Recording/automating synth controller wheel moves

[Starship Krupa]

When I want the feel of a live performance, I play my keyboard parts in from a MIDI controller.

One thing I haven't figured out how to do is record or even manually draw pitch and mod wheel movements.

I want to play back my MIDI file, do some fancy moves on my pitch and mod wheels, have Cakewalk record those moves, and then apply them next time I play the MIDI file. If I can't do that, I will settle for drawing them in in automation lanes or similar.

I've checked the Reference Guide and searched online, and where I choke is the part right after they say "choose the parameter you wish to automate from the drop-down list." This is because out of the many, many parameters I find on these lists, the two that I can't seem to find are "pitch wheel" and "mod wheel." Really, I never knew there were so many automatable parameters other than, y'know, the two that have come standard on most MIDI keyboards for the past 35 years. If what I wanted to do was change the shape of oscillator two, bang, no problem, I wouldn't even be typing this.

I've floated my Synth Rack to see the knobs, I've clicked on the automation lanes, changed the button in the Track and Clip headers to Automation, all of these, I even know that the mod wheel is CC 1, so if it weren't explicitly labeled "mod wheel," I could still find it, but even just CC 1 eludes me. I also know that for some reason the pitch wheel isn't the same kind of "continuous controller" that the mod wheel is, but moving it results in some kind of data stream, so I'm hoping that this data can be recorded.

What am I missing so far? What piece of the puzzle?

"Tembah, his arms wide!"

[scook]

Since pitch and mod wheel data are sent by the controller, they may be recorded just like note data. This will store that data in clips just like the note data.

To add pitch and mod wheel as automation use the automation drop down 

• Set the MIDI Envelope Type to Wheel for pitch
• Set the MIDI Envelope Type to Control and Value to "1 Modulation" for mod wheel

[Glenn Stanton]

oops - Mr Cook got here already...

using the "MIDI..." on the list of track automation, the "Modulation" is the first item in the list.

NOTE i find setting it to "wheel" the list is empty... maybe it's dependent on the synth? or perhaps you draw/record it into the MIDI note section (i think that's how i've done it in the past)

Edited January 28, 2021 by Glenn Stanton

[scook]

8 hours ago, Glenn Stanton said:

NOTE i find setting it to "wheel" the list is empty... maybe it's dependent on the synth? 

The Wheel Type is for the pitch wheel only and does not use the Value drop down.

The Value is part of the description of the automation envelope not the  the nodes on the envelope. 

The Control Type needs a Value to determine which continuous controller is being automated.

[Starship Krupa]

Aha, thanks.

I think the designation "Wheel" instead of "Pitch" may be where things were falling apart for me when trying to figure out the automation, and then CC1 being under another list. The sidewalk crack I kept tripping over. I knew it would be something hidden in plain sight.

As far as playing it real time, then, all I need to do is record more takes in Sound On Sound mode.

Will do this and mark answered as soon as I get it to work.