External Instruments and FX

i've a expanding set up and over the last few months been buying a little hardware. tr-606,x0xb0x,korg kaoss pad3. i'd like to set these up in cubase 5 . i've a akai EIE sound card/hub thing . currently running the 606 through the kp3 into channel 1 and the x0x into channel 2. the midi in / outs from the x0x into the akai. i've set up the audio ins in cubase so i can record what i hear from the 606 and x0x and record the midi from the x0x but thats as good as it gets. i'm not sure how to set up a external midi clock for cubase so the x0x controls tempo, there fore will be in sync or how to set up the KP3 as a external fx in cubase. when i connect the kp3 with usb it just starts spaccing about and my pc fails ?

i would use cubase as the master and set your x0xb0x to receive midi clock so it starts/stops when you press play in cubase. you don't really need to record the midi from your x0xb0x, just the audio. using the din sync you can then sync up your 606 and program all your patterns directly into the respective machines. just use cubase to set the global tempo and to record patterns into seperate audio channels (which will all be in sync with each other), which can then be edited/cut up etc to your liking...so:

cubase (midi out from soundcard) > x0xb0x (midi in)

x0xb0x (din sync out) > tr-606 (din sync in)

i've the x0x synced to the 606 but getting a DAW to control the x0x doesn't seem to be happening. i've midi out from the sound card to the x0x in but play in cubase doesn't press play on the x0x. i like being able to record the midi too as can then use the x0x to sequance vsts. i'd just like the DAW and hardware to match up without having to manually edit the audio/midi afterwards

as i've said in many other threads - getting midi to work can be a right pain and usually involves delving into strange menus in your DAW you've never seen before and never wish to see again, then clicking and unclicking various options until it finally starts working, often seemingly of it's own accord...

so i just suggest making sure you have your x0xb0x set to receive external midi sync/messages (check the manual for this, will be dead simple), then making sure cubase is set up correctly in terms of the selected soundcard and what channels it's sending MIDI on etc etc. then make sure the send midi channel from cubase and the receive midi channel on the x0xb0x match and bugger around with cubase until it starts working. obviously if you want the x0xb0x to be the master, just do the same but in reverse - so go into the midi settings on cubase and set it to external sync, set the midi channels to the same as being transmitted by the x0xb0x etc. basically, just keep playing about with it and you'll work it out eventually lol, sounds like you're on the right track...

I think I had to go in and mess with settings just a bit, but I have no problems syncing external midi devices to Cubase. It works quite nicely.

http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/dec11/articles/cubase-1211.htm

That will help you with the Korg if you want to run it as an external device. I would rather use the primary soundcard (Akai or K3) for recording. This way you describe running as an external device has got to be adding unecessary latency.

The easiest way to run x0xb0x is in Midi Play mode, otherwise try Pattern Mode with midisync. You can send Midi start and stop messages to it as well as tempo. However, Cubase would have to be Master. Running x0xb0x as Master should function just like a MMC device (Midi Machine Control), if possible, I honestly doubt it has this ability though. I have never tried it on mine.

I hope it helps, I am still confused by the setup choice, maybe I am missing something important.

i am confused by my set up choice .... even tho i shouldn't be :)

ideally cubase would be king and the x0x would follow but it just doesn't seem to want to happen. i'm beginning to suspect a poor build x0x as i can't use the keyboard setting to play it with my microkontrol. the computer control setting seems to not connect. maybe a faulty midi in ? the pattern software editer doesn't connect either

when i run ableton with a external sync the x0x is master tempo and this means i can record the audio/midi of the x0x and din sync 606 together. i can then load the audio into cubase and it's all good but i'd just like to do this straight into cubase no need for ableton. i only use ableton here n there for its audio engine. if i can set it up in ableton then i should be able to do the same in cubase.

if someone wants to pop round n sort it that would be great

it's an option that needs to be turn on manually even if you have midi in/out successfully happening inside Cubase. Ill take some screenshots

once you get to this menu, make sure the very bottom right device out is checked going to your midi out port

thanks for the screenshots :) i've looked in there before and have sent the midi out signal to the akai which is the midi connecter to the x0x but to no avail . i'm beginning to think it is a dodgy midi in on the x0x. it shouldn't be this complicated

whoops double post

things to try to troubleshoot a situation like this (some of them may seem obvious)

- try a different piece of gear that syncs to clock in the same setup chain, if that one doesnt work also you know it's not the x0x

-try a different midi cable

-are you able to send midi note data to the x0x? if so and its still not getting sync, its a setting on the x0x not cubase

also, as we've recently been through this with promo - make sure you've got the midi cables the right way around. sounds obvious i know but midi out to midi in etc - worth double checking.

thanks man i no you meant well but i didn't want to dignify such a question with a response but yes the cables are in the right way round, how else would i be getting a midi signal to my vsts ?

amazingly tho i've only gone and done it. not quite to how i want it to work. but its synced in time. starts stops with cubase so thats the main thing. i had hoped to be able to program the sequancer on the fly but it seems not, can just move between the pre-programmed sequances.

i've set up a midi track as a clock source out to the akai midi out which is connected to the x0x and now it starts stops. i've done this before to no avail so i can only thank awepittance for the screen shots :)

in reaktor i've set the channel to recieve midi signals from the akai in - x0x out

super duper . i can now sequance reaktor to play 303esque loops in time. IN TIME. which is much more fun. there doesn't seem to be a pattern edit / midi sync function which is a shame but i'm much happier now.

  On 8/20/2012 at 11:24 AM, Social Spastic said:

thanks man i no you meant well but i didn't want to dignify such a question with a response but yes the cables are in the right way round, how else would i be getting a midi signal to my vsts ?

lol sry, was just that the bro (promo) recently asked a similar question and got a load of advice then turned out he'd got the cables the wrong way round...

glad you got it sorted!