# Cubase & Dorico Simultaneous MIDI issue



## Breitenbach (Feb 28, 2021)

Looking for solutions to this issue.

Since I moved to Windows a couple years ago, I've been experiencing the issue where I can only use midi input devices in one program at a time. i.e. If I open Cubase, I can use midi fine, but if I try to open up Dorico and try to use any midi input device in tandem, a signal won't even register. If I want to use midi input devices in a program, I have to close all midi-input-device-utilizing programs and open the one I want to input in to first. I've read and understand that this is likely a default windows setting.

I researched and found a partial work around that I hate because it involves always having to launch and run, in tandem, two programs: loopMidi and MIDI-OX, which effectively lets me do loop midi routing. I hate this because it seems so unnecessary to have to run these two superfluous programs for a such a simple issue. On Mac it just worked.

There's also an additional minor issue that occurs when I launch any two midi-input-device-utilizing programs in tandem, which is a crackling sound with absolutely any and all playback. It doesn't matter what midi-input-device-utilizing software it is or which version I'm on as it has persisted through a couple years of software and OS upgrades. i.e. If I launch Dorico or Cubase and then I open a standalone Kontakt 5 or Arturia Analog Lab, there's an obnoxious crackling along with the need to run loopMidi and MIDI-OX in the background.

I hope someone has found a better solution for this, or that I've missed something obvious. Any help would be very appreciated.

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Current System Specs:
Windows 10 updated 2/12/21 - i9-9940x - 128 GB Ram
Cubase 11 - Dorico 3
MIDI Devices - Doepfer LMK4+, Arturia Minilab, and various hardware synths (routed through both USB and midi cable)


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## Toaster74 (Mar 2, 2021)

Breitenbach said:


> Looking for solutions to this issue.
> 
> Since I moved to Windows a couple years ago, I've been experiencing the issue where I can only use midi input devices in one program at a time. i.e. If I open Cubase, I can use midi fine, but if I try to open up Dorico and try to use any midi input device in tandem, a signal won't even register. If I want to use midi input devices in a program, I have to close all midi-input-device-utilizing programs and open the one I want to input in to first. I've read and understand that this is likely a default windows setting.
> 
> ...


I had the same problem... This is a Windows issue. The windows usb midi driver can only deal with one program at a time. If you want to have midi going to more that one program at a time, use the old school 5 pin midi input on your audio interface....

Apparently MS are looking to sort this out but when this will actually happen is anyone's guess....

P


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## PaulieDC (Mar 9, 2021)

Toaster74 said:


> I had the same problem... This is a Windows issue. The windows usb midi driver can only deal with one program at a time. If you want to have midi going to more that one program at a time, use the old school 5 pin midi input on your audio interface....
> 
> Apparently MS are looking to sort this out but when this will actually happen is anyone's guess....
> 
> P


Right now the OP has their head in their hands, thinking, "if I had only known..."


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## Breitenbach (Mar 19, 2021)

Toaster74 said:


> I had the same problem... This is a Windows issue. The windows usb midi driver can only deal with one program at a time. If you want to have midi going to more that one program at a time, use the old school 5 pin midi input on your audio interface....
> 
> Apparently MS are looking to sort this out but when this will actually happen is anyone's guess....
> 
> P


Thanks so much! I swore I tried old school midi early on with no success, but simultaneous midi input is working now! 

Any thoughts from anyone on the crackling? This issue has persisted. If Cubase and Dorico are open at the same time I still get an obnoxious crackle. I can't imagine this is a buffer size issue as I'm doing nothing processor heavy. I'll email Steinberg and see what they say.


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## Toaster74 (Mar 19, 2021)

What ASIO driver/audio interface are you using? Lots of them can't handle multi client use. I run RME interfaces and they are faultless with however many programs open, but they're known industry wide as up there with the best drivers...

Cheers..

P


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## Breitenbach (Mar 19, 2021)

Toaster74 said:


> What ASIO driver/audio interface are you using? Lots of them can't handle multi client use. I run RME interfaces and they are faultless with however many programs open, but they're known industry wide as up there with the best drivers...
> 
> Cheers..
> 
> P


I actually need to be educated here unfortunately. The interface I am currently using is a 2nd generation Scarlett 18i8. Though, this interface works fine on Mac while running two programs in tandem. The issue seems windows specific. I'm wondering if you're asking what ASIO software I'm running. Well, the simple answer to that it seems is the Generic Low Latency ASIO driver. I do have focusrite's software installed on my computer, but it looks like this generic driver is where windows is directly interacting with my interface.


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## Toaster74 (Mar 19, 2021)

Ok, in the audio settings of Dorico (Edit/Device Setup...) you should be able to select your Scarlett as the ASIO driver instead of the Generic Low Latency ASIO Driver. You need to do the same thing in Cubase (Studio/Studio Setup)

Then you'll be using the right driver and should be able to select the different outputs on your Scarlett software and route them where you need them. I'm sorry, I don't know the Scarlett software, so can't help with the specifics of how that works, perhaps someone will be along that knows it, but you can set up specific outputs from Cubase and Dorico for different things, and if the Scarlett software is anything like the RME stuff, you can route anytning anywhere and have it all come out of the main outputs of your interface.

Let me know how you get on.


P


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