Recording arpeggiator as MIDI data

Hello :slight_smile:

So basically I’m trying to record arpeggiator notes into Cubase from my Virus Indigo synth, and I’m trying to get it to actually record into a MIDI channel as note data, but what I’m getting is only the data from the notes held, basically only recording chords. Now I already know that with hardware synths you need to have them set to send arpeggiator data, this is already on but what happens is you get problems with the arpeggio, it doesn’t arpeggiate just plays the notes for a short couple of seconds and then cuts off.

In the manual of the virus it states this: “If you want to record notes generated by the Arpeggiator to a sequencer, please ensure that these are not sent directly back to the Virus. If you fail to do this, the Arpeggiator may no longer be able to play correctly under these conditions. To avoid this situation, route data via another MIDI channel or switch off the MIDI thru function on your sequencer.”

So I have already went through the preferences and into MIDI and checked off the Thru function disabling it, but now I’m getting no sound whatsoever from my Virus even when I’m playing the keys. So that didn’t work.

Now it says “route data via another MIDI channel”. How can I do this?
I was reading about the same problem on Access’s website and this guy states that “I succeded in recording the arpeggiated notes in Sonar with 2 midi channels (1 for the notes comming from the keyboard midi controller and other for recording data comming out from the Virus B Midi Out). With this setup you can record the arpeggiated notes and control information (as knob moviments of filter section, for example)”
But how can I do this with Cubase? Thanks in advance :slight_smile:

Use Cubase’s Input Transformer. Refer to the chapter “The Logical Editor, Transformer, and Input Transformer” in the Operation Manual.

Reading now, Thanks :slight_smile:

Local Off. When you use a keyboard with a DAW setup you turn the local control on the keyboard off so you don’t hear it twice when it comes back from the track. So it’s like having a midi key trigger and a sound module.

Midi Clock. You should send midi clock to the keyboard from the DAW, then set the keyboard not to internal but external or midi.

I have a yamaha mox. It doesn’t send its arpeggiator out unless you get in there and turn on the output.
So you probably have to turn that on in the keyboard.

So what I do first is record the chord progression in whole note chords.

Turn on the arp output then send the chords to the keyboard as I record the arp output on another channel. I can choose what channel the arp comes out on.

You can turn the output on a track off and then record to it and you won’t have any midi feedback loops.

I have my settings to that, here’s what they are set at:

Local: Off
MIDI Panel: Midi, rather than external it is just Internal, MIDI or both, I have it to MIDI
Thru: off
Arpeggsend: On
ClockRX: Send, this is the MIDI clock.

Let me clarify a little bit about your method however,
Ok so you have two MIDI channels, you record your progressions into one MIDI channel with arp OFF.
Turn arp on record that output on the other channel.

But I am a bit confused here, what are your settings in Cubase? I mean for your two MIDI tracks, how are they all routed exactly? This part is crucial. It sounds like you are doing what they guy is doing that I posted about in the original post, is this correct?

There is one final solution however, and it’s the easiest way out which I always prefer the hardest but until then, “unplugging the MIDI IN cable:mrgreen:

Setting a track to no source is like unplugging the midi cable.

You’re running midi in from the keyboard and out to the keyboard and you have to make sure you don’t create a loop. The program can act strange then gag and quit or hang.


Yes my arp output can be set to a certain channel. So I could have one track on ch1 which is what I normally use then another track set to record ch 5 where I set the arp output, so I could do both at the same time but usually I do them separately.

From your original description it didn’t sound like you were getting the arp output if all you heard was the chords you were playing, are you getting the arp output now?

You should be getting a bunch of midi output when you hit a chord if the arp is sending out midi.

Set the track to all midi inputs to test it maybe.

Good luck!