When working on a project and taking a break, I very often turn off all my hardware (synth modules, keyboards, amplifiers, speakers, computermonitor) with one switch, except for the computer. So I can later on continue with one switch, without restarting windows, restarting Cubase and reloading the project (can take a while).
Most of my MIDI gear is connected with traditional MIDI cables to USB-powered MIDI interfaces (Motu midi express128 and Steinberg Midex8). So they stay connected when I switch them off and later on again, and I don’t have to restart Cubase to rescan MIDI ports and reload the project. (known Windows issue)
However last week I got me a new synthesizer module, a Yamaha Motif rack XS, and I want to use the Editor vst plugin. For that I need direct USB connection, but this is broken after repowering (while Cubase staying active).
The unit can be expanded with a (FW16E) FireWire Expansion for audio and MIDI.
My question is: does anyone know if the firewire does reconnect MIDI while Cubase already active?
I’m asking because I think it’s possibly a driver issue: my firewire audio interface (Steinberg MR816x) DOES reconnect after switching off and on with Cubase opened, and also my Motu midi express is reconnecting when I dis- and reconnect the usb cable.
I started a topic in the Yamaha synth forum, but didn’t figure it out yet:
HI, I owned a Motif XS and currently run a Motif XF8 .
Via Firewire.
I generally must say that establishing midi between Cubase and any external device in most cases only works with exiting cubase and reopening it. Sometimes even a Computer restart is necessary.
Just my personal experience. No “hot-swapping”.
Thanks for sharing your experience!
Seems I’d better not expect too much miracles from the firewire connection then, but still maybe worth trying…
Please can you tell me, if the MIDI connection via Firewire is estabished before Cubase startup, is it reconnected after switching the Motif off and (later) on while Cubase staying active?
Thank you!
Hi, my personal experience is that you have to turn on the motif before you start cubase (or even to have the motif on when powering up your Computer!).
Switching of the motif while running cubase and switching the motif back on does NOT reestablish the midi Connection.
My strong advise:
Switch the motif ON before powering up your Computer.
Never Switch it OFF while working with cubase.
BTW - why would you turn it off anyway?
Cheers, Ernst
Maybe some quick Addition helps you to NOT Switch off the motif:
Working via Firewire from the MOtif with MIDI does NOT require to have the FW-Driver selected as the cubase Audio Driver! In other words: If you decide to use a different AUDIO-Interface during the cubase session there is no Need to Switch off the motif. Just Change the Audio Driver in the cubase Settings. The fire-wire-Midiconnection remains working.
Thanks for replying, this is helpful for me!
When working on a project and taking a break I very often turn off all my hardware (MIDI gear, speakers, computermonitor) with one switch, except for the computer, so I can later on continue with one switch, without restarting windows, restarting Cubase and reloading the project (can take a while).
This goes ok with the usb-powered midi interfaces.
I can use the Motif rack xs this way too but not with the VST editor which needs direct usb or firewire.
I considered ordering the firewire expansion but from your experience I understand it has no advantage for me above the usb-connection. (I don’t need the Multi channel audio functionality.)