Cubase4 and Battery3, volume control?

[hduncan]

I am assuming most people who use B3 use multiple outputs so that they can have greater control over the EQ and individual effects of each cell.. but when using multiple outputs, where is the main volume for Battery3? I don't see anything within Cubase4 itself that would provide a Main Volume for the plugin, there is the Master volume in Battery 3 but for some reason, every time I load my project, the battery 3 volume shows an infinity symbol and resets my volume to nothing. also, I think that volume only controls the master output, and so when I have my cells outputed on channels other than the master, it doesnt affect them anyways....

so where is the friggin volume?!? or if i am going to use multi-outs, do I have to adjust the volume of every cell individually within cubase under the "VST Instruments" folder thing?

[JesseJ]

1. Add stereo group channel track (in SX)
2. Send multi outs to Group (in SX)

Now the Group fader is you 'Master fader'

voila

PS. With all the time saved, read the manual. A good tip is to have the manual in the toilet, thus it will get read eventually.

[hduncan]

Thanks for the response, I found another way though. If you click on the midi track associated with battery, there is a secondary "Battery 3" thing in the inspector that you can open up and in there, there is a fader!

[JesseJ]

Originally Posted by DarkEcho

Thanks for the response, I found another way though. If you click on the midi track associated with battery, there is a secondary "Battery 3" thing in the inspector that you can open up and in there, there is a fader!

That works with mono-samples without dynamic effects, you are right.

But not with multi-sampled stuff or using dynamic effects like the built in compressors etc.. doing that with the input MIDI is gonna change the overall sound, not just the volume.

- Jesse -

[hduncan]

What about volume control within battery? Would you rather control volume and pan from within battery? or do would you rather do that in your DAW?

[JesseJ]

Usually people have a vocal group, drum group, guitar group, synth group in the DAW mixer...

You don't have to have, but usually it comes in handy when soloing and muting and fixing overall balance between different instruments... also people tend to put bus effects on groups instead or each track...

- Jesse -

[hduncan]

so would you just go into battery and hit a cell a few times adjusting the volume until it was loud but not in the red, and then make groups and control the volume and pan in Cubase?

[JesseJ]

Originally Posted by DarkEcho

so would you just go into battery and hit a cell a few times adjusting the volume until it was loud but not in the red, and then make groups and control the volume and pan in Cubase?

Pretty much yes. First I'd strive to get a kit that is in overall good balance in Battery 3 (or whatever sampler/synth) so I can save a good kit/patch 'as is', and then do the rest in the cubase mixer.

I usually also set up 2 FX channels and put a plate and a room on them and then use the sends from snare, toms etc... saves CPU and saves time and hassle when mixing.

I also save both the sampler/synth presets and mixer/track/group presets for later recall. Good 'channel strips' go both in the project folder and then on my USB stick so I have a backup I can use on other projects. Many don't know you can save individual channel setting from the cubase mixer. Just right click on the little label on the mixer channels [F3] bottom and you will get a context menu with lots of interesting options, saving, grouping, Meter settings and so on..

I know this is basic stuff, but I hope it helps some people. I would recommend spending a little gold on a tutorial DVD, it will pay itself back in time.

I also recommend spending time to learn how people mix real drumkits, with the overheads and room mics, despite of if you work with Samples. It's a nice learning trip.

- Jesse -

[hduncan]

excellent, thanks! I was messing around with getting the sounds nice and balanced in battery, here is an issue I ran into..

I was adjusting the volume by clicking and watching the meter, so I did it until it was just barely out of the red and only in the yellow. but then I realized that if you tap the cell multiple times, it starts to overlap itself and the sound builds up over the red. so I guess, do you just find the most active part in the mix where that instrument is being triggered multiple times and then solo it in battery and adjust the volume till its not in the red, or is it ok as long as the sample doesnt clip when you just click it once...

this has to do with proper gain staging doesnt it? still learning =)