Logic and many other DAWs are great examples of how instrument tracks can be used for multitimbral instruments without having a separate MIDI track in addition to each separate audio output track from the VSTi (the main VSTi output of an instrument track does this in Cubase, but every additional output you add needs a separate MIDI track, which requires two new tracks - one with audio and one with MIDI - per VSTi output after the main, instead of just one). Combine the two like Logic and other DAWS do and you have a system that is fast, modern, and improves workflow by a gazillion.
The way this all works in Cubase at this time is very inefficient and clunky, and it should be modernized and made more efficient/fast. There would be no downside and lots of improvement. If for some reason you still wanted a separate MIDI track you could still make one, so again - no downside, only lots of upsides.
In big scoring templates I canāt even tell you how much of an immense improvement/timesaver/workflow improvement/session size improvement this would be. I really hope the next version of Cubase concentrates on things like this, even if Iām not on Cubase any more because of the Mac GUI issue ā itās so needed in this aging DAW.
I neva undastood why midi & audio is separated. When U use Halion SE wit multiple instruments U canāt pan dem separately in da mixer. U hav 2 create single audio outputs like in Groove Agent SE 4 each drum hit. Itz so complicated and annoying. Very funny composing but not a joy when U start da mixing process.
No ā sorry, I phrased that wrong. What I mean is that if you want to access other output channels with MIDI that are associated with multiple outputs on a multitimbral instrument, you need a separate MIDI track for every output, in addition to audio output track. In Logic, Reaper, Studio One and most others Iāve seen, the two are combined just as they are for the main output of an instrument in Cubase, and you can freely assign whatever MIDI output to each audio output. Very simple and very effective, without the need for an extra MIDI track for each output that canāt be tied to non-MIDI instrument automation in Cubase. You arm any additional combined MIDI/audio output to record, just as you can only do right now for their main output in Cubase. And if you need to add more MIDI tracks on their own for whatever reason you can. All Steinberg needs to do is copy how they already do it for the main output, and apply it for every other output. Clean, efficient, and very superior for workflow and use. And again: If you want multiple MIDI tracks assigned to the same part in a multitimbral instrument you can easily add them in all of these DAWs.
Here it is Logic and also in Studio One (only one extra output in this pic, but you can see how easily you can change what MIDI channel you want each output to correspond to in the instrument). When setting up my huge orchestral VE Pro template, I was very jealous of the ease and efficiency that other DAWs handle it, and Cubase needs to incorporate this.
If I am reading what you are requesting correctly, then I believe this could be satisfied by a feature thatās been requested ever since I first became a Cubase user. Give us MIDI sends on instrument tracks. Itās unfathomable why they are not there already. Also, give us more MIDI sends (at least eight) for both MIDI and instrument tracks. Four is usually enough, but not always.
Iām not saying there isnāt a need for some kinds of feature like this to help consolidate tracks a bit, but I think there is a lot of misunderstanding in the OP thread.
All output routing is handled per VI, itās not midi in=midi out exclusively. If you want to use one track to handle all automation across multiple channels in one multi-timbral instrument you can, if the instrument supports that. I donāt believe that is a Cubase thing, either.
You donāt need extra audio channel after a VI (unless itās your print track)ā¦ Cubase leans more towards the ārender in placeā feature here.
My biggest pain with Instrument tracks is that in the āVST Rackā, they look to similar to Rack Instruments. They should maybe have their own console window, separate from Rack Instruments.
This has been long overdue. Two systems, ārackā and ātrackā is just clumsy. The instrument track was introduced quite a while back to get rid of the separate MIDI and AUDIO tracks, but they never developed it into being properly multi-timbral, so now weāre stuck with both. One VI system, please!
We might not be talking about the same thing exactly. To clarify for everyone: Basically, the way it works in these other DAWs for every output channel for a multitimbral MIDI instrument is how it currently works in Cubase, but only for the main multitimbral output currently in Cubase. This is the major flaw with the older Cubase system.
The Instrument Track was originally implemented years ago to avoid needing separate tracks for MIDI and the instrument audio output, but they never finished it/updated it to work smartly with multitimbral instruments, so it still only happens that way (one combined track for both MIDI and audio output) with the first output of a multitimbral instrument, not any more beyond that. For every other audio output from a multitimbral instrument aside from the main output in Cubase, you need to have a separate MIDI track from it.
Again, when I saw a video on setting up an orchestral template with VE Pro in Logic, it was so easy and efficient ā you donāt need to set up additional MIDI tracks for all of the different outputs. If one still wants a separate MIDI track for certain reasons, one can easily still do that. This does away with lots of clicking, navigating, and needless tracks.There is no separate Instrument Track vs Instrument Rack in Logic or other DAWs, because there doesnāt need to be. And there is no needing to find the appropriate separate audio output for whatever MIDI channel youāre working on in a multitimbral/multi-oputput instrument ā itās right there, together. A professional orchestral template can easily have upwards of 125 VIās (combined from VE Pro and internally on Cubase) with 4 to 16 outputs each, so this especially becomes a really big mess to manage with the dated Cubase Instrument system.
Iām requesting how Logic, Studio One, and many other DAWs handle their multimbral instrument tracks, which is efficient and very easy to deal with as far as how it relates to corresponding MIDI tracks in that multitimbral, multi-output instrument.
No, this is about using multiple instruments inside kontakt (or similar) and having an āInstrument trackā which represents the MIDI in the arrange window, and the audio output in the console.
The OPās screenshot never showed a mix console, that got me confused.
So you would forfeit the midi controls in the MixConsole for a consolidated view?
yes, i never use the Midi tracks. I dont need āmidiā controls in the console. i dont even know whats the use for it is since i dont use any hardware (i presume thats what it is for)
