[CAN-13042] Multi out instrument tracks still broken after disabling PLEASE RESPOND STEINBERG

Thanks for the update, Jan. Perhaps the best tip I can offer is that if it is breaking on your system using those steps, for the debugger to be installed on that machine as you suggest. I’ve found that when something breaks on a machine, it should fairly reliably break every time afterwards - in fact I have a theory that over time the problems escalate. What starts out as phantom tracks might in a few weeks time end up as duplicated and re-ordered outputs.

The problems all start when trying to get a replication on a different machine, and this was a good example - kavinsky and I both get these problems routinely, but not on the specific steps you’ve found it on yours. So marrying up the debugger with a machine where there is a known recipe has to be the dream ticket I’d have thought.

Just an update from my end - I’m now on the Cubase beta team, and this is now being actively investigated there. Anyone with any more info do keep posting here too and I’ll make sure it gets seen.

Had a thought today (always dangerous I know). Great to know Steinberg are finally on CAN 13042, but a solution could still take a while I guess. I’ve been therefore wondering about returning to using Rack Instruments, at least temporarily. While its not possible to disable rack instruments which would be a shame, I wonder if freezing them might be a workaround, adding just a simple dummy note in bar 1 to make the process work. Does anyone have any experience with freezing rack instruments? I’m hoping its solid, and unaffected by these bugs. If I get round to properly trialling this, I’ll let you know how it goes.

My whole template was relying on Freezing tracks before I had this great idea to switch everything to disabled tracks 6 monthes ago :slight_smile:
It was with Instruments tracks, not Racks, but it worked very well. As all the tracks never leave your project, you can keep all your Quick Control informations, and everything that doesn’t work well with disabled tracks.

The whole thing was quite slower on my machine than it is now with disabled tracks, but I guess a good computer can handle this. Keep also in mind that even if an instrument is Frozen, it’s still there in your project, especially in the MixConsole which will show everything unless you use some Macros to show only the tracks that contain data other than that dummy note in bar 1 :slight_smile: That’s what I did !

Guys, any new developments on fixing the issue?
still patiently waiting for good news

Funnily enough, I’m using frozen tracks really for the first time, for a handful of instruments in the template. For the time being I’ve migrated totally to rack instruments - I suspect that now I’ve pretty much finished this painful migration that Track Instruments will be fixed any day!

Is there a light in the end of this 5 year-old tunnel?

overview: Cubase cubase 10.0.15 hasn’t solved the issue yet. Will be happy to post first here when a new update solves it…

My reading of the runes is that this is absolutely on Steinberg’s radar now, but it is a very complex bug to fix. Sadly I think it will take quite a long time - I’m not anticipating any quick breakthroughs.

I probably mentioned this already, but I took the decision a couple of months ago that I couldn’t wait any longer, and all multi-out track instruments have been expunged from my template and workflow. I’m on Monotimbral track and mutl-timbral rack instruments for the time being, and life has gotten a lot easier as a result.

Haven’t used mutl-timbral rack instruments for a long time so I have forgotten about them. Do you use mutl-timbral rack instruments having also multiple outputs ? Can those rack instruments be disabled / enabled and exported / imported via xml without leading to confusing output problems ?

Cheers, lokotus

Hi Iokotus - rack instruments do have multiple outputs, but can’t be imported / exported… which at least removes that whole nightmare! In place of disabling, you can freeze rack instruments if you just place a dummy note at the start of the timeline on a midi channel connected to it, so I start with many of the instruments frozen. It’s not quite as elegant, but conversely it does seem to reliably work without anything getting screwed up.

I’ve basically totally rethought my entire operation, and am now using VE Pro to host all my orchestral stuff in its own disabled mode. If you’re interested I recently did a walkthrough on it. The part 1 intro is here, part 2 which goes into detail on how to set it all up is linked there - A Cubase / Disabled VE Pro Template: Part 1: What is it? - YouTube

I have a vast library of instrument tracks I spent eternity to set up so I’m still forced to deal with this issue every day
Going back to rack instruments and freeze seems like a huge step back for me.

Apparently nobody gives a crap about solving it, even after all this time and begging.
I’ll be investigating Studio One and slowly transitioning to it. I can already confirm modular setups work like a charm there.

It’s obvious that Cubase is dying, which is really sad as I’ve worked in it for 14 years now.
Makes sense why many people are jumping ship at this point.
5 years solving one issue is unacceptable(while constantly adding countless bells and whistles), its called stagnation.

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I think we’re really looking into the guts of Cubase with this one, and its not a pretty sight. There are so many issues now its just overwhelming, and that is a big big problem. I don’t know what the answer is… it feels like Steinberg needs 10x the number of staff, all of whom are trained in the intricacies of a program that goes back 30 years.

I can well see the attraction of a Studio One where they’ve started from the ground up, but too many missing critical features for me. I’ve had to do this total rethink out of sheer pragmatism - Cubase is my drug of choice, I’ve had to figure out a new way of working with it that can play to its strengths. It’s actually worked out incredibly well for me, but I realise everyone’s situation and needs are different.

Another year goes by, another version of Cubase - and its still going to be the same.
We did what we could and we’re back to silence again after all the years and efforts.
Honestly I feel absolutely powerless at this point, we can’t do anything.

As much as I would hate working in another DAW since I know Cubase in and out - its time to let go to save some time and nerve cells.
I’ll start toying with Reaper or Studio One for the new projects.
Just tired of this drama. It goes on for waaaay to long

Steinberg HAVE RESPONDED!

Fixed in 10.0.20. Existing archives and disabled tracks might still be fuzzy, but newly made stuff has been solid for me. Hallelujah.

Well, maybe it was too good to be true, but it looks like I now have another problem related to this whole multi-out instrument track story.

Last week, I finally managed to rebuild all my template with C10. I didn’t want to important previously saved track presets to avoid any risk, and rebuilt everything from scratch.

After two days of work on a piece of music, I don’t see any duplicated “phantom” outputs. What I DO see, is missing outputs ! It already happened 5 times in two days. The additional outputs (let’s say 2 and 3) will still appear in the mix console, but they don’t show anymore when expanding the automation panel of the track in the Project window. Seems totally random, and the only way I found to bring them back is to disable these outputs and enable them again.

If someone had any idea, I would be incredibly grateful. This happens at the worst possible time for my work.

hey whitewasteland
sorry to hear that
I just bought the license during the sale but couldn’t properly test it since v10 crashes my busy v9.5 projects on start, so I’m stuck with 9.5 until I finalize the album.
Guy said that it works well for him though!

Urgh, sorry to hear this whitewasteland. I’ve not had any issues in Pro 10, and I’m routinely using enable / disable. Not really using Track Archives any more in my current set up.

Thank you both. That project is now finished and it happened more than 10 times, very frustrating. Hope it won’t happen again on the next project I’m starting monday, fingers crossed for an isolated corrupted file !

So… It happens on all my projects :frowning:

Looks totally random. Sometimes I’ll start Cubase, enable tons of instrument tracks and they all keep their outputs visible in the project window, and sometimes I’ll start Cubase and each track I enable gets his additional outputs only visible in the Mix Console, but erased from the Project Window.

Am I still the only one ?