Jump to content

Why Can't I Use My Samples?


Recommended Posts

On 9/5/2021 at 1:57 PM, Music Meister said:

Normally they're .wav files but for some reason now they're being listed as "Media File" which is strange.

Are you saying that the extension for some of your audio files is no longer "wav" but "Media File?" In other words are you saying that a file that might have been named "kick.wav" before is now "kick.Media File" (or maybe "kick.wmv" or something else other than *.wav?  

It does seem odd that something would have gone through all your *.wav files and changed the extension.

On 9/5/2021 at 1:57 PM, Music Meister said:

The picture I showed all the way up top is what I see when I open my files app . 

Also, what "files app" are you using?  With a file utility I use, I couldn't find a single file on my PC with "Media File" as an extension.  Is it possible that your files app is somehow changing the extension?

FWIW: Mid-2020 I downloaded some free sample packs from Cymatics.  The downloads show up as *.zip files and the extracted files are definitely *.wav files.  Lemme add them to my Cakewalk Media Browser.  Sec.

For the one pack I unzipped, the wav files showed up in Cakewalk's Media Browser once I navigated to the Cymatics folder. Both loops and stems were draggable into a track as expected.

Not sure if he changed his file format so you now have to purchase a license to use them in a DAW.  Have you contacted Cymatics on this issue?

UPDATE:  I took another look at my Cymatics  files.  Inside the main folder, there is also a _MACOSX Folder that has Loops and One Shots.  If I try to drag those from the Cakewalk Media Browser to a track, I get an file type error message.  Is it possible you are trying to use non-windows files? 

Edited by User 905133
fixed typo (traying --> trying; To add comments on a longshot possibility; to report the results of a test with Cymatics samples on my PC; to add info re: Cymatics; to add Qs about the "files app" being used.
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

@User 905133

I think you found the reason  why it can't be used. 👍

It makes sense that a media file that can't be played in windows is for Macosx.

ADDED:

Wait a minute...Mac has wav-files too.

If it was a wav it would associate as Microsoft sound file. Being associated with a general media file suggests that the filetype is unknown but have some data in the header that says it has to do with media.

This could then mean that it IS a Macosx-file but NOT a wav-file.

If you learn how to display filetypes it would be easy to tell which files in a folder that are wav-files.

It is also a bit safer to have the filetypes shown.

Naked woman.jpg ---what you see without filetypes showing. Could fool you to think it is a picture.

Naked woman.jpg.exe ---what you see with filetypes showing. Now you can see that this file is dangerous.

Edited by Kurre
Addition.
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 minutes ago, Music Meister said:
On 9/4/2021 at 3:19 PM, scook said:

There is an option in the media browser menu (B in the image below) under Views to "Show All Files And Folders"

There's no image. 

I see the image in the post.

It is from the documentation.

Follow the link in the post for the image and more info about the browser.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

23 hours ago, User 905133 said:

Are you saying that the extension for some of your audio files is no longer "wav" but "Media File?" In other words are you saying that a file that might have been named "kick.wav" before is now "kick.Media File" (or maybe "kick.wmv" or something else other than *.wav?  

Below is a screen shot of one of my samples. I clicked on the properties and the file says "Media File". I know that normally it says .wav or something like that. 

image.png.d21bae182207d70d22651f0f833a9bcc.png

23 hours ago, User 905133 said:

Also, what "files app" are you using?  With a file utility I use, I couldn't find a single file on my PC with "Media File" as an extension.  Is it possible that your files app is somehow changing the extension?

I'm using the stock file app. "File Explorer". 

 

On 9/5/2021 at 11:13 AM, User 905133 said:

Not sure if he changed his file format so you now have to purchase a license to use them in a DAW.  Have you contacted Cymatics on this issue?

No because I figured that it was something wrong with my computer instead. 

 

On 9/5/2021 at 11:13 AM, User 905133 said:

UPDATE:  I took another look at my Cymatics  files.  Inside the main folder, there is also a _MACOSX Folder that has Loops and One Shots.  If I try to drag those from the Cakewalk Media Browser to a track, I get an file type error message.  Is it possible you are traying to use non-windows files? 

How so? 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 9/4/2021 at 1:19 PM, scook said:

There is an option in the media browser menu (B in the image below) under Views to "Show All Files And Folders"

So I found out what you meant now. It did allow me to access my samples but now Cakewalk won't let me use them. 

image.png.b31e19a2322d5bec188fd5572b6ca624.png

That's the same thing I see in File Explorer. How do I make it so that these samples can be used in Cakewalk?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The files in the media browser do not have a valid audio file extension. If they are wav files the files will have to be renamed to add the .wav to their names.

Forget that, you still have extensions turned off in Windows.

Are the clips on the C drive?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

After playing around a bit with file I think it may be related to the file names.

If the files are unzipped in an uncompressed folder and If extensions are turned off in Windows Explorer and the files are only visible in the Cakewalk media browser when "Show All Files and Folders" is enabled - it is likely the files actually do not have the appropriate file extension.

To see if this is the case  enable "File Name Extensions" on the View tab on Windows Explorer.

My guess is the file names will not change. IOW, they will not show the .wav extension. If the files are really wav files adding the extension will make them usable.

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

24 minutes ago, Kevin Perry said:

The only way you get that screenshot in Windows file explorer is if you're looking at files in a zip archive.  Extract them from the zip,

14 minutes ago, bdickens said:

I was gonna ask....

. . . assuming you downloaded *.zip files, what program did you use to extract them? **

Another question: When looking at uncompressed bona fide *.wav files under properties, what program do you have associated with the *.wav file type? In other words, what program is listed after "Opens with:" and before "Change?" 

**This is the first of two questions I had started typing before taking a break.  Note: It presumes you intentionally extracted the files from the downloaded zip file and leaves open some additional possibilities to explore. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, Music Meister said:

So I found out what you meant now. It did allow me to access my samples but now Cakewalk won't let me use them. 

image.png.b31e19a2322d5bec188fd5572b6ca624.png

That's the same thing I see in File Explorer. How do I make it so that these samples can be used in Cakewalk?

That ".DS_Store" is indeed Macosx.

Good luck uncompressing those. 🤕

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...