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.

Click to read more...

 

[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.

 

[jononotbono]

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.

 

[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?

 

[jononotbono]

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.

 

[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?

 

[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.

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.

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.

 

[mc_deli]

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!

 

[jononotbono]

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

 

[devonmyles]

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

 

[jononotbono]

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!

 

[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?

 

[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)?

 

[esounds]

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?

 

[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?

 

[esounds]

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.

 

[jononotbono]

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?

 

[esounds]

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.

 

[Johann F.]

Is this similar to what Tom Holkenborg use?

 

[jononotbono]

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