User 905133

Does "D" to make the Multi-Dock shrink and expand help?

I am not sure what the "mag lever" is?

On 9/16/2019 at 5:11 PM, martsave martin s said:

yep that's what i get on CV

Does it stay in the same place inside of Cakewalk when you resize Cakewalk? Or, does it stay in the same place on your computer display?

Mine stays in the same place on the display.  See below (marked in a blue box).

[image showing ghost line removed - no longer needed]

UPDATE: As long as I had Cakewalk running, I had the Ghost Time Marker--even after resizing, moving, minimizing and re-opening Cakewalk.  After I shut Cakewalk down, I could not reproduce it myself (even trying to follow the same steps that caused it). 

I was trying to figure out why someone wasn't getting to see Virtual Controllers and I got something that looks like a Ghost Time Marker. Has this issue been solved?  If not, does someone need to reproduce it intentionally?  If so, maybe the steps I used will help.  I should add that today I used my Dell Display Manager to make visual zones and am not sure if that is the cause.

17 hours ago, Simon Tunnicliffe said:

Not sure.  I go to Views, Virtual Controllers, Piano Keyboard and it's still not there.

What is Computer Keyboard (not that it's there to click, just wondered)?

Below are pix of what I see when I select the Piano Keyboard and the Computer Keyboard from the Virtual Controllers menu. Do you have them listed in the views menu (see below)? If so, I am not sure why nothing happens when you select either of them. 

Page 1664 of the 1724 page Reference Guide has this:

"Note: If you do not see the Input control, click the Track Control button at the top of the Track pane and choose All. For more
information, see “Configuring Track view controls” on page 282. Also, make sure you have expanded the track fully by dragging
it down."

Maybe you need to do that?

UPDATE: I don't think that's it.  I switched from "All" to other options and I could still add them.  I was able to create a Lens that doesn't have "Virtual Controllers" under "Views," but it sounds like you have them listed.  Also,  I created a Track Control called "NONE" (no nothing!) and the Virtual Controllers still show up.

So, there must be some other reason why you don't get the Piano Keyboard or the Computer Keyboard virtual controllers.

     Lens w/o Views > Virtual Controllers               

Update:  I found it also worked for me by opening a --blank project--, adding a midi track, and pointing the track to "Virtual Controller" in the track itself (pointed to the MS GM Synth). Not sure why its not coming up for you. Maybe others have suggestions to things to try.

https://www.cakewalk.com/Documentation?product=Cakewalk&language=3&help=Views.51.html

1 hour ago, Simon Tunnicliffe said:

I tried both but it didn't sound when playing the keyboard either.

Just installed Cakewalk on my desktop comp so can use my midi controller now. 😉

I prefer non-virtual controllers!!!

But just to clarify, when you used the virtual keyboard, was it pointed to either a hardware synth module or a software synth? 

Purely out of curiosity, I looked at the manual a few days ago.  From the block diagram, it looks like the usb out from the PC has a path to the speaker. Diagnostic question: Does the path from the aux in work as expected? If so, I would take that to mean the Cakewalk audio out from the usb doesn't have the audio you are looking for.  BTW, based on the diagram, I assume you have the guitar output potted down and are using the usb/aux output knob. Just based on that diagram, it would seem if you had both up you might hear both.

I have no experience with this unit; just trying to make some guesses based on the diagram. 

Also, I see that Jim's reply showed an example with ASIO4ALL. Are you also using ASIO4ALL or does Yamaha have its own drivers and I/O ports?  From the diagram it seems there are there are both pre- and post-THR 10C FX virtual paths through the usb connection. This suggests to me there are probably Yamaha drivers that show multiple I/Os. Also, just wondering if it has a configuration utility. (I didn't see it mentioned in the manual.)

BTW, under Features, the manual states: "playback audio files on a smartphone or other audio playback device connected to the AUX IN jack." Since the usb audio and the aux in appear to be summed, if the usb has the Cakewalk audio output, I'd think you should hear it.

It looks like a handy unit; hope you can get the output from Cakewalk (including its FX) going to the amp.

Steve

 I just tested this on my laptop which has a touchpad. If I had the left click button down using my left hand and a finger on my right hand was on (or barely touching) the touch pad, sometimes I had an increment. So, then I moved the right-hand finger up and down and discovered with the left click button down I could slide the selected value up or down very easily (i.e., very minimal finger movement). 

Possibly you are indeed moving the mouse ever so slightly to cause the increment at the same time as the left click.  If so, perhaps adjust mouse sensitivity in Windows.   

Steve

1 hour ago, Simon Tunnicliffe said:

Hi All!

For some reason Virtual Piano Keyboard isn't coming up on a blank document. It was on a different template before, the basic one. If I try and play it it anyway, nothing sounds.

Any ideas why?

Nothing in the manual either under Virtual Controllers, Computer Keyboard or Piano Keyboard.

What's the difference too between Computer Keyboard and Piano Keyboard?

Thanks!

If you used the shortcut (Shift+Alt+0), did you use the zero on the keypad or the top row of keys?  For me, the keypad 0 did nothing, but the top row 0 open it up.

Next, I added a new midi track, set it up to record on that track, launched record and ran my mouse pointer over the keys.  Note data was recorded on the track.

There was no sound because I hadn't point that track to either a hardware sound module  or a softsynth.

I found the info on page 1664 of the 1742 page reference guide.

Hope this helps.

14 minutes ago, Simon Tunnicliffe said:

Trouble is if you're not careful, you collapse something and then can't find it again to un-collapse it.

One of the things I was going to add to the first post was a link to the documentation for shortcuts.  For example, many times I have closed the Control Bar to work on something and it was easiest to just hit "C" to bring it back and then make it disappear again. 😉

2 hours ago, Simon Tunnicliffe said:

All's I want really, quite straightforward, I just want the sequencer / playlist viewing when I'm wanting to sequence, the midi editor (or is it piano roll in Cakewalk?) viewing when I'm editing midi and the mixer viewing when I want to mix. 

Seeking clarification of what you mean by "sequencer." I started with software when a sequencer was much different than today's DAWs. Cakewalk has a Step Sequencer, but I don't think that's what you mean.  Sequencing can be done in the Track View by placing, arranging, and tweaking  clips. Maybe that's what you mean. The playlist allows users to sequence things as can the Matrix View, etc. I haven't done anything serious editing with the PRV which seems to have become very popular over the years; I tend to do enter note data with a keyboard by recording it and tweaking it in the Event List.

Apologies for not asking for the clarification earlier.

Steve

 BTW, thank you for the question--I have used it to explore the playlist, some positioning of Cakewalk's visual elements (Views, Panes, Tabs, GUI controls, etc.) and even explored some potential uses of the Matrix View with a Console Meter Bridge for real-time performances of audio "stuff." 

22 hours ago, Simon Tunnicliffe said:

Is there a way of just getting the sequencer / playlist and inspector up and having everything else (console, piano roll etc) vacant and bring them up when I need them. I just want the mixer when I want it and the piano roll when I want it.

I love Cakewalk's ability to be customized based on out individual needs.  There are many.  Here are a few ideas for you:

(1) You can collapse panels.  Play with the double arrows to see how they can be collapse and reopened.

(2) Select different screen sets (which are stored with each project and can be imported from one project to another) to see some different layouts.

(3) Try the "Basic" lens.  Compare with the "Advanced" lens.  Then select none and go back to your favorite Screenset because the use of lenses are not (IMO) for newbies--unless you read the reference guide or online documentation and decide you want to learn how to create a special lens that works for you.

[More to be added, possibly with screen shots]

Footnote to lenses: I believe they can be shared.  Since I want to explore them myself (learning experience), if you can clarify what you want in your layout, I'd be interested in seeing what I can do. If the above ideas meets your needs, I will play around with lenses another time.

Note about The Reference Guide: There's a lot there and you have to know what key words to use to find specific things. If you don't it can be daunting. But it can be quite useful.  For example, I never use the playlist and I was unsure what you were calling the sequencer, so I did some keyword searches!  🙂

Another source to be considered is the search feature of this forum.  While playing with "MyFirstPlayListSET," I went here and found recent suggestions and pending changes to playlist feature.

 Nope; can't seem to re-create the resizing-by-handles technique. 😞

A few days after I first used the handles to re-size the image, I tried it again and they were not there!  I haven't seen them since.  Not sure if it was a fluke, if the settings were changed after I mentioned it, if its a feature that's enabled globally or on a thread-by-thread basis, or what.

3 hours ago, Chuck E Baby said:

I swear I was able to enlarge at one point. maybe its changed.

Based on my experience, I think you were able. The GUI giveth and the GUI taketh away. 

Test Image:

Note: Since this discussion is far below the test where the use of handles was successful, I added an update to say that evidently it can no longer be done. Didn't want to have false hopes linger if someone started reading the thread from the top or if someone stopped reading the thread.

On 9/13/2019 at 1:58 PM, Syphus said:

Too late - Already tried it -  mine was set for 125% and now 100% 

That's why I did strikethrough instead of deleting it!!! Glad you can see the entire interior without having to slide it around.

3 hours ago, Syphus said:

Not exactly - I would say that the window is not large enough  (wide enough)  to show the scroll bar.  I'm getting it to show by forcing the window to shift (as you can see in the image above.  Note the letting is getting cutoff once the scroll bar pops out)

Long shot, but maybe: In older OSes, if I set the display text/screen in Windows to be > 100%, I would get areas cutoff where things were normally visible at 100%. Any chance you have a Windows setting of greater than 100%?

On my tower, I used Ease-of-Access to boost size to 125% and had a visible working scroll bar. So this is probably not the cause of your issue.

On your nice, large, clear screen shot of the Start Screen, I see several things that look different than my Cakewalk Start Screen.  I am not sure if I picked up son settings from something other than the newest Cakewalk, but mine says "SONAR" where your's says "Let's Get Started."  You have an interior frame underneath the title bar (where it says "Cakewalk Start Screen").

I can see where Let's Get Started is now cutoff (as well as the left edge of the interior section with the frame.  I assume that is because you had to grab the interior and slide it to the left to see the now clearly visible scroll bar.

I am not knowledgeable enough about Windows' GUI (nor how Cakewalk uses it) to make a guess as to why you have a frame inside that you can grab and move, but it seems to me that interior frame should be smaller so it all fits.  Maybe there is a setting that makes it larger and that's why you have a frame and I don't.

My eyes can no longer handle tight combinations black, dark grey, medium grey, medium light grey, and light grey, but you are onto something--how different monitors, graphics cards, and various settings might affect the colors and how those colors interact with our eyes (kind of like the optical illusion where some individual's brains "see" dark areas at the intersections of thick lines that are the same color.  (Hope that optical illusion sounds familiar.)

I looked at my post of the scroll bar from the lap top and at an enlargement from my PC. I see you are right--the "grab here" part is black on a medium grey bar. To the right of the Start Screen is a lighter grey.  The main background area of the Start Screen is a different grey and I think the thumbnail and file name are on top of light black that switches to dark black when a user hovers over it.  The frame below the title bar where it says "Welcome" on the right and "SONAR" (!) on the left looks to be the same shade of black as the "grab here" part of the scroll bar.

On my laptop, I clicked on the grey part of the scroll bar (really as you point out the background) which caused the black "grab here" bar to move. On top of that I was only able to see some different shades at a certain angle of the plasma screen.

I just wanted to add that here as it relates to the color/scroll bar issue.  It seems that the newer thread is a good place for the discussion the other related issues, including the number of thumbnails and how to actually click on them to open files.

WARNING: Looking at the image to see the different shades of grade and black might be hazardous to your eye sight!  😉

A New Footnote (maybe something that will work on your laptop):

In Recent Projects on the Start Screen, hovering over the files in list mode, I get a circle with three dots. Clicking on that expands the entry to show some project information and a thumbnail.  I expanded all 14, got a scroll bar, and found I could scroll with a mouse wheel.  Maybe there's a way you can simulate scrolling with the touch pad?  Just a thought.

I take it you don't have a usb hub to add a mouse; that might work, too.

I am learning so much about the Start Screen that maybe I will decide to re-enable it!!!!  Anyhow, best wishes on this. Hope you can find a solution / workaround that fits your workflow until such time that an update provides additional options.

Interesting!  To help sort it out, here's what I get on my PC:

Recent Projects - 14 selectable thumbnails with a scroll bar/grabber that works (again dark grey on black).  NOTE: In list mode, I also get 14 with no scroll bar/grabber because it seems to just fit the non-adjustable box. Wondering out loud: Could the different numbers we get be related to the unchangeable size of the selection area?  That is, if Windows will only allow 14 in the list because of the sizing on my monitor, are the thumbnails therefore capped at 14?  If not, why does one person get 8 and another gets 16? Is there a size setting for the thumbnails we can adjust to test?  

As for templates (New Projects) has anyone confirmed what I found (at least 50)?  I have far more *.cwt files on my PC than my laptop, plus copying to the New Projects/Templates folder adds duplicates--with (n) appended. It should be easy enough to test here.

Update: I added about 100 *.cwt files to the Templates and I have over 100 in the New Projects Start Screen Page--some icons, some "cwt" generic icons, and some thumbnails (the latter, possibly projects I later saved as templates).

1 hour ago, Variorum said:

I'll see if I can modify the compander to work with controller data in addition to velocity... or maybe just modify it into a separate effect for now. I like the Transform tool for smaller changes, but an MFX  might be useful for track-wide CC modifications.

I played around with the Velocity Compander as a real-time midi processor.  It was soooooooo nice.  Much easier and far more useful than trying to select from a small set of velocity curves.  If you tweak a version to do real-time processing of channel aftertouch, please let me know. A couple of controllers I have that use channel aftertouch that have no flexibility at all--other than painfully trying to develop a personal performance technique to match  the hardware.

Thank you for the tools you have developed and shared so far and for your willingness to explore other possibilities!!!

Ohhhh. Ages ago I wrote a D0/B0 routine (Commodore 64, IIRC) to convert/map aftertouch to a sound module that didn't respond to aftertouch.  If you do develop an aftertouch compander and/or a CC compander, the D0/B0 [Dn/Bn] feature might also be useful for others.  (Mine was D0/B0 because it was hard coded to channel 1 based on my controller and module.)

Thanks.

Steve 

6 minutes ago, Syphus said:

Hello everyone,

 [snip]

Now I am in contact with support about this right now, but I want to find out if this is a general problem with the software or if it is only me having the problem.

Thanks to all that respond,

Syphus

Not sure if you had seen my reply in the other thread.  

I don't use the start screen, but I tested it (scroll bar to see beyond 8 items) with File > Start Screen.  At first I saw no scroll bar. After adjusting the angle of my laptop's monitor I saw a very thin scroll bar with the famous dark grey on black theme. I am not sure you can see it below.  Not sure if you are getting it on your display. Not sure if there are colors for the scroll bars in the theme editor, but I will look.  Maybe others know.

For me clicking on the grey area did allow me to see more recent projects (2 more after the first 8 for a total of 10). 

Not sure this helps; just wanted to share my observations.

Addendum: I used the touch pad on my laptop, moved the cursor to the dark grey area, and tapped to "scroll."

Addendum # 2: I copied other *.cwt files (from different versions of SONAR) and put them in the Cakewalk Core / Project Templates folder.  I stopped counting after 40, but I'd say I now have at least 50 templates in there [some are copies] which I can see by using my usual touchpad-to-scroll method--press/hold left button on the scroll bar's hard-to-see drag area and drag up/down on the touch pad.

I did not see any colors in the theme editor that would make the start screen scroll bar more visible. I was able to change some other scroll bars, though.

I can relate to some of your experiences--the first real synth I had the please to play with was in 1970 at college (a 1969/1970 era Moog). As for those "low-cost" usb/midi interfaces, I have read some unpleasant things about them.  I wish I could find the link for an article that goes into the problems and the reasons for the problems from a rather technical standpoint. I vaguely recall issues with sysex (system exclusive midi communication) and full two-way simultaneous communication.  But maybe yours is not as bad as the ones I read about.  I would encourage you to look up "cheap midi interfaces." Some people report some success under some circumstances. A few of the sites/forums I looked at touch on some of the issues.

Steve

Didn't mean to imply not to try to get it to work, just that even if it does work somewhat, there might be other issues.  Sorry if I gave the wrong impression.

1 hour ago, RICHARD HUTCHINS said:

I'll try both of these. Without wanting to be defeatist, I've used Windows for years and have never seen any Troubleshooter sort anything out! But you never know...if either works I'll post. I also e mailed Focusrite so lets see..

From my experience over the past several months, the Win 10 Sound Troubleshooter has worked to solve problems, even when it claims in didn't detect the problem. In fact, by just running it, I had what sounded like two audio channels competing for control of the audio "fix itself." I suspect that by running the troubleshooter's different tests, some internal virtual circuit got kicked. It was fairly consistent and I reported it (with screenshots) to Microsoft and eventually it stopped happening--probably from sheer coincidence. Anyhow, it was so easy to run (thanks to the Sound icon), even though its a longshot, I now add it to my audio debugging process.

Also, when  somehow Windows reconfigures my audio devices because that's what Windows does, if I select the device >I< want to use and use the troubleshooter, sometimes it somehow gives me back my device.  Again, simple to set in motion and if it fixes it, I am happy!!! Sometimes, Windows says it needs to reboot in order to give me back the device I wanted to use--so I assume in powering down and restarting, Windows is mysteriously doing some reconfiguration/recordkeeping.

Finally, I like saving the complete device report the troubleshooter generates, so if if I ever have to TRY to fix stuff manually, I can compare the states of the devices as reported.

And congratulations on getting the interface working; thanks for sharing the results. 

Steve

PS: In my experience, the silent bus message usually means that the bus is not pointed to the current/proper/working audio output device.  Usually, I have gotten a choice of what driver/audio channel to change it to and usually clicking OK sets it to the audio device of my preference.

On 9/8/2019 at 7:42 PM, Starship Krupa said:

That is an unfortunate issue with the default layout of Cakewalk: when I first opened it, it looked "busy" and cluttered. Then I figured out what I could leave collapsed most of the time and I run with a much cleaner view now.

Good point, IMO.  I know I tend to be overwhelmed by new things (e.g., software) but once I take things step-at-a-time (i.e., getting over the initial humps on the learning curve--which often looks so steep I doubt I will make it) I find the knowledge I have gained through the process becomes second nature.  Once on that plateau for a while, I am rested enough from climbing to venture up the higher hills of complexity.  

Based on your observation, I am wondering if just like users can choose from a variety of templates for new projects, perhaps first time users can be given a choice of starting places for their initial Cakewalk Desktop.  And perhaps (to borrow from a different thread) beginners (and others) can choose to opt-in for automatic tips ([  ]once a day, [  ] at launch, [  ] after idling for ____ minutes, [  ] never).

Perhaps based on the first use and the response given, the configuration might default to a sort-of-basic lens with the first tip being something like "Since you self-identified as a first-time user, Cakewalk has been configured to start with a beginner's 'Lens.'  You can change to a more advanced lens or choose other "Screen Sets" to completely customize your Cakewalk Desktop."

Maybe tips for first-time users could be on by default.

Perhaps a one-at-a-time Tips Viewer could be integrated into BandLab Assistant, rather than bringing them back into Cakewalk.

Just saying that there are things that could be done to make the learning curve less initially daunting for new users--so they are not overwhelmed, frustrated, agitated, turned off, etc. Who knows, maybe the good people at BandLab are already working on it. 

Sample tips from Sonar 3 (yes, extremely outdated, but IMO easy to update--from the reference guide, on-line documentations, and maybe even from the many excellent power user tips in thus forum):

Its a long shot, but have you tried Windows 10's Sound Troubleshooter?  It might not show your audio device without the drivers installed, though; not sure. 

Also, does the sound card have a configuration utility?  If so, maybe there's something there which might help point to a solution.

2 hours ago, Efrem C.'79 said:

The theme editor is a job for the graphic designer ... A musician cannot "waste time" modifying the graphics of a program, but can only give some suggestions to ensure that at least the size of the software is resizable, orderly, less dense in icons and (repeated) functions, easy to understand and as comprehensible as possible.

For me, the  customizability of Cakewalk is a blessing.  I don't regret having spent the time modifying the graphics to meet my specific visual needs. Having re-sizable fonts would not have helped me.  I had already lowered the size of my monitor's resolution to make everything bigger. Using collapsed modules on the Control Bar with my easy-for-me-to-see  graphics allows me to do music again!!!! 

As for clutter, Cakewalk has long had many features/options for making the work space as cluttered or as  basic as many different users want at different times to meet specific needs. You can have single components of the software cover an entire monitor or even spread out over several monitors. 

I have found for me having a small synth rack pane allows me to open/select various softsynths which I often place on a second monitor with a different resolution than my main Cakewalk display.  

I would really hate to see Cakewalk get rid of its flexibility.  

BTW, at a time when I thought Cakewalk was gone for good, I bought another DAW  (highly recommended by many user from what I have seen) and despite many hours of problem solving, it was never able to give me  access to the full range of my sound card's ASIO I/O channels like Cakewalk does.

Not every DAW is for everyone.    

On 9/4/2019 at 6:38 PM, MusicMan11712 (aka Dr. Steve) said:

I know you said you are " . . . not interested in addressing or having feedback . . . ." However, you do not seem to be just writing notes for yourself, you are proclaiming what you think is wrong with Cakewalk in a public forum. 

Perhaps I am the only one customizing Cakewalk's visual elements to accommodate a vision impairment, but for me the Theme Editor is a  blessing. Likewise, I have found the customizing abilities of Lenses very helpful in organizing Cakewalk workspaces--from very easy to see what's there (simple/basic) to cluttered, but I know where everything is (advanced).

I have only recently started using the Theme Editor, but even with lowering my monitor's resolution (i.e., making everything bigger thereby taking up more space), I have found I can change the control bar to make it work for me. See examples below.

For some people, tweaking track icons might be helpful. For others, different customizations might be helpful. For my eyes having the names of tracks based on type (MIDI, Audio, etc.) in different colors is more efficient.