SoundFont note dropout in CubaseVST playback

GrahamL · Jun 25, 2005, 11:47 AM

Guys,

Sorry if this has been asked before.... i did look :-)

I have just rebuilt my studio to use XP and the KX drivers instead of W98 and the APS set. Still the same SBLive card, which at £20.00 was and still is excellent value for what I do.

The way I have the studio set up is such that I created a Soundfont with my "ultimate" sampled Rock drum kit and then added this to the original EMUAPS8 file. So now, with only this default SF2 loaded, I can program drum tracks and still tinker with regular GM keys.

This all worked like a dream on the old system, but now I'm getting odd dropouts......
If I program a measure of simple 4:4 into the Cubase drum Editor assigned to CH10 and pointing at the Soundfont loaded via the KX Control Panel, everything is fine, and if I start the song from the beginning every time, no problem BUT.....
If I'm punching in a guitar break for example and stop Cubase at a certain point, set a locator and then start up playback again, I may lose hi-hat or snare or whatever so the rest of the measure plays but for that one "instrument". This is very offputting, especially as the kick disappeared while trying to record a bass line :-(

Am I missing something or is this a known issue?

FYI, I have set up the PC with every performance tweak I could find on the web and it flies all except for this glitch.

Thanks in advance

Graham

PITmaster · Dec 3, 2005, 02:14 PM

I think I've noticed something similar.
In general kX Synths are missing random notes during playback, specialy when I use drum channel 10 with any others through the same Synth1 or Synth2.
When you try to play drums through Synth2 and the rest through Synth1 everything should be fine.
This is kind of inconvenience when I have to use kXSFi which works only with Synth1.

I'm testing kX's synths with CL's synth parallelly now and I've found maaaany differences in fact.
Sometimes volume level for selected channel is to high. Panpot with CL works nice smoothly, so when you try to change pan position violently it's changing fast but smooth in fact - with kX it's not.
I still don't know how "Attenuation" in Synth Compatibility works. When unchecked it seems to play more smooth, volume levels are nice decreased but some of them are definitely too strongly and are too quiet in fact even with volume equal 127.

PITmaster

Maddogg6 · Dec 4, 2005, 03:48 AM

Ok.. I noticed this - as different from other drivers...

When a midi note is triggered (ON) for say for 1/4 Note length.. then a a few ticks later - the same not triggered for 1 few ticks will cause the original note to stop. CL drivers do not behave this way... It could *sound* like notes missing (midi cymbles, or any long release time instrument, are most likely to be noticed)- depending on the midi arrangement. - is this what your hearing?

GrahamL · Dec 4, 2005, 11:28 AM

Hi Guys,

Yes, that is what it sounded like, *but* as mentioned originally, it would only happen during certain playback periods from punch points within Cubase.

However, i have it all sorted now..... I found a copy of Reason v1.0 skulking in a box at the back of the studio a while ago (it had been there for several years, forgotten and gathering dust!!!) so I installed it, sorted out ReWire and created an environment based around three drum machines carefully set up to work as one big one.

Having created a drum map for this in Cubase, now everything is rosy, with just one drawback.... I have to first start Cubase with def.sng, then start Reason and finally load the song I am after working on as this is the only way I can get it all to load up and recognise each other's resources... still not a big issue as it also means I can save individual Reason patches for each song which allows me to chop and change things on the drum submix for each song.

All in all, I think, a good solution

Anyway, thanks for your input.

Cheers

Graham

Jun 25, 2005, 11:47 AM	#1
GrahamL DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Essex, UK Posts: 2 Rep Power: 0	SoundFont note dropout in CubaseVST playback Guys, Sorry if this has been asked before.... i did look :-) I have just rebuilt my studio to use XP and the KX drivers instead of W98 and the APS set. Still the same SBLive card, which at £20.00 was and still is excellent value for what I do. The way I have the studio set up is such that I created a Soundfont with my "ultimate" sampled Rock drum kit and then added this to the original EMUAPS8 file. So now, with only this default SF2 loaded, I can program drum tracks and still tinker with regular GM keys. This all worked like a dream on the old system, but now I'm getting odd dropouts...... If I program a measure of simple 4:4 into the Cubase drum Editor assigned to CH10 and pointing at the Soundfont loaded via the KX Control Panel, everything is fine, and if I start the song from the beginning every time, no problem BUT..... If I'm punching in a guitar break for example and stop Cubase at a certain point, set a locator and then start up playback again, I may lose hi-hat or snare or whatever so the rest of the measure plays but for that one "instrument". This is very offputting, especially as the kick disappeared while trying to record a bass line :-( Am I missing something or is this a known issue? FYI, I have set up the PC with every performance tweak I could find on the web and it flies all except for this glitch. Thanks in advance Graham

Dec 3, 2005, 02:14 PM	#2
PITmaster DriverHeaven Addict Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 266 Rep Power: 0	I think I've noticed something similar. In general kX Synths are missing random notes during playback, specialy when I use drum channel 10 with any others through the same Synth1 or Synth2. When you try to play drums through Synth2 and the rest through Synth1 everything should be fine. This is kind of inconvenience when I have to use kXSFi which works only with Synth1. I'm testing kX's synths with CL's synth parallelly now and I've found maaaany differences in fact. Sometimes volume level for selected channel is to high. Panpot with CL works nice smoothly, so when you try to change pan position violently it's changing fast but smooth in fact - with kX it's not. I still don't know how "Attenuation" in Synth Compatibility works. When unchecked it seems to play more smooth, volume levels are nice decreased but some of them are definitely too strongly and are too quiet in fact even with volume equal 127. PITmaster

Dec 4, 2005, 03:48 AM	#3
Maddogg6 Tail Razer Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Bernyurass, AZ - USA Posts: 4,027 Rep Power: 50	Ok.. I noticed this - as different from other drivers... When a midi note is triggered (ON) for say for 1/4 Note length.. then a a few ticks later - the same not triggered for 1 few ticks will cause the original note to stop. CL drivers do not behave this way... It could sound like notes missing (midi cymbles, or any long release time instrument, are most likely to be noticed)- depending on the midi arrangement. - is this what your hearing?

Dec 4, 2005, 11:28 AM	Thread Starter #4
GrahamL DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Essex, UK Posts: 2 Rep Power: 0	Hi Guys, Yes, that is what it sounded like, but as mentioned originally, it would only happen during certain playback periods from punch points within Cubase. However, i have it all sorted now..... I found a copy of Reason v1.0 skulking in a box at the back of the studio a while ago (it had been there for several years, forgotten and gathering dust!!!) so I installed it, sorted out ReWire and created an environment based around three drum machines carefully set up to work as one big one. Having created a drum map for this in Cubase, now everything is rosy, with just one drawback.... I have to first start Cubase with def.sng, then start Reason and finally load the song I am after working on as this is the only way I can get it all to load up and recognise each other's resources... still not a big issue as it also means I can save individual Reason patches for each song which allows me to chop and change things on the drum submix for each song. All in all, I think, a good solution Anyway, thanks for your input. Cheers Graham