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Using a VMeter on Cubase 6 LE for Windows

This tutorial will demonstrate how to setup a single VMeter to control VST plugin parameters and channel controls (like volume and pan) in Cubase 6 LE for Windows. Cubase supports 2-way communication, so automation playback and changes with the mouse will show up on the VMeter. There is also limited support for sending meter levels back out to a VMeter.

 

Limitations:

  • Cubase appears to have difficulty differentiating between multiple VMeters, even if they have different MIDI channels and device names. This applies to the latest firmware: x.26.
  • The VU Meter monitoring output is somewhat limited, and lacks any configuration controls.
 
  1. Before starting Cubase, make sure your VMeter is plugged in.
  2. First go to Devices -> Device Setup...
  3. Make sure a VMeter is listed under the MIDI ports:
  4. device-setup.png
  5. Next click the + in the upper left, and create a new "Generic Remote".
  6. new-midi-generic-remote-cubase.png
  7. Next, make sure the VMeter is selected for the MIDI Input and Output:
  8. cubase-generic-midi-remote.png
  9. The upper table sets up inputs from your controller, and the lower table determines what controls within Cubase those inputs control. Each row in the tables is actually connected across the tables.  So if you change the name by double clicking on the cell in "Control Name" in the top table, it will change in the bottom table, too.
  10. Go ahead and label row one VMeter 1.
  11. cubase-flags-midi-transmit.png
  12. Also, click in the "Flags" cell to add transmit capabilities. This makes it so that automation and mouse changes are sent back out to the VMeter.
  13. Finally, either click in the MIDI Channel and Address cells to configure the input for what the VMeter is sending, or click the "Learn" checkbox and touch the VMeter. In our testing, we sometimes had to close the window after selecting the MIDI Input and Output and reopen to get the Learn feature to work.
  14. To set the output, click "Value/Action" cell. We chose Volume for the track, but you could also choose "Meter All" to have the VMeter act like a VU Meter displaying the realtime volume. In our testing, this feature was somewhat limited, as there aren't any ways to configure exactly how the meter works (the decay time for MIDI output is much slower than the on-screen decay time).
  15. cubase-generic-midi-output.png
  16. In this same way, you can map the VMeter to a plug-in parameter, like the cutoff frequency on a filter. Just choose the effect and then the parameter under the same "Value/Action" menu.
  17. cubase-map-vst-plugin-midi-input.png
  18. Finally, you'll want to export the settings, as Cubase seems to forget them after restarting.
  19. cubase-export-remote-mapping.png