Pete S

[Peter Silver]

Looking to find a way to slave CW to my Yamaha CVP 107 Clainova sequencer keyboard adn record multiple midi channels to CW.   I do a lot of recording on the Clav  with drums, bass, strings, etc.   In the past I've been able to take the mix output as  audio stereo tracks and then d overdubs (used a Zoom R8 but wanting to switch to CW). I'd like to record those tracks directly into separate midi tracks on CW to do editing, quantizing, etc.   Once the backing track is recorded, I want to be able to record additional keyboard overdubs, using the transport on the keyboard to start CW to keep in sync and not be reaching all over the room. The Clav has 16 midi tracks built in, with built in accompaniment on 9-16.  Unfortunately, the keyboard is 20+ years old, but MIDI hasn't changed that much, I hope.  

A related question is how do I record the native MIDI sounds from my Clav to a MIDI track in CW?   The Clav has 200+ built in sounds (Yamaha XG) which I'd love to use and not have to use a plug in every time.    I believe a video I saw recently showed a way to create a midi track and a companion audio track.   The midi track just sent the data, and the audio track recorded the audio output of the keyboard sound module.   Any ideas?

Thanks in advance for any help.  

[Nigel Mackay]

You can't use the Clavinova's sounds via MIDI. MIDI is raw data: play middle-C now at volume 23; stop playing middle-C now. You can play something on the Clavinova, record the MIDI and then use the MIDI to play a synth inside CW. But no relation to the Clavinova's sounds at all. Recording MIDI needs a MIDI interface.

To record the Clavinova's sounds you need an audio interface. Plug the audio output of the Clavinova into the audio interface, the audio interface into the PC. Install/setup interface. Tell Cakewalk to use the interface as input. Record.

To use the transport controls you will need both, or a combined, interface.

Using audio, you can record one sound at a time and then do a fine-tuned mix in Cakewalk. This includes the built in accompaniment. Or you can play a piece with full backing and record the performance.

Using MIDI, you can record the backing tracks, but they will be raw MIDI data. You will need to route it to a synth inside Cakewalk. So not the same sounds as the Clavinola, but the same sheet-music, if you like. This means that you can use a slightly different trumpet sound, or replace the trumpet with a pipe-organ.

You can do a combination of the two. The sky (and your budget) is the limit.

Edited August 5, 2020 by Nigel Mackay

[Peter Silver]

Thank you!