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[CLOSED] Cakewalk 2021.04 Early Access


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[UPDATE 22-Apr-2021: Cakewalk 2021.04 Early Access 2 is now available]

We're pleased to announce Early Access for 2021.04! This release integrates BandLab library access directly within Cakewalk, introduces a new Tempo track and Tempo Inspector, PC2A T-Type Leveling Amplifier ProChannel module, automation enhancements, Arranger enhancements, lots of other enhancements and optimizations, and over 60 bug fixes.

We'd love for you to check it out before we drop the official public version. 

Please note that Early Access installers are update installers, which only update from a specific version. To install the 2021.04 Early Access build, you must be on the latest public release of 2021.01. 

Download Cakewalk 2021.04 EA installer

Should you need to revert to the 2021.01 release, you can download the Cakewalk 2021.01 Rollback installer.

If you haven't already done so, please read about the Early Access Program before participating.
Please keep responses specific to problems or comments on this release. Unrelated bugs or feature requests should be posted in other threads or the feature request channel.

Thanks again for your participation!
The Bakers

 


 

2021.04 Highlights

 

New features

Note: Screenshots may not reflect actual UI in latest build.

Integrated BandLab library access

The 2021.04 release introduces a major update to BandLab integration, with support for downloads and uploads and tracking revision state directly from within Cakewalk. Subsequent uploads to BandLab of a modified project are automatically tracked as revisions to the parent project. There is also support for importing clips and  MIDI tracks from BandLab projects. The brand new Library view (File > Browse BandLab Projects) now allows you to  navigate your projects on BandLab and set revision and song properties directly from within Cakewalk .

Here are some of the benefits of BandLab library integration in Cakewalk:

  • Easily publish Cakewalk projects, stems and mixes to your BandLab library
  • Quickly open BandLab projects in Cakewalk
  • Collaborate easily by sharing audio tracks via the BandLab cloud
  • Bring projects started on mobile into Cakewalk for VST effects and advanced editing
  • Fly in vocals or other parts for a Cakewalk project from iOS and Android
  • Curate your music as playlists that you can play anywhere from your mobile device

To publish the current project to your BandLab library, select File > Publish to BandLab or choose Export | BandLab from the export module on the toolbar.

When publishing to BandLab, a project may be uploaded as  a new project, or as a revision to an existing BandLab project.  BandLab projects always point to the latest revision. 

Use the Upload Settings to pick the combination of project assets you wish to upload to the BandLab project. Tracks and buses are mixed down prior to uploading to BandLab.

image.png

To open a BandLab project, select File > Browse BandLab Projects. You may open as a new Cakewalk project or import into an existing project. Note that revisions are only tracked if you open as a new Cakewalk project. Use the Download Settings options to select the types of assets from the BandLab project you wish to download and open. 

image.png

Note: The Help button in the Browse BandLab Projects dialog box will not launch the correct help topic until Cakewalk 2021.04 has been officially released.

IMPORTANT: Cakewalk is no longer compatible with projects downloaded via BandLab Assistant. As of version 2021.04, BandLab Assistant should no longer be used for project integration.

If you have multiple BandLab user accounts and would like to sign in as a different user, select Help > Sign Out from BandLab, then select Help > Sign In to BandLab to sign in with a different account.

 

Tempo track

image.png

The new envelope based  Tempo track replaces the Tempo view and provides an overview of the project tempo. 

In the Tempo track, tempo changes are represented by envelope shapes. You edit the project’s tempo map the same way you edit automation envelopes. If a project has a single fixed tempo, the Tempo track shows a straight horizontal line. You create tempo changes by adding envelope nodes and editing their values. You can expand the Tempo track to give yourself more room to work, and adjust the range of values for the Tempo track.

To show the Tempo track, do one of the following:

  • Click the Track view View menu and select Tempo Track Show/Hide
  • Select Views > Tempo or press ALT+SHIFT+5 (this also opens the Tempo Inspector)

The Tempo track automatically zooms vertically to fit the tempo range each time the tempo envelope is modified.

  • To zoom vertically, drag up/down in the tempo scale with the left mouse button
  • To scroll vertically, drag in the tempo scale with the right mouse button
  • To auto-zoom to fit the envelope, double-click the tempo scale

The new Project > Offset Tempo Map command lets you speed up or slow down the entire tempo map.

For additional options, right-click the Tempo track.

Tip: There is a new workspace named Tempo that has a layout suitable for tempo editing.

Note: Your old custom workspaces have no knowledge of the new Tempo track, so you must resave the workspaces if you want to store the state of the Tempo track.

 

Tempo Inspector

image.png

The Tempo Inspector shows a list of all tempo changes defined in the project’s tempo map, and allows you to edit each tempo change BPM, time position, and curve type.

To show/hide the Tempo Inspector, click the Show/Hide Tempo Inspector button image.png at the top of the Inspector pane.

To show both the Tempo Inspector and Tempo track, select Views > Tempo or press ALT+SHIFT+5.

 

PC2A T-Type Leveling Amplifier ProChannel module

PC2A T-Type Leveling Amplifier is meticulously modeled after a legendary vintage electro-optical tube compressor. This compressor, known for its automatic gain control characteristics, delivers vintage sound with incredibly warm and rich compression. It is revered by audio engineers worldwide for its trademark sound, and has been used on countless hit records since the late 1960s. It is one of the true classics in the audio recording industry.

image.png

 

 

Enhancements

Loop current arrangement

You can now loop the current arrangement indefinitely by enabling the Loop Enable/Disable button image.png in the Arranger Inspector.

image.png

 

Plug-in menu improvements

Plug-in menus have been greatly enhanced to make it easier and faster to find and select plug-ins:

  • Plug-in menus show color coded plug-in types (DX/VST2/VST3/32 bit)
  • Large plug-in menus can now show over 1,000 plug-ins
  • Multiple columns appear when applicable
  • Clearer fonts
  • Supports mouse wheel scrolling
  • Supports keyboard navigation:
    • HOME / END
    • PAGE UP / PAGE DOWN
    • Press any alpha-numeric key to go to the first plug-in beginning with that character; press the same character again to go to the next plug-in, etc.

image.png

 

Improved automation envelope UI

The appearance of automation envelopes has been updated:

  • Automation envelopes are slightly thinner
  • Nodes are smaller and no longer have a gradient
  • Selected nodes are larger and outlined
  • Ghosted envelopes no longer show nodes

image.png

 

Show values on automation envelopes

You can now optionally show values on envelopes.

To show/hide values on automation envelopes, click the Track view View menu and select Display > Show Values on Envelopes.

image.png

 

Track Manager preset support

The Track Manager dialog box now has support for per-project presets.

This is useful if you have a large project and you want to hide all other tracks apart from a certain group of tracks. For example, on a rock project you could have a "Drums only" or "Guitars" preset; on an orchestral project, you may wish to have a "Strings Section" preset that hides all tracks apart from your strings tracks.

Note: Tracks within the Tracks Manager presets are "opted-out" - i.e. it remembers which tracks you want to hide, rather than which tracks you want to show (to avoid not being able to see newly created tracks).

To open the Track Manager, click the Track view Tracks menu and select Track Manager or press the H key.

image.png

 

Convert MIDI continuous controller (CC) events to/from automation envelopes

You can convert back and forth between MIDI continuous controller (CC) events and automation envelopes. 

The existing Track view Clips > Convert MIDI Controllers To Envelopes command lets you convert all CC events on all selected tracks to automation envelopes. You now also have finer control with the ability to convert an individual CC type on a Piano Roll controller lane. You can also convert MIDI automation envelopes back to CC events. You can also choose to convert only a selected part of your CC events / automation envelope and back again.

Converting MIDI controllers to envelopes:

  1. In the Piano Roll view Controller pane, click the name/label of the CC type that you want to convert to an envelope.
  2. Right-click the highlighted CC name/label and select Convert MIDI to Envelopes.
  3. Cakewalk converts the Piano Roll view controller data to a Track view envelope that controls the same parameter.

        image.png 

Converting envelopes to MIDI controllers:

This can be useful, for example, if you want to use the Transform tool in the Piano Roll view Controller pane.

  1. In the Clips pane, show the envelope that you want to convert to MIDI controller events.
  2. Select the time range that contain the controller data you want to convert, or clear the selection if you want to convert the entire envelope.
  3. Right-click envelope and select Convert to MIDI Events.

Conversion uses the current Snap to Grid setting as a resolution for discrete CC events:

  • If Snap is off, the resolution is the last selected snap setting
  • If Snap is not set to a musical value (e.g. samples), the resolution is 1/32nd note

        image.png

 

UI theme compatibility checker

IMPORTANT: The Inspector header has a new Show/Hide Tempo Inspector button image.png. In addition to the new button, the other header buttons have been resized. Custom user themes must be updated in order to show the header buttons properly.

When you select a theme in Edit > Preferences > Customization - Themes, or launch Cakewalk with an old custom user theme active, Cakewalk checks to make sure the custom theme is compatible with the current version of Cakewalk.

A user theme is considered incompatible if Cakewalk contains new or resized UI elements that have not been updated in the theme.

If the selected theme needs to be updated, Cakewalk will show a Custom Theme Incompatibility warning, and ask if you want to continue to use the theme:

  • If you click Yes, some UI elements might be corrupted until the theme is updated and resaved in Theme Editor.
  • If you click No, Cakewalk will revert to the factory Mercury theme.

image.png

 

Behavior changes

Disable Arranger Preview if project does not support it

To reinforce that Arranger Preview is not supported in projects that contain  video, ReWire synths, and active Region FX, Arranger Preview is now disabled in such projects.

 

Optimizations

High resolution Plug-in Automation improvements

Plug-in automation envelopes were previously being decimated at a uniform 50 msec interval. The automation rendering process has been redesigned to render at a much higher resolution of (default = 5 msec) and also make automation sample accurate (for VST3). For VST2 (or VST3 plug-ins that do not support sample accurate automation) the rendering will be buffer accurate. These improvements allows for much tighter sync when automating plug-in parameters synced to rhythm even at higher latencies. The higher resolution rendering also makes automating filter sweeps audibly smoother and without aliasing artifacts. The decimation interval can be changed via the audio configuration property AutomationDecimationMsec (2-30) in preferences.

 

Accurate automation writing via MIDI remote control

Writing automation for plug-in parameters automated via MIDI remote control is more accurate and curves should be smoothly represented.

 

Bug fixes

Stability

  • Crash loading custom plug-in layouts
  • Multichannel WAV files from Behringer X32 mixer crash on import to 24 bit
  • Crash on close of attached project
  • Crash when adding some plug-ins from track template
  • Crash when writing plug-in automation on top of existing automation
  • User reported crash with AmpleSound Cloudrum
  • Crash drag exporting MIDI to browser
  • Dragging a MIDI clip to Kontakt causes crash
  • Crash after moving Arranger Section
  • AmpleSound VST3 plug-ins crash when trying to play attached MIDI file
  • Crash swapping Sections in attached project

UI

  • FX Chain assigned controls not working after project reopen
  • Aim Assist is not visible when moving the mouse in the Piano Roll time ruler
  • Drag move of Step Sequencer clip crops unexpectedly
  • Clip outlines in the Piano Roll are practically invisible in the Tungsten theme
  • Dimmed envelopes difficult to see in Tungsten
  • Hide Muted Clips in Piano Roll does not hide MIDI CCs
  • Ripple Edit turns off unexpectedly after bouncing clip.
  • SHIFT-drag of split point causes other clips to crop unexpectedly
  • Drawing error when changing sample rate
  • Velocity of muted and hidden clips can be edited within Piano Roll
  • Unexpected behavior when adding notes in Piano Roll when muted clips are hidden
  • Scrollbar in Piano Roll track list no longer working
  • Drag drop move MIDI selection doesn't shrink the destination clip to the events extent
  • Reassign Control menu does not use Choose Parameter
  • Choose parameters dialog does not show for effects on instrument tracks
  • Context Menu for Select Module causes module to disappear
  • Drag and Drop of MIDI file creates unexpected extra MIDI clip
  • MIDI Ports from synths should not be exposed to their own inputs

Plug-ins

  • Insert effect not working for audio clips
  • Systems with high plug-in counts can fail to show all plug-ins
  • 2021.01 Update exposes internal Style Dial parameters
  • VST plug-in automation rendering is not accurate  
  • Cakewalk incorrectly reporting sample rate to VST2 plug-in after project sample rate is changed
  • Dragging an effect from one track to another goes to the wrong index
  • Nomad Factory FX included with SONAR Platinum do not show as assignable parameters in FX Chains
  • When Custom Layout does not contain plug-in, MRU fails to load
  • Plug-in Menu MRU shows duplicate entries when plug-ins are loaded from different places
  • Cakewalk loses keystrokes when plug-in hosted by Waves StudioRack has focus
  • Plug-in automation written via MIDI control not writing as expected

Arranger

  • Arranger section without data copy operations fail.
  • Arranger inspector: Prevent moving a section against itself
  • Arrangement playback timer does not match project playback timer
  • Show/Hide Arranger should show shortcut in Track View View menu

Articulation Maps

  • Articulation Chase Notes/CC does not respect order of events within the articulation
  • Error changing articulation event to keyaft event in event list
  • Modifying Section Length changes project Time Signature Unexpectedly
  • Move section with overwrite & leading notes sometimes fails to move the correct part of the clip

Misc.

  • Changing tempo during playback causes synth audio to cut out
  • Convert MIDI to Envelopes not working for multiple lanes with different channels
  • Punch in recording occurs late with Aux or synth tracks 
  • Quantize can quantize MIDI behind frozen instrument tracks
  • Save / Save As .mid file should ignore selection - only Export should use selection
  • Save As MIDI using selection after doing Export as MIDI with selection
  • Incorrect folder behavior when inserting a synth
  • Add Track for Split Instrument Tracks does not respect track count
  • Bounce to Clip(s) not always deleting original clips after bounce
  • Sign-in view fails on Windows 7

 

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36 minutes ago, Cédric Lawde said:

Thanks a lot !!!!

By the way I don't see PC2A T-Type Leveling Amplifier in my ProChannel module list ?

Is the scanner setup to run automatically or was a manual scan performed?

PC modules must be scanned like any VST plug-in.

The default install path for the PC-2A is "C:\Program Files\Cakewalk\Shared Utilities\Internal\PC2ALevelingAmplifier"

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2 minutes ago, Ron Mendoza said:

I say let's bring the PC Concrete Limiter back to fix that message 😅

Did you have the Cakewalk CA-2A Leveling Amplifier already installed when installing the update? 

 

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Thanks gang...

Always happy for progress...

I was curious what was gonna happen for those of us who have the CA-2A prochannel/vst plugin from previous purchase. Thanks for handling it as it appears two separate plugins. I doubt I'd notice a difference, but I feel better this way....

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26 minutes ago, Jonathan Sasor said:

@Ron Mendoza @kday Please try the main link in the first post again, it should now say Rebuild_2 on the installer, and this should fix PC2A for you. 

Just tried with the new installer and I'm getting the same issue.

EDIT: My bad, I was using the old installer. 

Edited by Esteban Villanova
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