Cubase: Plugin Manager

Load Cubase plugins onto the selected track directly from MetaGrid Pro. Tap a button to insert a specific plugin, drop it into the first empty insert slot, or open a slot picker to choose where it goes. Works for both instruments and audio effects, and can chain multiple plugins into a single macro.

Requirements

• Cubase 15.0.20 or later — or Nuendo on the same MIDI Remote API version. Earlier versions don't expose the Plugin Manager API the feature relies on.
• MetaGrid Pro MIDI Remote scripts installed and active. Install them from MetaServer → Integrations → Cubase (MIDI Remote section). See Cubase: MIDI Remote for the full walkthrough.
• MetaServer running on your Mac or Windows PC.

You don't need to open Cubase's Plugin Manager window — MetaGrid Pro talks to the Plugin Manager API directly, whether or not the window is visible.

If any requirement is missing, tapping a Cubase Plugin button surfaces a message explaining what to fix.

Add a Cubase Plugin Action

Step 1: Edit a Button

Tap Edit, then the button you want to use. Open the action editor.

Step 2: Add the Action

In the macro, tap Add. Choose Cubase Plugin.

Step 3: Pick a Plugin

The plugin catalogue opens. Browse by category or search by name, then tap the plugin you want. The catalogue mirrors your Cubase Plugin Manager — whatever's visible there is available here.

Tip: The catalogue is cached on the iPad after the first fetch, so it opens instantly on subsequent edits even while Cubase is loading.

Step 4: Choose a Slot Mode

Back in the action editor, tap Insert on and choose where the plugin should land when the button is tapped. Slot mode is only shown for effect plugins — instruments always go to the track's instrument slot and ignore this setting.

Slot Selection Modes

Each Cubase Plugin action has a slot mode that controls where the plugin lands at tap time:

• User Selectable — Opens the slot picker every time the button is tapped. Use this when you want to decide on the spot.
• First Free — Inserts into the lowest-numbered empty insert slot. Use this when you're building a chain and don't care about exact positions.
• Slot 1 – Slot 16 — Inserts into a specific slot. Use this when you want a button to always target the same position (e.g., "EQ always in slot 1").

The chosen mode is shown in the action's label as Plugin Name — Slot: Option so you can see the setting at a glance.

Instruments vs Effects

MetaGrid Pro auto-detects whether a plugin is an instrument or an effect:

• Instruments load into the instrument slot of the currently-selected track. If the selected track can't host an instrument (e.g., an audio track), the tap surfaces a message asking you to select an instrument track and try again.
• Effects use the slot mode setting. The number of insert slots depends on your Cubase edition — typically 16 on Cubase Pro, fewer on lower tiers — and the picker reflects what's available.

Build with AI Builder

If you'd rather describe what you want in plain English, open AI Builder (sparkles icon on the grid toolbar) in a Cubase profile and ask for it:

• "Create buttons for UAD compressors" → one button per compressor, each set to First Free.
• "Build a mix-bus chain with Pro-Q, Pro-C, Pro-L" → a single chain button that loads the three plugins in order.
• "Add a reverb on slot 4" → one button set to Slot 4.

AI Builder fetches the plugin catalogue from Cubase automatically. It picks slot modes for you: incrementing specific slots for chain macros (so no two plugins fight for the same slot), First Free for one-plugin buttons, and User Selectable only if you explicitly say you want to choose the slot at tap time. If you just installed a new plugin and it's missing, add "I just installed [plugin name], refresh the list" to your prompt.

AI Builder requires Cubase 15.0.20+ and the MIDI Remote scripts active — same as the rest of this feature.

Build a Plugin Chain with a Macro

A single button can load an entire chain of plugins. Add multiple Cubase Plugin actions to the same macro, and they'll fire in order.

Example: Default Mix-Bus Chain

1. Edit a button and add four Cubase Plugin actions.
2. Set each one:
   • Pro-Q 4 — Slot 1
   • Pro-C 2 — Slot 2
   • Pro-DS — Slot 3
   • Pro-L 2 — Slot 4
3. Tap the button on an empty audio track. All four plugins load in the specified positions.

Or: One-Tap First-Free Chain

1. Add three Cubase Plugin actions, each set to First Free.
2. Tap the button. Each plugin lands in the next empty slot — so they fill slots 1, 2, 3 on an empty track.

Mix Modes Freely

You can combine modes inside one macro. A chain with one User Selectable step will pause on that step, open the slot picker, and continue once you pick a slot — as long as the insert succeeds.

Important: If a plugin in the chain fails to insert — or if you cancel the slot picker — the macro stops at that step. Plugins already inserted stay in place. Use Cubase's Undo to roll back if needed.

The Slot Picker

When a tap resolves to User Selectable, the slot picker opens:

• Hero header — the plugin you're about to insert, plus the currently-selected track name.
• Flat list of all insert slots for the track — empty slots show an em-dash, occupied slots show the current plugin.
• Tap an empty slot to insert immediately.
• Tap an occupied slot to reveal inline Replace and Cancel buttons. Replace swaps the current plugin for the new one.
• Long-press an occupied slot for a context menu with Replace, Toggle Bypass, and Remove.
• Close (X, top-right) dismisses without changing anything. Swiping the sheet down does the same.

Troubleshooting

"Plugin Manager unavailable — check Cubase"

The MIDI Remote script isn't running or Cubase is older than 15.0.20. Confirm Cubase version in About Cubase, then verify the MetaGrid Pro MIDI Remote surfaces are active in Studio > MIDI Remote Manager.

"Select an instrument track, then tap again"

You tapped an instrument button while an audio or group track was selected. Switch the selected track to an instrument or sampler track, then tap again.

"Cubase refused to load Plugin on slot N"

The track doesn't accept plugins at that position (e.g., trying to load an instrument on an FX track, or loading into a slot Cubase has locked). Pick a different slot or a different track.

"Selected track has no insert slots"

The selected track type has no audio inserts (e.g., a MIDI track). Switch to an audio, group, FX, or instrument track.

Message ends with no_resolvable_slot

The selected track kind has no insert, instrument, or strip slots to resolve (VCA, folder, marker, video, or similar). Select a track that can host plugins and try again.

"All insert slots are full"

Every insert on this track is occupied. Remove one plugin (long-press a slot → Remove) and try again.

"Couldn't reach Cubase"

MetaServer couldn't deliver the command. Check that MetaServer is running and Cubase is open, then retry.

A newly-installed plugin isn't in the catalogue

Cubase scans plugins at startup and caches the list. After installing a new plugin mid-session, open Cubase's Studio > VST Plug-in Manager, rescan, then use Refresh in MetaGrid Pro's plugin catalogue to update the iPad cache.

A plugin name shows underscores in place of accents

Plugin names are transmitted over MIDI SysEx, which is 7-bit by design. Non-ASCII characters (e.g. é, ü, ß) may render as _ in the catalogue and slot picker. The plugin itself still loads correctly — this is a display-only side effect.

Pro Tip: Build one-tap recall buttons for each of your go-to plugin chains — mix-bus, vocal chain, drum bus — and save them in a Cubase profile. Next session, one tap sets up the track.