Hi - I’d be really grateful for any help with this.
I’m using Cubasis and I am able to input midi data from a Korg microstation synth and (by selecting it for Midi Out) get the synth to use its own sounds to play back the file. I am not using the Cubasis sounds. I’m choosing the mapping from my microstation so that when the data from the file comes in it gets played by the sounds on the microstation. No problem.
But I’ve recently bought a Kawai N37 piano which boast 350 different sounds and 16 track multitimbral recording. I want to control this using Cubasis. The problem is that there doesn’t appear to be any way of selecting different sounds to play at the same time from the Kawai (it’s pretty clunky in this respect.) It can be done using the Kawai without the app. but I want all the editing facility available on Cubasis, eg. cut and paste, change volume etc.
My question is, is there a way to control which sounds are played from the Kawai on different tracks using the App. itself. The best I can get is that it plays all the different tracks but only with a single voice.
Thanks for your message, which I’m unsure I did understand correctly.
Cubasis supports MIDI CC messages, which are explained in the Editors/Key Editor chapter of the Cubasis in-app help.
Thanks for getting back so quickly, Lars.
I’ve had a look in the Help pages now but I don’t think it tells me how to solve my problem.
I have a seven track project which works fine with the Cubasis internal instruments. When I set the midi outs to seven tracks on my piano which has a 16 track multitimbre facility and 350 instruments, I can hear all seven tracks but they are all played by the default piano sound. I’m looking for a way to tell it to use different instruments on each track. I want to select from the piano sounds and not use the Cubasis instruments for this project.
I hadn’t noticed that setting, thanks. What you say makes complete sense “set the MIDI output matching to the MIDI channel responding to the individual sounds of your hardware”. I have no problem doing this using a Korg Microstation ( I see a channel number and then beside it I can choose an instrument/number to play) but I can’t work out how it can be done on the Kawai.
There are 6 settings in the MIDI menu:
MIDI channel. (TRS/RCV)
Send PGM # (1-128)
Local control (ON/OFF)
Transmit PGM (ON/OFF)
Multi timbre (OFF / ON1 / ON2)
Channel mute(s)
If I send a PGM number, say 37 for Channel 3, it doesn’t change anything; still all the default sound is on all the tracks. In the Cubasis midi settings I am matching the input channel from the Kawai and the Kawai output channel and have turned off the stereo output.
To me, chapter 5 and following of the Kawai PDF seems to include the information to follow.
Since things work as expected with your other hardware device, I’d suggest to get in touch with Kawai to find a solution.
If required, we’re able to provide them with a Cubasis promo code for testing purposes.
Thanks for your suggestions, Lars. I’ll talk again to Kawai (who couldn’t solve this before) and may take up your kind offer of a promo code. Thanks.
Will let you know how it turns out.
Steve
The Kawai team say that they are trying to ascertain whether Cubasis 2.0 is actually capable of sending MIDI Program Change data out to the CN37. (?)
I’m a bit puzzled by this question. My understanding is that, for example when using a synth, I’ll associate the synth’s internal voice with a particular midi channel using the synth control panel. Cubasis will then send note data to that channel which will play according to the associated internal voice. But is it possible to control the synths own internal voice selection externally through the sequencer?
Connected with this is whether there is greater control over a synth’s voices in more advanced Steinberg products and that perhaps this is something that the Cubasis app. can’t do.
I’m just trying to pick up on what Kawai have said here. To me it seems inexplicable that Kawai can make something with 16 midi tracks that won’t allow different instruments to be associated with them.
Kawai suggested that I might be able to “insert the requested program change + MSB and LSB manually in Cubasis”. I searched for this in Help but the terms didn’t come up. Might that be possible? I will see whether this relates to the MIDI CC support.
There should be no problem to trigger the individual sounds of your external hardware keyboard via Cubasis.
In Cubasis, please tap the MIDI track icon of each track in the track list and choose “No instrument” from the list
Probably a ridiculous question but (1) what is the “track list” and (2) what does the MIDI track icon look like?
I assume, probably incorrectly, that the track list is the work area where all tracks appear and any can be selected, but I don’t see any MIDI icon, let alone a way to choose “no instrument”.
if you open an existing project, say Lucky Seven, the track list is either the first or second column. Track 1 has Rock Kit beside it. Track 2 has HipHop Kit etc. So, yes that’s what you assumed.
if you select the icon of a snare drum just below the 1 (which indicates the first track) a window appears in the bottom third of the screen with Rock Kit written in orange. To get “no instrument” you need to click on the word “instruments” which you can see above the orange left arrow which is to the left of the orange words “rock kit”.
That brings up a list of instruments on the left of the screen. If you scroll up through that list you’ll see that the first item says “no instrument”.
Lars, I’ve not heard back from Kawai yet after you kindly sent the promo but I’ve been looking into your suggestion:
“Cubasis provides MIDI CC support, which is explained more in detail in the Editors/Key Editor section of the in-app help.” I read that the some parameters are for external midi control.
I have created a midi track. I double tap to bring up the parameters menu and there in the list I see “Program change” and “CC 0 Bank select”.
Now I’m not sure what to do. I have tapped on these items (I hoped to be able to input in a numeric value) but nothing happened. Then I selected the notes in the track and selected Program change, but I don’t know how to change the program!
Can you suggest the next stage so that I can ask my connected keyboard to play a different sound on a particular track?
Your next step is to select the pencil tool, and “draw” in the edit window area. This is the same tool you would use to draw in or edit automation curves for things like modulation or midi volume. Also, keep in mind there is no way to enter numeric values for the points that are created by the pencil tool.
This makes it tricky for entering values like program change. My technique as follows;
In the top right toolbar, next to the Quantize button select a large value like whole note and turn autoquantize on. In the adjacent Grid tool select a large value as well, like bar (presuming you want the PC message sent at the beginning of a bar).
In the edit window you should see the vertical markers falling on the bar divisions. Zoom in enough you can place your finger accurately on a marker.
Select the cc you want to insert from the drop down (LSB or PC). Select the Draw tool and place your finger over the desired bar marker and slide up or down until the desired value is shown, and release your finger. To edit this value, highlight the Select tool, press on the control point and drag up or down.
Keep in mind that the edit window can be made full screen by dragging the bar at the top left of the edit window (above the list of controllers). This gives a bit more space to accurately set a precise value.
As Lars has mentioned, tons of tutorials out there, so looking up Cubasis automation should give visual examples. Just use my quantize trick when using PCs, otherwise you’ll end up with half a dozen PCs on the first press…
Well, that post has been very useful, thanks wigglelights! Your grid tool button tip was essential too.
I think I’m on my way with all this now. Thanks everyone.
But I’m sure I’ll be back…!
For those using the N37 which was my original focus it is really much quicker to make these changes through Cubasis rather than on the control panel of the instrument itself. I think the Kawai team came to that conclusion too after Lars sent them the promo.