Hi all - Trying to transpose “Superstition” from Em to Cm in cubase but just getting a lot of noise when played through BB.
Got a few others to do - I think I’ve just reached puberty and can’t reach the notes I used to!
Unfortunately I can’t attach the files here - help
Hi Bob,
I’ll try to walk you through this, but I use Logic Pro X, not Cubase. The process should be similar.
Persist posted this file with three versions, I am going to deal with the OPBk version, since it has all of the parts. Along the the 3 BB song files, he included a file called “work.mid.” Open that file in Cubase. We are doing that to save time and effort. If we did not have that file, we would need to export the OPBk part of the .sng file as a midi. Then, open that midi, and then separate it into the three tracks. Here, we already have the 3 tracks.
You should have a drum track, a bass track and a piano track. The drum track needs no work.
When I import the bass track in Logic, it show as transposed +12, which means it is being shown one octave higher than it was written. This is great for playback, but it makes the rest of our efforts more complicated. I can set the transpose to zero quite easily. You may or may not need to do that in Cubase. But, if there is a transpose feature in Cubase, find it and set it to zero.
Once the bass transpose is set to zero, it should then have notes that range from E0 through C2. We need to make these notes fit the kit selected for the song. Persist used my Big Bose Jazz Trio XXrp. This kit has the bass at midi 0 through 31. We are first going to get the notes into the kit range, and then we are going to transpose the notes from Em to Cm. To get the notes into the kit range, select all the notes in the bass track only, and lower them 2 octaves. The notes should now range from E-2 through C0. To get them to Cm, we need to go down 4 half steps. Select all the notes in the track again, and drag them DOWN exactly 4 half steps. We are in luck, because the kit has the low C in it. Our bass track now ranges from C-2 through G#-1. It is now complete and we can move on to the piano.
Select the piano track only. The notes in the piano track currently range from E0 through B4. Again, we are going to first get the notes into kit range, and then transpose them to Cm. In Big Bose, the piano parts start at C3, midi 60, but that might be lower than we want. Move the piano part up 4 octaves. The lowest note should now be E4. Now we can drag all then piano notes down 4 half steps, so that the lowest piano note is C4.
At this point, save your midi file. Give it a new name to distinguish it from the original. That way, you’ll have both file to come back to, if need be.
Now, we need to consolidate the 4 tracks into 1. In Logic, I have a join regions command. The process to to simply select the 4 tracks, and then select Edit>Join>Regions. I don’t know the process in Cubase. When you have this complete, you then need to export the resulting joined track as a midi file. Save it as Superstition Cm.
The resulting midi file is your transposed version of Superstition, now in Cm.
You can then go back into BB Manager, find the original version of Superstition that you had, click on the song section named “Song v3” and navigate to your newly created midi track, Superstition Cm.mid, and select it. Your transposed song should now be in BB Manager. Save the Project to Save your song. Synchronize or Export your Project to SD card to get it onto your pedal.
Superb explanation Phil. Clear and succinct as always. Really - much obliged.
I’ll let you know how I get on
Cheers
Bob
Hey Bob,
I found a typo in my explanation. Please look at the edited version.
Phil
Got is Phil - copied and pasted to start on in a few moments!
Once again = many thanks buddy - always appreciated.
Bob
I just finished the edit.
I’m on the case Phil - my typo above “Got is” instead of Got it - got rubber fingers today!!
Many thanks Phil
Hi Phil, I worked on this over the weekend between gigs - spent around 6 - 7 hours!! Cubase is so darn fiddly!!
I can play all the instruments in BB independently in Cm - that is - one instrument at a time which is great!
But when I save them together - I only hear the piano!! I don’t get it - your recommendations work but can’t get it together…so to speak! Any further ideas?? many thanks - Bob
What is probably happening is that Cubase is maintaining the separate track structure of the instruments. Instead, try this. Let’s keep the drums as the track that we are going to use to consolidate everything. First, select everything in your properly transposed bass track, and then paste that into the drum track. Save the resulting file and export it as midi with a name with OPB on the end, just to keep it straight from your other efforts. Try that track in BB, and see if you have drums and bass. If that works, Copy and past the keys into the track in the same manner and repeat the process.
Otherwise, post a question asking how to merge tracks in Cubase for export to the BB.
Cheers Phil - I’ll give it a bash - let you know how it goes - I can see me investing in Logic!!!
Hey Phil - It worked!!
Once again - thanks for sharing your many pearls of wisdom - glad you’re there.
Best wishes
Bob