Ableton Forum

I have just noticed a bug with Reason 2.5, Rebirth and Live 4.1 installed and showing as Rewire slaves from within Cubase VST5.1r1. The maximum amount of VST mixer channels within Cubase is reduced from 30 to 16. This problem did not exist before I installed Live 4.1 (the only version I have installed). When I uninstall Live 4.1 then the maximum amount of VST mixer channels returns to 30. I have no other problems at present with my setup.

I can't find anyone having the same problem when searching this forum or doing a search using google. Is there some connection between there being 14 Live Rewire channels and the maximum amount of VST mixer channels in Cubase VST5 being reduced by 14 when Live 4.1 is installed as a Rewire slave to Cubase VST5.1r1?

As no-one has responded saying that they have had the same problem, I can only assume that no-one has had the same problem or just can't be arsed to respond! or perhaps don't use Live 4 Rewired as a slave to Cubase VST5.1r1

Perhaps people could let me know if they have used Live 4.1 Rewired as a slave to Cubase VST5.1r1 and NOT had this problem - all 30 Cubase VST mixer channels have been available to them.

I thankyou!

Hi hesnotthemessiah,

probably Cubase VST 5 is not more often used since several version of SX are out.
I still do not understand what exactly do you mean with the number of VST mixer channels. How many channels do you see in the list called from menu Devices->ReWire (within Cubase)?

regards,
Alex

Hi Alex.

"what exactly do you mean with the number of VST mixer channels" - VST mixer channels are the mixer channels assigned to VST instruments (not Rewire channels or Audio channels - by Audio channels I mean audio input channels from your soundcard or audio channels playing audio files). Cubase VST5 allows upto 30 VST mixer channels - therefore 30 VST audio channels.

"How many channels do you see in the list called from menu Devices->ReWire (within Cubase)? " - the number of channels seen in the list called from menu Devices->ReWire (within Cubase) has nothing to do with the VST mixer channels. Or at least it shouldn't! Channels seen in the list called from menu Devices->ReWire (within Cubase) are Rewire channels. The problem I am having is with the reduced number of VST channels. The number of channels in the list called from menu Devices->ReWire (within Cubase) is 14.

Cubase VST5 allows upto 8 VST instruments to be loaded with upto a maximum of 30 VST audio channels. This means, for instance, you could have 7 x Albino VST instruments loaded (which would take up 14 VST mixer channels - 7 lots of Albino stereo outs=14 VST mixer channels) plus an additional instance of one EnergyXT VSTi set with 16 audio outs (therefore an additional 16 VST mixer channels). The 14 VST mixer channels used by the 7 x Albino VSTis + 16 VST mixer channels used by EnergyXT = a total of 30 VST mixer channels. You couldn't load an instance of EnergyXT VSTi set with more than 16 outputs in this case, as only a maximum of 30 VST mixer channels are available in Cubase VST5.

Make sense so far?

If I have Live 4.1 installed and it's 14 Rewire channels showing as available in Cubase>Panels> Rewire then Cubase VST5 still allows upto 8 VST instruments to be loaded but with upto a maximum of 16 VST audio channels (not 30). This means, for instance, you could still have 7 x Albino VST instruments loaded (which would take up 14 VST mixer channels - 7 lots of Albino stereo outs=14 VST mixer channels) plus an additional instance of one EnergyXT VSTi but set with just 2 (not 16) audio outs (therefore an additional 2 VST mixer channels). The 14 VST mixer channels used by the 7 x Albino VSTis + 2 VST mixer channels used by EnergyXT = a total of 16 VST mixer channels. You couldn't load an instance of EnergyXT VSTi set with more than 2 outputs in this case, as only a maximum of 16 VST mixer channels are available in Cubase VST5 with Live 4.1 Rewired as a slave to Cubase.

Hope that made sense. Put simply, with Live 4.1 installed (regardless of whether the Live Rewire channels are set to "active" or not within Cubase) the maximum number of VST mixer channels (and therefore VST audio channels) reduces from 30 to 16. On my PC at least!

What I have decided to do is not to use Live 4 Rewired as a slave to Cubase but run Live 4 on a separate PC, triggered by midi. I don't need Live 4 Rewired as all I want to do is trigger individual clips (soundfiles) stored within Live and don't use Live's Session View (traditional sequencing options that WOULD need the Rewire option).

Phew!! Hope none of that sounded too sarcastic or patronising, I just wanted to make sure I didn't leave anything unexplained!

The DVD should be available from your nearest Woolworths at the end of March.

Hi

Ok, somehow is there a relation between the number of ReWire channels provided by Live and the number of resulting VST channels.
it will need some time for me to process your data so for now please try this:

1) Be sure that neither Live nor Cubase is running

2) Locate the preferences folder of Live 4.1. On Windows XP or 2000 this is:
C:\Documents and Settings\USERNAME\Application Data\Ableton\Live 4.1\Preferences. Within this folder you should find files like "Preferences.cfg" and "Log.txt" and some other files.

3) Now create a text file called "Options.txt". Open this file and insert the following line (without " but with the - ):
"-"ReWireChannels=2"
So you can set the number of ReWire channels Live provide in ReWire slave mode. The number can be any equal value between 0 and 64. By default it is 16. Save and close the file.


Check if the behavior of Cubase is better for different value.

regards,
Alex

Hi Alex. Did what you said. Created a text file called "Options.txt" and inserted the line "-"ReWireChannels=2" as advised. In Cubase the Live Rewire channels provided was reduced to 2. The maximum number of VST channels was 28. Then in the text file called "Options.txt" I changed the line to "-"ReWireChannels=8". The maximum number of VST channels was then 22.

Definately a relation between the number of ReWire channels provided by Live and the number of resulting VST channels.

I am suprised no-one else has mentioned this bug yet. I also put this query on the Steinberg Cubase VST forum with only one reply from a person saying that the lack of response may be because more people use Cubase SX now. But this doesn't seem to be a problem with Cubase SX as I am sure an SX user would have mentioned it by now.

Thanks for looking into this. I only just bought Live and am learning new stuff all the time. What a great program!