Cubase SE + Alesis QS8 + EMU 0404 = ?
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Posted on Jan 08, 2007 08:26 am
ninjenn
Member Since: Jan 08, 2007
Hi,
I am trying to get the subject equipment working together so that I can record the audio from my keyboard into Cubase..... I have discussed things over on the cubase.net forums, but nothing is really helping. My Alesis QS8 is pretty old..... I bought it almost 8 years ago, although no one has said that makes a difference, since they still make them identical to what they did before.
If anyone can give me some help, that would be great!!
Thanks,
Jenn
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TallChapAnswer:On a good day, lipstick.Member
Since: Jun 24, 2004
Jan 08, 2007 10:58 am Welcome to HRC! You'll love it here...
There are two ways to go with this. One is to go with the audio out to your sound card, and record audio in Cubase. The other is to record MIDI data from your playing and play back with VST's (virtual instruments). I'm pretty sure you can go into the soundcard direct from your keyboard, I use a small mixer between the soundcard and all my instruments - as do many here (There are some very inexpensive mixers out there). Make sure you have the latest firmware/drivers on your 0404 and on Cubase (their respective websites have the downloads). Patchmix - the 'mixer' program with the 0404 can be tricky, so read as much as possible on that before you suffer too much heartbreak. It's great once it's working...
Your keyboard won't present any problems. As I mentioned you have both audio and MIDI outputs, so you can record both ways.
Is there any specific information you need? Or are you just in a "I have this equipment - now what?" kind of position? If so, read all (and I mean ALL) the information you can get your hands on. It's amazing how something trivial one day can become your greatest ally.
Cubase should be relatively easy to handle (which version?). Again, the manual is your friend.
Good luck. Hope to see you posting songs soon...
Jan 08, 2007 01:46 pm My problem is that as much as I've played around with the equipment, and people have told me what to do, I still can't make it work. Now, I have other equipment to record Midi (and managed to get it to work), but I'm specifcally looking to record the AUDIO from the keyboard as I want the specific sounds and effects.
I have the aux left and aux right of the Alesis hooked up to the Input L and Input R of the EMU 0404. VST Inputs: The ASIO IN 1 and ASIO IN 2 are active. When I hit record, it records nothing.
TallChapAnswer:On a good day, lipstick.Member
Since: Jun 24, 2004
Jan 09, 2007 10:56 am Hmmmm.. My guess is that there's something stopping Cubase from talking to your soundcard. Are all the connections within Cubase set up? I've had occasions where for some reason the connection gets messed up. That's where I'd look first. If you see a signal in the Patchmix, that's likely the cuplrit.
Noize2uCzar of MidiAdministrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002
Jan 09, 2007 08:45 pm IF the QS8 has line outputs use those instead of the Aux outputs. And you are connected to the 0404 correctly so that is good.
Since you can see the ASIO in 1 and 2 that is a good sign that Cubase is recognizing he 0404. I don't really know if the VST inputs are what you should be using though. In your audio track that you want to record to you should have just a plain input or audio input and an output or again audio output. VST is generally for effects and software synths.
ASIO in 1 and 2 should be assigned as you have done to input 1 and input 2. Make sure you select and output as well so you can hear it.
Then you will need to actually arm the track with a button that is right on the track usually similar looking to the record button on the transport bar. Then play your QS8 and you should see the meters move. IF they do then you have signal going to Cubase on that track. Hit the main record button and your good to go.
Jan 11, 2007 03:33 pm I have Left Main, Right Main, Left Aux and Right Aux to connect the audio cables to..... if I switch it to Left Main and Right Main, there is no difference. I think I need a step-by-step on how to make this work. :(
Noize2uCzar of MidiAdministrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002
Jan 11, 2007 09:40 pm ninjenn, is the 0404 supplied with a software control panel? I think it is called patchmix or something like that. Let me know, I think there may be a need to set up the routing in the pathcmix panel before Cubase will actually use it to record and playback audio.
I don't use it but several other peep's here do and hopefully will chime in.
Jan 11, 2007 10:47 pm Ahh! Patchmix is the program that wouldn't work whenever I installed it, so I uninstalled it..... I just installed it again and it magically works (freaking Windows..... if all else fails, uninstall and reinstall....). So..... what do I do with Patchmix now? This looks even more confusing than Cubase....
Noize2uCzar of MidiAdministrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002
Jan 12, 2007 03:11 pm TallChap seems to be our resident Patchmix expert and I honestly have never used it. There is a decent set up and start up guide either in the manual itself or on a download .pdf file from the E-Mu websight. I would start there and hopefully TallChap will catch this and give some words of wisdom on getting it going.
My understanding is it is basically the same as most mixing routing software for audio interfaces. I will assume it is a matter of making sure the channels are turned on and set for proper in and out use in the software, in your case Cubase LE.
Jan 16, 2007 03:26 pm I've never used any "mixing routing software" so I don't really know where to begin. Hopefully TallChap will see this.
TallChapAnswer:On a good day, lipstick.Member
Since: Jun 24, 2004
Jan 16, 2007 03:37 pm Aha....did you call?
Patchmix is a very complicated way (too complicated) of having a GUI of a mixer. Think of it as a mixer with built in effects (which I've never used....). You're just taking your inputs and outputs in a software format and routing them to the DAW.
Here's a wonderful website www.soundonsound.com/sos/...emupatchmix.htm
that will help you understand it's workings. It's listed on Google as EMU's Patchmix Demystified!
Do you have one of the pre-sets loaded? Which one? Try the "Default Multitrack" as a first line of defense. You can always add a channel later if required.
I actually emailed EMU and went over my set up. They emailed me back a patch to make it all happen. Nice. Try that (you'll be registering it anyway) I use mine in a slightly unusual way (I run from my mixer to my old Boss BR532 and then into the soundcard with an optical cable), so I couldn't definitively say what's best for you.
