ptheisen

John, usually when there are symptoms like you describe, it is an issue between Cakewalk and your audio interface. Sometimes a Windows update or other things can screw up that relationship. if you haven't already, go into Cakewalk Preferences and try switching the driver mode under playback and recording settings to something other than what it is now and apply (save) that. For example, if it is currently set to ASIO, change it to WDM/KS. After applying, switch the driver mode back to what it is now and apply again. This will force a refresh of the communication between Cakewalk and the audio interface. You may also have to restore some of the settings under Devices and Driver Settings, I don't recall if all of that is stored per driver mode. If you're lucky, this will help. I hope you don't give up on Cakewalk too!

I've known about the dots for a long time. Now that more people may be looking at them, I should point out that (on my system, at least) there is a minor bug related to them. Most VST3 versions of plugins that do operate with 64 bit data will incorrectly show the 32 bit dot patterns, while their VST2 versions correctly show the 64 bit dot patterns. Izotope Ozone is an example. I asked Izotope about it, they said it must be a Cakewalk (Sonar, back then) issue. It doesn't hurt anything as far as I know, so I haven't bothered to inquire further.

If you can't find an INS file specifically for the Forte, you might try going to the link below to get an INS file for the earlier Kurzweil model PC3. Modification of the file, perhaps significant, may be required to get it to work for the Forte, but there should also be a fair amount of commonality between the two models so you won't be starting from scratch. https://www.keyboardforums.com/threads/kurzweil-pc3-v2-03b-cakewalk-ins-file.24987/

CbB will recognize the M32 as a control surface using the Mackie Control device with the input/output named Komplete Kontrol M DAW. (The input/output named KOMPLETE KONTROL M32 MIDI is for the keyboard aspect of the M32, not the transport controls.) The setting for Disable Handshake in this Mackie Control instance needs to be checked. This can be accessed from the Utilities menu in CbB. The below I have copied and edited from another thread that was for the NI A61, which uses the same software and has the same capabilities: Make sure the M32 is in MIDI mode. If the PLUG-IN/MIDI button in the upper right is lit at all, you are not in MIDI mode. The PLAY, REC and STOP buttons will also be unlit. To go into MIDI mode, press shift and the PLUGIN/MIDI button. When you release both buttons, the light should go out in the PLUGIN/MIDI button, and turn on in the PLAY, REC and STOP buttons on the left. The M32 should now have the following functionality: PLAY, REC and STOP will work as expected. The 4-D encoder knob on the right will scroll the timeline when turned clockwise or counter-clockwise, scroll tracks when nudged up or down and scroll track parameters when nudged left and right. This is assuming that, between the track view and the console view, the track view was the last one "touched". This corresponds with the top to bottom arrangement of tracks in the track view. If the console view was the last of those two views to be touched, the up/down/left/right behavior is reversed to correspond with the left to right arrangement of tracks in the console view, as long as the console view is visible. If the console view was last touched, but is not visible (it is in the multidock and a different view is selected there), left/right/up/down does nothing! Hope this helps!

Just a point of clarification, the subject of the thread is the XR series, which is a step down from the current HRmk2 series, so while "they don't make them like they used to" is certainly open for discussion, it's not a fair comparison between the current XR series and the original HR series. For what it's worth, a few months ago I purchased the 5" model of the Mackie MR series, which is another step down from the XR series, but for the price, I'm extremely happy with them. Especially compared to the direct competition from other brands (JBL 305P mkII, Yamaha HS5, etc.) In my opinion, the Mackie MR is the most accurate/natural sounding of the bunch, and that is what is important to me. YMMV.

You should be able to get this working. I have the NI M32, which is similar to the A61, exactly the same controls, it just has 32 mini keys instead of 61 full size keys. I'm guessing the underlying software is almost identical. My M32 is able to control a small amount of DAW functionality with no issues. You may want to confirm the following to get it working on your computer: Please make sure you have the latest firmware for your A61, and the latest version of Komplete Kontrol, which is 2.3. Once Komplete Kontrol is installed, you should run the stand-alone version of Komplete Kontrol and configure that to work with the A61. Once that is working, go into the preferences for CbB . Under Midi Devices, make sure Komplete Kontrol A DAW is present and checked in both the input and output categories, and make sure Komplete Kontrol A61 MIDI is present and checked in the input category. Then, under Midi Control Surfaces, in the list of connected controllers, you should have a Mackie Control with input and output of Komplete Kontrol A DAW. The inputs and outputs for the controllers often get jumbled, especially if you start CBb prior to all of the controllers being connected and turned on. If need be, straighten these out. If you don't have a Mackie Control in the list, add a new controller using Mackie Control and set its input and output to Komplete Kontrol A DAW. Save these settings. Then, for good measure, close CbB and restart your computer. When you restart CbB, make sure the A61 is in MIDI mode. If the PLUG-IN/MIDI button in the upper right is lit at all, you are not in MIDI mode. The PLAY, REC and STOP buttons will also be unlit. To go into MIDI mode, press shift and the PLUGIN/MIDI button. When you release both buttons, the light should go out in the PLUGIN/MIDI button, and turn on in the PLAY, REC and STOP buttons on the left. The A61 should now have the following functionality: PLAY, REC and STOP will work as expected. The 4-D encoder knob on the right will scroll the timeline when turned clockwise or counter-clockwise, scroll tracks when nudged up or down and scroll track parameters when nudged left and right. This is assuming that, between the track view and the console view, the track view was the last one "touched". This corresponds with the top to bottom arrangement of tracks in the track view. If the console view was the last of those two views to be touched, the up/down/left/right behavior is reversed to correspond with the left to right arrangement of tracks in the console view, as long as the console view is visible. If the console view was last touched, but is not visible (it is in the multidock and a different view is selected there), left/right/up/down does nothing! Hope this helps!

I can report the same as Jerry. I have a Saffire Pro 40 with a TI chipset FireWire card running perfectly under W10 1903. I have never had issues with it.

For what it's worth, Bandora appears to be a repackaged version Jammer, which I have. I watched the video, and while there have been some changes to the position of some things in the screen layout, almost everything else is the same. Jammer has exactly the same named band styles as shown in the Bandora video, the same pop-up menus, etc!

As someone previously mentioned, nothing is perfect, but I like the GUI on CbB best, and I've tried a few. I hope they never change the overall look and feel of it too much. If they want to change the technology behind it someday to make it resize more easily, that's fine. I don't think the Theme Editor is all that hard to work with, once you've spent some time with it. I'm glad we have it, I've made a custom theme for myself that I really enjoy.