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[CLOSED] Cakewalk 2020.01 Early Access


Morten Saether

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2020.01 Early Access installer now available!

We're pleased to announce the Early Access for 2020.01, which includes many significant improvements and  bug fixes, all in keeping with our goal of making CbB as reliable and enjoyable as possible.

We'd love for you to check it out before we drop the official public version, which should be in roughly a week.

Please note that Early Access installers are update installers, which only update from a specific version. To install the 2020.01 Early Access build, you must be on the latest public release of 2019.12.

Download Cakewalk 2020.01 EA installer

If you haven't already done so, please read about the Early Access Program before participating.

Thanks again for your participation!
The Bakers

 


 

2020.01 Highlights
 

Behavior changes

  • The Duplicate Clip command now respects Snap By.

 

Multi-timbral soft synth enhancements

Instrument Track Per Audio Output

In Cakewalk 2019.11 and earlier, Simple Instrument Tracks are limited to one track per instance of a VSTi, and a single stereo audio out.

Cakewalk 2020.01 has a new Instrument Track Per Output option in the Add Track menu and Insert Soft Synth Options dialog box for multi-timbral soft synths that support multiple outputs. It pairs a MIDI track with a separate audio output track (mono or stereo) for each synth output, assigning sequential MIDI channels. This allows you to have multiple Instrument tracks for a single instance of a synth.

The Instrument Track Per Output option is similar to the All Synth Audio Outputs: Stereo and All Synth Audio Outputs: Mono options, except Instrument tracks are created instead of Audio tracks.

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Note: As with Simple Instrument Tracks, you must split the Instrument tracks if you wish to edit MIDI automation.


MIDI chase support for MIDI event buses

MIDI chase is now supported for VST3 MIDI event buses that support it (e.g. Vienna Symphonic Library).

 

Show/hide Aim Assist text in Time Ruler

You can now show/hide the Aim Assist text in the time ruler. To do so, do one of the following:

  • Go to Edit > Aim Assist and select Show Aim Assist Time.
  • Right-click in the time ruler and select Aim Assist > Show Aim Assist Time.
  • Press ALT+X (can be reassigned to any other shortcut in Edit > Preferences > Customization - Keyboard Shortcuts).

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CPU metrics

Diagnosing glitches in audio playback is now easier with the new Engine Load and Late Buffers metrics in the Control Bar's Performance module tooltip.  To view these new metrics, hover the mouse over the Performance module. Note: you must have Show Tooltips enabled in Preferences > Customization - Display to see this. 

The Engine Load value is a percentage of the total time the engine took to process an audio buffer. If it takes 100% or more of the allotted time, the buffer is processed too late and it will result in audio glitches/distortion. The value in parenthesis represents the max engine load since the time the engine started.

Engine load is a better metric to help troubleshoot audio glitches during playback since it accounts for other delays in synchronizing and processing audio workloads beyond what the CPU meters report. It's normal for engine load to be higher than the average CPU meter value shown.

The Late Buffers count indicates the total number of buffers that took too long to process since the time the engine started. Too many late buffers will result in audible glitches or distortion in playback due to the audio device not receiving buffers in time. 

Note: It's OK to have a few sporadic late buffers during playback since it will not result in audible glitches.  

image.png

 


Optimizations

Experimental aggressive task scheduling model

We continue to work on improving our multi-threaded engine performance and have added a new "aggressive" task scheduling model. The aggressive task scheduler utilizes more efficient task management that can result in better multi-processing and fewer thread context switches. This feature is still experimental so report back if you notice any improvements or problems when using it.

The new scheduling model is activated by setting the ThreadSchedulingModel value to 3. This can be done via Edit > Preferences > Audio - Configuration File.  This value is at the bottom of the list.

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Bug fixes

  • WASAPI Exclusive mode fails to open inputs on multi-channel audio devices
  • WASAPI Shared mode kills audio in other apps
  • Edit tool has inconsistent drop arrow in Mercury theme
  • MIDI Chase should support VST3 event bus
  • Duplicate Clip command doesn't obey Snap By, only Snap To
  • Split tool uses fade-in curve for both fade-in & fade-out
  • CPU meters do not work at buffer sizes lower than 1 msec
  • Audio engine won't restart when changing latency while Preferences is open

 

 

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On 1/23/2020 at 5:46 PM, Morten Saether said:

2020.01 Highlights

  • The Duplicate Clip command now respects Snap By.

Wow, this sounds great, programming drums will be a lot easier with this change! :D Thanks a lot for listening!

Really looking forward to try this out, hopefully within the Early Access time frame (this week)!

Edited by GreenLight
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On 1/23/2020 at 6:46 PM, Morten Saether said:

 

 

 

On 1/23/2020 at 6:46 PM, Morten Saether said:

 


 

2020.01 Highlights
 

Behavior changes

  • The Duplicate Clip command now respects Snap By.

 

Multi-timbral soft synth enhancements

Instrument Track Per Audio Output

In Cakewalk 2019.11 and earlier, Simple Instrument Tracks are limited to one track per instance of a VSTi, and a single stereo audio out.

Cakewalk 2020.01 has a new Instrument Track Per Output option in the Add Track menu and Insert Soft Synth Options dialog box for multi-timbral soft synths that support multiple outputs. It pairs a MIDI track with a separate audio output track (mono or stereo) for each synth output, assigning sequential MIDI channels. This allows you to have multiple Instrument tracks for a single instance of a synth.

The Instrument Track Per Output option is similar to the All Synth Audio Outputs: Stereo and All Synth Audio Outputs: Mono options, except Instrument tracks are created instead of Audio tracks.

image.png  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tested this just now, and this adds unnecessary extra tracks. Where previously you could choose yourself. How do we disable that feature? Most of the time 85% of the work you do, you don't use all the outputs on a supported drum  plug.  Sometimes it's just 3 or 5 outputs and the rest is external drum samples of your choice. (Well, in my case.)

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On 1/24/2020 at 11:05 PM, _Will_ said:

Tested this just now, and this adds unnecessary extra tracks. Where previously you could choose yourself. How do we disable that feature? Most of the time 85% of the work you do, you don't use all the outputs on a supported drum  plug.  Sometimes it's just 3 or 5 outputs and the rest is external drum samples of your choice. (Well, in my case.)

I saw this and thought it was optional--for those people who wanted new behavior (multiple instrument tracks as either stereo or mono) if softsynths allowed for that.  Hmmmm.  You have my curiosity; will have to look at this tomorrow.

Clarification: This is only about the new "Instrument Track per Output" feature in the Early Release.

 

Edited by User 905133
to fix a typo and a clarification
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2 minutes ago, _Will_ said:

It keeps adding all 32 outputs of my mixer console. 🤨 What am I missing?

Can you uncheck the orange buttons under "Advanced" in that section?

UPDATE:  I will check now--what soft synth are you using?

 

Edited by User 905133
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Okay, reset my configurations and seems to work as described above, sweet.

Though, you cant set the output signal from shortcut to mono/stereo still only from the browser's drag and drop insert. 

Also, with this new multi option, it would be awesome if you could maybe select how many outputs you want manually of the plugin too in the future (like with drums.) This however is a sweet welcome update indeed!!! 🤤🥳

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19 minutes ago, User 905133 said:

TTS-1? or another one?  OK--TTS-1.

I am too tired to do more testing tonight.  Just added the advanced option in the middle.  I suggest testing each some of the options separately then together.  If you are going to do that tonight, by the time I wake up tomorrow, you will have mastered all of the possible combinations and maybe even found some oddities.  Have fun exploring!

image.png.cbf8b85bcc8faf2fe29b27c1f1266d27.png  image.thumb.png.820936fd9d36323588347fb3a49a1251.png

WARNING: Track(s) seems to refer to number of tracks or folders. I put in 48 and chose Create Folder and Split Instrument Track.  It is still processing my request, but it looks like I will end up with hundreds of tracks--possibly 48 folders, each with 4 outputs, and maybe 16 midi tracks per output?

Yes!!! My point exactly.

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8 hours ago, User 905133 said:

TTS-1? or another one?  OK--TTS-1.

I am too tired to do more testing tonight.  Just added the advanced option in the middle.  I suggest testing each some of the options separately then together.  If you are going to do that tonight, by the time I wake up tomorrow, you will have mastered all of the possible combinations and maybe even found some oddities.  Have fun exploring!

image.png.cbf8b85bcc8faf2fe29b27c1f1266d27.png  image.thumb.png.820936fd9d36323588347fb3a49a1251.png

WARNING:  EDITED per further testing of this feature:

Track(s) seems to refer to the number instances of a chosen soft synth. I put in 48 and chose (1) Create Folder and (2) Split Instrument Track.  It is still processing my request, but it looks like I will end up with hundreds of tracks--possibly 48 folders, each with 4 outputs, and maybe 16 midi tracks per output?  The result: 240 tracks as (4 Instrument Tracks and 1 MIDI Track) X 48 instances of TTS-1. 

 

We did discuss the "Tracks" parameter and how best to rename this.

We considered changing it to "Repetitions" which more accurately reflects what it's actually doing, however this wasn't going to translate easily for other languages and still fit nicely into the dialog.

The conclusion was that we probably need to revamp the dialog, which we'll do in a later version.

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1 hour ago, msmcleod said:

We did discuss the "Tracks" parameter and how best to rename this.

We considered changing it to "Repetitions" which more accurately reflects what it's actually doing, however this wasn't going to translate easily for other languages and still fit nicely into the dialog.

The conclusion was that we probably need to revamp the dialog, which we'll do in a later version.

I'm not sure I followed the discussion properly, but could "Instances" be a better word?

Edited by GreenLight
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On 1/25/2020 at 8:08 AM, msmcleod said:

We did discuss the "Tracks" parameter and how best to rename this.

We considered changing it to "Repetitions" which more accurately reflects what it's actually doing, however this wasn't going to translate easily for other languages and still fit nicely into the dialog.

The conclusion was that we probably need to revamp the dialog, which we'll do in a later version.

Thanks for chiming in  with these details.  Just to be clear, I like flexibility. 

I am not sure, but from the little testing I did last night, the Track(s) number seemed to insert those many instances of the soft synths I tried, though not each in its own folder.  Maybe it is "Synth Instances?"

Edited by User 905133
comment about out-of-print soft synth removed because no one else seems to use it; comment about synth instances left in because even though it is not specifically about a new feature, there are comments that refer to it
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