How to Route an audio track for recording VST output

I am using Cubase Elements 8 and very new to audio production.
I am trying to do something I would have thought was simple, but cannot find any helpful videos on Youtube.
I have also looked at the manual, but it’s so huge, I don’t know which section to look in.

I just want the VST instrument output to be routed to an audio track so I can adjust the volume of the recording while it’s recording in real time (fade in and fade out). (exporting to audio gives me no control of this)

Routing options for the VST are:

  1. No bus
  2. Stereo out (or left and right)

It doesn’t give me the option of routing to an audio track. Now this surprises me that Cubase is up to version 8.x and doesn’t have such a basic option.

From other forum threads, a workaround is to create a new group channel (which is a bus), and then this option will appear for the VST output.

I did this, but then this new group channel has no option to route out to my audio track.
(see attachment)

In addition, the audio track has no input routing option of the bus I created.
(see attachment)

So at this point, I’m stuck. I’m sure heaps of you guys know what to do.
If you can explain it in very simple terms, telling me what to click on, or including a screenshot, that would be awesome.
Thanks in advance!


I have a feeling you cant route group to input in Elements so you can work around this by creating a new stereo bus in vst connections (leave it unassigned). Route the synth to this bus and select the bus as your input to record.

Monitor the record channel to hear yourself as the synth isn’t routed to the mix any more.

Hey Grim, thanks for trying to help.

So, I went to VST connections (F4) and created a new bus (I called it New Bus!)
Not sure what you mean by unassigned. I can have it routed to my sound card or not. I tried both ways and neither worked.

I then routed the VST output to this New bus.

Then I made a new audio track for recording, but it still has no option in the inputs to receive from the new bus.
(see screenshots)

So either I’m not understanding your instructions, or Cubase Elements is designed to prevent recording a VST inside it.


Ahhh…sorry but i think this is probably a limitation of Elements then…maybe another Elements user has a workaround.

A new output bus is all you need. Route the vst output to the new bus. Route the input of the audio track to the new bus output… Record… It should work…

Elements won’t give you the output bus as an input option.

Have a look at the screenshots I posted. There is no input option for the new bus in the audio track.

I see. That’s too bad. I guess your only option is to export audio in the project. Cheers

Hi, confirming same issue with my Elements. I found not so fair to get 100$ DAW without possiblity to convert a midi track to an audio, especially when I can route my soundcard lineout to another waveeditor and record it simply.
I even use Sonar Artist and for the same price it offers much more and bounce track with real-time or fast way.
I was curious to try the last version of Cubase to check differences with Sonar but I discovered I’m a bit disappointed about this matter. The two DAW are pretty the same, maybe a bit better asio driver for Cubase and a faster freeze option. Sonar requires to convert VST-midi output track to wave to freeze and free memory.
Gz Steinberg

Even with this limitation, I bought Cubase Elements.
I figure you can just do the audio mixdown and with those audio files create another project that you can mix perfectly.

I really like the EQ modifying ability of Cubase and the Midi editor.
Also I find the routing the most simple I have tried.
Though I haven’t tried Sonar.

this is what I do with ableton live instruments I export to wav and just include the folder I export to into Cubase because rewire is kind of a pain imo its a lot simpler to export and commit to it for me

That helped me a lot thanx

Wow, thanks a lot, a very useful advice!

You guys who bought elements be eased that even artist version you cannot do this.

I have just found in google this thread and I can suggest to connect Audio Interface headphones output into its input channels for elements and artist users. That’s what I did before now.