# Cubase 9 - Macros workaround



## meradium (May 1, 2017)

Hi everyone,

looks like I keep getting stuck with software issues over and over again. First the trouble with Cubase, VEP and Kontakt (which unfortunately still is not 100% resolved...) and now another bug that drove me crazy for quite some time.

Not sure if it is known in the community already, but at least I could not find anything while searching online.

It might help someone else out there, so here we go...

I wanted to use a macro inside Cubase to automatically split the chords from the Chord Track to multiple MIDI lanes.

When you use the MIDI dissolve function, you have the option to choose between splitting based on pitches or channels. The later proved to work more reliably so I needed to find a way to attach different channel settings to the different notes in a given chord.

To do so I built several Logical presets that first select a given note in context and then change the channel of that note.

The Chord Track in Cubase gives you five pitches if you choose a doubled bass note in the preferences so I needed 5x Logical Presets, one for each note.

I went ahead and put all these Logical Presets in a macro. As the last command I chose "MIDI - Dissolve". So, first it sets the channels in the selected MIDI part and then dissolves it. Well... In theory.

If you follow that procedure everything works as expected when you manually execute the macro through Cubase Macro menu (Edit -> Macros). Should you however decide like in my case to associate a midi controller command via a Generic Remote device be prepared for issues and very strange behavior. It simply does not work.

First, the macro is not properly executed, it stops half way through, second, after you triggered the macro that way NONE of the usual logical presets work anymore!!! You have to do everything 2-5 times until the desired command is finally executed. It drove me crazy!

Normal functionality only ever returned after restarting Cubase entirely.

Guess what the solution is: First remove the MIDI dissolve function from the macro. Next, create another Macro and add your first macro (the one with the Logical Preset commands) to it as an command to execute. Then add the MIDI dissolve function as the last command back in. You need a macro inside a macro to make it work!!!

Link your Generic Remote to that new macro and you are good to go!

Cubase seems to have so many strange bugs, it is crazy. You need so many workarounds to get basic workflow automation happening. I really really hope with a new DAW like Bitwig on the horizon the old established software companies get some serious competition that forces them to renovate their old code base (e.g. also include proper scripting support for all functions inside the DAW).


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## Bender-offender (Nov 9, 2018)

Bookmarked!


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