"Edit Active Part Only" Solo Editor Function Problem_Cubase7

Hi everyone,

This is my first post here but I spend a majority of my time working in and teching for Cubase.

Recently we’ve had an issue with the functionality of the Edit Active Part Only feature in regards to the Solo Editor button. To reproduce, see below:

  1. create 3 midi tracks attached to sounds
  2. create 3 regions with midi notes
  3. open key editor
  4. choose Solo Editor from the top-left menu
  5. choose Edit Active Part Only
  6. Press play

In Cubase 6 and prior, when you did this, you would only be able to edit (or lasso) the active part but you could HEAR both other parts that are not active in the Key Editor.

In Cubase 7, this is not the case. Whatever layer is Active is the one that is soloed and ONLY that layer. If I select a different one of the 3, it will switch to soloing only the newly selected active part.

One only has to repeat these steps across the 2 versions to see/hear the difference in behavior. Is this a bug or is it considered a bug ‘fix’ and the previous condition a bug?

The previous functionality is deeply integrated into our sequencing workflow so it’s a bit frustrating that this is not available in the new version. One only has to think of a scenario such as editing rhythmic (pitched and non pitched) at once inside a larger composition to see how annoying it would be if, each time you wanted to lasso ALL of the bass notes and pitch them without pitching the drums, the drums cease to be heard.

If someone knows what’s going on, I’d really appreciate a reply.

Thanks!!!


We’re running:
Mac OS X 10.7.5. 3/33 GHz 6-Core Intel Xeon, 24 GB 1333 MHz DDR3
Cubase 7.0.2 (Build 2107) in 64 bit

Same here and a huge slowdown in my workflow also. I am starting a support ticket with the Progfan2112 posting as the essence of the question. I kept looking in the preferences setup for some solution to decide the Edit Active Part Only button’s behavior, but there is none I can fine.

I noticed this change too. It has benefits and a drawback, I suppose.

I don’t know if you have noticed how the Solo editor button and edit active part button interact, so to speak.

Building on the OP’s example: I’ve opened two parts in Key Edit.

  • Solo off, Edit Active Part off: All the parts in the project play; all parts in the editor are editable.
  • Solo off, Edit Active Part on: All the parts in the project play; only the active part in the editor is editable
  • Solo on, Edit Active Part off: Only the parts in the editor play; all parts in the editor are editable.
  • Solo on, Edit Active Part on: Only the active part editor in the editor plays; only the active part in the editor is editable.

To get the Cubase 6 behavior now, you have to Solo all the tracks you want to hear in the project page, then go into key edit, turn off the Solo editor button, and activate Edit Active Part Only.

I find this new behavior better. I agree there should be a pref to get the old behavior. I won’t comment on the likelihood of seeing that– I have learned to be flexible, and the new way is now integrated into my ‘workflow’.
“We’ve always been at war with Eastasia”
–George Orwell :wink:

Yes, I had and I’m still having difficulty adjusting to the new way the “solo editor” button now works in the key editor. I like the new ability to be able to solo an individual midi part from inside the key editor, but it is still slowing down my workflow, since I have years of muscle memory doing it the previous way.

The other danger is that with the “edit active part” button off I accidentally adjust and delete things in other parts that I shouldn’t. I am having to re-train my brain to be diligent about turning the EAP button back on when I’m done “soloing”.

There has got to be a happy compromise… could we have separate “solo editor” and a “solo active part” buttons? It would be great from within the editor to first solo all the midi parts we have selected and then go even further and solo an individual part.

Any other ideas?

I think it would make good sense to have a prefs option in the editing section of the preferences dialogue.

It’s conceivable that they have something planned, but feature request in that forum would be a good idea.

I would suggest to implement a drop down menu on the solo button to switch mode. the kind of menu used for the line tool.
Most Of the time I prefer the new edit active part behaviour but I agree, would be great to switch easely to the old way.

Sigh. Maybe Steinberg need to get the original programmers back as consultants… :slight_smile:

i seem to remember being able to open more than 1 track at a time and seeing tow or more windows to work in with the project minmized…i used this to say line up the base in one track with the base drum in the another track…now i know about the edit in place function but want to know if the other fucntion still works…now ive been trying to do this the old way 4 to days i could swear that i did it ,that is had 2 tracks open and project window min but dont know how i did it …sooooo HELP…lol

one other thing…if i select two tracks then open the midi editor one track is layer over the and i cannot separate there windows

thanks for taking the time to help …soooo … guess i just have to settle for the new ways of doing things :neutral_face:

Turn off Link Editors in Preferences>Editing to be able to open the parts separately.

i was complaininng about editing in place feature but have found i really like it because i can see and edit all the tracks at thhe same time…multitrack editing is cool

and thanks for all the kelp u guys have given me when i come to this forum

hey, still i did not understand how to change it to the old behavior.
i just want to edit them in the same time all together, i don’t want it to start new layer every new record i add to the midi track.
please help

As to the new behavior, I go with the flow and mute my drum-mapped tracks prior to entering the Key Editor.

Perhaps this is laying the foundation for a new feature, i.e. mute/solo from within MIDI editor windows.

still no good for me…

Hello, fairly old thread and post but as I recently upgraded from 6 to 10 Pro this is quite a present and important feature to me.

As far as I’ve seen 10 Pro doesn’t work as it is described in the quoted post, still the same as in 6. Do I have to change to that behaviour with a switch or option in the program settings? Didn’t found it so far.

Cubase 10 is a different animal, from 6- you’ll need to learn the workflow anew, I’m afraid.

I’m afraid I don’t understand. Is the behavior of the Solo and Edit Active Part buttons altered again in the meantime?

I’m just saying that that this post is too old to be informative. Newer functions probably changed things over 4 big version updates. And I have little memory of this stuff from Cubase 6 any longer!

If you’re using C10, post in the C10 forum where more people will see your post…