So I recently bought Cubase 5...

And I need a lot of help. I'm currently perusing the manual, but they're quite hefty and I was hoping asking for answers here would be quicker. How can I establish VST through the program, since I already know how to import MIDI to the program, I just don't know how to get any playback. I'm just hoping to make pristine scores in Sibelius and then import the midi file to Cubase and make it sound lush and realistic as possible. Any basic help for someone who's just getting started?

I use Cubase SX 3 and haven't tried 5, but I suppose there are no serious differences in the menus.

By default, Cubase looks for shared VST instruments in the folder 'C:\Program Files\Steinberg\Vstplugins'. When installing virtual instruments, they always ask you where to install the VST plugin. Be sure to specify the same path. You can change it from the menu Devices > Plug-in Information or simply add another path where Cubase to look for VST plugins. From this menu you can also see the list of installed VST plugins and their type - synth, effect, etc.

After you have opened a project and have added a MIDI track, go to Devices > VST Instruments. Then click on some of the numbered empty lines that appear in a separate window and select an instrument from the list. Then click the MIDI track and route the output ('out:') to that VST instrument. If your sound configuration is OK, you should hear the instrument playing the MIDI track after clicking the 'Play' button from the transport. You can see if things are OK by going to Devices > Device Setup, where at VST Audioplay you should see the ASIO driver. By going to Devices > VST Connections > Outputs, you should see that, as well - it is the routing of the VST instruments' output through the driver and then to your speakers.

Alright, so how can I get Sibelius 6 and CUbase 5 to work together with ReWire? My EWQL Gold, Pianos, and Goliath just came in, so I'm hoping to learn everything that's possible, and I could defintely use some lessons.

I just read that both SIbelius 6 and Cubase 5 are considered mixer applications for rewire. Does that mean they won't be able to rewire together?

Hello and excuse me for the late reply...

I am somewhat familiar with Sibelius 3 (it's been a long time since I don't use it) and Sibelius 6 is completely unknown to me, so I cannot help with exact instructions. I didn't even know it supports ReWire. If it does, then it should work with Cubase 5.

Why would you want to rewire Sibelius into Cubase in the first place?

Yeah, if you want to compose in Sibelius, you can do that and play the same virtual instruments, because Sibelius 6 supports VST. You could then save your work in MIDI, open with Cubase, select the same VSTs and do the final mix. I think the only reason to ReWire the two programs is if you want to use the playback simulations that Sibelius offer.

So I can use EWQL Orchestra through SIbelius 6? I can't get the VST to work that way. :/

If you have EWQL and Cubase 5, why wouldn't you just skip the extra step and just sequence/compose in Cubase? That way you'd be working with velocity and expression curves concurrent with your composing, thus negating the extra step further down the road.

Is composing with Cubase anything similar to Sibelius?

Is composing with Cubase anything similar to Sibelius?

No.

Not even a little bit.

They're vastly different programs, for very different tasks: Cubase being a sequencing/recording software while Sibelius is solely geared for notation.

Sibelius is composing using your inner ear, with the output being sheet music for humans to play.

Cubase is composing using your actual ears, with the output being the final, finished results (before mastering).