Hello Steinberg crew!
I, and many others (I hope) have an idea about Multi Instruments Track, with unlimited slots for instruments (not by using the limited MIDI Sends option). I/We would like to be able to load various VSTs, for example: instruments ( Retrologue, u-he Zebra, Ample Sound Guitars…which have their own interface) with/or multi instruments players (like Kontakt, Engine, Aria, Halion, Groove Agent…) to combine instruments, or to switch between them (even between the libraries inside one player, like Kontakt) and to use them on one midi track, not to open separated track for every instrumet, or for every articulation. This would save a lot of space on the Timeline. Presonus Studio One 3 has “Multi Instruments” track, Orchestral Tools created “C.A.P.S.U.L.E.” to switch between the different articulation inside the Kontakt (they integrated keyswitching system to switch between the articulations, but you have to provide more possibilities for switching, because there are libraries with their own keyswitching options, for example some Kontakt libraries).
Please, think about to integrate this Multi Instruments Track in the next version of Cubase 8.5.
If Steinberg decides to implement a Multi Instrument, I would suggest to create a serial system with access to multiple MIDI channels within the Multi Instrument container. That would be way more powerful than the parallel system PreSonus used for their Multi Instrument. A Multi Instrument in Studio One is basically a container for different Instruments driven by one MIDI track (only MIDI channel 1). Functionality wise, it’s not really different from sending a simple MIDI send from one MIDI track to several devices in Cubase.
That being said, with a serial system it would be possible to use VST’s with MIDI out within the Multi Instrument container to modify other VST’s in that container. That really could be a strong feature to create modular environments. Especially since there are some great VST modifiers out there.
Niles, your suggestion is really interesting and powerful! I’m agree with you about the Multi Instruments in Studio One 3… unfortunately it’s very limited, and it’s just container at the moment. There is no way to open just one Kontakt player with few libraries, and to switch them inside the player… The only way to switch the libraries is to open separated Kontakt for every library, and to use automation on bypass, but it doesn’t work properly yet…
If the guys from Steinberg decide to create this feature in Cubase /Nuendo, I would prefer to be more like Orchestral Tools C.A.P.S.U.L.E.
Such MIDI track would save a lot of space on the timeline, and would bring it more closer to the orchestral stems.
They also have to implement drag and drop (from everywhere), the modern way of loading instruments, effects, audio and video files, like in Studio One.
Bump!
There is also the issue of pressing two or more keyswitches together, like the Spitfire Audio function: this seems very difficult to emulate using Expression Maps, which I have been using a great deal.
+1 For this idea! I would like to have it in the next update, or in Cubase 8.5.
The guys from Steinbegr have to think about to integrate such Multi Instruments track!!!
I’ve wanted this from Steinberg for ages now… A multi-instrument / multi-effect chaining device would really be amazing and for the two to work with each other seamlessly would just be awesome. I would probably never look at another DAW again if they finally gave us this feature. C’mon Steinberg, you know we all want this badly. >+9000
Personally, I’d be just as happy with more MIDI sends, and it would be much, much easier for SB to deliver that feature. How many sends? 16 sounds about right.
I’ve become so desperate for this feature that I decided to create all my multi-instruments in Ableton Live and now I route Live from a separate computer into Cubase to get it to work.
