# Tracks going silent in Cubase *Major Development*



## Lionel Schmitt (Jan 12, 2021)

Hi!

I use Cubase 10.5 on Windows 10.

There is a strange and scary issue of tracks _(using instrument tracks, no midi tracks and midi faders)_ falling silent while working on projects, sometimes only a few minutes into the project. Often I did not even touch the tracks right before they go silent... It started on my new machine but also happened very rarely (2-3 times) on the old one. It has very different specs compared to the previous one and I have a new audio interface.

It's happening more and more often in just about every project.

Sometimes they start playing again without touching when stopping playback and resuming. But usually not.

Sometimes bypassing the entire insert FX chain and re-enabling it solves it.. other times it doesn't.
When the sound comes back it sometimes kicks back in with several notes/audio information at the same time as if it has been held back by something. Like a suuuuper long drop out PER TRACK.

Sometimes when freezing the track it actually plays back the sound and works again after unfreezing it and exporting the silent track also works. Other times it doesn't - which is VERY scary with 20 tracks and many stems to finalize in the next 2-3. It's easy to miss subtle but important elements in dense multilayered cinematic tracks. I may be wondering why the track sounds a bit less rich than I remember it or some definition lost somewhere but can't be sure whether it's a silent track or naturally not being fully happy with the result... INSANELY creepy.

Other times nothing except duplicating the track or reloading the project solves it.

The most ABSURD thing is: sometimes I can still play midi into these tracks and they respond properly. I even can touch the midi events and they make a sound. Just when playing back the track in the project these midi events do not correspond to the sampler.
It happened with Kontakt, because that's what I use 95% of the time but also with Omnisphere and Sine Player, so it's not a Kontakt issue.

This is a severe threat to several aspects of my work - I'll also be contacting the support and hope they don't suck too much haha.. but it's good to go multiple roads.

Thanks for any clues!


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## labornvain (Jan 12, 2021)

I've experiencing this problem since cubase 7. It has persisted across multiple operating systems, multiple computers, multiple interfaces and every cubase version since. I'm up to cubase 11 now and it still does it.


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## Jdiggity1 (Jan 12, 2021)

When that has happened to me, It's usually traceable back to Omnisphere. I never get the issue if omnisphere isn't loaded somewhere.


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## Ilko Birov (Jan 12, 2021)

This has happened to me on several projects (in Cubase Artist 10). Super frustrating.


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## peladio (Jan 12, 2021)

Could you share some more details about your setup..it shouldn't be happening

What's your interface and are you using the latest driver? How are your speakers connected to your interface? Are you using any trial version plugins etc..

Be sure to contact support and report back here since others seem to have this problem too..


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## Lionel Schmitt (Jan 12, 2021)

peladio said:


> Could you share some more details about your setup..it shouldn't be happening
> 
> What's your interface and are you using the latest driver? How are your speakers connected to your interface? Are you using any trial version plugins etc..
> 
> Be sure to contact support and report back here since others seem to have this problem too..


Pretty simple setup. Steinberg UR22mkII Interface, no speakers just headphones plugged into the headphone jack with an adapter (the original hole is too big for the headphone jack), and on the tracks that go silent I don't use trial version plugins. There have been many such tracks and on one of them had only one or zero plugins, not sure anymore. 
And yea, I'll do so.


Jdiggity1 said:


> When that has happened to me, It's usually traceable back to Omnisphere. I never get the issue if omnisphere isn't loaded somewhere.


Very interesting... I'll try freezing and unloading or even rendering and disabling the tracks to be extra sure and see if it's still happening.


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## labornvain (Jan 12, 2021)

One of the bizarre things about this defect is that the VI that is affected is still live. Meaning that you can still trigger audio by clicking on notes manually from within the inspector window (or playing your midi controller.)

But when you hit play, nothing.


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## Sunny Schramm (Jan 12, 2021)

Jdiggity1 said:


> When that has happened to me, It's usually traceable back to Omnisphere. I never get the issue if omnisphere isn't loaded somewhere.


never heard or experienced that. there is a new version for omnisphere (2.6.4c) - maybe it was fixed 🤷‍♂️


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## Lionel Schmitt (Jan 13, 2021)

Sunny Schramm said:


> never heard or experienced that. there is a new version for omnisphere (2.6.4c) - maybe it was fixed 🤷‍♂️


That's the version I'm using and it's happening.. I also don't think it was listed in the changelog.


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## AudioLoco (Jan 13, 2021)

DarkestShadow said:


> Hi!
> 
> I use Cubase 10.5 on Windows 10.
> 
> ...


Wow...That is weird and scary, never heard about something like this in Cubase, in 20 years of use...
(Not having certainty over what is actually exported in the end is the worst element)

I think your only option is an exorcist.

...and some kind of time machine to go a few months into the future to read Steinberg's support reply.

Good luck, I feel you 
(sorry for not being able to actually help).
...Just checking, are you on 10.5.20? the very last Cubase 10 update?


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## Lionel Schmitt (Jan 13, 2021)

AudioLoco said:


> Wow...That is weird and scary, never heard about something like this in Cubase, in 20 years of use...
> (Not having certainty over what is actually exported in the end is the worst element)
> 
> I think your only option is an exorcist.
> ...


Yep, I just checked... that's my version.


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## kleotessard (Jan 13, 2021)

I'm using Cubase 9.5 and this happened to me several times. I though I messed with something so I usually "save a new version" of the project (I keep the last known working version just in case) and reload it.
It's happenning with any VI (I use Kontakt, Synthmaster One and many others). All VI are up to date.

When I play with my keyboard it work, but when I play the track there is no sound. I'm just a hobbyist I don't do fancy things.
It's frustrating.

I hope there is a solution for you !


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## telecode101 (Jan 13, 2021)

..


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## Lionel Schmitt (Jan 13, 2021)

telecode101 said:


> I am a Cubase user. I have seen this happen. What are your project settings set at?


hm, which settings do you mean? 
Project setup?


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## telecode101 (Jan 13, 2021)

..


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## ok_tan (Jan 13, 2021)

happens to me from time to time, windows 10, cubase 11, both latest updates. usually with kontakt (samples still loaded, but not sounding).


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## Lionel Schmitt (Jan 13, 2021)

telecode101 said:


> yes


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## Ivan M. (Jan 13, 2021)

labornvain said:


> I've experiencing this problem since cubase 7. It has persisted across multiple operating systems, multiple computers, multiple interfaces and every cubase version since. I'm up to cubase 11 now and it still does it.



That's too long, I would ditch the thing if it doesn't work, life's too short for bs like that


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## novaburst (Jan 16, 2021)

Try running Cubase without asio guard or try running with asio guard , runnig without made a positive impact for me but some say its better with it on


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## Lionel Schmitt (Jan 16, 2021)

novaburst said:


> Try running Cubase without asio guard or try running with asio guard , runnig without made a positive impact for me but some say its better with it on


I don't think it influences the issue. Someone else is not running Asio Guard and still had the issue.
If I turn it off the entire project becomes stuttery so it would be hard to test anyway...


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## novaburst (Jan 16, 2021)

If you haven't done any audio recording you can try running in 24bit and 48hz, then turn off asio guard just for a test/

you can save your project as (save as) rename it and use that one to test you will have two of the same projects one will be safe and the other you can do some testing with


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## Lionel Schmitt (Jan 16, 2021)

novaburst said:


> If you haven't done any audio recording you can try running in 24bit and 48hz, then turn off asio guard just for a test/
> 
> you can save your project as (save as) rename it and use that one to test you will have two of the same projects one will be safe and the other you can do some testing with


Is there a specific reason for it? I'm also not sure if I can do that because I am already maxing out my system at 16 / 41. Turning it up might bring it to fall haha


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## novaburst (Jan 17, 2021)

I think if you have two identical projects why not give it a go as you will not be messing up your original work, 

48hz is not that much 24bit or 32bit floating will eat more SSD space and a very small CPU hit it just may mean you need to render some midi files a little earlier, 

This can all be done when you have a little time, but it's really to get you system to function differently to see if you get any benifits, running at the lowest settings is not always the best idea some times your CPU needs a boost, a bit like putting your foot down an the peddle of a car it will go a little faster but you will see some better performance too, at the cost of power,


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## Henning (Jan 17, 2021)

I'm sure you already checked this but I encountered similar 'mutes' until I found I that Cc11 Cc7 or Cc1 were down to 0. But it's probably just typical me...


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## GNP (Jan 17, 2021)

Henning said:


> I'm sure you already checked this but I encountered similar 'mutes' until I found I that Cc11 Cc7 or Cc1 were down to 0. But it's probably just typical me...


Nope, happens to me as well. Especially when I use Lemur...everytime i press a button in Lemur, CC11 goes down to 0 on the selected track, and I can't hear shit. So I have to make sure I draw in automation to start at 90 or whatever, and the sound comes back.


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## Nico (Jan 17, 2021)

Henning said:


> I'm sure you already checked this but I encountered similar 'mutes' until I found I that Cc11 Cc7 or Cc1 were down to 0. But it's probably just typical me...


Last week I had a similar issue. When I recorded strings using the modulation wheel, everything was ok, but nothing on playback. I then found out it was due to a little piece of dust stuck under the fader. My controller was sending some 0 values to Cubase.


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## Henning (Jan 17, 2021)

Nico said:


> Last week I had a similar issue. When I recorded strings using the modulation wheel, everything was ok, but nothing on playback. I then found out it was due to a little piece of dust stuck under the fader. My controller was sending some 0 values to Cubase.


Yeah, some kind of rogue midi message sent from a controller or plugin might be the culprit.


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## labornvain (Jan 17, 2021)

Henning said:


> Yeah, some kind of rogue midi message sent from a controller or plugin might be the culprit.


 Yeah it's not a controller issue. As the OP pointed out, the instrument still plays via a midi keyboard or by clicking the notes in the midi editor or by triggering notes from the instrument's interface such as clicking on the piano in Kontakt.

This is one of the frustrating things about this glitch. The audio works and even the midi works until you hit play.

Another weird clue is that sometimes you can make the track play again by soloing it up. But as soon as you un-solo it, it goes silent again. 

I've also found that this glitch usually occurs by switching tracks. As in, you have one track selected, then select a different track, and the previously selected track will go silent.

And lastly, to eliminate any doubt that this is not a controller based issue, the remedy is often as simple as duplicating the track. This seems to work about half the time.

It's all the great mystery. But the fact that this Problem hasn't been fixed in 10 years leaves me with grave concerns about the integrity of the Cubase codebase.


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## Henning (Jan 17, 2021)

labornvain said:


> Yeah it's not a controller issue. As the OP pointed out, the instrument still plays via a midi keyboard or by clicking the notes in the midi editor or by triggering notes from the instrument's interface such as clicking on the piano in Kontakt.
> 
> This is one of the frustrating things about this glitch. The audio works and even the midi works until you hit play.
> 
> ...


Ah, I see. Very strange, indeed.


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## Lionel Schmitt (Jan 18, 2021)

It's definitely not any controller in my case either. Looks like there are several variations of the bug, which makes it even more troubling. 
In my case it usually stays silent when soloing it. I can also play with the midi keyboard or touch the events to make them play, but sometimes that's not happening either.

When clicking "constrain delay compensation" and the turning it off again so far the tracks started playing again - so I'll do that when exporting anything. I'm only aware of this fix since 1-2 days so I'm not sure if it always works but it also shows that it's not related to midi cc stuff.


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## peladio (Jan 20, 2021)

Have you contacted Steinberg? This is really a weird bug, curious what are they going to say about it


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## labornvain (Jan 20, 2021)

peladio said:


> Have you contacted Steinberg? This is really a weird bug, curious what are they going to say about it


 It's been reported to Steinberg for years by many people.


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## Lionel Schmitt (Jan 27, 2021)

Another thing I just discovered - it's not switching tracks in and of itself that causes the issue but record enable/disable.

So - even when keeping a given track selected - deselecting the red recording circle can make it go silent, sometimes with the last note stuck...
Often it also just skips a note. I thought it was a dropout from my disk before...
So it seems sometimes it just skips 1-3 notes, other times it stops playing entirely.
No idea why disarming a track from recording should affect how existing midi events correspond with the sampler... super strange. Although it usually also doesn't receive new midi data, as if it was permanently disarmed.

One fix that always works for me is enabling and disabling "constrain delay compensation".
I actually set it to a keyswitch because I have 50-100 cases of silent tracks every day!!!!!!!!!
I also do it right before every export of course.

Strangely enough, even disabling and reenabling a single random plugin (not bypassing - literally turn it off and on again with the 'power button') can make it play again.


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## Lionel Schmitt (Mar 19, 2021)

MAJOR development.

The cause of the silent tracks is Asio Guard on my end! (Studio - Studio Setup - VST Audio System)
When turning it off tracks no longer go silent when deselecting the record button/switching to another track.

If my audio interface contributes then it's on Steinberg too, because it's their ur22.

The quick dropout from the video "Evolution and Precursor" also happens in Studio One when their similar feature 'low latency mode' is active. When deactivating it it works normally. 
I couldn't set up big projects yet to see if it goes fully silent then.. 

Made videos about it for Cubase - cause/solution and more demonstrations of the general nature of the bug.

Terrible recording and narration, sorry. But does the job I hope XD


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