I have a Mox8 and use both Logic and Cubase for different applications.  In this particular instance I am just laying a voice track using an Arp and when I play back if the Mox is still set to that voice then I get the full playback including the Arp.  If not I only get the Note strikes and no Arp.  Or if I play back through my interface (Saffire) I do not get the Arp playback, only the chords.  Is there a setting I am missing on the Mox to be able to capture the full track including the Arp or am I relegated to just recording it as an Audio track which while doable, is not the preferred way I would like to do this.

So...I want to be able to make a midi track, play a voice that has an Arp and have Cubase and/or LPX capture all of the notes driven by the Arp.

Thanks in advance

Terry

Hi Terry.

I am nowhere near my gear right now.

You might want to look at:

QUICK SETUP 2: ARP RECORD
QUICK SETUP 3: DIRECT RECORD (ARP)

(REFERENCE MANUAL page 151)

Although, the easiest way of transferring ARPS to your DAW, is to record them to your MOX’s sequencer first, and then transfer them as a SONG to Cubase, or export them as a STANDARD MIDI FILE to Logic via a USB stick.

The real time way is much more challenging and involves a lot of things going on at once as well as knowing and understanding synchronisation.  It’s probably the hardest manoeuvre in the book.

Thanks Phil.

I tried that last night and when using Quick setups 2 and 3 the Arp itself seems to get mangled.  I had some time to just try it again and figured out why and maybe you can shine some light on it.

I opened Cubase Artist 8 and created a Midi track (All midi inputs in and Mox Port 1 as the out) This has been my usual setup to record a midi track.

When I use ether quick setup 2 or 3 and play a chord, the Arp gets messed up. (Out of tune).  Now… If I go to the Midi track and change the output to Mox Port 2 and re-play the chord it is fine and I can record and capture all of the correct midi notes from the Arp. 

I then play the track back from Cubase and get nothing unless I go back in and change the output back to MOX port 1.

I did try to set up a song and record the Arp on the internal sequencer and had some weird results but it was getting late and I abandoned ship before tinkering with it.  I think the problems I was having some of my Arp’s settings which were default but I will try that again later.

Understanding that the internal sequencer was made to record from the board itself I am certainly not oppossed to learning how to do it this way but from a workflow standpoint if I am just laying down some tracks it just makes sense to me to use Cubase as my sequencer at least for some projects so I am trying to figure out how to make that work.  Keymode is set to “Sort” and I haven’t played around with changing that setting.

Why does the output port on the track being set to Mox 1 mangle the Arp but using output 2 cleans everything up?

As you know My prior workflow was either recording to audio or using the board as a midi inout device using sounds from my DAW (Was LPX but I am using Cubase more now as it just is easier when using the MOX)

It’s been a real learning experience thus far but I still struggle a bit if I get beyond basic Midi signal routing.  I’m learning but its a lot to get ahead of.

Thanks again

That all sounds strange.  I’m unable to recreate anything in Cubase because I don’t have it.

Have you done a factory reset on your MOX yet? if not, back up an ALL file first.

You should be using MIDI Port 1 at all times in Cubase.  Port 1 is the port that the MOX will communicate musical MIDI data to and receive data from the computer on.  Port 2 is for remote control.  Port 3 is for the 5 Pin DIN MIDI jacks on the rear of your MOX, and Port 4 is for the Editor.

In terms of the internal sequencer, you wouldn’t be using it as the only way to record your ARPs, it would be a stepping stone from your MOX to your DAW.

Have you read up on Direct Performance Recording? 

It will let you record your ARP into the internal sequencer of the MOX where it can be exported as a MIDI file and then imported into Cubase.

Alright, so here is the official re-test but using LPX instead of Cubase

1 - Did a factory reset of the MOX8 (After backup)

2 - Created an external midi track in Logic (MOX Port 1, channel 1)

3 - Called up voice Romantic piano, using Arp I (Default that populates with the voice) dialed it back to a tempo of 80

4 - went to quicksetup 2 on the Mox

5 - When I hit and hold a chord while track in LPX is record enabled its garbled, out of tune and does not repeat (Just dies after 1 beat)

6- I record anyway and on playback I get exactly what I hear.  a messed up Arp that does not hold.

7 - Change to Port 2, Channel 1 on the LPX track

8 -Press and hold some chords while track is record enabled and it works like a champ

9 - Record a track and all appears well (I can see the number of notes being recorded look correct. but I cannot playback while set to Port 2.  Change track to port 1 and playback is fine.  Change voices on the Mox and the recorded Arp plays back with whatever voice I dial up.

10 - Shut off the mox, create a software instrument track in LPX, copy midi file file from external midi track and choose choose a couple different piano voices from LPX.  Arp comes through fine and appears to have recorded fine.

Basically the same deal as when I tried in Cubase.  No idea why the port change makes it work and that is from a factory reset on the MOX.

Any ideas?

I mean, I figured out how to get the Midi across so for my purposes the problem is solved.  Con’t figure out the port change issue though.

Are you possibly playing your very first chord early? (you are human so you will be either early or late)

What happens if you kick Logic into record and wait an extra measure whilst its recording and then play?

...and does that play back perfectly?

Tried that very thing since it was hard to hit the Arp straight off count in so I let it go an extra measure before recording and it started on the second measure as it should have and played back as recorded.

Pretty strange.  I’m kind of wondering though, if I playback the track and neglect to hit the Arp button on the Mox I get that same muddied up arp but that was a playback effect only.  As I said when create a new track and copy the midi over it plays fine going out of my saffire so I know the midi notes recorded correctly based on what the Arp pushed out.  It did feel a little like the sustain wasn’t translated perfectly but I’ve experience that in the past and I can correct it on the midi side.

Thanks for your help.  Still mystified why is working that way and I will continue to play around and I may figure out what is wrong with the routing in what should be the correct setup.