Stuck Note & Bizarre Volume Changes

[bmurrin]

STUCK NOTE:
I ran into something this week that has never happened to me before. I started working on an instrumental in Cubase three weeks ago using GPO and the Strad. Last night, I suddenly got a "stuck" note for the string bass. Whether I stop play, let it loop back to the beginning, or even proceed past the end of the song, that note just keeps on playing. I tried putting in a KS for a pizz, followed by the KS for arco, but that didn't make any difference. Last night it would stop momentarily, then start again. I'd reset my audio, etc. but it didn't make any difference. It just kept coming back. The only way to finally stop it was to close the file. Today it stops when I stop the transporter. (If I don't stop the transporter, it keeps playing forever, regardless of looping or anything else.) Is there a "note off" KS I can program in?

VOLUME:
The other thing I've had happening is the volume suddenly kicking in for no apparent reason. I'm happily going along, controlling the volume as I want it, when there's a sudden blast of sound (that remains at the high level). Suggestions?

Many thanks!

Barb :confused:

[Leaf]

Hi Barb, welcome to the forum.

I used to get the sticking notes while using GPO in Finale, but never the volume change you described. It would also not stop unless i closed and reopened the file. After i got the updates for GPO, the Kontakt Player, and Finale, the problem went away.

Sorry i don't use cubase, but there are some here who do, so maybe they will know.

David:)

[germancomponist]

Hi Barb,

hm, I have a suggestion: Open the songfile and then in cubase select the midi bass-track and go to the midi-funktion: "Delete all controllers". So, if the stuck note (and bizarre volume-changes) now is away, so you know that there is something wrong with the controllerdata in this track (cc64?). You can edit it right then... .

What cubase and player/sampler are you using? Have you done all the updates?

Gunther

[bmurrin]

You guys are awesome...the way you try to help people out!
Okay, so I deleted all controllers for that track...but the sound still goes on... and on...and on. (Is that something like "The show must go on"?)

I believe I have all the updates downloaded and installed--except for the latest Cubase versions (4.1 which "broke" some things that were fixed, and the subsequent "hot fixes" which are not supported). Might this be the issue?

I'm running Cubase 4.0.

Barb

[germancomponist]

You guys are awesome...the way you try to help people out!
Okay, so I deleted all controllers for that track...but the sound still goes on... and on...and on. (Is that something like "The show must go on"?)

I believe I have all the updates downloaded and installed--except for the latest Cubase versions (4.1 which "broke" some things that were fixed, and the subsequent "hot fixes" which are not supported). Might this be the issue?

I'm running Cubase 4.0.

Barb

I use Cubase 4.1 and all works great... .:)

Perhaps you can send me the Cubase cpr songfile, so I will look what happens here... ;)

gunther@metaphon.de (Gunther@metaphon.de)

[sunbird]

Hi, Barb, and welcome to this great forum!

I am also working with cubase and I get those stuck notes that go on forever. But someone helped me out on that, so if I can help you too I'll be glad.
I assume that it happens to you when you are working at the MIDI stage? If so, in the menu click 'MIDI' and scroll down to 'reset'. It stops the sound right away.
Your volume problem hasn't happened to me in the way you described it. But an unusual volume problem can occur when certain controllers 'clash' with each other, kind of doubling the volume.
Does it happen always in the same place, with the same instrument? Which
volume(s) are you working on? Is it the individual instrument's volume, the main volume of the project, CC1 (modulation)?

Yudit

[Michael_uk]

Hello Barb,

I don't use Cabase (I'm a Sonar man) but when I tried my first MIDI file the same thing happened for me. Later I realised that I was unintentionally using the DXi version of GPO instead of the VST version. When I corrected this and swapped to the VST version everything worked as it should.

Just a thought :)

[Nickie Fønshauge]

STUCK NOTE:
I ran into something this week that has never happened to me before. I started working on an instrumental in Cubase three weeks ago using GPO and the Strad. Last night, I suddenly got a "stuck" note for the string bass. Whether I stop play, let it loop back to the beginning, or even proceed past the end of the song, that note just keeps on playing. I tried putting in a KS for a pizz, followed by the KS for arco, but that didn't make any difference. Last night it would stop momentarily, then start again. I'd reset my audio, etc. but it didn't make any difference. It just kept coming back. The only way to finally stop it was to close the file. Today it stops when I stop the transporter. (If I don't stop the transporter, it keeps playing forever, regardless of looping or anything else.) Is there a "note off" KS I can program in?
You can stop a hanging note by clicking KP2 | Engine | Restart.

Your sequencer may not allow you to send a "note off", but you can send a "All notes off": CC#123=0. Just make sure "All notes off / all sounds off" is checked in Instrument Options | Controller for the instruments in question (KP2). It is checked by default.

When you open KP2, does it say anything about "Script error" in the lower left corner (of the player, not the instrument)? A script error can produce this kind of malady, and script errors are very hard to eradicate completely, no matter how much you test the instrument. An Engine Restart will reset the script/instrument, though, and allow you to play until the condition, that resulted in the error, turns up again.

[BenNichols]

I used to be a cubase SX3 man and would occassionally get this. The reason for it happening to me was simple tho and doesnt sound like it is in your case. For me, it happened when a midi note was held down right to the end of a midi region, so no note off message was sent to the KP2 engine...if this is the cause of your problem just extend your regions a little. hope that helps, if not, good luck in your search!

ben

[bmurrin]

UPDATE & RESPONSES:

- (Gunther) Delete controllers - Did not work.
- (Ben) The stuck note always happens in the string bass part, on the final note (which ends before the midi region ends). I extended the region a bit more to see if it would make a difference, but it didn't.
- (Michael) Re GPO: It's the VST version. (I did not install DXi).
- (Yudit/Sunbird) - I went to MIDI / Reset, and this manual shut-off worked! It was such a relief not to have to close and reopen the file!
- (Nickie) I hate to admit my ignorance, but there's no help for it:
a) How/where do I send an "all notes off": CC #123=0?
b) I can't find the Instrument Options in KP2 that you mention.
BTW, I don't get any "script error" messages.
- (Ben) Re volume changes: I'll be recording a part, just inputting notes, when the volume for the part I'm working on suddenly increases drastically. The new (loud) level remains until I manually decrease it. I've had this happen on string and woodwind parts; I don't recall if it's ever happened on a keyboard part.
- (Gunther) I will send you my file if you promise to be kind to my amateur efforts! This is only my second instrumental song and is a work in progress. I am going to change the melody to a variation at the part where the harp comes in, and I haven't had time yet to finesse the individual tracks. (I was more interested in getting the notes in.) You'll hear some weird volume things happening in a couple spots (beginning of Vn 1 and partway through the Engl Hn part).

OTHER:
While we're on the topic of "Name 101 Things That Can Go Wrong When Barb is Driving", is there a tutorial available that discusses setting beginning track volume parameters so that I don't have to manually activate the volume on individual tracks each time I start a song? I allow a couple measures at the beginning where I bring up the volume with the mod wheel while in record mode, before the instrument starts. I thought that would solve the problem, but it doesn't appear to for all instruments. I have to go and manually wiggle the mod wheels in KP for each instrument to take it from partially muted mode to proper volume.

Thank you, again, for all your willing assistance. I'm humbled by the collective knowledge on this forum.

Barb

[bmurrin]

I was so rattled by trying to stop that stuck note that I assumed it was in the bass line. When I stopped to listen to the octave that C was in, I realized it was actually the cello part. I followed Gunther's instructions about MIDI / Function / Delete all controllers. Now that I had the correct track, THIS FIXED THE PROBLEM. ~|

Note to self:
Listen...and use "mute" to isolate the track before you have a meltdown.

So...one problem is solved for now. (It still doesn't tell me what caused it in the first place and how to avoid a repeat of the issue.)

Barb

[germancomponist]

Ah, that`s good! Fine that I could help you!



OTHER:
While we're on the topic of "Name 101 Things That Can Go Wrong When Barb is Driving", is there a tutorial available that discusses setting beginning track volume parameters so that I don't have to manually activate the volume on individual tracks each time I start a song? I allow a couple measures at the beginning where I bring up the volume with the mod wheel while in record mode, before the instrument starts. I thought that would solve the problem, but it doesn't appear to for all instruments. I have to go and manually wiggle the mod wheels in KP for each instrument to take it from partially muted mode to proper volume.

Thank you, again, for all your willing assistance. I'm humbled by the collective knowledge on this forum.

Barb

Barb,

just make a short part in Cubase (Midi Out=All). Name it "GPO-Reset" ;)

Record there the volume via mod wheel for any midichannels to a mid level. Save this part. Now, whenever you start a new project (Song) first load this part and begin recording your tracks at Bar 2.00 or later... .

Note: Stringinstruments has to be controlled by volume at the most notes, so this controlling (volume via mod wheel) is a great tool in GPO!

Now Cubase has it`s new quickcontrol at any track. There you can adress a controller from your keyboard to control what you want also in an audio-track. There I have adressed the modwheel to control the volume too. This works very nice when I am are mixing audiotracks.

Best,

Gunther

[sunbird]

(Yudit/Sunbird) - I went to MIDI / Reset, and this manual shut-off worked! It was such a relief not to have to close and reopen the file!Barb
Glad I could help. And by the way, I don't know if it's a bug in cubase or not, but I discovered that if I start my tracks at bar 1 there is some strange distortion in bar 2, so I am always starting my tracks at bar 3... :p

Yudit

[germancomponist]

Barb,

I have looked to your song and found the error. ;)

The last note at the cello track (C2) starts at 56.1.1.0 and ends at 1.2.3.107... . Oops, I don`t know how you have done this. So that is the reason that you can`t see this note in the Key-Editor and the note plays and plays and plays again... .:)

But, in the "List-Editor" you can see all what is recorded. There I found it. Look:

http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f347/petitprince2006/wrong-end.jpg

After editing all works fine. See below:

http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f347/petitprince2006/right-end.jpg

I too saw that you have opend 2 Kontaktplayers with only one instrument, the Stradivari, but you need only one. So delete the other one, because it is hungry to your PC power, smile. Also use the "Purge-Funktion" in the Kontaktplayer after you have recorded the last note at the Stradivari.

Hey, I like your little composition! Work on it, it is great!

Best,

Gunther

[Nickie Fønshauge]

(Nickie) I hate to admit my ignorance, but there's no help for it:
a) How/where do I send an "all notes off": CC #123=0?
b) I can't find the Instrument Options in KP2 that you mention.
BTW, I don't get any "script error" messages.
Hey Barb,

You'll find the Instrument Options when you click an instruments gears/wrench button and then the Instrument Options button.

I don't know Cubase - I use Sonar myself - but there should be a Piano Roll and an Event List editor (whatever the latter is called in Cubase: the one Günther used to fix your hanging note problem) where you can insert a Controller message; just select CC#123 and give it the value "0".

Btw, I am glad to hear you got your problems fixed. :)

[bmurrin]

Thanks, everyone! Gunther, I've got that fixed in my List Editor now. What a relief to be able to play the song and not cringe every time I get to the end! Re the two Kontakt players, I intend to use the Solo Strad for Vn 2, as well, but the track needs quite a bit of attention before it's to the point where I want to hear it! Therefore, I switched to the GPO Strad Vn 2 for now. Am I incorrect in thinking that I need one Kontakt Player for each part? If so, I will definitely delete the 2nd Kontakt Player. To confirm, the "Purge Function" in KP just removes the samples that aren't being used, right? What happens if I make changes later...changes that require some notes or keystrokes that weren't previously used? Do I load all the samples again, and then do another purge after the changes are made? I'm glad you like my composition, by the way. That makes me happy! Last night I wrote a different melody line for the 8 measures where the harp starts. I like it.

So...for the "GPO-Reset" template: I'd just have a bunch of MIDI tracks, not assigned to a specific instrument, but with the volume recorded at the beginning, using the mod wheel from the 0 position to about midway? And then assign them to different VST instruments, as required for the new song? (At least I think that's what you were saying.)

Yudit/sunbird - Thanks for the tip about the distortion in bar 2. I don't need any help getting in trouble, so it's good to know about that! LOL

Nickie - Thank you for the info re the Event List Editor and inserting controller messages. I always wondered how to use those "CC's".

What a wonderful, global community this is! Thanks, again, everyone. I really appreciate all the assistance.

Now...back to my song...!

Barb
http://www.songu.com/members/bmurrin

[germancomponist]

Barb,

you need only one Kontaktplayer for both Stradivaris... . And yes, the Purge Function just removes the samples that aren't being used. I f you want to play new/other notes after using this function, you have first to reload all samples.

The "GPO-Reset-Part" must be adressed to the Kontaktplayer where the GPO Instruments are selected. For example set to any midichannels volume to 64.

In Cubase and in any other daw you can make presets for whatever you want. This is very great. :)

Best,

Gunther