New user. Can't record virtual instruments

[Neville John Pearson]

My Launchkey Mini controller keyboard plays included Vsti instruments in Cakewalk OK, but when I click record and play, nothing gets recorded on the track where I put the instrument?  Help please?

[reginaldStjohn]

Please view some of the tutorial videos in the Tutorials Sub Forum.  Here is one that might be useful.

 

There are some good getting started tutorial in the user manual as well, https://www.cakewalk.com/Documentation?product=Cakewalk&language=3&help=Beginners.01.html

 

Make sure the track you want to record on is "armed" and that your controller is selected as an input source.

[Stephen Power]

On 4/4/2023 at 7:28 PM, reginaldStjohn said:

 

There are some good getting started tutorial in the user manual as well, https://www.cakewalk.com/Documentation?product=Cakewalk&language=3&help=Beginners.01.html

 

Having taught (at a very high level) in universities for 30 years, I certainly understand the concept of 'prerequisite knowledge'  (having to understand basic principles, before you can move on to understand more advanced concepts), and I totally value the provision of a reading library or database, in whatever form.

But, I would never have told a student 'go and read the text book' (even one I had written myself),  before I would help when they were stuck with a specific issue. I have to say that I often feel disheartened when I see this in forums, especially ones labelled 'Q&A'.

There seems to be an assumption that the questioner has not read the manual, or perhaps is too stupid to see the answer in it, when they do. Where's the harm in just saying...here's a possible solution, but the manual may well have others?

Edited April 6, 2023 by Kerryman

[reginaldStjohn]

A problem with all these written social interactions is how much effort it is to write out answers, ask questions, wait for feedback etc. The user manual as well as user provided videos and tutorials can often lead a person to discover for themselves how to diagnose and find issues and has most of the stuff already written out, no need to reproduce it here if it is a simple knowledge issue.

If they have given it some effort then often times more information is needed to truly help them like telling us what they have tried, posting pictures or video etc.

I think any poster is making some assumptions until enough information flows to truly understand each other. Even 

Quote

There seems to be an assumption that the questioner has not read the manual, or perhaps is too stupid to see the answer in it

is an assumption.

To the Original Poster. There probably need to be some more information provided like audio interface, screen shot etc. to help

[Byron Dickens]

2 hours ago, Kerryman said:

Having taught (at a very high level) in universities for 30 years, I certainly understand the concept of 'prerequisite knowledge'  (having to understand basic principles, before you can move on to understand more advanced concepts), and I totally value the provision of a reading library or database, in whatever form.

But, I would never have told a student 'go and read the text book' (even one I had written myself),  before I would help when they were stuck with a specific issue. I have to say that I often feel disheartened when I see this in forums, especially ones labelled 'Q&A'.

There seems to be an assumption that the questioner has not read the manual, or perhaps is too stupid to see the answer in it, when they do. Where's the harm in just saying...here's a possible solution, but the manual may well have others?

Or it is redundant and inefficient to regurgitate what the documentation says instead of simply pointing them to it.

Real learning is not memorizing reams of trivia but knowing how to find the necessary information when needed.

Teaching a man how to catch fish rather than just giving him one, as it were.

[mark skinner]

On 4/4/2023 at 1:28 PM, reginaldStjohn said:

Make sure the track you want to record on is "armed" and that your controller is selected as an input source

I believe this qualified as a simple direct answer to the OP .   

[Stephen Power]

On 4/6/2023 at 7:48 PM, Byron Dickens said:

Teaching a man how to catch fish rather than just giving him one, as it were.

I think my suggestion does both...Where's the harm in just saying...here's a possible solution, but the manual may well have others?

Edited April 8, 2023 by Kerryman

[John Vere]

The thing is asking a basic question on a forum is a flag that the person might not be aware of better methods of getting an answer to a question.  
And that is as simple as entering the question in Google or any search engine.

If the term Cakewalk is in the question you will be presented with the answer in different formats. First will be the documentation next will be old posts from this forum and the legacy forum and then the appropriate videos. 
This forum still serves as a good place to ask advanced questions or report issues you are experiencing. But basic information is available instantly to everyone who asks in the correct location. That includes the built in documentation found in the software itself.

 Search engines are how the world gets answers now, not forums. You pick up your cellphone and ask it “ How do I use VST instruments in Cakewalk “. Simple. 
 

I just tried this and there it was. A million answers and most at the top were what I needed. The cool thing is everyone is different in how they  learn. Some prefer reading other like the videos so there you go. 

Edited April 8, 2023 by John Vere

[Byron Dickens]

On 4/6/2023 at 11:16 AM, Kerryman said:

There seems to be an assumption that the questioner has not read the manual, or perhaps is too stupid to see the answer in it, when they do.

That is actually a reasonable assumption when someone asks about such basic functionality since 5 minutes with the documentation gives the answer.

[Starship Krupa]

22 hours ago, Kerryman said:

Where's the harm in just saying...here's a possible solution, but the manual may well have others?

I guess you missed:

On 4/4/2023 at 11:28 AM, reginaldStjohn said:

Make sure the track you want to record on is "armed" and that your controller is selected as an input source.

Which is indeed the most likely solution.

Since this question is a very basic one, it indicates that the user is likely new to DAW's in general, but certainly Cakewalk specifically, and will really benefit from knowing where to find some fundamentals. Cakewalk's online documentation can be hard to navigate, and as with anything written from the perspective of a high level of understanding, explanation of basics can suffer. That's why there are so many tutorials and supplemental information on the basics.

If I know that my issue isn't a basic one, because I've already tried several things, if I don't want people replying with basic answers I list the things I've already checked and tried. I can't expect the people offering the answers to manage my feelings. And in the vast scale of possible emotional injuries, having a stranger on a forum underestimate my DAW skills is pretty survivable.