CUBASE MIXERMAP FOR CREATIVE LABS SOUNDBLASTER LIVE! V. 1.1

This Zip-archive includes two Soundblaster Live! mixermaps for use with Steinbergs Cubase (R).
Index:
1. Introduction
2. Why using a mixermap instead of MIDI Controllers?
3. How to load mixermaps
4. Overview
5. Some limitations
6. Usage/Tips
7. Useful Links
8. Final

1. Introduction:
=========
A lot of surprises came with the SB Live! Soundcard from Creative Labs. From its good performance over the possibility to use a lot of system ram for samples to its very good sound (the first sb-soundcard that doesnt win the price "biggest noise producer of all times") and not to mention the very interesting effects it is obviously the best soundcard for musicians that arent able to pay a lot of cash for their hardware. 
So far for the good news. 
Anyone remembers the AWE soundcards? Where it was no problem to use the MIDI Controllers for Cutoff and Resonance etc.? 
Forget it!
The SBlive! doesnt use this features, and it really made me mad, because i used the TerraTec EWS64 before, that was able to do this without any problems.
Just when I thought "Buying this peace of sh*t wasnt worth the money!" i found a mixermap for the SBlive! (I dont remember who send it, but i know it was a member of "The Sound Blaster Live! Discussion List"). (http://alive.singnet.com.sg/list).
Thanks to you, because without this basic one I wouldnt have been able to work on this mixermap at all.

2. Why using a mixermap instead of MIDI Controllers?
========================================
Simply because Creative was "creative" enough to implement the filter possibilities of the live! card in NRPN (Non registered parameter numbers).
It would cost hours-weeks-months ot time to always edit them manually in the Cubase list editor, and your brilliant song ideas would fade away...its better to use your time for creativity than wasting it for manually editing!
In a mixermap you have graphic objects, looking like the knobs on hardware Controllers, which you can use in realtime. Thats what its all about: Live!

3. How to load mixermaps:
===================
Open Cubase (VST). Go to the "Options" menu. Select "Select Mixermaps"(or
something like that, I use the german version, so I dont know the exact
terms). In the window that flashes up select "open" and look for the
sblive!.mix file. Load it and leave the current window.
Choose a track. Go to the block before the one with the track name and click to
select "mixer track". On the Output you can choose the Sblive! mixermap.
Create a part. Open the part (double click). What you can see now is the
mixermap. 
Voila!

4. Overview:
========
"Channel" stands for the midi channel. The map is reduced to the channels 1-6.
Every control at the right side of the black MIDI buttons is assigned to the
same midi channel (so every button right from "MIDI 1" controls the MIDI
dchannel 1.)
"AC/DC" includes the power button, you need this to activate the mixer effects.
The reset button is assigned to the MIDI reset controller. 
"Filter" includes Cutoff/Resonance Filter. Delay means a delay before the
filter operations take effect to the sound. The
"Attack/Hold/Decay/Sustain/Release" buttons modulate the sound: They are like
the ADSR Waveforms in samplers or sample editor programs.
"Env Depth" controls the depth of an envelope. Try it out
"LFO1 Depth" controls the depth of the LFO (Low Frequency Oscillator).
"LFO1" includes the LFO settings like "rate" (the speed of the oscillator) and
the "delay".
Same is for "LFO2"
"Pitch" effects are used to fine tune the LFO frequencies.


5. Some limitations:
=============
Im not a programmer, so I only have basic knowledge on how to work with
mixermaps. Thats why some things dont work perfect. I havent found out how to
"remote" more than one button via external hardware. So dont ask me how it
works, maybe someone can tell me?
Maybe there are other limitatrions...if you find some you can ask me about it and Ill see what I can do (send email to Thomah@gmx.net).

6. Usage/Tips:
==========
The Mixermap "sblive_a.mix" is completely assigned to the "A:Synth" output, so if you want to
use this map you have to set the output to "A:Synth". 
The Mixermap "sblive_b.mix" is completely assigned to the "B:Synth" output, so if you want to
use this map you have to set the output to "B:Synth". 
If you want to change the
map to any other output you need to do the following:
Select the arrow tool. Double click a button (doesnt matter which one). In the
Pop-up window
go to "midi putput" (left side) and change output to the one that you want to use;
but it is neccessary to push and hold the "Alt"-key before; cause only then
youll be asked if you want the change to take effect on all buttons after you
leave the popup window.

I hope this might help you to get familiar with this mixermap. I know that some
things are difficult, but its Creative who should have done the work on this
map.
Thanks again to the guy who first worked on this mixermap. I really wouldnt
have been able to work out how to do it without that one!

7. Useful Links:
============
My Homepage: http://listen.to/thomah
My mp3.com Homepage: www.mp3.com/burnrubber
Creatives official SBLive! side: www.sblive.com
The Sblive! Discussion List: http://alive.singnet.com.sg/list
Winfried Hubbes Homepage
 (The best natural Soundfonts in the web): http://home.foni.net/~hubbe
TRIBE, a community of Electronic musicians: www.mp3-tribe.com
Kuddels Homepage (great Dance Soundfonts): www.mp3-tribe.com/karsten/

Take a look at my download section from time to time! Yet there is only this mixermap, but soon I will put a list of the NRPN Controllers of the AWE there (same as used by the sblive!).
I will put a demo song with mixermap usage to the download section as well.

8. Final:
=======
Tell me what you think. If you like this mixermap Id like to get feedback; if you think it sucks Id like to know as well.
However, if you want to use this mixermap you can do it for free; all Im asking for is to let me know when you composed a song where this mixermap was used, and tell me where i can download it.

                                          ThoMah (Burn Rubber).

"Cubase" and "VST" are registered by Steinberg.
"Soundblaster" is registered by Creative Labs.

"Burn Rubber" - Acid Jazz/Funk/Soul/Electronic
Songs can be found at http://listen.to/thomah and www.mp3.com/burnrubber. 