Using VST effects in SFP mixer sends

[Liquid Len]

I have worked out a way to use VST effects in the Scope mixers, but (1) only as 'send' type effects (not inserts), and (2) only on tracks coming from Cubase or other sequencer (of course, in the somewhat unlikely event that you want to use Cubase in 'monitoring mode' and can handle the latency of ASIO, you could actually use them as inserts as well.) I am getting more used to mixing in SFP, learning lots, and started to wish I had some of the UAD effects (like Dreamverb and the Roland Dimension D) as send effects from the SFP mixers, simply for convenience. This method takes a bit of setup time but after that, it works transparently.


(1) You'll need an extra ASIO output from Cubase, dedicated to just the effect. For this example, assume you need to bump up the ASIO channel count to accomplish this (exit Cubase first!)

(2) Load up Cubase, add a new output bus, point it to the new channels, add an FX track in Cubase, put it on this output bus, and put your VST effect(s) on the FX track. The effect you use, obviously, should be set to 'wet'.

(3) Add as many group tracks as you have output busses from Cubase, make each mono or stereo as required. Set each of group track to output to its corresponding bus, and label them. If your original output busses are called Bass, Kick, Snare, HiHat, call them Group-Bass, Group-Kick, etc. You can hide these channels afterwards but it's good to have them labelled for troubleshooting purposes.

(4) Set each group track's send #1 to the Cubase FX track you just created, and enable the sends.

(5) Re-route each audio channel to a group bus instead of an output bus. So the kick now passes through the group channel 'Group-Kick' on its way to the 'Kick' bus.

(6) Add an external master effect to the Scope mixer. Set its outputs to be the new ASIO channels you just created. Leave the inputs empty. You'll probably have to adjust the output gain later.

(7) On the SFP mixer, for the same numbered send on each channel, right click and set a MIDI controller value (I used #s 21 thru 36 on a 16-channel mixer). That means the mixer transmits these control values every time you adjust a send.

(8) Connect the SFP mixer's MIDI output to a sequencer input module.

(9) In Cubase, configure a generic remote to accept messages from the MIDI port that the messages will be coming in on, and to adjust the values of each group channel's effect send accordingly.

Now you can use the sends in the SFP mixer to control FX sends to VST style effects. I'm still using Cubase SX 2 - I got fed up with paying Steinberg for upgrades. Possibly SX3/4 will let you do sends from output busses, or something, and then you wouldn't have to do all the group channel nonsense.

[Liquid Len]

Mixing this way, I discovered the 'fly in the ointment' - soloing channels in the SFP mixer doesn't work properly - you have to turn off any Cubase effect returns before using it, what a PITA. The other thing I discovered - and this is just an opinion - being able to A/B between UAD and Scope plugins this way show that the reverbs in the UAD card aren't even CLOSE to the quality of Masterverb Pro, let alone Sonic Timeworks' "wonderful" reverbs! The UAD's plate reverb, and even Dreamverb, sounds artificial, metallic, and muddy. I will say, the STW reverb is about the best single plugin I have ever bought!

[hubird]

good exploring
as soon as I have my Cubase SX3 I will give it a shot

[petehalo]

FWIW I'm doing the exact opposite with Reaper. In Reaper there's a new plugin called ReaInsert that can be used to setup external effects loops using ASIO input and output channels which makes it very easy to route signal from any point in the Reaper's very flexible signal routing system over to Scope and this way I can uses scope effects seamlessly and just like any other vst or dx effect in Reaper. I've never been very fond of Scope mixers because they mimic too closely the hardware mixers with their limited routing possibilities but now I can take the full advantage of Reaper's excellent rounting possibilities and do the actual mixing in Reaper and use all the dsp power of scope cards to run the effects and instruments.

www.reaper.fm

[irrelevance]

Yes SX3 does allow for individual bus output to FX channels so its ALOT easier to set up your sends. Can't comment on the control side of things from scope because I have never tried, and my never need to with XTC.

[voidar]

Liquid Len:

Try the External Effects M/S devices instead . I am pretty sure you can use insert effects then.


petehalo:

This is how I am working now too .