Using external instrument on several tracks?

Cubase
1

Hi,

I wonder if I am simply stupid.
I have created an external instrument (Genos 2 but that should not matter) and can assign it to one (and only one) instrument track.

When I try to create a second instrument track, the Genos does no longer show up in the popup list of VSTi.

Of course, I will have more than one track using the same external instrument.

Do I try the wrong solution or do I do something wrong?

Regards, Andreas

2

Hi and welcome,

This is correct. The Instrument Track shares the MIDI source and the Audio Return. Therefore you cannot add multiple of them to the project.

But, you can add another MIDI Track, set its Output to another MIDI Channel and route it to the given Instrument Track.

3

For multi timbral instruments you set up multiple external instruments…if they’re on different midi channels and using different audio inputs. (if they use same inputs then simplest to do as Martin suggested and just send midi on the correct channel from a midi track)
There would be no reason to assign 2 instrument tracks to the same external instrument as they’ll just play the same sound.

4

Ok makes sense; I had a different workflow in mind.
So if I want to handle each MIDI channel of the Genos separately, I will need 16 copies of the instrument?
Give it a try.

5

Hi,

Then add one Instrument track and 15 MIDI Tracks rooted to the Instrument Track.

6

Yep that did it. My misunderstanding was the role of the instrument track.
Why bother? I want to record the full accompaniment of a Genos style but switch individual tracks to VSTi. While being able to play live through Cubase.

7

You might not actually need to set it up as an External Instrument. You can send MIDI directly to its MIDI In by using a MIDI Track. And you can record its sound on a plain old Audio Track, same as if it was a singer (but without the drama).

If, for example, you want to use Cubase to change parameters on the Instrument then you would want to create an External Instrument. But if all you want to do is send it MIDI and record the Audio produced you don’t need to do anything special.

I suspect a fair number of folks unnecessarily jump through this hoop.

8

As the accompaning generated MIDI is often boringly repetitive, I also want to record the MIDI for editing / replacement in the pattern.
And use the ability to freeze pattern/tracks to free the Genos for further boring MIDI generation :grin: Using an instrument looked like a convenient workflow. Bouncing the MIDI track works as well.