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Managing Cubase Track Lanes

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Michael Trigoboff
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Topic starter
 

I used the live recording technique that Bad_Mister taught me to record a song I'm working on into Cubase. The song has 8 instruments. When using this technique, the MIDI events from all 8 instruments end up in the same Cubase track.

In order to be able to edit the song easily, I "dissolved" the track into lanes. This worked OK, but I have some questions about managing the lanes:

1) I had thought the lanes would be arranged vertically in order by MIDI channel. Instead, the vertical order of the lanes seems to be random. Is that the case, or is there some other way that the lanes are being ordered?

2) In the middle column of Cubase, the lanes are named "Lane 1", "Lane 2", "Lane 3", etc. I have circled those names in red in the attached image. Is it possible to change those names to something more useful? If I drag the Lanes into a different vertical order (for instance by MIDI channel), the names end up in a weird and useless order, e.g. "Lane 7", "Lane 2", "Lane 5". I'd like to avoid this if possible.

3) I know how to change the track names at the left side of the right column. This is helpful, but I've noticed that if I change the name of Lane 1, it also changes the name of the entire track. This is shown in the attached image by the two names that are highlighted in yellow, circled in green. Is there a way to have those two places in the display show different names?

Thanks…

Attached files

 
Posted : 05/09/2014 3:58 am
Bad Mister
Posts: 12304
 

I might have used a completely different method to "dissolve" the data.

If you have all your MIDI data on one Track with the CH = ANY
Highlight the track data (the area directly under the Measure layout
Go to MIDI on the Menu Bar
DISSOLVE PARTS
Set it to "Separate Channels"

This will make a separate MIDI Track for each PART (not a Lane) - each PART will be assigned a separate MIDI Track in order (and you can set the Name of each Track in the Track Inspector)

 
Posted : 05/09/2014 6:43 am
Michael Trigoboff
Posts: 0
Honorable Member
Topic starter
 

I understand. I was just experimenting with lanes to see how useful they might prove to be. If you have any advice regarding the use and management of lanes, I'd be happy to hear it.

 
Posted : 06/09/2014 1:27 am
Bad Mister
Posts: 12304
 

I've used Cubase lanes for "alternate takes". Usually, in a situation where I'm adding new tracks, recording into Cubase. For example, if there is a solo section - I might setup to take multiple passes - record each pass to a lane and then later assemble the best phrases or portions from the various takes. That is the way that I use the lane function.

Musically, when you are working out ideas, you just want to let it evolve - this can be over a few takes or a few days (it can vary per the project) - but it is fantastic to have a way to take/record several passes at a solo, without stopping, just back-to-back -to-back- yet have the software keep each take parallel to each other - it makes 'comping' the best of the best a breeze.

As a workflow, I often develop the basic rhythm section tracks, pads, chordal parts, and other musical parts etc., in the Motif XF (hardware) sequencer. I may even do a 'serious' scratch vocal to the XF (some times its good enough I keep it). Lead parts, things like vocals, solos, and the like, I find I record to Cubase (after having IMPORTED the Motif XF Song). I use the XF's internal sequencer because it is quicker and easier for me, to compose the music beds in the XF sequencer - I like the hardware as an INSTRUMENT - when composing I use the XF as my instrument. I do the more extensive "lead" (out front) stuff in the computer environment. Vocal recording, instrument Solos, etc. That works for me. (Everyone is different).

This separation allows me to work without the computer for the creative musical portion of composing the instrumental parts, and lets me bring the computer into the flow when it can provide its special brand of ease and automation (like recording multiple passes, one right after the other, keeping each in its own neat lane - so I can analyze/edit what I've played and choose the best portion of each pass!)

What were you looking to do with the lanes?

 
Posted : 06/09/2014 2:15 am
Michael Trigoboff
Posts: 0
Honorable Member
Topic starter
 

I have my Pattern set up so that I can play a verse or two, play the bridge, play another verse, go into a two-chord jam for as long as I feel like, go back to the verse, etc. Every time I play the song I do it differently. I'm capturing each of these performances to its own track in a Cubase file. All 8 instruments' MIDI events are contained in each of these tracks. This seemed to me like a useful way to organize all of these performances.

Now I want to start selecting pieces of these performances and put them together into a recording. In order to do this, I've been dissolving each of the tracks into lanes so I can select the instrument MIDI events that I want.

Regarding the lanes, I just wanted to be able to lay things out and name them in a way that makes sense to my obsessive-compulsive mind.

It may be that I'm trying to use Cubase in a way it wasn't designed to be used. It may be that there's a better way for me to use Cubase to do what I'm trying to do. I'm open to being told, "Don't do it that way, do it this way."

 
Posted : 06/09/2014 5:18 am
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