# My Cubase Pro 9 and Metagrid for IOS Template Tutorial



## jononotbono

I've finally created a video on my Cubase Pro 9 and Metagrid for IOS template. I'm not some kind of Video editing guru so I apologise if the Production isn't up to anyone's standards but hopefully this will be of help for anyone using Metagrid and Cubase. It's about an hour long so definitely put the kettle on or get a beer.

Let me know if you have any questions and if you want me to make any other videos on MG, Cubase, and whatever else can be captured, then hit subscribe to my You Tube channel and get in touch!

Jono



Ps, I don't work for Steinberg or Metagrid and have made this purely to help anyone out that maybe struggling grasping the Cubase PLE and MLE etc.


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## JPComposer

Cheers, thanks for this. I really need to find the time to get my head around this and get it all set up. I'm only using one instrument per track with articulation switching, but it will still save humongous amounts of time, I can see that.


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## jononotbono

JPComposer said:


> Cheers, thanks for this. I really need to find the time to get my head around this and get it all set up. I'm only using one instrument per track with articulation switching, but it will still save humongous amounts of time, I can see that.



Yeah it has sped up workflow for me. Took a while to get there and there are many things I'm still trying figure out but I love MG with Cubase.

Hoping for more features and Macros in future releases.


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## IoannisGutevas

2300 track template? Damn jono thats huge! I wonder, are you using a single machine ? What are your computer specs and what kind of sound card are you using if you dont mind me asking?


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## jononotbono

IoannisGutevas said:


> 2300 track template? Damn jono thats huge! I wonder, are you using a single machine ? What are your computer specs and what kind of sound card are you using if you dont mind me asking?




No I don't mind at all. I am using a Mac Pro 5,1 12 Core 3.33ghz 64gb etc ram. I'm also using a PC with a 2600k i7 OCed at 4.5ghz with 32gb ram. Both using SSDs. Sound card is a discontinued MOTU HD192. I want to upgrade to UA Apollo but need to upgrade to a new Thunderbolt Mac and I just can't justify spending so much on a Mac Pro 6,1 with a new Mac Pro on the horizon. I'll probably built another PC slave first and put 128gb of RAM in it. Plus upgrade my 5,1 to 128gb of RAM.


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## mc_deli

Brilliant Bono! Top hole! I now have a full on Cubase robot chubby. I had to look away a few times thinking of those poor zebras. Nice one. Respect.

What's in your bar ones? (CC1=105 or something specific for each artic)
Are you pre-mixing in VEPro? (or e.g. doing level balancing in those bar ones)

The vid was focused on Metagrid/macros etc. for writing/composing/midi editing... what about mixing/plug ins... I kept thinking it must be a nightmare to navigate to mix tweak... what mix nav and plug in control tricks do you have up your sleeve?


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## jononotbono

Here are a few rules that, in my opinion, are essential for having a large track count using minimal amount of gear...

Purging All Samples (that can be purged - Some can't)

Only using 1 Mic Position whilst writing - Decca (and switch the others on when you have written the music)

Use Instrument Tracks and Disable the Tracks for not so commonly needed Sounds/Articulations.



mc_deli said:


> What's in your bar ones? (CC1=105 or something specific for each artic)
> Are you pre-mixing in VEPro? (or e.g. doing level balancing in those bar ones)
> 
> The vid was focused on Metagrid/macros etc. for writing/composing/midi editing... what about mixing/plug ins...



I'm just going to keep this thread about Metagrid and Cubase. Mixing is a whole different topic. Something for a different video perhaps.



mc_deli said:


> I kept thinking it must be a nightmare to navigate to mix tweak...



In the video I show how using Metagrid easily navigates around the mix console by using Cubase's Visibility Agent. Everybody works differently but the Visibility agent makes it a breeze to navigate.


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## mc_deli

jononotbono said:


> In the video I show how using Metagrid easily navigates around the mix console by using Cubase's Visibility Agent. Everybody works differently but the Visibility agent makes it a breeze to navigate.


Did you? I must have blinked... or was that in one of the out takes?
Sorry if you did. Navigating the mixer and plugs, and e.g. assigning/editing plug parameters etc. with MGrid - rather than mix techniques - was why I asked. )Mixer nav and plug in control are the things frustrating me about Logic you see.)

Anyway, not important. Amazing how you have been Cubase and Metagrid to your will!


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## jononotbono

mc_deli said:


> Mixer nav and plug in control are the things frustrating me about Logic you see.



Well I'm not sure what you can do in Logic as I am mainly a Cubase user. When I want to use a Plugin, I just go to the track I want and load the plugin manually. I do have a button that will load up a track preset, for example, load up an Instrument track with an Empty instance of Kontakt to save time but I don't really use Insert Presets, for example, a usual EQ plugin or go to Compressor. At the start of any track, my template has an EQ and a Compressor (bypassed) on all Group channels, mainly for Cutting frequencies but I don't like anything more than that because I don't want my music to always sound the same and until I start writing something, I have no idea what Plugins I want to use. And then it's no hassle to load a plugin with the mouse. In my opinion of course


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## devonmyles

Thanks for this Jono. 
I have been hoping you would put a video together.


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## jononotbono

devonmyles said:


> Thanks for this Jono.
> I have been hoping you would put a video together.



No worries and Hopefully it helps! Sorry it took a while. I've been really busy and don't usually make videos so had to do a crash course in video editing!


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## esounds

Love your video....very helpful. Just got Metagrid a few days ago and I am having a big problem with Cubase. I can not seem to get it to receive any modifier key strokes. For example....I program a button to send out "alt" + "c", but only "c" is sent out. Even if I hit the play icon in the editor it deos not send out the modifier. It is only happening in Cubase for me. If I try to do the same thing in a "chrome" editor the modifiers work fine.

Any idea what is going on here?


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## jononotbono

Trying to think what it could be. Is the iPad locked? Although I'm sure a message pops up if it is. What about modifier keys being selected in OSX preferences (assuming you are on OSX)?


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## esounds

jononotbono said:


> Trying to think what it could be. Is the iPad locked? Although I'm sure a message pops up if it is. What about modifier keys being selected in OSX preferences (assuming you are on OSX)?



I am on Windows 10. Not sure what is going on since they function in other programs outside of Cubase. Would love to use this locked but yes it gives me warnings. You never experienced anything like this? I assume you are using modifier keys as well?


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## jononotbono

I actually only have one button set up with modifier keys at the moment and it works fine as long as the Metagrid Lock isn't turned on. I'm not sure what the problem is. Would be worth speaker to the Devs?


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## esounds

jononotbono said:


> I actually only have one button set up with modifier keys at the moment and it works fine as long as the Metagrid Lock isn't turned on. I'm not sure what the problem is. Would be worth speaker to the Devs?



I sent them an email. Are you on a MAC? I suspect that is the only difference.


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## jononotbono

esounds said:


> I sent them an email. Are you on a MAC? I suspect that is the only difference.



Yeah I moved to Mac last year which is why I'm not entirely sure what the problem might be. I know in OSX to make the Function Keys work, I had to go into OSX's preferences (Win equivalent of Control Panel in case you didn't know) and in the Keyboard settings select an option to make the function Keys work so I could use them in Cubase but I'm not sure if this s anything to do with your problem. Do you have the latest Metaserver installed and the latest App Specific XML files installed?


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## esounds

jononotbono said:


> Yeah I moved to Mac last year which is why I'm not entirely sure what the problem might be. I know in OSX to make the Function Keys work, I had to go into OSX's preferences (Win equivalent of Control Panel in case you didn't know) and in the Keyboard settings select an option to make the function Keys work so I could use them in Cubase but I'm not sure if this s anything to do with your problem. Do you have the latest Metaserver installed and the latest App Specific XML files installed?



I only purchased this a couple of days ago so I assume I have the latest. I definitely have the latest Metaserver.


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## Johann F.

Is this similar to what Tom Holkenborg use?


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## jononotbono

Johann F. said:


> Is this similar to what Tom Holkenborg use?



If by similar you mean using Cubase's PLE and MLE to control Cubase with Touch Controllers then YES 

However, what you won't find in JXL videos is how to do any of it. This JXL video, alongside many others lurking on You Tube, and HZ's rough photo of his Mark Wherry Touch Controller a while back that he kindly shared when his Masterclass was released is what inspired me to figure out how to do all the stuff in this video and more.

Jono


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## Johann F.

jononotbono said:


> If by similar you mean using Cubase's PLE and MLE to control Cubase with Touch Controllers then YES
> 
> However, what you won't find in JXL videos is how to do any of it. This JXL video, alongside many others lurking on You Tube, and HZ's rough photo of his Mark Wherry Touch Controller a while back that he kindly shared when his Masterclass was released is what inspired me to figure out how to do all the stuff in this video and more.
> 
> Jono



Oh yes, I was talking about functionality, not the educational nature of the video. I learned a lot more from yours, that's for sure! 

What you have accomplished with this app is astonishing. As user friendly as Metagrid seems to be, I bet it took you a lot of time and headbanging on the wall to figure all that stuff out. Have you considered doing "custom templates" for other composers? Something like I send you a detailed list of commands I need from the app and then you do the dirty job? Dunno if the hard labor would be $worth$ for you and yet reasonable for your clients.


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## jononotbono

Well that's very kind of you but really if it wasn't for that JXL video and HZ Controller photo I probably wouldn't have looked into any of this stuff or at least not by his point in time. Just watching his video was enough inspiration to make me think "I must work out how to do that" and then other things I just wanted to be able to do. I felt the same with the HZ Masterclass. Lots of people talk about how they didn't learn anything from it but there is so much to learn from it. I guess people want exact details to do specific things when the whole point of HZ's Masterclass is to be yourself and not sound like him. Anyway, I have a very professional knack at derailing my own threads...

Regarding building templates for others, never say never and all that but I'm in it for the music and just don't have enough time to do such a thing right now. I'm more than happy to make some You Tube videos though so people can learn some of this stuff themselves!


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## stigc56

Hi Jono
Nice work. Have been there myself so I know how time-consuming it is. Nice trick with show tracks with content AFTER bar 3, I have been trying to figuring out that one. 
Have you dropped the VSL way - all articulations loaded and controlled by KS? In that way you don't need so many tracks do you?


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## jononotbono

Hey thanks! Yeah the after bar 3 thing was a light ups over the head moment. I kept watching JXLs touch screen video staring and kept saying "how has this dirty Junkie managed this!" Haha! But seriously, bar three is best because you record at bar 4 giving a natural bar precount (I only use precount when dropping in on tempo track changes) and then it picks up all events and leaves the Midi stuff at beginning. Yeah, I abandoned key switches awhile ago just to try this out. So far I like it but I'm not an orchestrator so it might eventually annoy me. MG makes short work of multiple tracks though so I'm not bothered by it really.


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## jononotbono

I like the control of separate tracks that's all really


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## GonzoFB

Well Jononotbono, the word legendary springs to mind  A wonderful, clear and patient video you have there, I'll be sure to keep an eye out for any more that you do in the future.

I had attampted to go down a similar road myself last year after watching JXL's videos and was looking into the touchscreen TV and kodi box approach (if my poor memory serves correct) but other things came up, as they do.

I only have the one ipad myself, which I like to use as a controller with touchOSC, I'm not sure I could afford another 2 ipads. Although it may be fine just swapping between the two apps when needed. What do think the minimum ipad would be required for metagrid to work? Ebay could be a happy saviour in that regard.

Edit: Subscribed to your Youtube channel. Your Eco studio is years ahead of its time. In thousands of years you will be looked back upon as a prophet!


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## jononotbono

What what a lovely thing to read this morning. Thanks. I'm glad it has helped. Someone has asked if I can do a shorter video just on MLE commands so I'll try and do that Monday.

Regarding iPads (I'm temporarily "borrowing" my partner's iPad so i can try out dual and I do love having two. I can only imagine how 3 would work together), I think most of them except for the first version can be used so EBay is definitely our friend.


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## AdamKmusic

Pretty tempted to get this and for £15 it's not much of a risk if I use it a few times then never again, but it looks likely it could be a key part of my setup!


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## GonzoFB

AdamKmusic said:


> Pretty tempted to get this and for £15 it's not much of a risk if I use it a few times then never again, but it looks likely it could be a key part of my setup!


 Here is a link to the manual: https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&s...ggcMAA&usg=AFQjCNHzKPuTCHOUlAbVvbR7JqNzHIGrxw

It mentions that only one iPad can be connected to the Metagrid service at one time. Jononotbono, did you find the work around for that to be simple and straight forward? Also, without my delving too far into it, it seems that switching between Metagrid and TouchOSC on the fly didn't present an issue.


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## jononotbono

Perhaps the manual hasn't been updated but in an update you can now run 4 x iPads


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## jneebz

Thanks for the video @jononotbono! Very helpful, and kind of you to share.


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## jononotbono

jneebz said:


> Thanks for the video @jononotbono! Very helpful, and kind of you to share.



No worries at all. Glad it’s been of help. I might make another video soon when I get some time.


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