Trigger a macro on Cubase timeline?

Cubase
#1

Hi folks, is there any way to trigger macros in the timeline? I.e. not just by midi from an external controller, but to put it into the timeline so that it triggers automatically every time you play past that moment? I’m basically looking for a way to trigger macros automatically during playback so I don’t have to do them manually.
Thanks

#2

Not as far as I know. But it seems like you could set Generic Remote up like you would for an external controller and then use a Virtual MIDI Cable (like loopMIDI) to route your control Track’s MIDI so it looks like it is from an external device.

#3

thanks, i’ll give it a go

#4

Let us know what you learn, and how you are using it.

If you get it working it means we could create MIDI Parts that are sequences of Cubase Commands. And those commands could even be used to manipulate the Tracks they are on, which suggests recursion might be possible. Wonder if there might be a way to create variables?

#5

OK, curiosity got the best of me so I did a test Project and indeed this will work. Although I’m not quite sure what the practical uses for it are at the moment.

Anyway this test stops the Transport when the cursor hits the MIDI Part. First I used loopMIDI to create a virtual MIDI Cable named “Timeline Control” and set things up like below.

  1. Create a new Generic Remote
  2. Configure the 1st slot to trigger the Transport Stop Command when it receives a C-2 (MIDI Note# 0) on Channel 1
  3. Set the Generic Remote’s MIDI In to Timeline Control (or whatever you name your virtual cable)
  4. Don’t forget to Export (Save) the Generic Remote setup or it will only last for the current session
  5. Make sure the MIDI Track is set to “Any” so it doesn’t change the Note’s Channel during playback (the default is a specific Channel #)

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Here is the test Project
timeline control test.zip (41.3 KB)

2 Likes
#6

Cool!

The only barely practical use case for me would be to apply visibility agents on the spot when I reach specific sections of the song, so that I’m left with only the instruments that are playing. (like a permanent show data under cursor.)

Maybe mute groups? But that’s what automation’s for, right?

#7

Hi,

Unfortunately Cubase can’t do this by default. The only way is to use the virtual MIDI Port, as @raino advised.

I have to say, this is one of the very few features, I was missing when switching from Logic out many, many years ago.

#8

What uses did you have for it Martin? You surely have many tricks up your sleeve!

#9

Hi,

It was mostly workspaces switching, useful for the live performances.

1 Like
#10

I looked at all my Macros, PLE Presets, etc. and didn’t see anything that I’d want to execute based on Timeline position. Of course that is a bit of a chicken & egg situation because none of that stuff was created with the thought of executing on the timeline. When I think of the kinds of things I would want to vary over the Timeline they all seem to be covered with regular automation.

I hope we hear back from the OP @chund - presumably they had a specific task they wanted to accomplish by running a Macro.

Meanwhile this seems like a very cool solution looking for a problem to solve.

#11

thanks raino, yes that does work, though i’m not finding it super reliable, but i have a feeling it might be my mac virtual midi so i’m going to keep trying it out to find stability. my use case is that i use cubase during my live sets and there are a number of things i’d like to trigger automatically, and i have a bunch of macros that i trigger manually already, but getting them to auto trigger would free up some of my fingers!

#12

Makes sense that it would be useful in that context.