Linking to Your Sequencer
Linking with Cubase VST/24 5.0 (Windows)
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Beatnik has verified compatibility with Cubase VST, VST Score, and VST/24 for Windows version 5.0. For version 3.7, see the previous section.

Note for Windows 2000 and NT Users: You should be prepared for a certain amount of irregularity in live MIDI event timing, as these operating systems are optimized for server processes, not real-time media presentation.

Setting Up

  1. Install some form of MIDI linking software on your PC, following the supplied installation instructions.

We support two different freeware linking utilities: MIDI Yoke and HUBI.

  • MIDI Yoke can be downloaded off the net. As of May, 2001, the most reliable place to get it is:

http://www.midiox.com/myoke.htm

If this site is inaccessible, do a search for MIDI Yoke and something will turn up.

  • The HUBI Loopback Device is also available for download off the net at:

http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Vista/2872/hmidilb/hmdlpbk.html

  1. Install Cubase VST, VST Score, or VST/24 on your computer, following the supplied installation instructions.
  2. Restart your computer.

This will enable the MIDI linking software, so that Cubase and the Beatnik Editor can detect it.

  1. Launch the Beatnik Editor.

Always launch the Beatnik Editor before Cubase. Otherwise Cubase won't detect the Beatnik Editor at the other end of the linking utility.

  1. In the Beatnik Editor, select the linking utility as your MIDI input source.

Go to the File menu and select the Preferences... command, then in the Preferences dialog box select your linking utility as your MIDI input source:

  • If you're using MIDI Yoke, choose one of the three junctions.
  • If you're using HUBI, choose LB1.
  1. In the Beatnik Editor, make sure you have one or more Session windows open.
  2. If you want visual linking, click on the Instruments tab in a Session window.
  3. Launch Cubase.
  4. In Cubase, change your MIDI Setup settings to prevent a MIDI feedback loop.

Note: By default, Cubase finds and enables all possible MIDI inputs. As a result, if the MIDI output is set to MIDI Yoke: junction 1 and that is in turned being looped through the Beatnik Editor, Cubase will be receiving its own output - a MIDI feedback loop. If this happens, MIDI Yoke will disable the MIDI port and you'll have to restart the computer to turn it back on.

To avoid this problem, you need to disable the Beatnik Editor's MIDI In port:

  • Go to the Options menu and select the MIDI Setup item, and then the System sub- command. The MIDI System Setup window will appear:

  • In the MIDI System Setup window, click on the Enable box, then un-check the MIDI Input that you selected for the Beatnik Editor (in MIDI Yoke or HUBI):

  • Click on the Exit button to save your changed MIDI Setup.

Working with Cubase and the Beatnik Editor

Remember: Always launch the Beatnik Editor first.
  1. Launch the Beatnik Editor.

Launching the Beatnik Editor first ensures that Cubase will be able to find it when Cubase starts up.

  1. Launch Cubase.
  2. In Cubase, open your sequence.
  3. Set up your Tracks to play back on the Beatnik Editor MIDI synthesizer.

Highlight any MIDI track, then:

  • Click in the Output box (in the Track Info section) and select the same port that you selected (in MIDI Yoke or HUBI) as the Beatnik Editor's MIDI Input:

  • For all tracks that you want to play through the Beatnik Editor, select the same MIDI Output.
  • Click on the arrow next to the Prg box, then select 0-127 from the pop-up menu:

This is the patch numbering system that the Beatnik Editor uses.

  • Click on the arrow next to the Bank box, then select Swap Value Bytes (Roland) from the pop-up menu: (Leave Send MSB First checked.)

  • Double-click in the Bank box, then type the Bank number that you want to use for this track:

Use Bank number 0, 1, or 2:

Bank 0: General MIDI Melodic Instruments (on channel 10: General MIDI Percussion Instruments)

Bank 1: Beatnik Special Melodic Instruments (on channel 10: Beatnik Special Percussion)

Bank 2: Custom Melodic Instruments (on channel 10: Custom Percussion Instruments

  • Double-click in the Prg box, then type the patch number that you want to use for this track:

Inserting MIDI Bank Select and Program Change (Patch Change)
Events Into Your Sequence

In order for you to be able to export a MIDI file from Cubase, import it into the Beatnik Editor, and convert it to an RMF file that plays the same MIDI Instruments every time, you'll have to insert Bank Selects and Program Changes into your Tracks' MIDI event lists. This is especially important if you're using Instruments that you've created in the Beatnik Editor.
  1. Open a Track in the Event List window.

Select a Track that contains notes that you want to drive the Beatnik Editor, then go to the Edit menu and select the List command. An Event List window will appear, looking something like the following:


  1. In the Event List window, insert a Bank Select event at the very start of the Track. This will be a Continuous Controller message for controller number 0.
  • Click in the Insert choices box, then select Control Change from the pop-up menu:


  • Change your cursor to the Pencil tool by right-clicking anywhere in the graphic part of the Event List window (right hand side).

  • Since you want this to be the first event in the Track, click your pencil in the top left corner of the Event List's graphic part:

A new Control Change event will appear at the start of the Track.

  • Beatnik uses the MSB form of the Bank Select message, so double-click on the new Control Change event in the Val.1 column, and type in 0:

  • Then, double-click in the Val.2 column enter your desired Bank number:

The Bank number should be 0, 1, or 2:

Bank 0: General MIDI Melodic Instruments (on channel 10: General MIDI Percussion Instruments)

Bank 1: Beatnik Special Melodic Instruments (on channel 10: Beatnik Special Percussion)

Bank 2: Custom Melodic Instruments (on channel 10: Custom Percussion Instruments

  1. Still in the Event List window, insert your Patch Change events.
  • Click in the Insert choices box, then choose Program Change from the pop-up menu:

  • Change your cursor to the Pencil tool by right-clicking anywhere in the graphic part of the Event List window (right hand side):

  • Since you want this to be the second event in the Track - directly after the Bank Select event -click your pencil just below the Bank Select event:

A new Program Change event will appear. Or, to insert additional Program Changes at other times, you can insert one here and then drag to the desired time.

  • To set the Program (Instrument) number, double-click on the new Program Change event in the Val.1 column, and enter your desired Program number. The Program number should be in the range 1-128:

Note: Although Cubase uses Program numbers 1-128, the Beatnik Editor uses Program numbers 0-127. As a result, you need to enter a program number one higher than the one you want the Beatnik Editor to receive.

Moving Your Sequence Into the Beatnik Editor and the RMF Format

When you're finished inserting all your Bank and Patch changes, and your notes are all sounding the way you want them, save your sequence as a Standard MIDI File. Then, in the Beatnik Editor, Import that MIDI file into a Session window (or just drag it into the Songs tab of a Session window ), Play the song as a check, and finally export it as an RMF file.

Linking to Your Sequencer  / Linking with Cubase VST/24 5.0 (Windows)    top previous page next page