Cubase9 pro and External Instrument

[sacredmimi]

I have Korg Kronos 2 and Yamaha Montage.
I connected them to my UFX via TRS cables and to my computer via USB.

1. Under VST Connections, do I connect them under the "inputs", or "external instruments"?
(The kronos is connected to Input 1/2, and Montage 3/4).

2. I have somewhat succeeded in recording the instrument in fact, but I'm not sure if things are connected correctly. I can get them recorded via midi track. But the sound doesn't remain when I change something.

Ex. With Kronos, I recoreded a EP sound via midi track. Now I wanted to record a guitar sound on a different track, so I created another midi track. When I finished recording the guitar, I pressed the playback, and the EP sound changed to the guitar. How do I go about this problem?

[SJ_Digriz]

MIDI tracks are only recording Note and controller data. No sound. You need an audio track armed to record as well if you want to record the sound.

[Scotty]

Question 1:

If you connect the synths as external instruments you define the inputs once and the midi routing once. Once defined cubase makes a plugin that is available through the vst instrument rack.... it appears under "external instruments" .... The advantage to doing it this way is that you only have to load the VST plugin and everything is mapped. You load the external instrument plugin and you are ready to go.

This approach really only makes sense if you plan on keeping your synths connected to the same inputs on your interface. If you are constantly swapping in different gear, defining an external instrument won't save you time and you are better to just route the inputs on demand as you have already done.

Question 2: You need to find out if the Kronus is multitimbral and can it receive midi on different channels to control those voices. IF it can then you have setup each of the voices on their own midi channel. When you record the midi in Cubase you have to make sure the midi channel it is outputting matching the channel assignment in the Kronus for that voice.

Other Thoughts: If you can't figure out the routing you can record the actual audio of the synth. Once it is in audio from , just change the sound and record another instrument sound. Routing using the inputs will work as will defining an external instrument.

I have Korg Kronos 2 and Yamaha Montage.
I connected them to my UFX via TRS cables and to my computer via USB.

1. Under VST Connections, do I connect them under the "inputs", or "external instruments"?
(The kronos is connected to Input 1/2, and Montage 3/4).

2. I have somewhat succeeded in recording the instrument in fact, but I'm not sure if things are connected correctly. I can get them recorded via midi track. But the sound doesn't remain when I change something.

Ex. With Kronos, I recoreded a EP sound via midi track. Now I wanted to record a guitar sound on a different track, so I created another midi track. When I finished recording the guitar, I pressed the playback, and the EP sound changed to the guitar. How do I go about this problem?

[sacredmimi]

Question 1:

If you connect the synths as external instruments you define the inputs once and the midi routing once. Once defined cubase makes a plugin that is available through the vst instrument rack.... it appears under "external instruments" .... The advantage to doing it this way is that you only have to load the VST plugin and everything is mapped. You load the external instrument plugin and you are ready to go.

This approach really only makes sense if you plan on keeping your synths connected to the same inputs on your interface. If you are constantly swapping in different gear, defining an external instrument won't save you time and you are better to just route the inputs on demand as you have already done.

Question 2: You need to find out if the Kronus is multitimbral and can it receive midi on different channels to control those voices. IF it can then you have setup each of the voices on their own midi channel. When you record the midi in Cubase you have to make sure the midi channel it is outputting matching the channel assignment in the Kronus for that voice.

Other Thoughts: If you can't figure out the routing you can record the actual audio of the synth. Once it is in audio from , just change the sound and record another instrument sound. Routing using the inputs will work as will defining an external instrument.

I have Korg Kronos 2 and Yamaha Montage.
I connected them to my UFX via TRS cables and to my computer via USB.

1. Under VST Connections, do I connect them under the "inputs", or "external instruments"?
(The kronos is connected to Input 1/2, and Montage 3/4).

2. I have somewhat succeeded in recording the instrument in fact, but I'm not sure if things are connected correctly. I can get them recorded via midi track. But the sound doesn't remain when I change something.

Ex. With Kronos, I recoreded a EP sound via midi track. Now I wanted to record a guitar sound on a different track, so I created another midi track. When I finished recording the guitar, I pressed the playback, and the EP sound changed to the guitar. How do I go about this problem?

What is the plugin you are talking about when mentioned of the vst instrument rack? I'm way too hella confused. I've been working with soft synths the whole time..

I tried connecting both instruments under the 'external instruments'. And they do show up under the "add instrument track', and successfully move the midi track into it. But then, they no longer show up when I'm trying to create another track for the same hardware synth.

And when I went through some researching, there is this thing about taking midi track into an audio track. What is the difference between doing this and setting up the instruments in the 'external instruments'?

P.S My instruments will most likely stay in the same inputs for a long time.

[SJ_Digriz]

I'm pretty sure you can only use an external instrument 1 time per project. You'd do the opposite of what you are trying to do. You would record, then move the information off of the track so you can use it again.

I think you would be better off just using a MIDI and Audio track. It's a lot easier.

[SJ_Digriz]

Which Kronos and which UFX do you have?

[sacredmimi]

Which Kronos and which UFX do you have?

This is Kronos 2 and Fireface UFX the old one.

[bustedfist]

I'm confused now.

You want to record the audio and MIDI out of the keyboards and not the keyboards triggering a soft-synth, right?

First, as there are only Stereo Outs on each device, it can only play one sound at a time if triggered by MIDI on playback. This means you have to record to an Audio Track before moving on to another sound. That new sound has to be routed to a different MIDI and Audio Track and recorded. The MIDI tracks must be muted after each record or they could trigger the keyboard. You don't have to record MIDI to do what you want, doing so would just allow you to edit performance and re-trigger/ record that track. Again, only one sound at a time. Capturing the audio on different tracks allows simultaneous playback of all parts.

External Instruments come into play when you're triggering outboard gear via MIDI. It allows Cubase to apply Delay Compensation to combat latency. Before this feature we just used to slide whatever into place after the fact.

So, for each sound, if you want MIDI and Audio from the devices, you need a MIDI and Audio Track.

[SJ_Digriz]

It sounds like you are monitoring from the UFX instead of through C9. For example you can hear the Kronos even when C9 is not loaded? Is that true?

[SJ_Digriz]

Also, do you understand that you can run the Kronos can operate in multiple modes?

The big two you probably need to know are single channel vs multi-channel (multi-timbrel).

In single channel mode the Kronos sends and responds MIDI data on one channel only. typically channel 1.

Audio goes out the stereo pair as you either hit keys, or MIDI data is sent on the single channel.

In multi mode ...
You can have a different instrument loaded that will respond to incoming MIDI on multiple channels. (Like channel 10 is normally drums)

So you could have 16 MIDI tracks driving 1 multi on the Kronos. This is why the External Instrument is not the best/easiest way.

[bustedfist]

That will get him all instruments on one audio track. Not ideal for later mixing.

[SJ_Digriz]

That will get him all instruments on one audio track. Not ideal for later mixing.

I'm just walking him through 1 at a time. Once he groks how the MIDI and Audio paths are working, we can go to more complicated options for multi setups.

[sacredmimi]

It sounds like you are monitoring from the UFX instead of through C9. For example you can hear the Kronos even when C9 is not loaded? Is that true?

That's correct. Both the Montage and Kronos are audioble through speakers without C9 loaded. My only issue was recording it into cubase, which is fine until I try to make 2 separate tracks for 2 different sounds.

[SJ_Digriz]

For example, I believe the Kronos has 4 direct outs. He technically could jack all of those into the UFX on their own input. Then, record each layer of a single instrument/program/patch/tamber (whatever Kronos term is for a single sound) on a separate track.

Or use the same setup for a multi and configure the Kronos to output sound 1 on output 1 (i.e. Piano), sound 2 on output 2 (i.e. bass) etc...

You could simultaneously record all 4 audio tracks at once.

There's a bazzillion options, but you have to get the routing down in your head before you can make it do what you want. I'm just saying I think External instruments is the wrong way to go with a keyboard as complex as a Kronos.

[SJ_Digriz]

It sounds like you are monitoring from the UFX instead of through C9. For example you can hear the Kronos even when C9 is not loaded? Is that true?

That's correct. Both the Montage and Kronos are audioble through speakers without C9 loaded. My only issue was recording it into cubase, which is fine until I try to make 2 separate tracks for 2 different sounds.

Ok great ...

Are you able to record the audio AND the MIDI, or are you just getting MIDI?

In other words, if you turn off the Kronos can you play back what you recorded?