Arturia Keystep Pro - Control Cakewalk (or vice cersa)

[CouldBeAName]

Hi everyone,

does anyone have some experience regarding the sync/ control of cakewalk using the Arturia Keystep Pro (KSP).
Or may be the other way around: Giving the clock and tempo to the KSP.

I looked up the recommendations at BandLab

Cakewalk - KnowledgeBase - Synchronization
https://www.cakewalk.com/Support/Knowledge-Base/2007013094/Synchronization
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Any Advice/ Experience?
May be something overseen?
Ways for troubleshooting?

I don't seem to get it. May be you can tell me your settings (on KSP and Cakewalk).

Kind regards

[Teegarden]

I don't use this function, but someone who might be able to help you out is Mike from Creative Sause (he's also a forum member). He has an Arturia keyboard as well as extensive knowledge about CbB. 

Here's a video he did on his keyboard: Arturia KeyLab 88 MKII. I assume that Arturia uses the same way of interacting with a DAW on their different types of keyboards.

Hope this helps.

[abacab]

That's a good video, and I have the Arturia Keylab 61 MkII and I like it too! I wish I could help with the Keystep, but to be honest, I haven't got the KeyLab set up with Cakewalk yet other than as a generic MIDI controller.

Out of the box it integrates nicely using plug and play settings with several other leading DAWs. Unfortunately, Cakewalk lags behind in the ability to automatically support specific current controller devices. In all fairness, there are users that have reported mixed success using the Mackie protocol with the Keylabs to set up a control surface in Cakewalk after doing some research and homework.

There are other threads on this forum with some related info regarding the above if you use the forum  search feature.

[CouldBeAName]

Hi guys! Sorry for the delay.

And thanks for your replies! :-)

 

Yeah! I actually own a KeyLab Essential 61, right now. It's really neat! But I want to sell it, because of various reasons. It's rather a problem of space. The MIDI-Contoller itself is awesome and works fine. DAW-Controll as well. It also got me into working with all this synth-MIDI-stuff. Someday, I want a KeyLab 88 MKII myself.

Since my focus is on the Keystep Pro (KSP), the video itself was not that helpful. But I appreciate your help. :-)

I still have to look up the Mackie protocol, btw. I will give a reply on that.

 

For me, basically, there're three main issues, right now:

- Record/play multiple tracks at a time (not only the one focused on), since the KSP is able to play four sequencers at a time.

- Get the KSP to work as master or slave, regarding clock.

- (May be) controll Cakewalk with the KSP. But I also read, that even seems to be hard to do that on ableton.

 

I'd already be glad, if I get to solve the first issue. Since the other two can be done manually.

 

kind regards!

CBAN

[abacab]

1 hour ago, CouldBeAName said:

Record/play multiple tracks at a time (not only the one focused on), since the KSP is able to play four sequencers at a time.

That could be done, if the Keystep can assign a separate MIDI channel output from each sequencer. Then you would use 4 instrument tracks, each with a different MIDI channel assigned to a different Keystep MIDI channel on the track inputs in Cakewalk.

[CouldBeAName]

Ignore this one. Forgot to quote.

Reply is underneath.

Edited May 22, 2022 by CouldBeAName

[CouldBeAName]

11 hours ago, abacab said:

That could be done, if the Keystep can assign a separate MIDI channel output from each sequencer. Then you would use 4 instrument tracks, each with a different MIDI channel assigned to a different Keystep MIDI channel on the track inputs in Cakewalk.

Hi,

the KSP is able to do so.

Only the track in focus is returning audio.

So: I press "Record" in Cakewalk, but only track in focus is creating output and being recorded.

If I select another track, the audio-output and track being recorded switches .

The audio of the previous track is just being cut of. May be it is still recording the tracks but just not returning their audio due to the focus (how to check?).

 

If I use the Soft-Synths outside any DAW, everything works fine. 

Or could it be, because the KSP is connected via USB to the DAW?
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This is the current setup:
KSP --USB --> Laptop/DAW (1-4 vsts) >-- USB --> Audio Interface --> Headphones

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Might it be because of the USB-Connection?

Should I try to go over the Interface?
KSP-->MIDI-->Interface-->USB -->DAW

 

kind regards,

CBAN

Edited May 22, 2022 by CouldBeAName

[abacab]

Cakewalk basics. You need to enable "Input Echo" on all of the tracks you wish to "layer". This overrides the auto selection of just the track in focus.

[CouldBeAName]

On 5/22/2022 at 4:04 PM, abacab said:

Cakewalk basics. You need to enable "Input Echo" on all of the tracks you wish to "layer". This overrides the auto selection of just the track in focus.

Hi,

argh! No! You got me! I'm a total noob. :-)
No for real. Since Ableton live does not offer a larger amount of tracks I'm still looking around for a DAW.

I'm very inexperienced with all the DAW-stuff.

 

Nice! I'm actually able record, now! 
I probably tried out to much at once...

 

Thank you so much! :-)

One more thing off of the list.
Can you recommend any tutorials or RTFM?

[abacab]

8 minutes ago, CouldBeAName said:

Can you recommend any tutorials or RTFM?

Check out Mike's full Cakewalk playlist here! >>> https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL4ylp_4AhfKtyYYRWyp9B4v2CLm32__9P

 

Edited May 23, 2022 by abacab