JnTuneTech

I know this just adds to your woes... but the zero controllers setting - which I understand the reason for including as a CbB default for the casual user - is really tough to allow across the board, -especially if you are using MIDI in your testing. Not only does that command work differently than expected on synths & such that won't use the original MIDI standard it comes from, but I realized a while back that CbB sends it out across all my active MIDI ports - not just the one I may be concentrating on at the moment. It can cause really unexpected results on a project with a lot of MIDI implementation. -Not great for testing, let alone some complex projects. Hopefully, you are at least testing with a MIDI file you created, so that you know it is clean of anything other than basic data, because without understanding the layering of MIDI commands (like volume in @John Vere's post), and how each DAW handles them, that will really always be a wildcard. I would highly suggest testing with only audio files themselves, not MIDI & VSTi combos. -FWIW.

In event view, normally you will only see note messages that by nature don't have an "off" - just duration, along with of course the note number and velocity. -Looking at event view may not clarify what is causing the long duration - but that again is probably in the drum module settings - gate time. -And yes, make a test with your system - make sure you can record normally with a keyboard - notes should only be the duration for which you hold the keys down, etc., or something else is wrong here. FWIW - Going forwards you will get used to the note durations and proper uses for them in percussion samplers. As the quoted material states, some events may actually need a long trigger, although most percussive samples do not. For instance, if you choose to use a snare roll or flam sample in Addictive, they are actually loop-able samples - and will require triggering for the length of time you want them to last. Generally though, the pads should only trigger a short note length for most uses - certainly not much more than the length of the initial hit - reverberation and such is taken care of with other parts of the sampler playback in most cases.

To add to the good info above: Longer - earlier MIDI notes overlapping into a "Now Time" start point will get triggered by default project settings that are included in the Project - MIDI - Other Options preferences, such as MIDI event chase... But my question is - where did those long notes come from? Usually, a drum pad never puts out such long note on messages, in fact most of the time I have to modify pad inputs to make them visible lengths, -when I use normal note view. -Did you purposely stretch them, or somehow record them that way? -I would fix that 1st.

My first guess, as I have never tried it, would be that the CbB Master setup with no output routing would probably not provide the NDI plugin (or anything else in the chain) the proper signal, and the only thing coming through might be straight from the live input monitoring... It's not designed to work that way. -Software mixing is different in some ways than hardware mixing (even though it's almost moot nowadays with many mixers being mostly software controlled.., but I digress) But maybe you've got that straight now. Input echo is what passes hardware audio -live audibly- into a software DAW. -Anyway, it sounds like you may be getting things figured out, and that's awesome. You have 6 mics and still not much room in the mix? I used to do a lot of video of open mic sessions I did a few years ago, and with only 3 or 4 mics, I never had that problem, but maybe you need to add a mic specifically for ambience. With that board... but I guess that does add more complications. Not sure what to say, but you will figure it out better hands on anyway. -Have you recorded streams already, and they are too dry? -Also, I had a few extra minutes on YouTube searching earlier, and just searching X-32 + Streaming Live got several links titled specifically from people doing just that. -If I knew more about that type of board & fx options, etc., plus how it works with Cakewalk, maybe I could make some better suggestions, but hopefully what we have gone over so far helps. -Keep at it, there is almost always a way!

Rapture Expansions - yes, it has been a long time since I did those! -Now, I can only go from rusty memories, but I think you have to make sure they installed to the current Cakewalk Content folders, if not, search some of the common locations on your C:\ drive for the set of folders that installer creates, and move them there (along with the existing "factory" Rapture library material). Seems like I had to do that a few times. If they are already there (look for the folder dates that match your recent install), maybe you just need to refresh the Rapture patch browser (sorry, I forget the keyboard shortcut for that - maybe in help?). -Again, it's been so long, but yes, I think there are some steps needed, and I hope this helps!

Again - what tells you that audio is not coming out of the Cakewalk Master Outs? -In your screen shot (thanks for that) - your Master shows "--None--" as output routing. -If there isn't an output assigned, how could you hear anything? -Is the correct output available to Cakewalk? Maybe revisit your audio settings in Preferences. Please, revisit your connections and routing. Cakewalk is as much a mixer as you make it to be. Things do have to be routed per whatever your hardware & drivers, and settings are, on your end, it's not automatic. Calm down and don't let it mess with your head. -I will agree with @John Vere though, -for live streaming, you may be making things too hard. And that mixer should be plenty capable, I would think as well, -maybe try posting in the Music Tribes - Behringer forums. I wish I could help more, but again I am not familiar with the Behringer mixer & interfaces. -But Cakewalk works great as a DAW, and mixes quite well, for tracking & recording purposes, and we would certainly see a lot more complaints here if it didn't route audio to a master out. Take a deep breath, think things through, you will figure it out.

AFAIK - Automation Snapshots are only set per automatable control, not for the entire plugin module. -If you are only needing to change the entire EQ module settings once, or a few times, during a project timeline, I can suggest an alternate methodology: Duplicate the track you wish to have the multiple changes occur on. Change the EQ on the copy to your second group of settings. Automate a linear crossfade on the two duplicate tracks at the point(s) you want to swap over. -This has worked for me, and in fact can be used in many more ways than just EQ. Steps - for simple swapping to multiple EQ (and any other mix choices) major versions, on 1 audio track during a mix playback: 1) Start with perhaps your initial mix of a track. In Track View, right-click the track & select "Duplicate track...". 2) From the choices that pop up, select (check) all of the options. (This assumes you do not want to duplicate/separately edit audio content later) 3) Select the 2ond copy of the track. Change the EQ parameters (or any of the mix) to the 2ond variation you want to be able to switch to. 4) Find the time in the project you want the switch to occur. Create a Volume envelope on each of the two tracks. (assumes you do not already have any) 5) For a gradual change between mix settings, create 2 nodes on each track, at exactly the same timing, spaced apart as desired. 6) Pull the 1st Volume automation shelf on the 2ond copy down to -inf. Then pull the 3rd Volume automation shelf on the 1st copy down to -inf. This will create a linear crossfade, and allow you to adjust the timings as needed. -So, not only can you switch to a different set of EQ parameters, but many other options are available as well. And, you only need two envelopes for the basic switch, instead of many envelopes for each parameter. -It does increase your plugin load & track count, but again, less automation is needed overall, and you do not need to duplicate the audio. -If this wasn't what you were needing to achieve, -carry on! And of course, there are other techniques as well. But I hope you find this one helpful, as I have.

"Monster cables - you gadda get dose Monster cables..." 🤡

Just curious - is the sine wave testing you mention done from the file input to a track, and then comparing the output of an exported file result analysis? -I would be interested in seeing a setup using a virtual audio driver as DAW input, and then a virtual audio driver output capture as well, used between different DAWs. Of course, that would only analyze the various results on an identical signal set passing through the programming, it would not necessarily compare subjective quality. I say that, because for years I was concerned about the coloration and degradation of audio in a recording & eventual playback & delivery sense. And when digital became commonly available, I was hoping it would address some of that. But, so far, it seems to have imposed only a different set of conditions on the process. -Audio still has so many differing effects on each individual alone, that finding what "sounds best", or even "the same" is really up to each individual in each situation. Yes, electrically, and physically, we can measure accuracy of a signal which we think we understand is part of what makes up "good" sound and try to use that which technically works best. But does it really? I still find things like analog emulation to be such a surprise to me in audio processing, -that we would decide to re-color the audio processing back to known analog standards that were once considered to be electrically unavoidable loss & degradation (i.e. tape sims, etc.) workarounds... It just shows me, that no matter the technique, getting "good" audio is still as variable as ever. We just keep coming up with (hopefully) better tools to manage it all, -seems to me. -So far, I like my results in Cakewalk, -bad vocal days or not.

Yes, as @kperry responded, if you are using realtime monitoring of a live audio input in Cakewalk, then input monitoring would need to be enabled to pass it through. -Think of the routing - a track in CbB can have several things routed to it as input. -If you are using an audio device input, rather than (or in addition to) existing recorded track data or other routed input, that input must be brought in live from the audio driver, similar to a preamp being switched on. -Without that, the track only sends whatever else is already present (-already routed in) on to the output of the track. Since I am not familiar with the X-32 and the X-Live card you mention, I can only guess without a lot more hands-on investigation. However, I can say that if you are using the USB input of the mixer or card into Cakewalk, you should be getting fader & other processing in CbB from an audio input with Input Monitoring on, albeit with some latency, to show up at the master out of Cakewalk - if you have it routed that way, and again, active. So, my question is - where are you monitoring the output of Cakewalk from? Again, I cannot see your hardware & software settings. Also, does the audio interface provide a method of loopback routings? If so, you might be able to use the audio interface entirely for both Cakewalk and the OBS inputs, as I have seen in other such live-streaming setups. -One other possibility, is that the NDI FX plugin may need to feed from a bus, rather than the master out, I don't know the routing that actually feeds the NDI plugin - maybe that only reflects the external mixer output? Does the audio device driver setup have a mix-routing app? -I apologize if my guessing is way off, but hopefully some of this helps.

-Just remember, that technique will speed up the tempo too. -And, FWIW, it took me a bit to figure out - select the audio clip first, then open Loop Construction (view - tool(?). (- I did it from the Views selection in the file menu, as I hadn't seen that one since I don't usually work on loops much, but that is just me!) -Also, maybe try it on a short section of audio first, I'm not sure how long of a recording you are talking about here.

Are you OK with changing the time factor as well as pitch? -Disclaimer - I'm terrible with math elements, so I don't know if the tool I am thinking of has the right range settings, but I would look into the method described by Craig Anderton, on changing the entire pitch & timing of an audio file, just like we used to do with varispeed on a tape machine: Craig Anderton - How To Do True Tape-Type Varispeed In Cakewalk-Sonar I have used this technique, and though I use it most to do full semitone adjustments, it does offer up to +-49 cents adjustment, and in fact I just used it to nudge tuning on a sample, and if I knew the proper math... I'm sure someone here will laugh & help out, but anyway, adjust the audio file up to the cent level you need, and I would think that would do it. (Yes, just an example, not the right value!)

Ah, and I have actually learned to appreciate the help module, as in that screen shot. Back in the day, it took me a long time to understand the modified keyboard command options for copy, cut, & paste available in Cakewalk. -Of course, I'm not the sharpest tool in the shed, but having used "common" keyboard shortcuts for so long, I guess it didn't occur to me that there might be variations... Anyway, learning how Cakewalk offers the "special" options there, and what it does going forward in a session, took me a while to get a handle on. Nowadays, I almost always do a ctrl-alt-c when I start editing MIDI, so I can set my preferred options, -and just to remind myself of what options exist (as in the GUI list having the 3 little dots comment) behind the operation (rather than just basic copy - cut - paste).

Whichever compressor you use, watch the mix - send settings, as it sounds from your original post that you may just be throwing too much from the sends at the sidechains in each bus. Overdoing input levels on the compressors (or most anything) will just make things difficult to manage.

I did a quick test with Sonitus Compressor, on my system, and I could not see what effect the sidechain input has, exactly, in the Sonitus processing. I also looked at the inline help for that compressor, and it mentions nothing of sidechain input at all. I switched to a more full-featured compressor plugin, and not only does that give me a full readout of the sidechain input and its effect on the compression settings, but it also allows me to choose band-filtering on the sidechain signal, etc... It does the type of processing described in that "trick" video easily, which to me is basically a refined take on vocal FX ducking, really. -A very useful technique, to be sure. You may need to try the experiment with a different compressor plugin, to really be sure it is working.

All the correct path information matters. Your reply doesn't quite match the screenshots I see, however. Are all the screenshots from the same settings? Two pictures mention items on d:\ - but in 2 different folders. And the VST Scan Paths picture clearly has f:\steinberg ... in the list. The plugin load error could be unrelated to the scan location (even though that also looks mis-matched above) - maybe you missed setting that one up right (VacuumPro). Otherwise, again in the plugin manager screenshot, your Velvet plugin is listed as located on the d:\ drive. -Did you also change drives and/or assignments on the new system?

Not sure if it will help: Recently, -but before this month's Waves licensing debacle... I had some issues with the Waves Central installer and my Cakewalk plugin listings. Waves Central has its own settings section, some of it applies to cleaning up older versions, etc. -In my case, since I am not always (and forgot to change when trying the cleanup) logged on to the PC as a local admin, Waves had an issue trying to clean some registry settings they put in for older versions, so I have some "ghost" entries in my VST3 list in Cakewalk that I need to fix now. I've been ignoring it. As I say, for me, that issue was related to using the installer without local admin permissions, which is something only a few VST installers seem to have much problem with, and is usually not hard to avoid (I simply forgot to do things right for the way I set up my system). -But I will say that otherwise Waves hasn't littered my system with things I didn't want, and they do ask where I want things. -Usually, setting up VSTs with associated libraries, and ones that won't give setup choices, are the toughest to clean up after, or reconfigure after install. -Some of the vendors make little effort to mention in advance that you can change install preferences before downloading, and installing, from their licensing interface, that also gets irritating. -Once in a while, I may dig into the temp folder after a lousy install, and see if the installer left an identifiable log file, and go from there. But rarely does that happen when they don't follow standards anyway!

Hmm... To be, or not to be, a wave editor... "I'd like to have an argument please." ... "I see. Do you want to have the full argument, or were you thinking of taking a course?"

Yes - @A Tolerable Quietude if it was just about creating drum note mapping, I would totally agree - and am also glad to not really need learning all the fiddling it takes to make a full .ins file for an external MIDI device. You aren't wrong about any of that! Instrument Definitions, and Drum Maps are similar, but with different primary goals. And in fact, they both will work together great with external hardware. And both choices are fine. They both can take a lot of time to set up too! -But when done, they sure can be a helpful tool. I guess I got carried away, and should have said this 1st @Starship Krupa - my bad. -So, bypassing all the heavy (and for your case - useless) .ins file formatting, you can simply add custom note maps to the Master.ins file on your system at any time (again safest while the DAW is not running!) And then, use them to help speed putting notes in on the PRV - assigned to any synth, virtual or otherwise. -As an example, I made up a silly one this morning, and here is a screen cap of the result: -BTW - @Starship Krupa the General MIDI Drums (GM) note names are already in the default Cakewalk .ins choices. (-I prefer to use the Roland GS Standard Set for GM drums though, it has a wider range of common percussion and still matches the basic GM set) -We all can assign those at any time, right-click the notes-keyboard in the PRV on the MIDI track you want to change. Anyway, it's all about workflow, and your choices are whatever is right for you. -For me-, a Cakewalk MIDI Drum Map is for when I want to route each MIDI note to a destination, or actually multiple destinations, from one track. -When I want to just name a MIDI track note assignment, I use a section in the Master.ins file, or multiple sections if I want. That's as deep as I guess I should have gone with to start my comments in this post - sorry about that! I guess I was also assuming the average reader would not be so likely to edit a basically hidden configuration file, and so was attempting to advise how to make a basic .ins file that could be imported through the documented methods in the approved Cakewalk information flow. Again - I digress! Sorry to clutter the excellent original post so much!!

-Here is some info on a current VST3-based solution for Dolby Atmos, that could likely be used from within Cakewalk: (via KVR) Fiedler Audio announces Dolby Atmos Composer and Dolby Atmos Composer Essential -Of course, it's not free, but none of the nascent "hot" commercial formats for AV ever is. -And if Apple is involved, or even interested, -good luck!

OK - getting a little bit better on the examples, all while I am adding some new drum synth default mappings and re-learning the .ins formatting that works for me. So - in my initial simple example (above, and posted more completely in the Instrument Definitions sub-category here, I left things out on purpose. But I want to show a more clearly structured piece, so anyone reading can get it working a bit more completely. In the example (above), for ".Patch Names", -I have updated it a bit. ---------------- .Patch Names [RME TMix MCP] 0=RME TMix Ctrl In ----------------- -This helps CbB use the file a bit better, -as long as you match the bottom section of the .ins file, like in this screen cap: Now, I don't particularly use all of what this does, but if you are experimenting, it helps illustrate the structure better. When you select a MIDI output - which you have already mapped in Preferences, The Instrument Definition [Name] is used in the MIDI Channel dialog. The bank [Name] listed in .Patch Names & referenced in the bottom section, is what is available then in the Bank= dialog. Then, you can also select the patch name(s) you entered under the bank name... and it all then points the PRV note view to the note names you defined & reference. -This again only helps if you are using the output section of a MIDI track set to one that is a pre-defined mapped output. -In order to use just the note map (as I mostly do), it's really just easiest to change the PRV note view preference, on any track (but usually one pointed to the VST it applies to!) manually - and it nicely sticks with the project when it is saved. -I think that change happened in early CbB updates. -Works very nicely for me! -I missed a "0" first time around - only stopped automatic mapping to the PRV notes, but hey!

Yes - it is a helpful method. -Not quite the feature that is being described by the OP though. Great info - option to be sure, I will add this info to my toolbox! So far, I only recall (no pun intended) using that feature once some time ago, but since my live input status needed to change on a track, it didn't seem to do what I needed back then.

I definitely agree with @Andres Medina - that type of feature should be presented in the feedback loop as a feature request. @jegenes - In reading your scenario, I can see it really could be more helpful to the creative process you use - recording raw audio tracks first, and then to be able to copy the mix properties from other projects easily. I would like to do that too, rather than having to pick a mixing format first (before recording), or of course building it all up each time. -Nice!

Thanks for posting the topic @Starship Krupa - in fact, I just got fired up more by it now - and found some note number-to-names data that I can extract easily, from a different DAW mapping someone created, and copy right into my missing note number sections for some Abbey Road kit patches I use a lot... Oh, it's still a lot of copy-paste, but afterwards I can program drums so much easier in the Cakewalk PRV! All I can say is -Keep at it!

So, - I (temporarily) gave up trying to find "legitimate" (or smarter than me) source links for what I had used to edit & create instrument definitions, years ago, but here's a simple starter you can try first, and hopefully also start learning more ourselves! -And, I noticed I had a few errors in some of my past complicated ones, that didn't show up in the ways I normally use them, so I'm planning on using this topic as a reminder to clean those up anyway! I am going to use a trimmed version of the basic RME TotalMix .ins file I posted the other day for this. -As I recall, these were the minimum lines that it needed to be, at the time, for Cakewalk to recognize the file and allow me to import it. It only helps change the view in the PRV when desired, mainly. -Other available options may be discussed later. Perhaps this can help you create a basic map for your own drum or other instrument using this option. First - if you want to try it, backup your current Master.ins file. Just in case. -I've never had anything major happen to anything else doing these, and they are easily removed, but still, just back up before you experiment, just in case. And, never change that file manually with CbB running. Here is the plain text for the example - I would advise copying & pasting it into a text editor, to make sure no Web or browser formatting gets added. Start copy after this line (there is one blank line): ; ---------------------------------------------------------------------- .Patch Names [RME TMix MCP] ; ---------------------------------------------------------------------- .Note Names [RME TotalMix Ctrl] 16=Mute f1 17=Mute f2 18=Mute f3 ; ---------------------------------------------------------------------- .Controller Names [RME TMix Control] 16=Pan1 (L65, R1) 17=Pan2 (L65, R1) 18=Pan3 (L65, R1) ; ---------------------------------------------------------------------- .Instrument Definitions [RME TotalMix Ctrl] Control=RME TMix Control Patch[*]=RME TMix MCP Key[*,*]=RME TotalMix Ctrl End copy before this line. -Hopefully this text isn't against any forum rules. -In any case, you can use the text above as a template. Just change the names & numbers to suit your test. Then, you can remove the test instrument definitions afterwards if you want. -OK. So, going down the filled -in file sections, from the top: In the example, for ".Patch Names", -I basically botched this section, to make CbB accept it, but it works anyway. -Again - this is a minimum-condensed set of commands, lots of stuff is missing, by design-. I didn't really need a patch or bank for my purposes. -Anway -change that naming (inside the brackets) to whatever suits your needs. It will still be needed to match the final section below it. In the example, for ".Note Names", -I only put 3 note names, by design. you can add or subtract. -The bracketed section needs to be the same text that you will be calling - basically the instrument, in the bottom section. For this exercise, it is about the most important part! Then, immediately below that, note numbers and the names you want to give them - follow in numerical order. -Maximum of 128 numbers, use only numbers you want named, and keep them numerically contiguous. In the example, for ".Controller Names" -I added that for testing. It does allow me to add the controller to the PRV, and then is identified thereafter in the controller display, and for automation. -Without any extra info lines, it works for RPN level port numbers, and the usage is the same as the previous note names section. In the example, for ".Instrument Definitions" - I used ONLY the basic parts. It wouldn't import if I left anything more out. -I know that's a terrible explanation, but well, there you are. It works for me! -The basic bracketed sections must exist, and match the corresponding names in the sections above. -"Key.." actually refers to Note Names, but most of the rest you can match fairly easily. Also, since @Starship Krupa mentioned the "diamond" note display: To change to that (instead of notes that show length & such as normal), add the following, below the "key..." line: Drum[*,*]=1 (That basically indicates all PRV notes in the track -to which that output-patch-keyboard layout is assigned- are to display as drum or rhythm format (diamond), instead of the default. -In practice, this only works for me if it is assigned to any Cakewalk MIDI output(s) and channel(s), and then you select one of those in your MIDI track properties. It won't work by just changing the default assignment view in the PRV, for instance. -But you can easily fake it - if you use an output you really don't have anything connected to, temporarily, when you are editing MIDI for instance.) So, basically, the simple version here, allows me to import and optionally assign these choices. You can also remove them, and I think replace them with updated versions easily from the Cakewalk Preference interface. -But being bold, I also sometimes just edit the Master.ins file (with CbB closed), and also look at all the other pre-populated material for learning. -Also, it won't hurt to start the editing in a basic text file, and then copy or change the file extension as needed, when you are ready to apply it. -Copy any .ins file, rename the extension to .txt, -observe & experiment! -Carefully, of course!