Jim Fogle

PG Music released the 2020 edition of Band-in-a-Box for Windows earlier today (11-30-2019). Some features everyone might like include: New tempo and pitch shifting software. Multi-riff feature allows multi generations of instruments at the same time. Almost all RealDrums have notation transcription. Equalize tempo wizard allows varying song tempo to be adjusted to a fixed tempo. New harmony wizard. New content includes 202 RealTracks including choir vocals, More midi only styles and 15 midi SuperTracks. RealBand features essentially follow the Band-in-a-Box features however it remains a 32 bit program. The DAW plug-in has been enhanced with additional settings, auto harmonize wizard and ability to read or write more settings with the Band-in-a-Box program. New for 2020 is the Loops-With-Style PAK 1. Per the website: New release sale prices last until December 31, 2019. https://www.pgmusic.com/bbwin.packages.htm

Thanks Steve. I've not explored the custom module yet . I had removed the custom module from the control bar and forgot it.

Here are four suggestions regarding the excellent Cakewalk Reference Guide that will make the guide more user friendly. Please add a "like" if you agree. Edit the file name so the file name includes the release it matches. Presently the file name is "Cakewalk Reference Guide.PDF". For example if this suggestion was followed the former "Cakewalk Reference Guide 09-19.PDF" would be replaced by "Cakewalk Reference Guide 11-19.PDF" . This provides a visual cue to the guide user that the guide they have is, or is not, current. Add an option to the newest Cakewalk Reference Guide to each release download. Add an option to allow the user to store the Cakewalk Reference Guide to a specific location. Publish the Cakewalk Reference Guide in the open source EPUB format so the guide will automatically resize and reformat itself to the viewing device screen size and resolution. This will allow easy viewing on smart phones, tablets, netbooks and e-readers in addition to computer displays. Here is a link to the EPUB Community Group: https://www.w3.org/publishing/groups/epub3-cg/ This was first suggested April, 2019: https://discuss.cakewalk.com/index.php?/topic/2860-reference-guide-pdf-now-available/page/3/&tab=comments#

In this forum thread, https://discuss.cakewalk.com/index.php?/topic/8858-clarification-on-transport-‘return-to-zero’-control/ Chief Developer Noel Borthwick responds How do you create a new button on the control bar? How do you assign a task to the new button?

If you're looking for something that's kinda' like EZ Dummer then try MT Power Brum Kit: https://www.powerdrumkit.com/ If you want something that emulates drum machines try some of the ones listed here: https://blog.landr.com/free-vst-plugins-drums/ Finally note that ToonTrack has EZ Drummer 2 on sale for $99 US while some of the online retailers MAY have it even cheaper: https://www.toontrack.com/product/ezdrummer-2/?msclkid=87210086ebf01c3626ee5d647a8bba8a

First, welcome to the forum and to Cakewalk by BandLab or CbB for short. I should mention I know more about Cakewalk by BandLab than I do about BandLab itself. That is because I have been using predecessors to Cakewalk for many years but have not investigated BandLab much so I am not very familiar with the online product. One difference between BandLab's online product and CbB is BandLab is an online service while CbB is offline. As an online product BandLab is bound to the internet so if there is no internet there is no product to play with. But, when there is an internet connection you can access BandLab using any device with a Chrome browser. Likewise all files are stored online or in the cloud. If you do not have an internet connection you can not access your files. Cakewalk by BandLab exists on Windows 7, 8, 8.1 or 10 64 bit laptop or desktop computers as a standalone program. As a standalone program the internet is not needed. Files are stored offline and in storage maintained by your computer. The BandLab Assistant facilitates file transfers between the internet and the standalone program to provide a method to authorize and update the program. If I remember correctly BandLab is limited to 12 tracks. Cakewalk by BandLab has no built-in track limit. That's all I can think of right now. I'll let some other users chime in.

GarageBand is Apple's entry level DAW while Logic Pro is Apple's professional grade DAW. The former Cakewalk followed the same model by offering Music Creator or Home Studio as their entry level DAW and Sonar as their professional grade DAW. However in the transition, the entry level DAW was abandoned while the professional grade DAW was relabeled from Sonar to Cakewalk . If we assume for a moment that Apple's way of doing things makes sense then the question becomes, "short of adding an entry level DAW, how can Cakewalk by BandLab be easy enough for a novice to use while retaining the features professional grade requires? The answer appears to be by enabling features so users can enable and learn at their own pace. That is almost exactly what workspaces accomplishes.

Google Chinese to English translation: Thanks!

Thanks for the links. Both reads are interesting. Not having access to GarageBand or logic because I have a pc, duh, it's fascinating to read about "the other side" of the computer world. I believe the Rolling Stone article includes an inaccuracy though. While acknowledging GarageBand was included as one part of a software package the article states the software package was free. The software package originally cost $19 US. But who's counting. Both articles tout the same three GarageBand strong points ease-of-use, loops and included with every Apple computer. Well, Cakewalk by BandLab's GUI appears to be easier to use with the change from lens to workspaces. The BandLab Assistant features midi and audio loops. Finally, Cakewalk by BandLab is available for the cost of an email address and the time to download. Apple and pc differ greatly in one respect. Apple supplies the hardware and operating system software. Apple also has power to allow or dismiss what connects or goes inside its computers . Meanwhile the pc world has two operating systems, Windows and Linux, residing on Intel and AMD cpu platforms and a multitude of hardware vendors. The pc world is inherently more complex because of its diversity.

EA is shorthand for Cakewalk by BandLab's early access program. Cakewalk by BandLab provides details and access of the next release one to two weeks prior to releasing the product to the general public. This initiative lets those that want the latest and greatest an opportunity to test a release and provide feedback. You can learn more about the early access program here: https://discuss.cakewalk.com/index.php?/forum/36-early-access-program-new/ The newest release, 2019.11, was released this week after being in the early release program since November 20.

I think the answer depends somewhat on your projects and your workflow. If you have 100 tracks and 1000 edits on each track, never freeze a track or consolidate audio, are using many cpu intensive effects or virtual instruments then the computer may not work as you desire. I main issue I encounter on this computer is high cpu spikes cause the power supply fan to shift into high speed. A secondary issue is the cursor changes to a hourglass longer than I'd like sometimes but it isn't totally unexpected. As always it's a toss-up between money (to purchase high specification computer) versus performance. This computer is vintage 2012.

Hi Jerry, I'm sorry but I don't know the answer to your question. There's a good chance many of the folks viewing this video don't know the answer since the video maybe the first experience the viewers have with comping. Your question likely will receive more views and have a better chance of receiving an answer in the Q & A forum section here: https://discuss.cakewalk.com/index.php?/forum/12-qa/

Can Cakewalk by BandLab do this? Highlight a selection of the project up to and including the complete project and then enter a time and the highlighted section shrinks or expands to that time. Example 1: I want the instrumental break to last for no more than thirty seconds. I highlight the instrumental break section of the song, enter thirty seconds, hit preview, like it and done. Example 2: My client wants various music beds of exactly 15, 20, 30, or 60 seconds. Again, highlight a section, enter the time, preview, like it and done.

🤣 ... and just look at the teeny, tiny menu at the top left of the screen! 🔭

Music Creator was a consumer product sold in retail stores like BestBuy, Office Depot or Staples. Sonar was a professional product not sold in retail stores. I was a Music Creator user for many years starting with MC2, MC3 (included in the USB to MIDI package), MC4 and MC6. I received a free upgrade to MC6T(Touch) but don't have a touch screen so it's never been installed. I didn't see enough difference between MC4 and MC5 to justify the expenditure. MC7 was barely released before Home Studio became available with neither available in retail stores as a boxed product. Open MC2 and MC6 side-by-side and it would be difficult to say which is which unless you bother to look at the about screen. $49 bought a box, program cd and a printed manual. Even though each edition provided all the DAW I needed and wanted I still updated most of the time because the option was available and I had the money. Support was only available through the archived forum or e-mail. I needed to use e-mail twice. Each time it took about two weeks to receive an initial response but the one time a follow up response was needed the follow up response was quick. I've never seen any of the Sonar editions outside of the archived website, forum or videos. The Sonar (now Cakewalk) Reference Manual was not available to Music Creator users. Cakewalk by BandLab is my first experience with the DAW and it has been overwhelming at times. I miss not having access to the third party content that was available with Sonar Platinum but do not regret my past decisions not to upgrade. Having said that, I'm really glad Cakewalk is alive and well.

Hi Mike, Another informative video. Your video topic selections have been excellent. If you begin to run out of ideas for topics to cover, take a look at the Make Cakewalk Easy discussion in the Feedback Loop section of the forum: https://discuss.cakewalk.com/index.php?/topic/8356-make-cakewalk-easy/#comments

I think we're responding faster than the electrons can sail across the ocean and be assimilated into the forum! I deleted before I read your post. I'm good if you're good.

If you got to ask you likely can't afford it! 🤩

Jesse, I apologize. Your second link was not posted when I ran across the Sweetwater video and I didn't think to look if additional videos were posted. My bad, I'll delete my post.

@Some Guy Is F/OSS an acronym for "free and open source software"?

I was frankly surprised to see anything like the "Refresh Activation" selection added to BandLab Assistant. While Cakewalk by BandLab is part of BandLab and BandLab is part of BandLab Technologies the parts are spaced all across the globe. While the nucleus of the Cakewalk by BandLab staff is based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA the BandLab social music creation platform and BandLab Technologies ownership is based in Singapore. Even with e-mail and voice over internet communication across that many time zones and distance must be difficult. I don't know this for fact but I strongly suspect BandLab Assistant was created and is maintained by the Singapore staff. I suspect their main focus is support and media creation for the online BandLab platform. Take a look and you'll discover there is a lot of online activity happening on that side of the world. Meanwhile, for the most part Cakewalk by BandLab remains predominately a standalone product. If my thoughts are anywhere close to accurate it likely takes a mandate from upper management followed by strong oversight or a priority setting meeting for a relatively small task like getting something added to BandLab Assistant to even get placed on the priority "to do" list. Kudos to Cakewalk by BandLab for getting it done.

@RexRed While the idea may, or may not be a good idea the Feedback Loop is the section dedicated to Posting your idea in the Feedback Loop will give forum members that may not frequent this section an opportunity to read, support and discuss your idea. I hope you will take time to create a thread in the Feedback Loop. Here is a link: https://discuss.cakewalk.com/index.php?/forum/8-feedback-loop/

Deleted.

For What It's Worth, here is a link to Steinberg's webpage focusing on game audio. It provides a pretty good overview of how the DAW and Wwise programs pass data between them. https://www.steinberg.net/en/products/nuendo/game_audio.html Here is a webpage where AudioKinetic, developer of Wwise, lists their technology and content partners. From there you can navigate to the Wwise webpages should you desire: https://www.audiokinetic.com/community/partners/

@marled Thanks for taking time to create this thread. I found your observations, test and results very informative. I have no practical experience using pitch shifting so this thread likely saved me a lot of time and grief sometime down the road. Again thanks for thinking of other users! One question if I may, how likely is it that others have as many pitch shifting tools in their toolbelt as you do? I have five that I know of, the two that are included with Cakewalk, the one in Audacity I didn't existed until I read this thread, Melodyne Essentials and one that is standard with Band-in-a-Box. I was not familiar with TB_VoicePitcher by Toneboosters. I found version 3.1.8 at the KVR marketplace: https://www.kvraudio.com/product/tb-voicepitcher-v3-by-toneboosters