Setting Up Vocoders in Cubase Part 2: Waldorf Lector

This is part 2 of a multi-part tutorial on setting up vocoder plugins in Cubase. See part 1 if you missed the introduction.

Waldorf Lector is a powerful vocoder plugin, and since it is available in VST 3 format, it's one of the easiest vocoders to configure in Cubase. We're going to take a look at two different configurations: One using Lector's built-in synth engine as the carrier, and another using an external carrier.

The screenshots below use the Vocoder Tutorial Projects that you can download at the Ultimate Outsider Downloads page.

Please note that this is not a comprehensive Lector tutorial- it only covers the steps necessary to properly route audio and MIDI to the plugin with Cubase.

USING LECTOR'S INTERNAL CARRIER

In this configuration we'll use Lector's built-in synthesizer as the carrier. This means we need an audio track or group channel to serve as the modulator (voice), and a MIDI track to play the carrier signal on the plugin's synth. The Vocoder Internal Carrier demo project in the download is already set up for this.

1. In the Vocoder Internal Carrier demo project (or your own Cubase project), add Lector as an insert on the audio track or group channel you wish to use as your modulator. (If you are using a group channel in a Cubase project of your own, make sure that your modulator source's output is not routed to Cubase's "Stereo Out," because if it is, then you will always hear the raw modulator audio mixed in with Lector's outputs.)
   

   

   We are inserting Lector as an audio effect on the demo project's Modulator Audio track.

2. For the purposes of getting things working, choose the Classic 80s Normal preset in Lector, and make sure the Synthesizer option is selected.
   
   
   
3. Important: Some Lector presets are very loud! Dial back Lector's Vocoder volume to about 50% (-20db) before continuing to the next step.
   
   
4. On your MIDI track's inspector, route the track's MIDI output to your Lector instance, as shown here:
   
   
   
5. Begin playback on a section of your project that loops your modulator and carrier tracks. You should now hear a vocoded harmony line. The upper section of the spectrogram in Lector shows the levels and frequencies of the incoming modulator signal and the lower section shows those values for the carrier. If you don't see any activity in the carrier section, check your MIDI routing and make sure Synthesizer is selected (step 2).
   

If you followed along using the tutorial project, the result should sound like this:

USING AN EXTERNAL CARRIER

In this configuration, we'll pass audio signals for both modulator and carrier. The Vocoder External Carrier demo project includes an audio clip to use for the carrier, but the carrier could be a VST instrument as well if you have programmed MIDI that matches your audio material.

1. In the Vocoder External Carrier demo project (or your own Cubase project), add Lector as an insert on the audio track, instrument track, or group channel you wish to use as your modulator. (If you are using a group channel in a Cubase project of your own, make sure that your modulator source's output is not routed to Cubase's "Stereo Out," because if it is, then you will always hear the raw modulator audio mixed in with Lector's outputs.)
   
   Note
   This configuration requires the VST 3 version of Lector. If you have a VST 3 version installed, it will have a little "III" icon in the plugin selector, like this:
    
    
2. Select the Classic 80s Normal preset and then click the Activate Side-Chain button so that the indicator lights up in orange.
   
3. Select the Sidechain option in Lector.
   
4. If you're using an audio track or group channel as your carrier signal, select that track in Cubase. In the track's inspector, route its output to Lector's sidechain input.

   

   You can route audio and group channel outputs from the arrangement window.

   If you are using a VST plugin as your carrier, open the MixConsole, and on the channel strip where your plugin resides, change the output routing to Lector's sidechain input.

   

   Route VST plugin outputs from the MixConsole window.

5. Important: Some Lector presets are very loud! Dial back Lector's Vocoder volume to about -15db before continuing to the next step.
   
6. Begin playback on a section of your project that loops your modulator and carrier tracks. You should now hear a vocoded harmony line. The upper section of the spectrogram in Lector shows the levels and frequencies of the incoming modulator signal and the lower section shows those values for the carrier. If you don't see any activity in the carrier section, check your audio routing and make sure Sidechain is selected in the plugin (step 3).
   
   
   
   
   

If you followed along using the tutorial project, the result should sound like this:

Conclusion

If you were successful in following the above use cases, you should now be able to jump in and explore Lector's many features.

In the next part of this tutorial, we'll set up XILS V+...