Tempted

[Rain]

Oh the memories...

The year was 1999 and my father in law was working for the francophone branch of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC). When we purchased our first PC, after I mentionned Cakewalk to him, he managed to get a NFR copy of Guitar Studio. In exchange, I provided a basic review. I thought the folks at Cakewalk were the coolest.

I read the whole manual TWICE before I even installed it - even the parts about MIDI - which I thought I'd never have a use for. I really wasn't familiar with computers either.  All I cared about was: 8 tracks of cd quality audio. Quite an upgrade from bouncing from Left to Right and Right to Left while playing live to reecord overdubs on the old Sony reel to reel.

I never regretted taking the time to read that manual because it allowed me to learn all the basics, so figuring out DAW software was easier afterwards. And eventually, I realized that MIDI could be useful as was the Song Wizard. It probably spared me a lot of painful user errors too.

My father in law later got me a copy of Audio FX 2  (tape and amp sim), too, and I moved up to Cakewalk Pro Audio 8 (IIRC). Conidering that he also gave me the Sony reel to reel, and a provision of brand new reels of tapes for it, along with a pair of AKG headphones, I'll always be very grateful to him.

Anyway, it sends me down memory lane to see this on eBay. Might be worth grabbing just to display in the studio. THIS is where it all began (and why I ended up learning a whole lot more about computers than I initially intended). 

 

Edited November 24, 2022 by Rain

[craigb]

RTFM * 2???   Dang!!! 😮

[CoveCamper]

This was my first.

I was using a Boss BR-1600 Multitrack.

I still used the Boss for a while after because the computer could be a hassle. Then I finally broke down and bought Sonar X2.

I still have the Boss and use it as a sketchpad.

[Bapu]

My first was one of the smoking girls behind the school gym.

 

 

 

 

 

 

oh, wrong forum.

[Bapu]

Seriously though my first audio/midi DAW was Cakewalk Pro Audio 4 (can't find an image).

My second (can't remember the name of the first)  stand alone MIDI Sequencer was Voyetra Sequence Plus Gold.
 

[57Gregy]

You're probably driving up the price, Rain.

[SteveStrummerUK]

5 hours ago, CoveCamper said:

This was my first.

Same here! I still have the box/disc somewhere 😊

[paulo]

The first version of Cakewalk I ever saw/used was on an Aerosmith CD-ROM so that you could "remix" one of their tracks. Can't remember which track and no idea what happened to it. 

[Russell]

My first Cakewalk was a MIDI only sequencer that came with a (supposedly) 'Pro' level SoundBlaster soundcard. Had it hooked to my Roland TR-505 drum machine and that into my TASCAM PortaOne 4 track . . . My external gear was one acoustic guitar, some shakers and a kids Casio keyboard. Still have all of it except the Casio. Actually some of the best songs I ever wrote came out of that setup. With some help from, well . . . not legal at the time, things. Broke and single gives you a lot of time to focus on music LOL

[Wibbles]

I've still got my floppies ...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I'm not sure about Cakewalk though. 🤪

 

[Grem]

15 hours ago, Rain said:

really wasn't familiar with computers either.  All I cared about was: 8 tracks of cd quality audio.

eventually, I realized that MIDI could be useful

Yep, exactly my first thought when I read about computer recording.  Never thought I would use midi, until I read the manual and realized I could automate stuff!!

Then I learned about "Sequencing"

Yep, jumped right in that rabbit hole!!!

[Rain]

Exactly! The irony is that the bar where I worked in th mid-late 90's had an internet café section. I remember a few of us looking at people staying online for hours on chat boards and thinking that computers and this internet thing were turning people into zombies. Like a weird addiction. The first time the owner brought that strange virtual reality helmet sort of thing, we were like: "Look at them! What's the world coming to, man?"

But then one day my younger brother brought home a demo and I couldn't believe how good it sounded. And when he told me they'd recorded it on his friend's computer, ma fate was sealed.

[Shane_B.]

7 hours ago, Russell said:

into my TASCAM PortaOne 4 track

I bought one of those on Facebook marketplace last year to transfer some very old masters in to me daw. I still have my original Tascam 8track too.

I think, if I remember correctly, my first was Cakewalk Pro Audio  9. But I can't really remember anymore. 

[Rain]

May have been one of the best Christmas gifts ever.  Came with 10 brand new 3M reels, in their solid plastic case that he'd gotten through CBC. (These are not mine obviously, just pics I found on the web - all that stuff is in a locker back home).

One of the most intensively creative periods of my life because of the limitations. All I had was this machine, an Akai XR10 drum, a couple of guitars and a small solid state Marshall (the Fender Bassman was just too loud for me to record) and a Boss Flanger for effects. 

You'd push start on the drum machine and lay down a rhythm guitar track at the same time,  hitting fills on the XR10 in real time (I had no clue how to program that thing).

Then rewind and record an overdub live as the previously recorded tracks were being bounced. And on and on, until the song was completed.

I got so used to it that even after years working with DAWs, for quite some time, I could not bring myself to use punch in features. I insisted on playing through the whole thing everytime. I guess I felt that if everything else was programmed, the guitars had to be "live".

Edited November 25, 2022 by Rain