablly will solve your problem as It did for me . also solves eding in piano roll problems an dstarting and stopping where you left off.
When recording you have to go back to ALL MIDI or choose a channel.
