I save my projects in individual folders, which I then copy to a USB backup drive. A while back I deleted a particular project folder from my desktop. Some time later, thinking I might in fact make use of it, I copied the saved version of that folder from my USB backup drive back onto my desktop. The project was originally created in a previous version of Cubase; I’m now on Cubase 12 pro.
So, I double-click the cpr file from the project folder on my desktop.
Cubase loads the project. It has a mix of audio tracks (bass, acoustic guitar, electric guitar) and VST instruments (Addictive Drums 2; Halion SE; Spitfire LABS).
For the audio tracks I can see wave forms; for the VST instruments I can see blocks of midi information [see screenshot]
I hit play, but I get no sound at all from any track, and the faders show no sound at all.
I check my routing - it all looks ok [see screenshot].
I check my audio connections - Control Room is disabled and the outputs seem fine [see screenshot].
I check the pool - all the relevant audio seems to be there and if I play a piece of audio direct from the pool I hear sound.
I run the test signal plugin as an insert on all the tracks - it produces sound.
I’m clearly missing something basic here, but I just can’t work out what it is - please help?!
Thanks.
I checked again. Inputs and outputs seem ok, in particular the outputs [see the pop up window in the final screenshot].
Note that there’s nothing getting to the faders, and I can hear sound when I use the test signal plugin, so the problem seems to be elsewhere.
It’s perplexing.
Could you make again added project window screenshots, but this time while playing it back and with, in the inspector of a given group track, both the output routing setting and the fader/meters visible ?
Sorry to say, but this would be much more helpful than what you already posted : nothing that could be involved in the issue is visible…
Thank you.
This is a picture from the MixConsole. The track is playing at the time the screenshot was taken.
This shows the routing (at the top of the screen) and that no sound is reaching any fader, as described above. Happy to provide a different visual image (but you would need to let me know what is missing - I’m not so good at screenshotting I’m afraid).
The screenshot is not the problem : it’s what it shows that is : as previously asked, I was expecting a project page view with the inspector of one of the group track visible…
If I demo a loop from the media bay, and drag and drop an audio loop into a new audio track, I get sound as normal.
It’s as if Cubase is is looking somewhere else to find the original audio (but when I check in the project setup it shows the correct folder in Project Location. And of course it doesn’t play the original vst instruments.)
At first glance, a thing rather strange : why do the arrange track is set in the Inputs/Outputs channels section ? Don’t think that it could be of any consequence, but still, and just in case… I would set it just over the chord track, out of this folder.
Beside this, and as it seems that there is a kind of delinking between Cubase and your audio device, I think it’s time to start again from the beginning, and I’m going to ask for more screenshots, involving different Cubase windows/panels. Here they are :
Studio > Studio Setup > Audio System
Studio > Studio Setup > Audio System > [device name]
Studio > Audio Connections > Outputs
Studio > Audio Connections > Control Room
And an added important question : what is your audio device and how is it connected to your DAW ?
Focusrite Clarett 4Pre USB connected via USB. It works fine in other Cubase projects.
I don’t think this is the issue, as I can hear actual sound from this project in two ways (via Media Bay in the right hand pane and via Pool clip preview). My hunch is that this problem is in some way connected to using a copy of the folder I had on my USB back-up drive.
Could be, but if I remember well, you don’t get any sound from your instrument tracks either. And for these, there are no external media involved, UNLESS they are sample based…
But yes, it seems that everything is set as expected on the hardware end, seeing the different screenshots you provided. Food for thought : I’ll let you know immediatly if I find something that could help more.
Yes, it’s true that the instruments are not playing (and they are not sample-based).
I agree - it’s odd.
Thanks very much for engaging on this, it’s much appreciated.
I’ve raised a service ticket just now so if I find anything out from that (in a few weeks) I will post an answer.
