Automate Inserts and Sends possible in Cubase SX 3?

[jess123]

Hi folks,

I'm not trying to automate VSTi tracks, but some Sends and Inserts(if these are even possible) belonging to a Group channel (or Audio channel if Group doesn't work).

Please see http://www.see-consulting.com/temp/Scre ... s%20Fx.jpg diagram. These are my 2 'sends' FX channel called VoxReverb and SplitHarmonizer. When I open up their automation. Well, I see a mute on/off function that may serve half my requirements. You saw what I did on the SplitHamornizer? Basically turning on mute at the second bar. This works, but if more than 1 channels in my project uses SplitHarmonizer, everyone of them will get mute at the same spot....which is not what I want.

You see, most channels that uses the SplitHarmonizer are coming from various Group Channels such as guitars, drums, vocals, etc. Here I
show you my vocals group. Please view diagram http://www.see-consulting.com/temp/Group-Channel.jpg Now, here I believe lies the main issue. How can I automate how much sends I place for SplitHarmonizer and VoxReverb? Right now, by looking at the details, http://www.see-consulting.com/temp/Grou ... ttings.jpg , it is hardcoded to -10.9 and -16.8 respectively for the entire project. I would like to automate them

The same challenge I have for is its Insert, VoxengoVoxformer. For Inserts, all I'm asking is turning on and off at certain location of the project. Right now, it's hardcoded to be 'on' for the entire project.

Oh boy, I'm getting quite worry. I hope Cubase has these functionalities. I would thought these are fundamentals that software like Cubase should have.

Thank you for your time.

[kritikon]

Ok...the insert thing. Form memory, you can't actually automate an insert on/off. If you're using recorded audio rather than direct VSTi outputs etc, then I can think of at least 2 ways of doing it.

1. Copy the channels you're inserting Voxformer onto and send them to another group. Then you have one group with Voxformer on it and one without. You can simply mute one group or another depending on whether you want Voxformer on or off.

2. Use pre-fader sends from your individual channels to a group without Voxformer, and a group with Voxformer - you can then mute each send depending on whether you want Voxformer on or off...this way avoids physically copying channels ...you realise you can use sends to send a feed to a group buss, rather than just to an FX?

3. Automate your insert FX wet/dry mix...I assume Voxformer has one? (I don't use it, so I don't know). When you want Voxformer off, you simply automate a sudden 100% dry change in it. When you want it on, you automate a 100% wet change.


As for the group thing...I think you might have to ungroup them, if you want to have changing amounts of send FX from individual channels. But I'm not entirely sure what you're after. Do you mean you just want to increase a global amount of send from a whole grouped set of channels? - I would have thought increasing one send would increase all of them (I never use grouped channels...) and sends are automatable. Or another way of doing that is to set up 2 group channels - one with Splitharmoniser as an insert, and the other with Voxreverb as an insert. Rather than then automating sends to each one - you can simply automate the group channel volume fader - increasing the fader output is the same as increasing a send to that FX. In fact I use group channels rather than FX channels almost always - FX channels are so limited. Use a group channel and insert FX Z then send your channels to that group, instead of sending to FX Z directly from channels...that way you can use sends on the group channel...you can also reroute it onwards to something else.
I think group channels with inserts are what you're after? But I may have missed what you're trying to do?

[jess123]

HI Kritikon, Thanks for your comprehensive response.

Actually, I found my answers by looking at a video tutorial. For the benefit of this forum and also maybe to spawn discussions further, I shall describe what I've found.

Ok...the insert thing. Form memory, you can't actually automate an insert on/off.

Yes. It can be done. Whether you're in a group or individual channels, all Inserts(on/off) can be automated and all Sends (whether indiviudal plug-ins functions like dry/wet,etc or how much level to send from the channel in question) can be automated as well.

I simply click on the individual channel or group channel to create sub trck for autoamtion and click on the title of the sub track. Select 'More' from the pop up window and then viola!! You can automate the world there!

As for the group thing...I think you might have to ungroup them, if you want to have changing amounts of send FX from individual channels. But I'm not entirely sure what you're after. Do you mean you just want to increase a global amount of send from a whole grouped set of channels? - I would have thought increasing one send would increase all of them (I never use grouped channels...) and sends are automatable. Or another way of doing that is to set up 2 group channels - one with Splitharmoniser as an insert, and the other with Voxreverb as an insert. Rather than then automating sends to each one - you can simply automate the group channel volume fader - increasing the fader output is the same as increasing a send to that FX. In fact I use group channels rather than FX channels almost always - FX channels are so limited. Use a group channel and insert FX Z then send your channels to that group, instead of sending to FX Z directly from channels...that way you can use sends on the group channel...you can also reroute it onwards to something else.
I think group channels with inserts are what you're after? But I may have missed what you're trying to do?

I usually group my distortion guitars into a distortion guitar group and have my inserts and sends in that group. I originally wanted to automate on/off of inserts and how much of sends for this group. By the way, all my sends (reverb, delay, split harmonizer, etc) related channels are in individual FX channel which are triggerd by the sends from this group. (I hope this is a normal setup as I'm quite amateur)

Whereas for vocals, I have a vocal group, acoustic guitar I have nother group, drums I have another group, etc... That's my usual setup. I logically group them unless the indiviudal channel is unique that it can't be group.

[kritikon]

At least I learnt something, then. I didn't know inserts could be automated for on/off (to be honest, I never really tried it with SX - I know I couldn't do it with VST...I don't have much use for on/off inserts, as most insertFX such as compressors etc tend to click and glitch nastily if you turn them off while running live.) Could be useful though...

Pretty much everything else should be automatable though - SX was a huge improvement over VST in terms of automation.

(I hope this is a normal setup as I'm quite amateur)

Nothing wrong with that at all. Everyone works in different ways, is all. They obviously put group folders in there because many people like to use them. Personally I'm more a fan of group busses. Horses for courses. I can see good reasons for grouping channels...just that I tend to make my music a bit more chaotic - no obvious chorus/verse/bridge thing going on...so that's why I don't use grouping for channels.

[MacQ]

Hey ...

Off topic, but what Split Harmonizer plugin are you using? Curious, 'cause I'm looking for one ...

~MacQ

[jess123]

I used a WAVES Doubler 2 settings. I can send you the settings if you want. Then right after that chain is a simple low pass eq at 16K.

Nice for guitars and voice.

I learn this from a pro (Can't remember where now).

[MacQ]

Ah ... Waves Doubler. Hmm ... thanks. I'll have to look into that.

~MacQ