Craig Anderton

Glad you got it sorted out

Some plug-ins default to a Program Files > Steinberg > VSTplugins folder. If the folder doesn't exist, the installer creates one. Check first to see if that's the issue, and if so, include it in the Cakewalk scan path.

There's a third way to backup projects in Cakewalk, yet few people seem to be aware of it. Here's an excerpt from my book The Huge Book of Cakewalk by BandLab Tips. If you have the book, the section starts on page 48 (and includes the images). There’s a third way to save files that splits the difference between the two approaches [save and save as] in terms of size. It’s also excellent for backing up projects. First, you need to have saved the project using a Per-Project folder. Then, choose Utilities > Consolidate Project Audio. The original intention of this function was to gather together all files used in a project, including those referenced on other media (e.g., CD-ROMs). But starting many versions ago, SONAR saved files you brought in from other media anyway, and then stored them in the Audio folder in your Per-Project folder. Cakewalk by BandLab works the same way. What remains relevant about Consolidate Project Audio is that is saves the entire file referenced by various Clips into a sub-folder within the Per-Project’s Audio folder. The subfolder is named automatically with the project name and “backup.” For example, if you’ve removed all Clips that reference a file, that file will not be saved. But if any Clip references a file, unlike the “Create One File Per Clip” option, the entire file will be saved into the sub-folder, not just the portion referenced by the Clip. Note that the .cwp file will not be saved into this sub-folder. But if you Save As into the subfolder and don’t check “Copy All Audio with Project,” you can save the .cwp file in with the audio. Back up this folder, and now you’ve backed up the project—move it to your storage media of choice, and you can rest a little easier knowing that your project is safe from something like a hard-drive crash. Or if you’re running out of space where you store your songs, delete the files in the Per-Project Audio folder, and replace them with the audio from the subfolder (which should take up less space).

Depends on the nature of the spike. If it's level only, maybe the clip envelope will fix it. If there's clipping, iZotope RX7 and Magix Sound Forge have de-clipping functions.

On 1903 here. I "checked for updates" a while ago to install 1909; it didn't appear as available, but didn't tell me my computer wasn't ready. Then again, it seems Microsoft itself wasn't a fan of the update, so maybe they just decided to let it die a quiet death while they prepared 2004. Or something like that.

There are really two different elements to compatibility. One is integration with transport, mixer, and the like. This is something that needs to be done within the DAW. Currently Cakewalk doesn't do this. Having colors coordinate with plug-ins, as well as parameter editing, is a function of the plug-ins being NKS-compatible. I highly doubt that Cakewalk will expend effort on making the Sonitus plug-ins and SI instruments NKS-compatible, but I've been surprised in the past.

You can program the colors using the Controller Editor.exe program. Choose a key range in the editor, and then you can assign the color you want to each range. For example, I created a color scheme for AD2 that I find handy. If you load Komplete Kontrol, you can also edit there, and might find it easier. Here's a screen shot of a setup I did. The limitation is that you don't have the same level of integration as NKS-compatible instruments, where the colors change based on the instrument you load. However, you can create presets for different instruments, and call them up as needed. I wrote a column for Sound on Sound about integrating Cakewalk with Komplete Kontrol keyboards, mostly using ACT. The compatibility isn't perfect, but it's pretty close. Unfortunately, before the article was published, the magazine decided that not enough of their readers used Cakewalk by BandLab to justify continuing the column. If there's enough interest, I'll post the article on craiganderton.org.

I think the extra expense of buying a computer made by a systems integrator who's dedicated to making music machines is the way to go. It's not just that they know the hardware, they can give you support you'll never get with a custom-built computer. If music is a hobby, then you can save a few hundred dollars by doing it yourself. But if you depend on your computer for a living, being able to have almost 24/7 support is vital. There are three companies that get uniformly good reviews on their computers and their service: Studio Cat (Jim Roseberry) PC Audio Labs Sweetwater Creation Station

Why not just load a cab simulator into your track, and monitor through that?

That's up to the user. I start different projects in different DAWs based on my expectations of how the project will unfold, or export stems from one DAW and import them into another. The latter is particularly the case with DAWs that have certain plug-ins that are locked to that DAW, and the only way you can use them is to use the DAW.

I dunno...Cakewalk seems a pretty subversive choice, given the predominance of European sequencers "The Cakewalk was a mockery of these European styles, but when the slaves performed for the whites, their masters often mistook the playful derision for quaint approximations of their dances." For what it's worth I stopped using master/slave in writing years ago, not because anyone told me to, but because we have better, more descriptive options. Saying a device is "synchronized" makes a whole lot more sense than saying it's a "slave."

Well I don't think it's so much that you move...you add. I don't know any guitarist who has only one guitar, or keyboard player who has only one keyboard. Ableton Live is still the best choice for live performance, the only way to get it to crash is to drop your laptop from 10 feet onto a concrete floor. Studio One has the mastering/song page integration no one else has. I've often rendered Cakewalk files and mastered in Studio One. The workflow for mixing in Cakewalk is extremely smooth. It's getting easier and easier to start a project in one DAW, and finish it in another. And there are DAW-specific features. If you want to create Acidized, stretchable files, Cakewalk is one of the few that does it. Studio One has that amazing harmonic editing that works with audio, not just MIDI. Cubase has great MIDI capabilities, and Pro Tools is...uh, well...Pro Tools. With Cakewalk being free, there's no economic penalty in taking advantage of what it does best.

I'm not exactly sure why it would take five hours to do a MIDI loop. Perhaps you could give more details on what you're trying to do, it's not that clear from your posts.

And TBH, if your work is primarily MIDI, then Cubase is probably the droid you're looking for...although Cakewalk gives a very good account of itself with respect to MIDI.

The answer is in the Apollo Twin's console application, pull down the fader in the mixer itself. However, that raises some additional questions. Do you want to record the distorted sound, or record the dry sound, and play it back through distortion? I use the Apollo Twin USB in my Studio B so I can probably be of help. As to being great with technology...if you can play a barre F without buzzes, you can handle the technology There is a bit of a learning curve but once you scale it, the answers become obvious.

I've used Sonar, Studio One, and Ableton Live since they were introduced. I don't see any reason to stop using all three of them.

I don't think this is possible in Cakewalk (or even the looping-oriented Ableton Live, for that matter). The only workaround I can think of is instead of putting a loop in a track, load it into a virtual instrument (like assigning the sample to a key in the TX16xw sampler or a pad in Session Drummer) and trigger it with a MIDI note. Then if you replace the sample, you'll replace all instances where it was triggered. Note that the replacement sample won't time-stretch automatically, so you would need to convert it to the proper BPM beforehand if needed. I realize this is kind of awkward procedure, but it does work.

I've done a LOT of FX Chains, but many of them are tied to plug-ins no longer included in Cakewalk. So I don't know how useful they'd be to most people. I could go through them and find the ones that use only Sonitus plug-ins, though, and I also have some preset collections for Sonitus plug-ins and the QuadCurve EQ. However, I DO plan to make a package of the custom background, knob, and switch graphics, which will probably end up on my craiganderton.com digital storefront at reverb.com. But now that you mention it...maybe I should just create a "Cakewalk Care Package" with FX Chains and presets that work in Cakewalk, along with the custom FX Chain graphics. I've been expanding the storefront lately (for example I've just added the Surreal Reverb Impulse Responses package and a couple more books), so a "Cakewalk Care Package of Fun Stuff" might make a lot of sense.

There are two different video engines. This information about switching between video platforms might be helpful to you. For what it's worth, I've scored hundreds of commercial videos using Sonar. I haven't needed to do any since Cakewalk replaced Sonar, but presumably, it's possible with Cakewalk as well.

Agreed 100%, the system sure does matter! I've tested probably two dozen interfaces over the years with Sonar and then Cakewalk. They all worked, which I attribute to the computer (PC Audio Labs) rather than the interfaces. It's interesting you mention M-Audio. There's a lot of hardware out there that's theoretically incompatible with Windows 10, but check out the article I wrote called Hardware Not Compatible with Windows 10? Maybe It Is After All. The "Troubleshoot Compatibility" feature in Windows 10 is surprisingly effective. One good aspect it is that it's kind of "digital" - when it works, it works and when it doesn't, it doesn't. Overall, though, you can pick up some really great interfaces for next to nothing because people assume they're obsolete, but they work fine. I also wrote an article called How to Choose an Audio Interface. It echoes a lot of what's on John Vere's list, but goes deeper into interface port protocols (e.g., the different flavors of USB, Thunderbolt, etc.) and expansion. For example, if an interface doesn't have at least one ADAT port so I can expand it with eight more inputs, I'm not interested - but that's me. It may not matter at all for someone else. There are also solutions beyond a dedicated audio interface. QSC's TouchMix series of mixers are designed for mixing, but can also stream individual channels into your computer. For the TouchMix I have, that's 32 inputs that can stream to 32 channels of audio...pretty cool if you need an interface that can also mix. Many mixers include interfacing capabilities.

Just remember...people listen to the music you make, not the software you use.

The location in the stereo field.

Another way to avoid issues with comping is not opening the program.

Ah yes, the Waves "Good Bass Player's Touch Substitute" plug-in...I use it all the time Seriously, though, that can give you tone and dynamics. But it won't fix EQ issues.

This tip was written up in The Big Book of SONAR Tips on page 16, but not in The Huge Book of Cakewalk by BandLab Tips, because Channel Tools isn't included with CbB. Here's the illustration that goes along with the tip, and shows how the panpot "sliders" appear in the mixer channel.