Recording a Performance as Audio to Cubase

Recording a Performance as Audio to Cubase via FW

Let’s follow the signal path from the Motif XF to Cubase Input to Cubase Audio a Track:

First, the audio signal generated by the XF is sent on two paths… One sends audio direct to the main analog outputs to your monitor speakers… The other sends audio digitally (FW) through the computer, where it is recorded and then sent to the XF’s main outputs. Obviously we only need to hear one path, if both are allowed you will get doubling. The direct signal arrives first, and a few milliseconds later the signal going through Cubase arrives at the speakers. To avoid this you need to select what you need to monitor. Most often you will want to monitor direct - this is zero latency monitoring.

Local Control ON

When recording audio to your DAW, you definitely want LOCAL CONTROL ON - this allows you to play a key, the key’s signal triggers the XF tone engine, which outputs audio directly to your monitor speakers (that is what you are going to listen to). It also sends audio (digitally at 24-bit/up to 96kHz) via the FW to your DAW’s audio Track where it is documented. We will prevent the audio signal that goes through the computer from reaching the monitor outputs initially.

Monitor with PC (Direct Monitor)

The FW MONITOR SETUP deals with “where”, at what point in the signal pathway you choose to listen in (monitor) what you are doing. By selecting “with PC(Direct Monitoring)” Your XF sends audio directly to the main outputs. It also sends audio to the PC but prevents it from returning. The DAW (Cubase) will record, but the audio you are listening to is the direct path, audio from the DAW will only be heard when you playback.
Press [UTILITY]
Press [F2] I/O
FW Monitor Setup = with PC (Direct Monitor)

Motif XF OUTPUT SELECT

Each PART of the Performance defaults to the Main L/R output assignment… And this may be fine for your needs but we’ll mention this here just to be thorough:
Press [EDIT]
Press a PART SELECT button [1]-[4] to view Part edit parameters
Press [F1] VOICE
Press [SF2] OUTPUT
OUTPUT SELECT is found here and allows you to remove a Part from the main output and send it on a discreet bus to the computer. The 14 assignable FW outputs appear here, configured as odd/even stereo pairs or as individual mono buses.

Signal arrives in Cubase

You don’t want to use the VSTi (instrument) routing here since we want to record audio only. This means we will receive the Motif XF Outputs as Cubase Inputs in the normal routing scenario:
Go to DEVICES > VST CONNECTIONS > INPUTS > here you will need to setup a STEREO Input (if one does not already exist). If one exists you can simply use it. The inputs that appear here are just like real inputs if not being used you can connect to them. You can create an input by clicking the ADD BUS button, and selecting a Stereo bus. You can Name the input if you wish, or just use the default name “Stereo In”.

AUDIO DEVICE = The audio driver being used “Yamaha Steinberg FW”
DEVICE PORT = the ports from the XF: Motif XF MAIN LEFT, Motif XF MAIN RIGHT

Of course, you can see how you can create as many stereo and/or mono buses as you may require. Basically it is simply connecting Outputs of the Synth to Inputs of Cubase.

Audio Track

Next, on the main Cubase Track screen we need to create an audio track to receive audio from the VST CONNECTION INPUT we just created.
Go to PROJECT > ADD TRACK > AUDIO TRACK > create a stereo audio track
Set the Input to the Input we created ("Stereo In")
The Track’s Output should default to the main system output (back to the Motif XF as your audio interface).

Clock Synchronization considerations

By setting Cubase as the master MIDI clock and the XF as the slave, any arpeggios, tempo effects, etc., used will line up with measure markers in Cubase.
Go to TRANSPORT > PROJECT SYNCHRONIZATION SETTINGS… > MIDI CLOCK OUT > DESTINATION = Motif XF Main
You can set the Tempo in Cubase

In the Motif XF
Press [UTILITY]
Press [F5] CONTROL
Press [SF2] MIDI
Set MIDI SYNC = auto
The “auto” setting allows the XF to run whether or not Cubase is running, it simply uses the last received external tempo… This is useful when trying out arpeggios etc.
Make sure you reset your arpeggios by toggling the ARP ON/OFF button

Set the Cubase Click to ON, and set the Pre-Count to count in… You will need to begin playing after the count-in

Setting Record Level

On your Cubase audio track you may notice that the meter is not responding… This is because we are not yet in record. Test the level by switching our monitoring setup temporarily to monitor through the computer:
_ you can do so by deactivating the red Record Ready light
_ activate the tan Monitor speaker icon
_ switch the FW MONITOR SWITCH temporarily to “with PC” - [UTILITY], [F2] I/O
This allows us to temporarily monitor through the computer route _ the meters will react so you can work on levels.

Once you have tested the levels, set the FW MONITOR SWITCH back to “with PC (Direct Monitor)” and deactivate the tan monitor speaker icon, and light the red Record Ready button.

Toggle the Arp On/Off to reset it.
Click Record to start the count-in.