View a VST instrument's CC assignments

Cubase
#1

Hi there,

Is there a way to see what CC assignments a VST instrument has? Sometimes I will use MIDI learn so that one of the VST’s parameters is assigned to a knob on my external controller then several sessions later I may forget this and inadvertently assign the same knob to another controller but now the one knob is affecting two VST parameters which can be confusing. If there was a way to see a what CC’s a VST is assigned to (in a table, for example) this would help avoid such confusion. Thanks.

#2

Cubase just sends the midi traffic CC messages) to the VST - so Cubase has no idea what the VST does with it. So you would have to find out if the VST you’re working with has a way of showing its current midi CC mappings. Some of them do and others don’t.

However, if you’re willing to learn how VST automation parameters work, there’s more that you can do:

VSTs tell Cubase what VST automation parameters are available and then you can review and assign those parameters to midi CC messages using the Quick Controls functionality in Cubase (or the Generic Remote for even fancier but also more complex control).

It’s a bit of an extra learning curve to start, but it’s also very powerful. There’s quite a few YouTube videos about Quick Controls that may be helpful.

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#3

Thanks for the helpful reply. I understand. I have looked into automation parameters and to be honest Midi CC data vs DAW automation has confused me because they seem to do the same thing but I think i’m starting the understand that often Midi CC is more of a traditional (archaic even?) approach from the original, now quite old midi technology whereas DAW automation lanes are more of a modern alternative approach - if that’s fair to say?

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#4

VST Automation has a several advantages:

  • VST automation is (almost?) always 2 way communication, also sending current settings from the VST to the DAW – while many VSTs do not send midi out, even when they accept midi in via midi learn.
  • VST automation supports very high resolutions rather easily.
  • VST automation parameters have names, not numbers
  • VST automation supports many more parameters than there are midi CCs

That being said, I am also still a very big fan of midi because it is so widely implemented in hardware. And while people like to complain about it a lot, it’s still capable of doing many more useful things than most manufacturers implement.

So having the ability to connect external midi hardware to Cubase and have Cubase translate between vst automation and midi is a really great thing to have and exploit.

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#5

Thanks, that’s really helped me understand.

1 Like