Specifications

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Synchronizing Cubase VST to MIDI Time Code (MTC)
You might have a device which transmits time code in a MIDI cable – MIDI Time
Code (MTC).There are several types of devices that does just this:
• MIDI interfaces with built synchronization capabilities.
• Time Code (SMPTE) to MIDI Time Code converters.
• VITC (Vertical Interval Time Code, used in video editing systems) to MTC con-
verters.
• MIDI devices (like other sequencers or disk based recording systems) which
generate MIDI Time Code.
In this type of setup, synchronization happens as follows:
• Cubase VST is synchronized to the time code. In other words, the device
transmitting the time code (for example the video deck or hard disk recording
system) is the
master and Cubase VST is the slave ).
• The time code synchronization signals do not control Cubase VST’s tempo di-
rectly. Instead, the time code replaces Cubase VST’s internal “clock on the
wall” type of clock, as displayed in the Time Position box on the Transport
Bar. Cubase VST still follows the tempo set either on the Transport Bar or in
the Master Track. However, if the time code coming in slows down or speeds
up, this will affect Cubase VST’s internal clock and thereby the tempo (since
the “minutes” in the “beats per minute” setting now varies).
Setting Up for Synchronization
1. In the Synchronization dialog box (reached from the Options menu), set
Timecode base to MIDI Timecode.
2. From the menu just below Timecode base, select the input to which the
MTC is coming in.
Cubase VST is now expecting a time code synchronization signal from the
specified port.
3. Set Tempo base to Intern.
This tells Cubase VST to
not expect MIDI Clock signals.
4. Use the pop-up in the dialog box to tell Cubase VST what Frame Rate to
expect from the incoming code (see page 462 in this chapter).
Sync to time code activated
Sync to MIDI Clock
deactivated
The MIDI Input for
the time code
The frame rate