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VST Instruments and Instrument tracks
Introduction
VST Instruments are software synthesizers (or other sound
sources) that are contained within Cubase AI. They are
played internally via MIDI. You can add effects or EQ to
VST Instruments, just as with audio tracks.
The VST Instrument HALionOne is included with Cubase
AI, others can be purchased separately from Steinberg
and other manufacturers.
Ö This chapter describes the general procedures for
setting up and using VST Instruments.
For a description of HALionOne and its parameters, see the separate
PDF document “Plug-in Reference”.
Ö Depending on the VST version the instrument is com-
patible with, an icon may be displayed in front of the in-
strument name, see “About VST 3” on page 86.
VST Instrument channels vs.
instrument tracks
Cubase AI allows you to make use of VST Instruments in
two different ways:
• By activating instruments in the VST Instruments window.
This creates a VST Instrument channel, which can be played by one (or
several) MIDI track(s) routed to it.
• By creating instrument tracks.
Instrument tracks are a combination of a VST Instrument, an instrument
channel and a MIDI track. You play and record MIDI note data directly for
this track.
Both methods have their advantages, and should be se-
lected according to what best suits your needs. The fol-
lowing sections describe the two approaches.
VST Instrument channels
You can access a VST Instrument from within Cubase AI
by creating a VST Instrument channel and associating this
channel with a MIDI track. Proceed as follows:
1. On the Devices menu, select “VST Instruments”.
The VST Instruments window opens.
2. Click in one of the empty slots to open the instrument
pop-up menu and select the desired instrument.
3. You will be asked if you want to create an associated
MIDI track connected to the VST Instrument. Do so.
The instrument is loaded and activated, and its control panel is opened.
A MIDI track with the name of the instrument is added to the Track list.
The output of this track is routed to the instrument.
In the Preferences dialog (VST–Plug-ins page), you can
specify what should happen when loading a VST instru-
ment in an instrument slot. Open the pop-up menu “Cre-
ate MIDI track when loading VSTi” and select one of the
available options:
• When you select “Always”, a corresponding MIDI track will al-
ways be created.
• When you select “Do not”, no track will be created and only
the instrument will be loaded.
• Select “Always ask to” if you want to decide whether a MIDI
track should be created whenever you load an instrument.
You can also use modifiers to specify what should happen
when you load a VST instrument (overriding the Prefer-
ence setting):
• When you hold down [Ctrl]/[Command] while selecting a VST
Instrument for an instrument slot, a corresponding MIDI track
with the name of the instrument is automatically created.
• When you hold down [Alt]/[Option] while selecting a VST In-
strument for an instrument slot, no MIDI track will be created
for the instrument.
• If you do not want the plug-in control panels to open ev-
ery time you load a plug-in, open the Preferences dialog
(VST–Plug-ins page) and deactivate “Open Effect Editor
After Loading it”.
You can open a plug-in panel at any time by clicking the “e” button of the
corresponding plug-in slot.