Misha

It had been over 6 months since the announcement... 

From my understanding new Sonar will have several tiers. What will make me consider the "highest" tier:

1) Chord Track - that allows re-harmonizing similar to Studio One, Cubase and couple of others. That would be likely #1 reason, even if it will be for MIDI only from beginning.

2) Permanent activation option., to be absolutely sure nobody will pull a plug for one reason or another for foreseeable future. 

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I was seriously considering Studio One PRO specifically because PRO included Chord Track option, but I hate the way they designed "comping" / takes feature for audio tracks which is highly important to me and works amazingly well in Cake.

With more and more generative / phrase based  plugins emerging,  I see a chord track as a "must have" feature.  

Thank you all for replying! 

I programmed Stream Deck for key switches and other functions, but it seems triggering  what it not supposed to trigger. This is a big project (over 30 tracks), I don't want to screw it up as I have most of MIDI programmed the way I want. I will have to do a test project of just MIDI modules and see where I made a mistake. 

P.S. The idea of using Stream Deck is great, as you can customize in a very flexible position, function, color, etc., but unfortunately I didn't figure out yet how to reprogram global midi channel yet on it. I might need to duplicate whole panel and do individual templates, so each template has it's own MIDI out channel.

mettelus,

Thank you!

 Yes, all VSTi's. That what I thought... To be more specific.  I have couple of instances of Kontakt and Ujam. Selecting Ujam and triggering phrases, triggers Kontakt instance too, while it already have automation written.  So likely I hit Echo on one of the Kontakt tracks that I don't want to touch by accident, right? 

Hi folks.

A question please.

Scenario:

(Cakewalk) I have several plugins that use same MIDI in channel for physical MIDI controller.  Is it possible to shift  the focus from one plugin to another, without rechanneling to other  MIDI channels or setting all others to "none"? 

It's unorthodox "Midi controller" with individual keys programmed to specific channel(1), I can't simply set a global channel for it to use for specific track/plugin. I was wondering if there is a simple way to do this instead of inverting selection(s) manually for all existing plugins? Meaning, if I want to control one, all others are not "listening" to that MIDI IN channel? 

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If it's something that's not possible, another question please.

If I freeze all synths in "Synth Rack" except for the one working on... When frozen, new input should not alter midi events if I use midi controller on a different plugin with same "midi in" channel  as frozen,  after I am done with active track and  unfreeze it? Right?

Thank you!

Concerning that leaked video...

Surprised to find out that person claims he signed up and he got it right away, while I signed up same day of announcement and never got the invitation.  Am I that unworthy? Ohh well. There are surely other venues I can spend my free time on. 

P.S. It better have full classic mercury skin

I had a powerful computer at the time of release of Nectar 3:   i7 /12 core/32 ram blah blah.

  I really liked Nectar 2, so jumped on Nectar 3 vagon as soon as it was released. It was a nightmare...  The amount of time I spent  trying to tune PC  and Cakewalk to make it work was ridiculous. All other heavy duty plugins worked fine.  Time came to upgrade Hard Drive and original was swapped to Samsung 980 PRO.  So I tried Nectar 4 thinking that  faster hardware and new released N4 addressed issues.  Same deal. Audio engine would stop every 3-5 seconds. I gave up. Finally upgraded my 5 y.o. computer.  Still i7 (not i9) Specs are better, but it's not a gaming machine.  I had Nektar 4 on hand, as it came in a bundle that I have.  I tried it, and it worked without any hiccups. So, for laughs and giggles I added another instance,  and computer pulled it off.

My conclusion is that plugin fails on certain computer hardware or cpu architecture, speed is minimal factor.

Mark,

BIAB is a creative tool. It is what it is. Some people that I know use it only to map out chord structure, some use it to teach kids music theory, some sketch out backing tracks to practice to, there is also a  community of vision impaired folks who compose their tunes with BIAB, some do sketches for the bands,  to re-record live.   Hundreds of musicians from all over the world recorded Real and Midi tracks for BIAB program.  Some are great, some are not.  Just as everything in life.  Could it be better? Sure! But I am happy it exists.

Ok, back to topic.  Chord track linked to existing arranger in Cakewalk->Sonar :)

Missing which point exactly? You are talking riddles.  Anyways, I thought that my Bandlab is connected to this forum ID, I guess not.

here you go:

https://www.bandlab.com/bluebeat13

 Tunes I make are ~1/2  BIAB.

Before you go bashing my stuff....   I am immune to "quality control" remarks,  my stuff is mainly for friends and family.  But I 've met enough people who (unlike me) produce radio quality commercial stuff in good part using BIAB., and I would pick their music to roughly half of musical "content" pumped on local stations.

"in the world of production music, having a taste that resonates with an audience isn't just a preference"

Well and here is your answer. Unlike you, I don't "work" for or try to "satisfy" particular strata of audience. I tinker with music because it brings me joy. Like hiking, reading, etc.  BIAB has a lot of genre material that is close to my taste / that I can relate to.  Likely not your "type of music". 

"I've never heard any of your music"

Is that kind of statement: "My mic is bigger than yours"?

If you are that curious,  I post things on Bandlab from time to time for friends and family, you are welcome to to take a peak.

The:  "I hear",  is exactly what makes this an item of "taste".  I am certain, many will politely or impolitely disagree with you

Mark,

That is an opinion or taste choice.  BIAB is much more than that   Because it's not very intuitive some folks give up easily. But things do change for the better. Since you have your mind set, I find it strange trying to convince you to see something beyond your formed opinions.

But... Speaking of EzKeys and Ezbass and going back to initial request.  If Cakewalk had a chord track that would properly re-harmonize MIDI sections, loops, riffs + Arranger that would work in tandem  and a media bay that would have certain features for easy browsing/auditioning I would never look at EZ stuff. 

P.S. BTW. I do have EZkeys2. Yes, it is a good tool to have in a toolbox.  Funny thing, I have not bought a single pack from them, because I am finding better and cheaper content from 3rd parties.

msmcleod,

Well said!

"This just says 1990s music trade show to me,"

 Xoo, you missed the point I was trying to make, attacking the software you never used.  

Johnny,

If you didn't see difference between 2004 and 2015 versions, perhaps you were not using it right? That happens sometimes... 

Here is a vid of a guy making  a backing track to practice to:

BIAB is amazing for making these type of practice tracks &  fast sketches. If you give it enough time, you can compose pretty advanced stuff, as you are not limited to the styles they are offering as examples or starting points. You can assemble your own "style" in a matter of minutes from thousands of  Real Tracks.  Most of people who compose with BIAB that I know usually use between 1-5 tracks from the software and record other instruments / vocals themselves.  

User 905133,

Sorry, never had a Roland arranger.

Mark,

have different opinions on many things and that is perfectly fine.

"some of the more modern styles are laughable once it goes outside it's lane"

Perhaps it is not designed for Hip Hop / electronic music (yet). That is true.  But traditional styles like Folk, Rock, Country, Jazz, Blues and Pop (in traditional meaning) are well represented and that is pretty much my boat.   You don't have to use pre-made styles (I never do) You can assemble your own "band" and have a humble Irish harp player jam with hard rocker and add your favorite Kontakt synth to play along.   BIAB is a very special software that has many purposes, besides playing demos

"Cool but that's not what you originally said"

The core of the request is a chord track+arranger.  Combined, that will pretty much do what I am talking about.  MIDI sequencing, reharmonizing performances / phrases regardless of the key  they were initially written in.   Styles are just set of MIDI files. It would be nice if Sonar could slice them properly, but that should be pretty easy to do manually. 

P.S. QY100 is a MIDI sequencer (with cheezy sound chip, yes)  that reharmonizes MIDI phrases based on  live or programmed chord progressions and other parts.  That doesn't make it less than a MIDI sequencer.   

Mark,

back 13 years ago Band In A Box was a mainly  smart MIDI sequencer.  Since then, they adopted Real Tracks, performed by real studio musicians from all over the world on real instruments of all kind of genres from Rock to Bossa Nova. Not loopy loops, but entire performances. They recorded thousands of hours of these Real Tracks and Real Drums.  Perhaps, you should re-discover BIAB.

Pre-baked arranger...  In my opinion modern styles  are very usable. They are as good as they were programmed or recorded.   I have heard amazing stuff done on Tyros / Genos. Obviously they were modified for particular tune. 

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Again, the core of my request is a Chord Track that would be linked to current arranger track , where you can drag in MIDI phrases (loops) or short MIDI performances and automatically re-harmonize them based on the chords typed in that Chord Track.   

A real world scenario is this: you assemble your midi phrases on a regular Sonar MIDI track(s), check tick "follow chord track" on individual MIDI track.

Mark,

"Everything I've ever heard made with Bland In A Box sounds cheesy and terrible."

I don't know what you "heard" and "where" you heard it, but I respectfully disagree.

I don't follow your "something from a 90s home keyboard" comment.  Midi segments are Midi segments. If they were played / programmed well, they will sound good 100 years from now.   They are just instructions,  just as with gazillion EZ keys MIDI "packs", that people can't stop buying, which are  essentially melodic (or rhythmic) MIDI snips.   

Given at one point we will get a Chord Track  with a combination of  Arranger track (which we already have) It should be fairly straight forward connection.

As an alternative a style can be "unpacked" as a grouped  set of MIDI files (because that's what it is) in Media Bay that you can audition from there and dragged to chord track.  

With all its weaknesses I love BIAB, but unfortunately working with 3rd party MIDI clips and re-harmonizing  them is a big pain.  

Essentially I am putting a request for enhanced Chord+ existing Arranger track combo.

David, its's not too "outside"

A friend explained that  a Chord Track in Studio One does just that. It reharmonizes given MIDI clip to whatever you input in the Chord Track.  A Chord Track is a highly requested Cakewalk (Sonar) item.

A Style is just a collection of MIDI clips. So in a way it is an extension of a Chord Track request. 

P.S. I am well aware and a proud owner of BIAB. 

Done this request a while back.   With the arrival of new Sonar on horizon want to revisit this wish.

I think it would be neat to have a MIDI style based arranger baked in new Sonar. A software version of something like Yamaha  QY100 or Roland backing modules, etc.  Likely with tens of thousands free and paid  multi part / multi instrument styles available, there is no shortage of content.  Styles can be used for many different proposes, such as complete backing tracks,  partial tracks to replace a "missing" musician, practice, assembling arrangements for keyboards, composition companion, good source for retro music and less common genres MIDI content not traditionally found in content sold as MIDI loops, etc.

The only professionally written (but limited) software option that I know of was a Yamaha Mobile Sequencer. Unfortunately it's only on iOS and was discontinued this year. All others don't come remotely close. I am aware of likely most of them.

P.S. Similar to what EZkeys does with MIDI phrases following MIDI chords or chord track. Everybody love it...like it's something new, while root technology existed since 80s. if not much earlier.

Thank you for considering.

Hey, thanks for trying. I never experienced this particular behavior (with several 4+ interfaces) in the past 5 years . This started with this last Cakewalk update.

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Update

Uninstalled Cakewalk. Installed Nov 2022 version - No issues. Reinstalled Early Access patch, everything is working fine now.  Hopefully just an isolated glitch of some kind.

The install of last version was smooth... but there is in my opinion a serious issue (Sorry for double post if it was reported already)

In earlier versions (last 5+ years) when a resource hungry VST was a culprit, you would get "Stopped Audio Engine" toaster and playback would stop.   What happens now is it would play through without any warnings (No stopped Engine toaster) , with audio and performance meters unresponsive and no sound coming out.   

Restarted Cake, restarted computer.  Issue still present.

See video:

mettelus,

It worked like a charm, following your instructions.  Thanks again!

mettelus,

Thank you very much! I will try this later today after work.  I understand the theory behind what the guy in the video is doing, I am just a bit confused how to do it in Cakewalk. Hopefully with your walkthrough it will do the trick (It seems it should). Thank you for your time! I will follow up either later today or tomorrow. Hopefully someone else will find this useful.