Mixer settings aren't sent via MIDI on project load

Cubase
1

Hello everyone,

I’m new to Cubase Studio 5, and I’m just learning the ropes so to speak.

I work with Cubase Studio 5 as a pure MIDI sequencer at the moment, to control my synths (Korg Radias and Korg M3), so all my tracks are MIDI tracks and there are no VST plugins or things like that in my project.

I found the mixer window (F3 key), and it seems like a very nice way of setting MIDI volume level (CC #7?) on each timbre in each synth, as they are all there on one screen.

When I move the sliders they transmit volume changes to my synths just fine and everything works great. I’ve also selected bank and program on each synth’s global MIDI channel so once I load the project, the correct combi (multi-timbral setup on Korg synths) is selected on each synth.

But here’s the problem - when I load the project, the program change messages are transmitted just fine to the synths, BUT volume settings are not. When I play back the MIDI data in Cubase, the volumes are whatever they are set to in each synth before the project was loaded, and they do not change to match the sliders in the mixer window in Cubase.

During playback, if I open the mixer window (F3 key) and change a slider (or changes the same slider in the inspector window under “MIDI Fader”), the volume MIDI message is sent and the volume on the synth timbre snaps to the correct value, but I can’t seem to get it to send that data automatically when song playback starts.

Does anyone know how I can make this work? I’ve checked my MIDI filters, and the only filters I have is Sysex in the “Record” box and Program Change and Sysex in the “Thru” box, and under “Controller” CC 123 (AllNoteOff) is selected in that box.


I’d love to be able to use the built-in mixer in Cubase to mix the entire song with all synths/midi channels together rather than having to adjust each timbre on each synth individually.

Any help will be appreciated! :slight_smile:

Rune

2

When I play back the MIDI data in Cubase, the volumes are whatever they are set to in each synth before the project was loaded, and they do not change to match the sliders in the mixer window in Cubase.

did you record your midi cc # 7 changes in a part on the corresponding midi channel/ track? If you record or hand draw those controller changes in a part either 1) at the beginning of the tune or 2)when you want the volume to change in the song. in either case the synths will respond to the changes as the song plays. whats happening is the program changes selects the combi you created but that was saved before all your level adjustments so all the levels return to the level they were stored at in the synth patch.


as a workflow tip:
if you use the first method then if you decide to bounce some of the parts to audio then you can mute the part that is at the beginning of the track with just the volume changes and record with “full volume” for the best signal to noise ratio and minimal adjustment