Recording Parameter Automation Through SysEx

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Recording Parameter Automation Through SysEx

If you only want to record certain parameter changes, you can proceed in a similar way. This is useful if you want to change a parameter during playback. Remember that MIDI is transmitted over a serial cable, which implies that information is sent one after the other, not side-by-side. In the case of SysEx, the entire SysEx message has to be transmitted before the rest of the MIDI messages can resume their course. So, if you want to record SysEx parameter changes as you are playing notes, the more SysEx messages you are sending, the longer it takes for the other events to be transmitted. Keep your SysEx events as short as possible, or if you can, make sure not to overload your MIDI port with this type of message.

How To

To record parameter changes into Cubase during playback by using SysEx messages:

1. Make sure the MIDI Out of your device is connected to the MIDI In of your computer or sequencer.

2. You might need to disable any SysEx filters from your sequencer's MIDI filter options, as mentioned in the bulk dump procedure described earlier.

3. Create a new MIDI track in your project where you want to record the SysEx. You can record SysEx parameter changes in the same track as the rest of your MIDI messages being sent to this device, but it is not recommended.

4. Chances are, if you want to update parameters during playback, you probably already have a MIDI track with recorded events. At this point, you'll want to hear this track if you want to update the parameters for the sound used in this track, so make sure this track is not muted.

5. Position your cursor at the appropriate location and click the Record button on the Transport panel.

6. Make the changes to your external MIDI device's parameters when it is appropriate in the project.

7. Stop the recording process when done.

8. Rewind and start playback to hear the result.

Because you recorded the SysEx events on another track, if you are not satisfied with the result, you can always erase these events and start over without affecting the other types of events recorded for this part. For example, let's say you have a synth line playing on MIDI port A, channel 1, and you want to change the cutoff frequency of the sound used to play this line as it evolves in the song. You will have one track that contains the notes played by the synth and another track that performs the change in the cutoff frequency using SysEx. Erasing the SysEx events does not affect the notes because they are on separate tracks.

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