User manual

Table Of Contents
32
VST Connections
External instruments/effects (Cubase only)
External instruments/effects (Cubase only)
Cubase supports the integration of external effect devices and external instruments,
e.
g. hardware synthesizers, into the sequencer signal flow.
You can use the External Instruments tab and the External FX tab in the VST
Connections window to define the necessary send and return ports and access the
instruments/effects through the VST Instruments window.
Requirements
To use external effects, you need audio hardware with multiple inputs and outputs.
To use external instruments, a MIDI interface must be connected to your computer.
An external effect will require at least one input and one output (or input/output
pairs for stereo effects) in addition to the input/output ports you use for recording
and monitoring.
As always, audio hardware with low-latency drivers is a good thing to have.
Cubase will compensate for the input/output latency and ensure that the audio
processed through external effects is not shifted in time.
Connecting the external effect/instrument
To set up an external effect or instrument, proceed as follows:
1. Connect an unused output pair on your audio hardware to the input pair on your
external hardware device.
In this example, we assume that the hardware device has stereo inputs and
outputs.
2. Connect an unused input pair on your audio hardware to the output pair on your
hardware device.
Once the external device is connected to the audio hardware of your computer, you
have to set up the input/output busses in Cubase.
!
External instruments and effects are indicated by an “x” icon in the list next to their
names in the respective pop-up menus.
!
Please note that it is possible to select input/output ports for external
effects/instruments that are already used (i.
e. that have been selected as
inputs/outputs in the VST Connections window). If you select a used port for an
external effect/instrument, the existing port assignment will be broken. Note that you
will not get a warning message!