Cubase Elements as slave (transport/clock/sync)

Elektron Gear Octatrack
1

I just want to use Cubase Elements for multitrack audio recording, since all my VST’s are handled in Cantabile with low latency.

Setup:

Physical routing: Octatrack MIDI Out -> USB MIDI Interface (iRig MIDI2) -> Windows 10 Pro Computer

Octatrack setup: Project -> MIDI -> Sync -> transport send & clock send checkmarked

I know my OT is set up correctly because I’ve got MIDI clock in going into Cantabile V3 and start/stop/sync work great, including with VST’s such as Roland TR-909, HY Seq, Chutlu arp, Cable Guys MIDI shaper, delay FX, and any VST synth’s arpeggiator.

Cubase Elements 10.5 setup: Transport menu -> Project Sync Setup , Activate External Sync checked, MIDI timecode, iRig MIDI2 selected, auto-detect framerate settings. Also: Transport Menu -> Activate External Sync checked.

When I start the OT, Cantabile Starts, but Cubase Elements does not. This is prob because I’m trying to use MIDI clock, and Cubase Elements only accepts MIDI Timecode. However, I did notice that under the destinations tab, MIDI clock is available to send.

  • Is it my Cubase version? Does the full version accept MIDI clock in?
  • Is there a workaround? Perhaps a piece of hardware, or a VST I can run? I imagine a hardware device would be more flexible and cheaper than a Cubase upgrade that may or may not work the way I want it.
  • I don’t have an interest in making Cubase the master. I don’t want to use the mouse or keyboard to start things especially if I’m working on the OT, or if I’m working in Cantabile. Also, I won’t always be recording audio tracks, so to change setup or templates on the OT & Cantabile would be a pain.
  • If it’s not possible in Cubase, what is a good multitrack DAW that can act as a MIDI clock slave? I have Adobe Audition but they deliberately shun any MIDI functionality.

Thank you.

2

So I caved and set up Cubase Elements as Master. I didn’t have to buy new software, licenses, or hardware.

So now my setup for control is via MIDI Clock in this direction:

Cubase -> USB MIDI Interace Out -> Octatrack MIDI In -> Octatrack MIDI Out -> USB MIDI Interface In -> Cantabile

So it goes out of the computer into the OT and back into the computer.

I also set up Cubase to go back to starting point on stop. In Cubase, I went to Edit -> Preferences -> Transport -> Checked “Return to start position on stop.”

I first open Cantabile, then test, then I open up Cubase Elements (which always works better running as admin). Cantabile is set up to receive the USB midi interface, as well as MIDI clock from the same interface. I selected transport control (Control -> Select Master Transport, or shift+ctrl+n) to “sync to midi clock.” If it’s not responding, I just hit the “power” button in Cantabile and turn off, then on. In Cantabile, you can view the MIDI clock events by selecting a connection from the MIDI interface, then view-midi monitor. This is also a good way to see if the MIDI interface is sending clock data.

So with this setup, I can still start from the OT, though it won’t start Cubase. But I don’t have to change the config or template if I’m not using Cubase.