RexRed

On 6/8/2025 at 9:27 AM, Paul Bush said:

Just such a super vocal ,I would’ve liked some higher backing vocals but that’s just me super project ..cheers P

Thanks much Paul for the compliment on the vocal! Because it is still a work in progress, higher vocals can definitely be added, thanks for the awesome suggestion as well! 

I will leave a message when changes have been added. 😊

https://www.reverbnation.com/rexredmusicartist/song/34999224-all-the-way-2

 

All the Way 2, because I already wrote a song called All the Way. 

Hope you like this, a little bit of soul and R&B in the style here.

It is still a WIP so comments and critiques are welcome. It has a sparce mix,

still deciding if a bass and other instruments might do well.

Best to you awesome Cakewalk peeps!

Rex

On 1/16/2025 at 11:03 PM, treesha said:

My thoughts are this is good! Enjoying everything about it. I like how it moves. Nice vocal and backing vocals. Instrumentation goes well with the mood and lyrics. Best to you too!

Many kind thanks Treesha for your really nice complements!

2 hours ago, jack c. said:

no audio.jack c.

Yea, ReverbNation has "improved" their website and now it had less features and does not work right half the time. 

I send them emails and they say they are working on it, months later, nothing...

I don't think any of the music plays on ReverbNation right now. I hope they can fix it soon.

Hey awesome Cakewalk peeps!

Here is a new song of mine, "Lover Divine".

Please let me know your thoughts!

Best to you!

RexRed

 

 

Hey awesome Cakewalk peeps! My new song!

I hope you like!

Best to you!

RexRed

Sorry I posted the wrong song here, it was supposed to be my new song "Lover Divine".

Somehow "Dreams of You" got posted, well, enjoy anyway.  

I will be posting "Lover Divine" soon! 🙃

18 hours ago, msmcleod said:

Actually, if your licenses are on iLok dongle, they're the only ones you DON'T need to worry about deauthorizing.  If the license is on the dongle it'll just work.

As much hate as iLok gets, this is the one scenario where it's a huge time saver.

Mine are on a dongle but some may save them on their PC 😀

Why put a rose in a room with no light?  You have all of these VSTs, they are the rose, and the dark room is the old CPU.

Cakewalk is now optimized to work with Intel's new core architecture.

13th gen is a good place to look for a new PC.  New Motherboard, new RAM, possibly new power supply and you're most of the way there.

The 13th gen prices have gone down.

You could possibly use your old case and get by with your old graphics card... (for now)

Buy a Windows 11 Pro retail key for 35 dollars. 

And as MSMCLEOD says, be sure to go into ILOK and deauthorize the old computer to avoid having to contact ILOK to do it.

Then your plugins will have tons of power, and your songs will be practically unlimited.

If you buy the new motherboard as a combo, you can get the 13th gen chip and motherboard together at a substantial price reduction.

Just about any motherboard that will accept a 13gen Intel chip will be excellent. Make sure you have the right mounting plate for the chip.

This will put your VSTs in a room with light and space. 

If you get a powerful enough power supply like a 1000 - 1600 watt one, you could theoretically add a REALLY powerful graphics card and have a state-of-the-art Nvidia 5090 gaming machine and video editing workstation. (you may one day like having this) 

You might look into a faster 4 or 5 gen PCIE m.2 drive for your OS and current project file.

I really could not do my work without this upgrade and the new 5090 will probably be over $2000 I will get one for sure and put my 4090 in my backup PC.

I know this is a lot of expense, but you only live once, make the best of it while you can...

Perhaps, stop buying more VSTs and invest in the thing that makes them all come alive.

 

Air CPU Cooler ARGB Cooling Fan 4 Copper Heat Pipes CPU Radiator

with FDB Bearing 120mm Fan PWM 2000PRM 76CFM Addressable RGB Lighting Sync

for AMD AM4/AM5 Intel LGA 1700/1150/1551/1155/1200 (Black)

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0CR6FF9MP/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title

Noctua NM-i17xx-MP78, Mounting Kit for Noctua CPU Coolers on Intel LGA1851 and LGA1700

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09FSTZM2G/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title

Something like this

INLAND CPU Motherboard Intel core i7-13700K 13th Gen 16-Cores LGA 1700 125W

Gaming Desktop Processor with MSI PRO Z790-A MAX WiFi 7 Motherboard

https://www.amazon.com/INLAND-CPU-Motherboard-Combo-Z790/dp/B0D2JCT6DH/ref=sr_1_11

Order some paste for the cpu.

Windows 11 Professional Online Activation Key | Buy cheap on Kinguin.net

https://www.kinguin.net/category/198296/windows-11-professional-online-activation-key

CORSAIR VENGEANCE DDR5 RAM 96GB (2x48GB) 5200MHz CL38 Intel XMP iCUE Compatible Computer Memory - Black (CMK96GX5M2B5200C38)

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BVN11ZRB/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title

Crucial P3 Plus 2TB PCIe Gen4 3D NAND NVMe M.2 SSD, up to 5000MB/s - CT2000P3PSSD8

https://www.amazon.com/Crucial-Plus-PCIe-NAND-5000MB/dp/B0B25ML2FH/ref=sr_1_1_sspa

Pure Power 12 M 1000W | ATX 3.1 | 80 Plus® Gold | Modular Power Supply | for PCIe 5.0 GPUs and GPUs with 6+2 pin connectors | 12VHPWR Cable Included | Silent 120mm be quiet! Fan - BN506

https://www.amazon.com/Modular-connectors-12VHPWR-Included-quiet/dp/B0BVYCXQY4/ref=sr_1_1_sspa

 

This is similar to the route I went, I hope it helps.

This will take you long into the future. You need a workstation to make good use of your VSTs (in my opinion)

and you are not likely to get one worth owning for less than $1000 dollars.

Thanks for the comments peeps! 🎶🎧👍🩷

Copilot also said:

Here's a quick recap:

Tracking (Recording): Disable Sonarworks Reference 4 and use the direct monitoring feature of your Zoom UAC-232 for latency-free monitoring.

Mixing: Enable Sonarworks Reference 4 to ensure accurate monitoring and a balanced mix.

Rendering (Exporting): Disable Sonarworks Reference 4 to ensure the calibration curve doesn't affect your final audio file.

This workflow allows you to get the most accurate sound during mixing and ensures your final rendered files are true to the mix without any unintended alterations. 🎶

Even though this topic is "solved" you can still give your responses and experience with this process.

8 minutes ago, RexRed said:

Sonar Reference 4 and rendering music in Cakewalk

How do I use Sonar Reference 4 with Cakewalk Sonar?

Do I need to turn off Sonar Reference 4 when I  render files?

My Question to Copilot: So I use Reference 4  when I am mixing down but I disable it when I am rendering down?

Copilot Response: Exactly! You use Sonarworks Reference 4 while mixing to ensure accurate monitoring and a balanced mix. Then, when you are rendering (exporting) your final audio file, you disable the Sonarworks Reference 4 plugin to prevent the calibration curve from affecting the exported audio.

If you need a quick recap:

Mixing: Enable Sonarworks Reference 4 for accurate monitoring.

Rendering/Exporting: Disable Sonarworks Reference 4 to ensure your final mix isn't altered by the calibration.

Let me know if there's anything else you're curious about or if you need further assistance with your audio projects! 🎶

Copilot also said this:

Yes, you need to bypass the Sonarworks Reference 4 plugin every time you export audio from Cakewalk Sonar. If you don't bypass it, the correction will be applied to your master bus mixdown, which can imprint your unique calibration EQ curve on the rendered audio.

To bypass the plugin, make sure to fully disable it in your DAW, not just the calibration bypass inside the Reference plugin. This ensures that the rendered audio remains unaffected by the calibration settings.

Does that help clarify things?

 

Sonar Reference 4 and rendering music in Cakewalk

How do I use Sonar Reference 4 with Cakewalk Sonar?

Do I need to turn off Sonar Reference 4 when I  render files?

My new song, hope you like. Simple and sweet. 😉

 

Hey awesome Cakewalk peeps!

Here is my latest song, I hope you like, thanks for listening!

Best to you!

RexRed 💝

Hey awesome Cakewalk peeps!

Tonight I made a new tutorial for you.

Finding Creativity Cakewalk Sonar 2024 | MIDIMakerTV

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ufJ3zwBn3w

In this tutorial I make a new song from scratch. 

Please like and click the bell for "all" notifications and you can join me in the live chat this can be a way to get you music out there though the live chat

and the YouTube Cakewalk community.

This channel is about making music, music that will go on and get millions of listens on my other channel.

You will learn vital Cakewalk tips and keys to success as my music has been getting an average of two million listens a month for the last 5 years.

Come along and be part of the community I am building @midimakertv

I already have 1000+ subscribers.   

I need 3500 hours of viewing to get this Cakewalk channel monetized. 😁

Leave comments if you like as well.

 Best to you!

RexRed

It might be time to have a "formal release" and dedicated website with all the splash and pomp the new Cakewalk Sonar DAW truly deserves. 😁

15 hours ago, Starship Krupa said:

The product currently known as Sonar (mixed case) doesn't have a 32-bit version. Rex is gushing about the very latest release of Sonar (mixed case).

It's the latest incarnation of Cakewalk (a product of Twelve Tone Systems Inc.)>SONAR (a product of Cakewalk Inc.)>Cakewalk (a product of BandLab Inc.)>Sonar (a product of the Cakewalk group of BandLab Technologies, a division of Caldecott Music Group).

Did I miss any names? I tried to stick with the main product rather than including Home Studio or whatever.

It is all a bit confusing (pun intended). It can make a person feel out of their depth (pun also intended).

Me, being a user of Cakewalk since Cakewalk for MSDOS, I think I am entitled to "gush" when an update improves the performance to such a superlative degree as is the case. 😎  

Having nearly 400 published original songs created in Cakewalk, I have an "invested" interest in the well being of this DAW... 🎵

3 hours ago, AndyB01 said:

Hey Rex I don't think this needs much else - I guess you could tweak the instrumental - I mean the voice is the the instrument on show here and it shines above everything.

Great job.

Andy

Thanks Andy! I am still adjusting to the song, not sure what to make of it yet. My ears get tired and I need a break to come back and listen to it fresh again.

The lead vocal may be a bit too hot in the first and second verse and there are a few lines that may need adjusting.

Thanks for the awesome compliment and all the best to you buddy! 🌞

This song is not done yet, I am thinking of adding a lead guitar part in the solo section and there are a few minor edits in the mix. Maybe some drums in the chorus part?

Hey Cakewalk peeps!

Here is my latest song, Hope you like!

Let me know if you have and critiques and suggestions!

Best to you!

Rex

17 minutes ago, Mr No Name said:

It might be more your DAW works at 32 bit float point by default,

I also agree with what you said about not having to mess about gain staging, if you have a moment of inspriation it's handy to be able to grab your guitar/bass and just get it down with out having to mess around. Useful for sure.

Very very loud signals can clip but I have not experienced that yet.

That is why there is no gain on the device. Just look at what is recording,  if your signal is in the ballpark but clipping occasionally in the track view you are golden.

Just pay attention if it is way too high or way too low.

I have had it clip a ton and still not be any noticeable distortion at all in the recording. 

The algorithm used by the Zoom UAC-232 to switch between the two 24-bit converters is designed to minimize any changes in the color of the sound. Here’s how it works:

Seamless Switching: The algorithm continuously monitors the input signal and seamlessly switches between the two converters based on the signal level. This ensures that the transition is smooth and does not introduce any noticeable artifacts or changes in sound color.

High-Quality Components: The converters and other components used in the UAC-232 are of high quality, which helps maintain the integrity of the audio signal. High-quality components are less likely to introduce coloration to the sound.

Precision Matching: The two converters are precisely matched to ensure that their output is consistent. This means that when the algorithm switches between them, the sound remains consistent and transparent.

Digital Signal Processing (DSP): The DSP algorithms used in the UAC-232 are designed to handle the switching process efficiently, ensuring that the audio signal remains clean and free from distortion or coloration.

By using these techniques, the UAC-232 can switch gains without altering the color of the sound, providing high-quality, transparent audio recordings.

 

 

33 minutes ago, reginaldStjohn said:

The zoom interface records to 32 but files but the converters are 24bit. Thus was discussed in another thread some months ago

I am not sure what you mean, it never clips and there is no noise level. So the final result is a 32 bit floating point recording that sounds pristine (better than my Fireface).

The converters are facilitating a 32 bit algorithm. 

The Zoom UAC-232 uses two 24-bit A/D converters for each input to achieve high-quality audio recording without the need for gain adjustments. Here’s how it works:

Different Input Gains: Each of the two A/D converters is set to a different input gain range. This means one converter handles quieter signals, while the other handles louder signals.

Automatic Switching: The UAC-232 constantly monitors the data from both converters and automatically selects the one that provides the best recording results. This ensures that the audio is captured without clipping or introducing noise, regardless of the input signal level.

Wide Dynamic Range: By combining the data from both converters, the UAC-232 can achieve a wider dynamic range than would be possible with a single A/D converter.

This design allows the UAC-232 to capture a broad range of sound levels, from very quiet to very loud, without the need for manual gain adjustments, ensuring high-quality, clip-free recordings.

Then the algorithm turns the two signals into a 32 bit recording.

The end result of having 2 x 24 bit recorders one set for low gain and the other for high gain is a wider dynamic range when they are both combined allowing for a performance with dynamic range to be capture flawless and then saved in a 32 bit format.

Then you can use Cakewalk to lower and raise the volumes to the median.   

 

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/UAC232--zoom-uac-232-usb-3.0-audio-interface

Even lower price, almost 50% less than what I paid for it.

Let me know here if you buy this. Let others know if you own this and like it a lot like I do!

I'll give you a tip on how to use this device in Cakewalk.

Since it does not have an input volume sometimes your project volume can be louder than your input volume.

I just put a bus output volume envelope on my master bus and temporarily lower that and sometimes I will send the recording track output out of Cakewalk rather than have it flow to the master. That solves that issue.

Then you can attenuate the recording input volume with that of the mix. 

Consider that it never matters the volume you record something at, low or high volume it will "always" be perfect in 32 bit.

If you have a mic boost button, you might use it in the on position to raise the input a bit above the volume of the mix. 

Imagine a vocalist that is all over the place screaming into the mic and then whispering. This is NEVER a problem as 32 bit recording it is impossible to clip or saturate the gain or have it so low that turning it up reveals the noise floor. There is virtually no noise floor and there is not much in this world loud enough to clip this. 

I am a vocalist and the price of this to never have to set my gain is worth every penny of the investment not to mention that it does sound better, with more bits it should (in my opinion). The file sizes are larger but not enough to notice, a whole project may only be a few gigs...

Just imagine your song in 32 bit... And Cakewalk does not run noticeable sluggish either, and with the new updates it is super efficient and fast. 

I was using this interface with the Bandlab version and was very happy then as well. 

I am not affiliated with this product in any way, I am just a very happy customer.

1 minute ago, Mr No Name said:

yes, but what happens when you convert down to 24 or 16 bit for finalizing and mastering tracks,

gain staging is necessary at the mixing stage definately

You use Cakewalk to gain stage, look at your levels and use a brick wall on your final mastering bus.