TIMECODE RECORDING AND PLAYBACK
IN CUBASE VST 3.52 (MAC)
USING STUDI/O+ASIO   Fig. 1 - 16-channel audio recording, recorded from ADAT locked to computer.  The VST Master and Mixer windows are also shown.

This application note describes how we recorded 16 channels in Cubase VST, synchronized to two ADATs via the Steinberg ACI, and using our ASIO driver. Timecode recording is when you have the computer following the ADAT tape so that it records and plays back in perfect synchronization (lock step) with the tape.
 
 

Hardware	Software
Macintosh G3 266MHz  64MB SDRAM  Internal 6 GB EIDE drive STUDI/O 2xADAT XT  Opcode MIDI interface Steinberg ACI	System 8.1 Cubase VST 3.52  Sonorus release 10 drivers  Disk cache (memory control panel) 96K OMS 2.3.4

With this setup we were able to record 16 channels from the two ADAT XT's into the computer locked to timecode.  Then, we listened back to the recorded tracks, and the ADATs at the same time to make sure they were sync'd, and they were, over the whole 6 minute song!
 

That's pretty much it for OMS.  The setup continues in Cubase.

Here are the pertinent setup screens in Cubase:

Use the get info window to give Cubase at least 40,000K of memory (that's 40 MB).  This means you'll need at least 64 MB in your machine.  Now you can boot up Cubase (after putting our ASIO drivers in the ASIO drivers folder, per our instructions).

If you see this alert box when booting Cubase:

Don't worry, this is a good thing.  This happens when our ASIO being used and the sample rate changed.  When you get it on startup, it means that the board has booted up and locked to it's optical inputs (if you have it set up that way... if you're using ADATs, then I hope so!).  Now, on to the real setup...

By clicking on 'System' in the Audio pulldown menu, you get to the Audio System Setup Window.  Here you must set the number of channels you want to use in your song.  This can be more or less than the number of inputs/outputs you have, and you can always increase it later.

We selected 'Tape Type' for the Monitoring type, but it's a matter of taste.  One note: 'Global Disable' is the most CPU-efficient mode, though you may want to sacrifice some CPU cycles in order to get monitoring through Cubase's VST engine (otherwise, you could use your mixing board if you have one).  But keep it in mind if you're trying to record a lot of channels and you're running out of CPU time.

If you're having some problems with recording, you may want to tweak the 'Memory per Channel' and 'Disk Block Buffer Size' settings, as well as adjust the latency of our ASIO.  Remember, the settings you see are the ones that worked best for us;  every computer is different, so they may have to be changed.  Since we used the internal EIDE disk of the G3, which isn't the fastest disk in the world, we had to crank up the buffer sizes, and run with a fairly high latency.

Hitting the Launch button from the System control panel (above) brings up this window.  Here you can set parameters particular to our ASIO.  Note that each of our ASIO's remembers it's settings.  Here's an explanation:

• Buffer Latency.  This is controls the 'delay' from input to output.  You hear this delay only when you're monitoring a live input through Cubase.  Once something's recorded, it's automagically aligned.  The lower this setting, the less delay there is, down to the point where you can't even tell it's there, and beyond!  However, the lower this setting, the more it demands of your computer.  If you have a slower Mac, or multiple video cards, or even some miscreant SCSI cards, you'll need to increase the latency to compensate for the system's increased overhead.
• Bits Per Sample.  If you're using old ADATs, which are 16 bits, then you don't need 24 bits, and the 16 bit mode is more efficient playing back.  Also, if you're running multiple cards, lots of channels, and your audio doesn't need the extra resolution, the 16 bit mode will get you a few more playback tracks.  Other than that, why not use 24 bits?!
• D/A max level.  This sets the operating level of the analog monitor outputs.  Use this to match the analog output to your studio equipment.
• Reset D/A.  Resets the D/A hardware.  Usually it doesn't need it...

In the 'Options' pulldown menu is Synchronization.  For any timecode based recording, the synchronization settings must be correct for everything to run smoothly.

For Timecode Base we used 'MMC', with a frame rate of 30 frames per second.  MMC mode is a combination of MTC (Midi TimeCode) and Midi Machine Control.  The ACI uses this to let Cubase control the ADAT tape machine transports.  So when you locate in Cubase, the tape machines shuttle to the same point.  There are many other ADAT sync boxes (including the BRC) which let you do this as well.

The Song Start is used to set the start time of the song, corresponding to the start time of the song on the ADAT, plus one hour.  The one hour addition is common among ADAT synchronizers: this keeps them from 'wrapping' around the 24-hour mark, when you roll the tape back before zero (to the data area).  We set the Time Display to correspond to the counter on the front of the ADAT: you can set it to whatever floats your boat.

We set the MROS resolution as high as it will go.  Why not??  This affects how accurately you can edit.

We also set the Lock Time and Dropout to 30 frames each.  We found the ACI/ADAT combination needs at least 15 frames to lock up well, so we doubled it to make sure.

 Check the boxes from which you want MIDI.  Making sure the ACI is one of them, of course!

The VST Inputs are found in the 'Audio' pulldown menu.  Be sure to turn your inputs 'on' by clicking on the green boxes so the turn a nice bright green like you see here.  Since the inputs are in stereo, each input represents two channels to record, so turning on all 8 will give you sixteen channels of audio.  Each pair you activate uses more CPU power, though, so only activate the ones you want to use; and when mixing down, turn them all off to get the most 'horsepower' for your Plug-Ins.

If you use the ASIO 10-ch, you'll see only 10 inputs available, with two labeled 'SPDIF'.  If you use the ASIO 32-ch with two boards, you'll see 32 inputs available!

Once your inputs have been activated, you need to assign them to tracks, and this is done in the VST Mixer window.  This window can be reached by selecting 'Monitor' in the 'Audio' pulldown menu.  Above each channel is the button to assign the channels.  To do this, you must hold down the  key and then click with the mouse to get the pulldown window as shown above.  If you don't have 16 channels to choose from, double check the Audio System Setup window and the Inputs window to make sure everything is configured properly.

You also use the VST Mixer window to steer the tracks to the the output busses.  This is useful because each bus can be turned on and off (in the VST Master window, shown below in Figure 7).  You can have all the drums on Bus 2 and all the vocals on Bus 3, mute the drums and mix the vocals, making sure the voices are all balanced properly.  Or cut the vocals and play the drums in mono to see if they're flamming.  You can use the busses to set the master levels of each component of the song.  Basically, you can group your sounds together in any way you like.  Clicking on the label at the bottom of the channel strip shows a list of the active busses.  Inactive busses won't show up in this list, so activate the ones you want to use before trying to assign them.

The VST Master Window, also in the Audio pulldown menu, allows you to determine how many buses are active.  Including the Master bus, there are a total of 9 available buses (with ASIO 16-ch --- 5 with ASIO 10-ch and 16 with ASIO 32-ch).  While the Master bus is automatically active, the others can be turned on by clicking on the 'Active' button above the bus so that it turns green.  In our example, Buses 2, 3 and 4 have been activated.  Inactive busses will not show up in the pulldown list in the Monitor window.

Next you have to tell Cubase that you intend to record more than one channel at a time, so in the 'Options' pulldown menu, highlight 'Multirecord' and click on 'Active.'  As long as the check mark is there, you're ready to record.  Also, 'Merge' is the proper setting to record audio.

Once that's done, the arrangement window will have an additional column labeled 'R.'  You can see this in Figure 1.  Clicking on the 'R' column activates that track for recording.  The first track you set to record will bring this menu up, and here you tell Cubase where your audio files will be stored.

Finally, here's the way the transport should look.  Remember that Cubase has a bug whereby it messes up recording audio starting at Bar 1, so you have to start recording at Bar 2 or later. By setting the left locator to '2' (by double-clicking on the Left Locator box and typing '2') and activating the Punch In button to its left, Cubase will start recording at Bar 2.  We used 'Replace' as our record mode;  it seems to work better than 'Overdub' for us.

Don't forget to set the song tempo by double-clicking on it and typing it in.  Finally, make sure the Sync button is activated ('lit') as above.  That way, Cubase won't start recording until it gets to the offset point in the timecode.  Double-click the stop button (which sends you back to bar one) and hit the record button in Cubase; your ADATs will shuttle back to song start and you'll be recording 16 tracks of audio!

  For more info and ideas about Cubase VST check out these Cubase user sites: 

Sterinberg KnowledgeBase http://www.studio201.com/cwu/home.html

Keep in mind, that these are the settings that we used to get this setup working.
Your mileage may vary.

Questions? Comments? Email us at techsup@sonorus.com.

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