Multiple Outputs from FX Tracks

Cubase
#1

Hi,

Hopefully I’m going to describe a problem that is familiar to you all, and hopefully some genius is going to be able to tell me how to solve it.

The problem is simply - I want to get audio (and MIDI) into a version of Maschine (the VST) which will allow me to use multiple outputs for audio i.e. more than one audio output from the Maschine VST. Sound simple enough? Well, it’s not.

The configuration I have at the moment is an FX track, which is a group track with Maschine inserted as the FX version of the VST (Maschine FX) on the first insert slot. This allows to do the following:

  1. It will allow me to route MIDI into Maschine FX
  2. It will allow me to route audio into Maschine FX (by being routed to the group channel’s bus)
  3. It WILL NOT allow me to use multiple outputs from the Maschine FX

If anyone… ANYONE knows how to access multiple outputs from an insert, I will be forever grateful. As it stands, there is only one output which then comes out at the group track, which is singular. Everything that comes out of Maschine FX comes out of that bus.

Why is this an issue? Here’s why - Cubase will not allow you to route audio to a VST Instrument. It just won’t. Case in point, if you add Maschine as VST rack instrument, it will allow me to do the following:

  1. It will allow me to route MIDI into Maschine
  2. It WILL NOT allow me to route audio into Maschine - only MIDI is allowed into the instrument
  3. It will allow me to use multiple outputs

We all know you can’t get audio into a VST instruments, right? Is there no way around this?

I need to route both MIDI and audio into Maschine because I want to be able to put inserts on two different outputs, one output being used for the rhythm programming going into Maschine, the other being used to process a guitar track recorded into Maschine. Clearly I don’t want both signals (rhythm and guitar) being processed through the one output, because I need to mix them separately. Yet, I can’t do it because Cubase won’t let me route an audio signal into a VST instrument (NOT through the stereo bus) which would then go through the instrument and come out of the stereo bus.

It’s so frustrating that I can’t come up with a workaround. Anyone know how to help?

#2

Knowing Cubase limitations, i think you cannot do that. Maybe, if you use two mono signals… drums to the left, guitar to the right, than create two hard-panned sends to other group tracks… well, too much pain for the pleasure of making it all mono. :slight_smile:

You can try downloading a demo of ddmf Metaplugin - it creates a separate environment, where it is possible to access all plugins’ in/out configurations… but Maschine is quite a complicated “plugin”, so no guarantees it will work well inside Metaplugin.

#3

Maybe create a surround group channel, then see if you can fool the routing into doing what you want??

#4

The workaround I’ve come up with is to mix within Maschine, which lets me have a degree of flexibility. Maschine lets you run VST plugins attached to groups or individual sounds within Maschine, so I’ve elected to do my mixing inside it. It’s a pain, but it’s the only thing I can do.

#5

i hope i am fully understanding what you are trying to say.

i am a relatively new user and was quite surprised at the lack of resource on the issue i think youre talking about and i was currently frustrated by the same thing, but i am beyond stoked that i have figured it out. :smiley:DDD

simply have your Maschine FX insert armed and double click the insert to open your maschine plug in window.
on any open pad, go to the first module where your sampler would normally be and click the drop down arrow.
among the options, there should be an input option. click input and select ext in 1 as the source and it should start playing the sound with no further issue. from this instance, you can load up to three module effects onto your track within maschine. So proud of myself. hehe
you can also right click any parameter in any effect to send it to a macro, where you can geometrically automate it within cubase with the line tool. just right click your track with the maschine fx inserted and click show automation, then click the title of that automation track and you should see your macro in the drop down menu. hope this helps!!