I discuss inline images here: https://www.yamahasynth.com/forum/montage-connect-as-standalone#reply-15432

... because of a problem with the forum - you're going to have to scroll to the bottom and click "load more replies".

The quick summary is:

1) upload the picture to https://imgh.us/index.php (select file, then choose upload file)
2) Copy the text in the box labeled "URL:"
3) In the yamahasynth forum, click on the green icon after "B I U" and the next icon as a chain. The next one after the chain - click on that (to the left of the blue/black filmstrip icon).
4) Paste the link you copied from imgh.us (step 2)

Notice it really just puts "open bracket"img"close bracket" in front of your link and "open bracket, forward slash"img"close bracket" at the end of the link - so you could manually type these to create the inline graphic if you want.

EDIT: imgh.us is closing down as of 8/2017. No longer recommended.

Thanks, that's helpful.

I DID try to search the forum to find out, but no luck. (Seems when I try to search I never find what I'm looking for, but often find other things that are interesting. 😉 )

I will work on this tomorrow. Heading out now for a rehearsal.

Lawrence wrote:

I DID try to search the forum to find out, but no luck.

No worries - I had a difficult time digging up my own message and usually have better success finding my own past messages.

A search tip is to use the message board search (within yamahasynth.com) about 20% of the time - and use a search engine the rest of the time (outside yamahasynth). I find the search engine indexes this forum very frequently and usually (but not always) does a better job of finding what I'm looking for. A common search string I use is:

"site:yamahasynth.com keyword-or-phrase1 someusername"

The "someusername" is usually my own, but sometimes I'll put in "bad mister", someone else, or leave that part out.

Let’s review the issue. (I’ve unmarked this topic as SOLVED, since apparently it isn’t yet solved).

I’ve switched on the Kawai VCP1, although I don’t think that’s related. I get the same results if it is on or off.

Here is the MIDI Port setup with the VCP1 included:

Here are the results I'm getting, first with Cubase Pro 9, and then with Cubase 7.5. (I'm only using Cubase Pro 9, but was curious to see if the frozen behaviour would occur with an older version of Cubase. This may or may not be relevant, but I am getting quite different results from the two versions of Cubase, and am using the same MIDI port setup, as illustrated above:

Cubase Pro 9

Input Routing set to Montage Port 1 - everything works

Input Routing set to All MIDI Inputs:

Common Assign - everything works

Part 1 Assign - Cutoff, Resonance, Attack, Decay, Release knobs FROZEN

Parts 2 - 8 - everything works

Cubase 7.5

Input Routing set to Montage Port 1

Common Assign - All knobs frozen

Part 1 Assign - Depth, Sustain, Low, Low Mid/Mid F, Mid, High Mid/Mid Q, High, Variation, Swing, Unit Multiply, Gate Time, Velocity, Amplitude, Shape, Smooth, Random knobs FROZEN

Part 2 - 8 - all knobs FROZEN

Input Routing set to All MIDI Inputs

Common Assign - All knobs frozen

Part 1 Assign - Cutoff, Resonance, Depth, Attack, Decay, Sustain, Release, Low, Low Mid/Mid F, Mid, High Mid.Mid Q, High, Variation, Swing, Unit Multiply, Gate Time, Velocity, Amplitude, Shape, Smooth, Random knobs all FROZEN

Part 2 - 8 - all knobs FROZEN

I don't think your cubase 7.5 results are any different. Your list of knobs not working are all knobs that send SYSEX. So check your MIDI options in Cubase 7.5 and ensure SYSEX is passed through (not filtered).

You can reference https://www.yamahasynth.com/forum/slider-and-knob-midi-output to see what is SYSEX and CC (which knobs under various modes send what message type).

Jason wrote:

I don't think your cubase 7.5 results are any different. Your list of knobs not working are all knobs that send SYSEX. So check your MIDI options in Cubase 7.5 and ensure SYSEX is passed through (not filtered).

You are correct, Jason. It's been a long time since I've used Cubase 7.5, and didn't think to check for filter settings. I just checked and SYSEX filtering was enabled.

So, no difference between Cubase 7.5 and Cubase Pro 9 in terms of the issue.

Question remains, what is causing the issue and what's the solution?

Let us know how the support ticket with Steinberg turns out.

The important things you're leaving out of your setup conditions are
1) the number of MIDI channels you are transmitting on from the Montage at the time and
2) the Track Inspector setting for the MIDI Track Out.

Without these two items your observations about what is working when and what is not working, are incomplete. When playing a MULTI Part Performance, the Montage profile in the DAW is quite different from when playing a SINGLE Part.

Please note that when properly setup you should be able to access the controls you want to manipulate. If the channels on which you are generating data from the Montage are not set to pass THRU the Cubase MIDI Track properly, the controls may appear frozen. When frozen, there is an explanation. It is a matter of routing and matching channels.

In general, a Cubase MIDI Track records all incoming MIDI data... you must deactivate the filter that prevents Sysex from being recorded and passed thru the Track's In/Out.

The Track Channel that you set in Cubase rechannelizes the incoming data and redirects it on a specific channel; unless you set this to "Any". "Any" simply thru's the data on its original channel. Once set to "Any" you can record all channels and play them back properly - whether multiple or single. There is no need to open or create another MIDI Track. Data is separated by Channel until you are ready to edit the data... this is what DISSOLVE PART is about. This will place each Part's data on a separate Track in Cubase, organized by MIDI Channel.

Multi Part Performances are anchored to Part 1. Global messages are merged with channel 1 data. Global commands include the Super Knob events and the Scene control button events. If these two globally set controls are sending Sysex the messages are thru'd with channel 1 data, likewise, if they are set to send CC numbers the messages are thru'd on channel 1... even though they affect all Parts the events are documented on Channel 1.

If the Super Knob is set to CC = 95 it will create cc messages on channel 1, these messages can influence any and all Parts set to respond to the Super Knob, 1-16

This point explains why, if you choose to communicate exclusively on Channel 2, or Channel 3, or Channel 4, etc., global messages like those sending Sysex/CC, are not Thru'd to the Tone Generator... unless you ensure Channel 1 is also simultaneously Thru'd.

Therefore, it very much matters what your Performance looks like, and how you are set to thru data when Local Control is Off.
A "best practice" might be to separate your global commands so that you can keep these commands active independent from any note events etc for the instrument in Part 1.

As stated in my initial post:

Cubase Settings
- Cubase Pro 9.0.1 (113)
- MIDI Thru Active selected
- Synchronization Setup: Montage Port 1 selected
- Channel: Any

Montage Settings
- Firmware 1.50.0
- Quick Setup: Arp Rec on DAW selected
- MIDI I/O: Multi

Subsequently discovered that when Cubase Input Routing set to MONTAGE Port 1, no knobs are frozen. When Cubase Input Routing set to ALL INPUTS, frozen knobs occurs.

Happens on every MULTI part performance that I've tested with, but lets use Chillomatik as an example, so four parts.

Here are some screen shots:

Is any additional information required?

Subsequently discovered that when Cubase Input Routing set to MONTAGE Port 1, no knobs are frozen. When Cubase Input Routing set to ALL INPUTS, frozen knobs occurs.

This is not the case and is not true. The setting for ALL MIDI INPUTS is defined by marking the items in DEVICES > DEVICE SETUP > MIDI > MIDI PORT SETUP... when you mark a device in the "IN ALL MIDI INPUTS" column, like "Montage Port 1" you are defining what you wish to be an input device to your Cubase MIDI Tracks.

Only devices marked in this column will be SOURCES for MIDI data. So if you have a second keyboard or a set of Drum Pads that you are going to use to trigger MIDI data... you would mark it here in the IN ALL MIDI INPUTS column. All items marked in this column can be simultaneously used as MIDI input devices to your MIDI Track.

So "ALL MIDI INPUTS" on the Track Inspector actually equals "Montage Port 1" when "Montage Port 1" is the only item marked in that column. Hope that is clear - so this means it is neither the cause, nor is it the cure for your FROZEN items. Hope that is clear so we can move on to how to setup the Montage with a Cubase MIDI Track without freezing any of your controls. And then for sure know what does cause a frozen knob

You want to set a single MIDI TRACK in Cubase.
The "MIDI IN" can be set to either "Montage Port 1" or "All MIDI Inputs" if you have defined it properly.
The "MIDI OUT" should be set to "Montage Port 1"
The OUT CHANNEL should be set to "ANY"

You are recalling PERFORMANCE "Chillamatik"
This Performance will be generating MIDI data on four MIDI Channels, 1, 2, 3 and 4.
There are Arpeggiators involved in this Performance so you are going to use the "ARP Rec on DAW" QUICK SETUP template.
Cubase is going to be the master MIDI Clock - so if you want to record the "Chillmatik" at its original 'chill' tempo of 90, set the Cubase Tempo to 90.00 bpm

All your other settings look good.
You should be able to move the Super Knob, the Assignable Knobs, with this setup, and record your movement of them and the SCENE buttons selections.

If you cannot not, please let me know. You are transmitting on four channels but the "ANY" setting on the Track ensures that all data will be documented on the channel it that it comes in on - when you have completely recording a bit of a performance - moving knobs, changing Scenes -etc... play it back.

I highly recommend that you begin your recording by recalling SCENE 1 as your first event - even if you have to record it one measure out front - this way your PERFORMANCE will reset automatically to start condition.

Take a look at the MIDI > Open LIST EDITOR so you can see that the data is recorded on four MIDI channels. Your Super Knob, Scene messages are either recorded as SYSEX or as CC messages on Channel 1.

Let us know.

Again, I strongly advise opening up a case and going through the resolution process with Steinberg.

Bad Mister wrote:

Hope that is clear so we can move on to how to setup the Montage with a Cubase MIDI Track without freezing any of your controls. And then for sure know what does cause a frozen knob

Yes, of course this is clear. I was describing what is happening IN MY CASE!

I DO have everything setup as you've described, but I'm still getting the problem of knobs freezing when MIDI IN set to All MIDI Inputs.

Bad Mister wrote:

All your other settings look good.

Agreed.

Bad Mister wrote:

I highly recommend that you begin your recording by recalling SCENE 1 as your first event - even if you have to record it one measure out front - this way your PERFORMANCE will reset automatically to start condition.

That's a good tip. Added to my workflow.

Bad Mister wrote:

Take a look at the MIDI > Open LIST EDITOR so you can see that the data is recorded on four MIDI channels. Your Super Knob, Scene messages are either recorded as SYSEX or as CC messages on Channel 1.

Confirmed.

So what's the next step in figuring this out?

So what's the next step in figuring this out?

A screenshot of your full Cubase Track layout, if you can, thank you.

Not sure if this is what you're looking for:

And with Montage Connect, which is remaining offline. (I raised this issue in another thread. Perhaps they are related?)

Okay, since we don't see any anomaly here, we suggest you close Cubase completely. And open Montage Connect as a stand alone application and see if you can bring it ONLINE. Let us know.