I’m very new to cubase and need help with my set-up. I cannot get any sound when using the Motif Rack editor VST opened within cubase AI 6. It works fine when I open it as a stand alone vst . I’ve read through the forums and also tried to decipher the VST manual, Motif manual. I don’t know if its a routing issue or some other problem. I load up the YAMAHA MOTIF-RACK XS with VST editor Template in cubase. I’ve checked all the settings and the only thing that doesn’t look right to me is the Midi Out setting of the VST setup page is either !!!red or it says not assigned and it does not give me any options. Tried restarting computer, Motif rack, cubase, reinstalled FW driver, rack extension.
I’m using:
Motif Rack XS firmware 1.04.0
FW driver V1.7.3
FW16E firmware V1.08
MAC OS x 10.8.5
Cubase AI6

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Your first screenshot shows an error, which is probably holding up everything. You must get rid of that error in order to proceed.

Under MIDI OUT you see an exclamation point before the item in red: (!Motif-Rack XS Main) this indicates an error in MIDI communication. You want it to read “Motif-Rack XS Main” without any exclamation point.

OTHER ISSUES we see
Also the second screenshot and the sixth screenshot cannot be happening at the same time. Why I say that is: In the second screenshot you show that AUDIO is being returned to Cubase from the Motif-Rack XS on the FireWire bus. And in the sixth screenshot you show that AUDIO is being returned via FW using the VST CONNECTIONS > INPUT > STEREO IN.

Those two conditions are counter to each other (has nothing to do with your MIDI issue but is an indication that the screenshots were not taken without you having to have made a manual change.

The “VSTi SETUP” window (screenshot #2) shows the MOTIF-RACK XS outputting (RETURNING) 8 Stereo AUDIO streams back to your DAW (Cubase) under the heading “AUDIO RETURN PORTS”. The Top one is Motif-Rack XS stereo ”1” and includes the “Motif-Rack XS Main L” and the “Motif-Rack XS Main R” (FW) outputs. That is what you want when using the Motif-Rack XS as your audio interface - allowing it to return audio through the VSTi routing. Audio will return to the VST INSTRUMENT audio lane on the main track view of Cubase.

If you are not using the Motif-Rack XS via FW then you would set the Ports of the device you are using in this slot… for L and R and you would connect the analog 1/4” outputs of the Rack XS to that audio interfaces LEFT and RIGHT inputs. For example, say you had a 2x2 external audio interface - its left and right ports would be selected for “1” RETURN.

Screenshot #6 shows the VST CONNECTIONS > INPUTS tab - here you have disconnected your Motif-Rack XS’s FW port from the “VSTi Setup” and you have manually set the INPUT to Cubase here instead. This does not return through the same route as the VSTi Routing. It does not return audio to the virtual audio lane. It cannot be used in EXPORT AUDIO MIXDOWN, it cannot be used to FREEZE, etc. 

When using the Rack XS as the AUDIO RETURN device (VSTi), this VST CONNECTIONS > INPUT should be set to “NOT CONNECTED”.

In fact if you setup screenshot #2, it automatically disconnects, the VST CONNECTIONS INPUT. They are the same INPUT.

If this were analog cabling, it would so very obvious because you would see two cables already plugged into the INPUT jacks of Cubase. But because it is virtual, you really must understand that we are talking about the same AUDIO OUTPUTS from the RACK XS arriving in your DAW. If you are using the “VSTi SETUP” then the “VST CONNECTION INPUT” screen should be set to “NOT CONNECTED”.

If you are using the VST CONNECTIONS INPUT then you must disconnect the VSTi SETUP. It is a definite EITHER/OR situation. You cannot use both simultaneously. It is illogical. Trust me.

Screenshot #3: was taken after you disconnected the VSTi SETUP, and made the screenshot #6 connection - We can tell because the EDITOR reports “NO AUDIO” at the very top of the Editor window. Yes, the Editor can be used without routing AUDIO, which is how you have it set in screenshot #3. If you want to use the FW audio output or any FW audio output from the Rack XS you must set it in the VSTi SETUP screen in the EDITOR.

So I guess the question for you is: Do you want to use the multiple firewire outputs of the Motif-Rack XS?
If yes, then go to VST CONNECTIONS > INPUT and set the AUDIO DEVICE to NOT CONNECTED.
Then go to the “VSTi SETUP” found on the EDITOR by going to FILE . VSTi SETUP and set the AUDIO RETURNS here.

Checklist:
In the Motif-Rack XS
_ UTILITY > GENERAL > Page 2 of 5 > make sure the IEEE1394 Driver = FW (not mLAN). If you need to change it, you must press [STORE] and then reboot the Motif-Rack XS.

_ UTILITY > MIDI > Page 1 of 6 > make sure the MIDI IN/OUT = mLAN

_ Make sure the Motif-Rack XS is powered ON before launching Cubase. So that it can find it as your audio interface.

Let us know what you want to do.

Now none of this would make any difference about the MIDI setting in the screenshot #1, that we still need to find out about. So back to that issue:

To use the Motif-Rack XS Editor as a VSTi you must launch it inside of Cubase. And we are certain that is what you have done. But we will add it to the checklist, just for completeness:

_ Go to DEVICES > VST INSTRUMENTS > click on an empty space in the INSTRUMENT RACK > select EXTERNAL > Motif-Rack XS VST. When you do, you will be asked if you want to setup a MIDI Track for this VSTi… Create it. Cubase sets up the VST INSTRUMENT folder, with the Motif-Rack XS sub-Folder containing two lanes: AUTOMATION Lane and AUDIO Lane. This is the audio being RETURNED from the Motif-Rack XS.

The MIDI track should show MIDI activity when you play your controller… the AUDIO LANE should show audio activity as the Motif-Rack XS RETURNS audio in response to this MIDI data.

Hope that helps.

Go to FILE > SETUP > You want to click on the line with the “!” mark and see if you find the same item without that mark.

Let us know.

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in the VST CONNECTIONS INPUT of cubase (screenshot 6); I set to not connected.

Verified utility settings on the motif rack:
-MIDI IN/OUT = mLAN
-IEEE1394 Driver = FW

I have been launching the editor as a VSTi just as instructed, still opens up with (NO SOUND)…..then went to “VSTi SETUP” in the editor, everything is the same as screenshot#2 from earlier……next, I went to FILE > SETUP > and I still have the “!” mark in RED.

Went back to VST CONNECTIONS INPUT of cubase and deleted the Bus that I had disconnected. No results,
still “!” on the Midi out

I then closed cubase, unplugged every usb midi device from the computer (the only thing connected is the Motif rack via FW16) I wanted to make sure that my other midi devices are not interfering in a negative way.
I restarted the computer and launched cubase ( i tried in both 32 bit and 64 bit separately ) .
Still the same results, VSTi opens with “(no sound)” and the Midi out has the “!” mark.

Please Help, I feel like i tried everything and I’m out of ideas. Bug with software or firmware? Improper setting somewhere else that I’m not seeing?  Works fine in “standalone mode” when cubase is out of the picture.

Jufe - 01 April 2014 03:47 PM

Still the same results, VSTi opens with “(no sound)” and the Midi out has the “!” mark.

From pictures you have attached I’ve seen that you have Novation keyboard (SL MkII) with Automap software installed.
Well, that is a problem, since although Automap supports Motif Rack XS Editor VST, when you start VST you will see “no audio” information at the top of VST window (fig. 1). That’s why I have deinstalled Automap support for Rack XS Editor and also deleted file !MOTIF-RACK XS (Automap).vst3.
Next, you should deactivate Automap MIDI ports in Cubase Device Setup and leave only SL MkII Port 1 (see fig. 2).
During Automap setup it is shown that Automap MIDI ports should be disabled. Maybe good advice is to start Automap setup again.

Alex

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that fixed it!!!! Thanks a lot. I had a gut feeling that Automap was holding my Motif XS midi port
hostage, thats why i unplugged everything yesterday and closed automap before starting cubase.
I did learn that cubase will start the Automap server when you open cubase up wether or not you have novation midi controllers physically plugged in.  I feel so relieved now that I can get the full potential of the Motif Rack. I have to go read the manual now and see if I can wrap my head around this whole bussing/effect/routing.

As I mentioned, none of what I mentioned has anything to do with your MIDI problem, it was all about getting audio setup properly so that when the MIDI is corrected you will be set to hear as well. So if you followed what I wrote, your MIDI issue is, as always, a separate setup issue from your audio issue. So saying you “still” have the problem is what you should expect.

Your MIDI issue is separate. Hopefully you understand that. I said: “Now none of this would make any difference about the MIDI setting in the screenshot #1, that we still need to find out about.”

And we still do.

It doesn’t change the fact that your audio settings were wrong… And would have prevented you from getting proper sound even if you had no exclamation mark. You still need to troubleshoot the reason your computer is not able to see the Motif-Rack XS properly via MIDI.

So to be clear. I didn’t expect this to CURE your problem. So the “STILL” comment is like you didn’t understand what I said… The MIDI issue is still present. true that! And you will need to resolve this before you proceed to using your gear.

I don’t know anything about your Novation keyboard or any auto mapping… Of MIDI… ??? What is that about? Is it necessary? Are you confident you have that setup properly? Sorry I can’t help you with that. I see you have a lot of things setup to be your MIDI controller… Each item YOU choose to mark in the “IN ALL MIDI INPUTS” column is a MIDI controller - or should be - some if them obviously are not controllers. Start there.

Which device is your actual MIDI controller? Mark only that device in the IN ALL MIDI INPUTS column.

Only devices you want to be able to route to Cubase MIDI tracks should be marked in this column.
I don’t know what these devices are or what their ports means. But know this: you want to mark in the column labeled IN ALL MIDI INPUTS the devices you want to write data to your MIDI track. I don’t know what AutoMap is about, but I highly doubt it outputs any data you want to be able record. The MotifRackXs item that is “---” is the REMOTE CONTROL function on the keyboard XS - the Rack XS does not act as a Remote control device, the dashes mean it is not available… You can unmark that. It is meaningless.

If the P95 and the SL mkII are keyboards… Good those are devices you want to record to MIDI tracks of Cubase. Figure out exactly which of the two SL mkII you should be using.

I can still only tell you that until you get rid of that exclamation mark your editor is not receiving or transmitting MIDI properly.

I then closed cubase, unplugged every usb midi device from the computer (the only thing connected is the Motif rack via FW16) I wanted to make sure that my other midi devices are not interfering in a negative way.
I restarted the computer and launched cubase ( i tried in both 32 bit and 64 bit separately ) .

Well, don’t do that, only one of those is correct. Use the one you know is correct, and stick with it… Least you make new problems for yourself. That would be like having a key to a door and trying it on a window. If you know you are running 64-bit stick with it. When Cubase launches it will tell if you are running 32 or 64.

You will also need a keyboard… So plug in one of your keyboards…

Still the same results, VSTi opens with “(no sound)” and the Midi out has the “!” mark.

Do you mean “No Sound” or “No Audio”???  Are you saying there is no sound, or are you reporting it says “No Audio”???

Please try to be precise.
NO AUDIO appears when, SPECIFICALLY, you do not have a complete path setup to return audio from the Rack XS to Cubase. This is an audio routing situation. Go to the Editor VST, go to FILE > VSTi SETUP > here you must select the “Motif Rack XS Main L” and the “Motif Rack XS Main R” in slot number 1

Doing so will give the Rack XS a pathway to return audio to Cubase. And this specifically addresses the NO AUDIO message.

This ensures the pathway for audio to be returned to Cubase… Audio returning to Cubase would be indicated by the activity meter in the AUDIO LANE inside the RACK XS’s VST Folder.

Only the routing from Cubase back to the audio outputs and finally to speakers will guarantee actual SOUND.

There is no bug with the software that we know of, ours works perfectly and there a hundreds of folks doing so.

Can you verify that your FW cable is good?
And I’m not sure what nbadesign is talking about, but I guess he has a novavation keyboard and has seen this before, not sure. But if you have removed that from the equation, I don’t see how it could still be interfering.

It is the AutoMap function that I don’t get… It is not apart of Cubase, so since your problem is MIDI related, anything that is installed and is auto mapping your MIDI, we can only ask WHY? And how?

Something else has grabbed that Rack XS MIDI port and you need to analyze why?

Cubase doesn’t require any auto mapping, the Motif-Rack XS is simple enough to map?
What is this AutoMap and what is its purpose?

Hopefully you will reRead my first post. Setup according to what you want to do.

Are you wishing to set the Rack XS up to communicate audio via FW? If so, set the VSTi SETUP screen to RETURN Audio, not VST CONNECTIONS > INPUT.

NEXT FOCUS: connectors
You have a Mac, how are you getting the 6-pin FW jack on the Motif-Rack XS’ FW16E into your Mac? Does you Mac have a 6-pin, 9-pin, or Thunderbolt jack?
In other words, what type of cable connector or adapter are you using. Please describe… Is the cable unusually long? Are you using more than one adaptor? Is the adaptor made by Apple?

When you click on the “!Motif-Rack XS Main” do any other options appear?
Also since this has yet to be mentioned: What version of the Editor are you running?

Okay, I see you posted while I was typing away (dictating actually) ... methodical troubleshooting is the only way… It had to be the automap grabbing the Port… Or bad cabling…

I’ll leave my post above as it contains some additional information that may help you in the future… Couldn’t sleep last night knowing you were suffering with this issue!

Glad nbadesign’s idea worked!!! Now make some music! And thanks nbadesign!

:-)