Introduction to MIDI Sequencing with Cubase SX

Section 10 - Making a Trial Mix

What You Will Learn

In this section, you will learn how to adjust the relative velocities of the different parts and tracks to achieve a balanced result:

• Selecting multiple parts.
• Adjusting velocities up and down.

Briefing

Each synthesizer generates the various voices (programs or patches) in a different way. This in turn means that some voices will naturally sound louder than others for the same velocity level.

This unavoidable problem has the undesirable side-effect that some voices in your sequence may be completely dominating the others. Now is the time to perform some rough adjustment to put the different parts into balance. You'll use a velocity adjustment feature of Cubase for which you set up a keyboard shortcut in section 1.

Warning.   You might think this would be an opportunity to use the volume control setting provided by the Inspector. However, experience has shown that using the volume control at this time can prove to be very confusing and cause problems later on. For now, you should use velocity settings to adjust how loud a note sounds and leave the volume control for later.

Step 1 - Listen to the Sequence So Far

At this stage, it's worth listening to the complete sequence several times and then deciding which tracks need to be raised or lowered in volume.

What To Do

Follow these steps. Put a tick next to each one as you finish it:

• In the Arrange window, set the Left and Right locators to bracket the complete sequence, verse and chorus.
• Select the "Cycle" button on the transport bar.
• Set the main volume control of your keyboard so that it is in the centre position.
• Listen to the sequence several times, and decide whether any particular instrument is too loud or too soft.

Step 2 - Adjusting the Velocities

You have already seen how the Key Editor can adjust the velocity of notes by using the cross hair tool. Cubase provides an alternative command which adjusts all the notes in a complete part. This is what you're going to use.

What To Do

Follow these steps. Put a tick next to each one as you finish it:

• Decide which track you want to adjust in velocity
• Draw a box with the mouse to select all the parts on the track.
  If it's the drum track then you only have to select the first part as all the other parts should be shared/ghost copies.
• Start the sequence playing so you can hear the effect you're having.

• Type [CONTROL-H]. Note that this is not a standard Cubase SX shortcut, but one that was added in section 1
  A separate dialogue window opens.

• Set the 'type' to 'Add/Subtract'.

• In the 'Amount' box, enter the velocity adjustment required.
  We suggest you use either '+10' to increase the velocity, or '-10' to decrease the velocity.

• Click on "OK" and (after a few seconds) you will hear the loudness of the affected track change.

You can repeat this process several times with the various tracks until you find a result that pleases you.

You're ready to proceed to the next section.