Nigel Mackay

Grace and TX16Wx are samplers. You need to load something (a patch/preset) into them to get sound. Grace comes with nothing. You need to download and run Grace Setup Factory Content. Did you do this? (You need to restart Cakewalk afterwards.) When testing Grace, did you select a patch from the left-hand pane?

Read my replay again - I edited it while you were replying. 😀

You need the old install media/disks. The legacy account is for licensing Platinum and the included effects. Bandlab Assistant is to install Cakewalk by Bandlab. 1) Use your Platinum disks/media to install Platinum. Use default locations. Select which instruments/effects you want to use in Cakewalk. Use your legacy account to authorise. 2) When finished, run Bandlab Assistant as administrator and install Cakewalk. Use default location. Cakewalk will now have access to everything that was in Platinum.

File -> Export -> Audio. Files of type: MP3. Set Source Category to Entire Mix. Filename: Whatever. Click on Export. Specify mp3 BitRate, etc. Click Ok You get an mp3 file.

Percussion has such a spiky waveform that -12dB peaks does look like a small waveform.

Nothing worse than random.

😀

Have you tried uninstalling and reinstalling Cakewalk?

And remember, you do not get the choice of Bit Rate until AFTER you have clicked Export. A bit disconcerting.

What @NealClark said. That is why I said "Are the video files actually there? In the same location? You can always just delete the reference to the file and add it again." You didn't say if you had tried that.

If there is an issue between plugins and your Windows, then as far as Cakewalk is concerned, the issue is the plugins. Cakewalk can't know that the plugins are struggling with Windows. Cakewalk just knows that the plugins aren't behaving, not why they are not behaving.. If you go back to support, just maybe they can shed a bit of light on what the plugins are doing wrong. Just might help you find out what is wrong with your Windows. Trouble is, you can only use the plugins inside Cakewalk, so you can't get a plugin-Windows crash dump for more info. Good luck.

Ok. Cakewalk uses Windows to play video files. It could be that the new PC doesn't have the correct codec for the video. What format is the video? An example is that Windows can't natively play MPEG-2 files. 1) Make sure your video card has latest driver 2a) Download and install K-Lite Codec pack. On this page select either Server 1, 2 or 3. 2b) Remember what the old PC was using and implement that on the new PC.

I mean, are the video files ACTUALLY there on the hard drive of the new computer? Not just a reference in the project, on the new computer in real life? Did you remember to copy the video files to the new computer? If you look with File Explorer, can you find the video files on the new computer? If you can find them with File Explorer, do they play if you double-click on them? If you create a new project and select File -> Import -> Video, can you find and select one of the videos and actually add it to the new project?

The project will remember the name of the video file, that is why the name appears. Are the video files actually there? In the same location? You can always just delete the reference to the file and add it again. If there is a problem that should tell you what it is.

@Trensharo A project is not limited to 1 drum map. You could have 100 tracks, each with their own individual, unique drum map. I wouldn't like to have to create them for you, but it is possible. 😀

On the Control Bar, in the Custom Module, make sure None is there. Then get into the habit of clicking on None every time you are going to do anything. With me, I am scared the button is going to wear out I use it so much.

With any plugin, in the top right corner, if there is no R button for Read Automation, then it cannot be automated.

Ctrl on its own should not do anything. Neither should Ctrl-Shift. Either you are pressing another key at the same time or your PC has serious issues. Or your copy of Cakewalk does. Try uninstalling/reinstalling Cakewalk.

Yes. But don't install the app itself, just look for the FX and instruments you want. AFAIK Platinum forces you yo install the app, so try with Producer first. If you must use Platinum, uninstall Cakewalk, install Platinum, then install Cakewalk. You will then have everything that was in Platinum, with Cakewalk on top of it all.

Regarding drum VSTs not being user friendly, you can use a separate MIDI track to each piece of equipment in a drum kit. Each one has its own MIDI note, so you can put only that note in the track. You can have a track just for right hand hitting snare, and another for left hand hitting snare, another for automatic alternating hands. (This of course depends on the VST, some have more choices than others.) Using drum maps also helps a lot. Someone else can help with the samples part of the question. 😀

You set the output of a MIDI track to Drum Map. But it needs tutorials, it is a messy job. Here is one. Having watched that, what you need to do is this: 1) Create new drum map 2) In the drum map click on New (for new note) 3) Type in the note number for the highest note the instrument plays. Needs to be repeated in the second Column. In the 3rd column you can type a nice name for the note, one that suits you. 4) Keep clicking New until you reach the lowest note the instrument can play. Good luck. 😀 You can also do a search for "drum map" in YouTube.

Know what you mean. Limit it to the actual playable range of the instrument and similar scenarios. You could use a drum map, but then you would see something like this instead of the normal piano keyboard. Not ideal.

You have a MIDI track per instrument in the Kontakt instance. Put the automation for the synths there.

FYI Reinstalling Cakewalk is painless. Back up your projects just in case.

You haven't perhaps got pitch shift set in Inspector or something of that ilk?