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Cubase has an Independent Track Loop feature which allows you to set up parts of tracks that will loop continuously while all the other tracks in your project progress normally along the timeline. This is handy for implementing a "backup band" that repeats the same things over and over while you play lead in front of it.
But the feature is clumsy to use. For each MIDI track that you want to loop, you have to go into the Key Editor and set the loop up. You also have to keep the Key Editor window open for the loop(s) to play properly. Plus, the next time you start up Cubase and load your project, you have to do all of the setup again. Cubase projects apparently do not remember the Independent Track Loop setup.
For the last couple of weeks I've been exploring the abilities of the Montage recorder. I accidentally discovered that if you set up a MIDI loop in the recorder, that loop will start to play when you hit "Play" in Cubase. It turns out that this can be used to have the Montage recorder be the backup band.
Here's what to do:
- Record your backup band as some number of Cubase MIDI tracks.
- Export those tracks into a MIDI file. To get just those tracks in the file, you need to solo them, otherwise you'll get every track in the project.
- Save the MIDI file on a flash drive and then plug that drive into the Montage.
- Load the MIDI file onto the Montage as a Song.
- Load that Song into the Montage recorder.
- Set up looping in the Montage recorder.
- Leaving the Montage screen in the Play/Rec mode, hit "Play" in Cubase. Your Montage recorder loop will start to play in sync with Cubase.
I'm using Cubase 9 Pro, but I would be surprised if it didn't work with some recent earlier versions of Cubase. I've only done this with MIDI so far, but I think there's a good chance it would also work with audio.
If anyone knows of a better way to use the Cubase Independent Track Loop feature, I'd be happy to hear about it.
I hope some of you find this useful.
Posted : 09/07/2017 12:08 am
I remember your name from Motifator.
…think I recall you e-bay’d a Motif XF7?
..And you developed a program for Python??
Thanks for your helpful post. I’ve been a Cubase user from the beginning.
Have a great Sunday, I’m gonna try and stay out of the way on here, respectful of others with larger issues.
(I’m ordering my Montage tomorrow) ! 😀
Posted : 09/07/2017 11:59 am
Topic starter
That's me. Guilty as charged! 😀
I eventually achieved Guru status on Motifator, which was totally ridiculous because it's just based on how many posts you do. So I got to be a Guru by asking a ton of questions. The real Gurus (Bad Mister, 5pinDIN, cmayhle, philwoodmusic, VikasSharma, meatballfulton, Dave Polich, and a number of others I don't remember offhand) were the ones who posted answers to questions from me and the other newbies.
I posted some Python code here about a month ago for making Cubase drum maps, so now I've done two Python things that are music-related.
I got my Motif XF7 in the Fall of 2011. At that point, I knew nothing about synthesizers or MIDI or DAWs. I had no idea what I was buying, what it could do, or whether I was interested in doing those things. I figured that if I bought the best thing available, I'd be more likely to find the things that I enjoyed doing. It was a shot in the dark that luckily worked out well for me.
The first couple of years I used the Motif as a standalone workstation. Once I got into Cubase, I realized that I had spent those first years doing things the hard way, because task for task almost anything was easier to do with Cubase than with the Motif. But (he said, making lemonade out of lemons) I learned a lot. If I had known then what I know now, I would have immediately started off with Cubase.
I've had my Montage since May of 2016, and I just love it. Working with it is enormously easier than working with a Motif XF. The Montage touchscreen user interface is so much quicker and more intuitive than the Motif buttons. And the sounds the Montage produces are so much better than what the XF did that it's like watching high-res TV vs the older kind. I think there's a good chance you'll really like your Montage.
I gather that there's still a devoted group of Motif users, so if you have one, you're likely to be able to sell it on eBay the way I sold mine.
Posted : 09/07/2017 7:42 pm
Thanks for the words.
Yesterday I actually searched back into this Forum's history to find only 91 pages… so I started with page 91 and read the posts.
Back when Montage hadn’t been released for sale yet only just announced at the Namm show in Jan’16.
(this is only new to me as most of you all were there posting)…at any rate 🙂
I went through about 5 or 6 pages of posts and man the energy of that time was incredible. Reminded me of the 10th and 40th Anniversary Celebrations of Synths or XF.
I appreciate the ones of us that have come here from Motif XF's. I’m sure any/all creative people will always be able to find workarounds to older ways of getting to point B from A respectively.
Yeah and I’m keeping mine… got a black XF8 late 2011 and the white 88 from ’14 … love 'em both. They've helped me write a few priceless pieces and that have earned them their home here for life! 😉
There has been countless times one was turned on and used as standalone where almost complete pieces short of the usual mixdowns and of course mastering using only song mode. The computer was never awakened.
I really though for sure it would get an overhaul improving what it offered building on their success but never imagined a total DC.
That’s still by far the most, or possibly just the latest non-creative event I’ve witnessed.
It’s sort of odd, I never learned to use pattern mode and only have one of the 1g flash boards filled and with our own samples.:(
But there will be days I’m sure during this next LeARniNg curve that I’ll sit back down with them and write something that’ll break through to the other side, you know, WAKE THE DEAD! ?
no, get a Grammy nod of course. :-))
Have a pleasant Sunday Michael T.
Posted : 09/07/2017 10:01 pm
