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Table of Contents 4 Preface 6 6 7 Overview Quick Guide Cubase / Nuendo Setup 9 9 10 12 14 15 VST Connect User Interface Overview Connection Control Room Talkback Mixer 15 16 Performer Monitor (Headphone) Mix Recording Mix 17 18 20 Cubase/Nuendo Menus Event Monitor Setup Tabs 20 22 22 24 CONFIGURATION PERFORMER MANAGER RECORDINGS 24 25 25 27 Toolbox Items Status and File Transfer Performer HD Recording Drag and Drop File Transfer 28 VST Connect Monitor 29 29 30 31 33 VST Connect Performer U
Preface by Karl (Charlie) Steinberg Welcome to VST Connect 3! We are very proud to present this exciting new version of VST Connect, which features an all new user interface and mixer, significantly simplified setup for the engineer, and many more new features and improvements. VST Connect has been used by skilled and professional producers all over the world to record artists from all over the world conveniently and with highest audio quality standards using the affordable PRO version.
Preface There are too many colleagues at Steinberg and elsewhere to mention, who have helped to make this dream come true, so I hope they don't mind if I express my gratitude to all of them here. In particular, I would like to thank Michael Spork who has provided at least as much of the programming work as myself, and my very long term friend and partner Manfred Rürup, with whom I am happy to still share the experience of these amazing developments of our brave new world.
Overview Quick Guide VST Connect is used by two people, the artist or talent performing vocals or other instrument, and an engineer in a studio using Cubase/Nuendo along with the VST Connect components. The artist downloads and installs the VST Connect Performer application or app. The Apple OSX and Microsoft Windows versions are freely downloadable from the Steinberg website, the iPad IOS version is very affordable.
Overview Cubase / Nuendo Setup Now let's have a look at the details. Cubase / Nuendo Setup With version 3 of VST Connect comes an all new sub-menu in Cubase/Nuendo that you can find under the "Project" menu. To begin with, let's assume that you start from scratch, so the first step is to launch Cubase/Nuendo and PROCEDURE 1. create a new empty project, using either the "Empty", "Default", or your preferred default project template. To set up a VST Connect session, all you have to do is to 2.
Overview Cubase / Nuendo Setup To access the Control Room Mixer, use the "Devices" menu and there choose "Control Room Mixer". You can also use the top left control in the MixConsole window to show the Control Room mixer on the right hand side of Cubase/Nuendos' mixer window. For more details on this, again refer to the related sections in the Cubase/Nuendo manual.
VST Connect User Interface Overview • On the top left, Talkback can be controlled. These controls are linked to the according controls in the Cubase/Nuendo Control Room Mixer. See TALKBACK how to use this. • The top middle section shows status information, none of these can be changed, they are for informational purpose only. See EVENT MONITOR. • The top right section is where you connect to the artist.
VST Connect Connection Connection 1 Now you are ready to record the remote artist. You should see the VST Connect plug-in user interface; if that window has been closed accidentally, you can re-open it by selecting "Open Editor" in the Cubase/Nuendo "Project/VST Connect" menu. PROCEDURE 1. If you haven't done so yet, type your name in the "Name" field in the top right "Network login" section. This can be your real name, or a nickname that the artist will see. 2.
VST Connect Connection PROCEDURE 1. Click the "gearwheel" item on the lower right of the VST Connect editor window and select the "Performer" tab. In the "Audio Device" item, choose an audio device of the Performer's computer from the list. 2. If you cannot hear the artist yet, click the toolbox icon again to close the settings page, and choose his or her microphone's port on top of the "Mic" channel in the VST Connect mixer. 3.
VST Connect Control Room Control Room The artist will hear whatever you send via the Control Room Cue Mix channel. Playback and review channels (tracks on which you already recorded a performance of the artist) are sent to the Performer application via the VST Connect Cue Channel.
VST Connect Control Room NOTE You may find further details about Cue Sends in the Cubase/Nuendo manual.
VST Connect Talkback The Control Room VST Connect Cue Channel allows you to control precisely what the artist should hear on his/her headphones: • Choose between main mix ("Mix") and "Cues" mix for the artist to hear. If you have configured external inputs such as CD player in the "Devices/Vst Connections/Studio" tab, you can also choose to have the artist listen to that as desired. • Use the "Talkback" button to switch TB on and off.
VST Connect Mixer • a Talkback enable button. This switches TB on or off and is linked to the Talkback button in the "Main" section of the Cubase/Nuendo Control Room mixer. Note that this button is automatically disabled as soon as playback or recording is started in Cubase/Nuendo. While transport is running, you may override this by clicking it again.
VST Connect Mixer does in this area has any influence on the sound that he receives and records from the artist. Because these controls affect the Performer application, the details are described in the VST CONNECT PERFORMER application manual, in the PERFORMER MONITOR MIXER section. NOTE Note the plus and minus buttons which are available only with the VST Connect PRO version.
VST Connect Cubase/Nuendo Menus Record Button There is also a record button per channel with the PRO version of VST Connect. With this, each channel can be recorded individually by the Performer application on the artist's computer, and later transfered in full resolution for single or multi-track recordings. The stereo mix can also be recorded in HD by enabling the according record enable button in the MASTER channel. Individual tracks can only be recorded with the PRO version.
VST Connect Event Monitor Add Talkback Channel Adds a TB channel to the Control Room ("Studio" tab in Cubase/Nuendo "Devices/VST Connections" menu). You may have to assign an audio input in the aforementioned VST Connections "Studio" entry where your TB microphone is connected. Open Performer Video Opens a window with the performer video feed (if applicable). This is the same signal as in the VST Connect plug-in window, but can be sized or moved to another monitor or projector etc.
VST Connect Event Monitor The event monitor section is located on the top middle of the VST Connect plug-in. It displays several LEDs which indicate the connection quality for the studio and the performer side. The three LEDs should always be green to indicate that data is received, sent, and that both sides of the connection are in sync. It is normal, however, for the sync indicators to light up red during transport operations like start, stop, and locate.
VST Connect Setup Tabs Setup Tabs You access the Setup Tabs by clicking the gearwheel icon on the lower right of the VST Connect edit window. CONFIGURATION This tab controls settings for the VST Connect plug-in on the Cubase/Nuendo engineer side: Audio Upstream Open this pop-up menu and select the audio upstream rate for the signal sent to the performer (shown in kilobits per second).
VST Connect Setup Tabs Video Device Open this pop-up menu and select the video device to use for communication with the performer. You can send any video signal that is provided by the operating system. You may also choose to select "No device" in order to free the connection from the video data stream if there is no need for the artist to see your video. Video Mirror Sometimes it is useful to mirror the incoming video display. This option allows for a horizontally mirrored Performer video display.
VST Connect Setup Tabs PERFORMER These settings do not have any influence on the Cubase/Nuendo VST Connect plug-ins but merely remote control configuration settings in the Performer application. Of course, you have to be connected; then, you can help the artist to set up his system via this panel. These controls can also be accessed by the artist in the Performer application at any time; this is why the detailed explanation of these items is to be found in the Performer section.
VST Connect Setup Tabs The main task of the Manager however is to manage and organize available recordings. As soon as an audio track in Cubase/Nuendo is connected to the VST Connect Input bus, this is visualized in the Manager. So you can see for instance whether it is a Mono or Stereo track, whether it is record enabled, and its name. But it also offers some additional information: as soon as a recording has taken place with the artist, the Manager tags this recording as a remote recording (“net”).
VST Connect Toolbox Items RECORDINGS This section is also only available with the PRO version of VST Connect. It allows you to manage all audio files recorded on the computer of the artist using the VST Connect Performer application. To display single files of which the take consists, click on the take’s name. For example, you can easily delete any file you do not need anymore easily.
VST Connect Status and File Transfer Video Window This feature allows you to open the video sent from the artists' Performer application in a separate window. It shows the same content as with the video display in the VST Connect editor window. It can be arbitrarily sized or set to full screen. This is very useful when you don't need the VST Connect plug-in editor window anymore as all is set up already for recording, and when you want to see the artist in a separate window, monitor, or even projector.
VST Connect Performer HD Recording Should you want to change the default directory (usually, "VST Connect Performer" in the the users' Documents Folder), you are advised to copy the content of the current folder to the newly selected one unless you know exactly what you do. If you are certain that you don't need any previously recorded material, there are no conflicts, though.
VST Connect Drag and Drop File Transfer Drag and Drop File Transfer You can now drag and drop arbitrary files onto the video view both in the VST Connect Performer application and the VST Performer PRO plugin video view. This will transfer the dropped file to the receivers' Download Folder. When the transfer is finished, the receiver will get a notification and can select to open the destination directory. NOTE Note this only works with the PRO version connected.
VST Connect Monitor When you configure VST Connect using the Cubase/Nuendo Project/VST Connect Menu item "Create VST Connect", not only will an Input Channel be created with the VST Connect plug-in, and a Control Room Cuemix channel with the VST Connect Cuemix plug-in, but also the VST Connect Monitor plug-in will be added to the main Control Room Output. This allows you to listen to the Performer signal while chatting and during recording or playback.
VST Connect Performer VST Connect Performer is available as an application for Windows and Mac OSX, as well as an app for the iPad (iOS). The desktop version can be freely downloaded from the Steinberg website, the affordable iPad version is available in the Apple appstore. The artist does not have to own any DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) software, and should not start any.
VST Connect Performer Connection • The top middle section shows connection status, and transport status, as well as the Bars and Beats Position and the Tempo as set by the studio when you are connected. None of these can be changed, they are for informational purpose only. • The top right section is where you connect to the studio. See CONNECTION for further details.
VST Connect Performer Performer Monitor (Headphone) Mix Performer Monitor (Headphone) Mix The Performer Mixer controls the monitor mix for the artist. This part is visible and accessible in both the Performer application or app, and the VST Connect plug-in in Cubase/Nuendo.
VST Connect Performer Performer Monitor (Headphone) Mix • The "MASTR" (Master) channel, which controls the overall listening level for the artist. On top of this channel, select which outputs of the Performer audio interface should provide the entire monitor (headphone) mix. • The "STDIO" (Studio) channel, where the Cubase/Nuendo Control Room Cue Mix (including Talkback) signal appears. • The "VST I" channel, which controls the VST Instrument settings.
VST Connect Performer Effects NOTE Again, don't forget that nothing of this affects what the engineer hears or records, it is merely controlling the artist's listening signal.
VST Connect Performer Effects EQ On/Off Sets the EQ active or inactive. Bass Sets the amount of low frequency (80 Hz) increase (rotary knob right to 12 o'clock position) or decrease (rotary knob left to 12 o'clock position). Mid Sets the amount of mid frequency (as set by "Mid Freq") increase or decrease. Mid Freq Sets the center frequency (250 Hz to 5 kHz) for "Mid". High Sets the amount of high frequency (6 kHz) increase or decrease.
VST Connect Performer Toolbox Items GR (Gain Reduction) meter Shows how much the compressor reduces the gain due to compression action. The more this meter shows activity (from right to left, as opposed to meters you are otherwise used to), the more the compressor reduces the gain of the channels' signal. Inserts Each Performer Monitor channel features a set of four Insert slots that can be used to apply VST2 and/or VST3 plug-ins to that channel.
VST Connect Performer Status and File Transfer Video Window This feature allows you to open the video sent from the studio in a separate window. It shows the same content as with the video display in the main window. It can be arbitrarily sized or set to full screen. This is very useful when you don't need the VST Connect plug-in editor window anymore as all is set up already for recording, and when you want to see the artist in a separate window, monitor, or even projector.
VST Connect Performer Settings Settings These settings are also accessible by the VST Connect plug-in in Cubase/Nuendo when a connection has been established. Ask the engineer to set this up for you if you are less experienced or interested in dealing with these technical details. Audio Device Open this pop-up menu to select the driver for the audio hardware that is installed on the performer’s computer.
VST Connect Performer Plug-In Manager Video Upstream Open this pop-up menu and select the video upstream rate for the signal sent to Cubase/Nuendo. The same rules apply. Video Device Open this pop-up menu and select the video device to use for communication with the engineer. You can send any video signal that is provided by the operating system. Video Mirror Sometimes it is useful to mirror the incoming video display. This setting allows for a horizontally mirrored video display.
VST Connect Performer Plug-In Manager Plugging support is initially switched off and can be individually activated for VST 2 and/or VST 3. To activate VST 2 support, the Plugging Manager requires a path to the directory, where VST 2 plug-ins are installed. For VST 3, this path is standardized and does not need to be set explicitly. If a plugging type is activated, an additional window showing information about validation of the plug-ins is displayed.
Troubleshooting Connection There is usually no need for so called port forwarding, but it may help to improve connection quality. If you know how to do so, you may instruct your router and firewall to open (forward) UDP ports 51111 through 51113. If you think it is required to do this but don't know how, please refer to various games sites where you can find instructions of how to configure your router and/or firewall.
Troubleshooting Avoid Audio Dropouts Avoid Audio Dropouts If the values set for Audio Upstream and Video Upstream in the configuration settings for the performer and/or engineer exceed approx. 80 % of what the respective Internet Provider (IP) delivers as upstream rate, dropouts will occur. For example, if your provider guarantees only 384 kBit/s upstream, you should set both the audio upstream and video upstream parameters to 128 kBit/s.
