Replacing Soft Synths

[Hap Pleasant]

I've transistioned to Bandlab from Music Creator 3.  (I now it's old but it has worked for me for years).  I want to replace the Edirol VSC with the Bandlab TTS for all the tracks and set the bank to the same one.  Is there a easy way to do this?

[scook]

If the projects are 100% MIDI, try saving one as a MIDI file and re-opening it in the DAW.

If no MIDI output devices are selected in preferences, the DAW with automatically add TTS-1 to the project and make the appropriate instrument assignments.

[John Vere]

And to add to what Mr Cook said above. If there is audio you follow his instructions to re create the midi part.
Save as a Normal CWP project and now drag and drop the audio into the new project. 

For others  reading,  this is an easy way to transfer a project between any DAW.  
 

The  only prep needed is the audio should be a continuous stem starting at zero. You will need to create that in the original DAW. 

[sjoens]

FWIW, Quick Grouping can work with Replace Synth... if Instrument Track Per Output is selected when initially inserting a synth.

and

BTW, there appears to be a bug with Replace Synth... where default track name does not always change to the new synth.

edited for clarity

Edited June 27, 2023 by sjoens

[User 905133]

1 hour ago, sjoens said:

BTW, there appears to be a bug with Replace Synth... where the track name does not always change to the new synth.

I assume you are referring to the case where people don't name their own tracks.  I would be horrified if the Replace Synth... changed the names of my tracks. To me it would be a serious bug if the software changed the names of my tracks.

I suppose if each track name has a flag set for cases when the name was assigned by the software (or vice versa), user-named and auto-named tracks could be treated differently by the Replace Synth... function.  I have no idea if there is such a flag.

[sjoens]

Replace Synth routine is supposed to rename default track names.

1. Menu > Insert > Soft Synth...
     Synth loads with each track named after the synth
2. Right click track number or synth icon
3. Select Replace Synth for All Tracks Using This Synth...
4. Select new synth
     New synth replaces old synth and renames tracks accordingly.

Only this does not happen on my system consistently.

Edited June 27, 2023 by sjoens

[Terry Kelley]

3 hours ago, User 905133 said:

I assume you are referring to the case where people don't name their own tracks.  I would be horrified if the Replace Synth... changed the names of my tracks. To me it would be a serious bug if the software changed the names of my tracks.

I suppose if each track name has a flag set for cases when the name was assigned by the software (or vice versa), user-named and auto-named tracks could be treated differently by the Replace Synth... function.  I have no idea if there is such a flag.

I had the same thought at one time. I always put pertinent information in the track title such as what synth, amp settings, mic used, guitar used etc.

When I load a soft synth I add the sound or preset I was using. But when I was switch the synth, the old synth name is still there and I m wondering "Well gee, why didn't CW change the Xpand!2 to Mini Moog for me?"

Because that's my job as part of keeping notes and track of what I am doing.  At least CW was nice enough to put the synth name there when I loaded it.

Edited June 28, 2023 by Terry Kelley

[sjoens]

I assume once you change the track name, somehow Cakewalk is prevented from renaming it when you replace the synth.

I would prefer it still did, tho.

[User 905133]

14 hours ago, sjoens said:

I assume once you change the track name, somehow Cakewalk is prevented from renaming it when you replace the synth.

Thanks for confirming you were talking about default [automatically assigned] track names.

I do remember sometime within the past year (possibly before that), there was an issue with track names when they were moved and that the issue was ultimately fixed.  IIRC, (1) it had to do with maintaining the order of tracks and (2) there was a difference between the user's order and the creation order. Unfortunately, I don't recall if there was a difference between automatically named tracks and user named tracks.

Edited June 28, 2023 by User 905133
fixed typo (tricks to tracks)

[Terry Kelley]

13 hours ago, sjoens said:

I assume once you change the track name, somehow Cakewalk is prevented from renaming it when you replace the synth.

I would prefer it still did, tho.

Left the edited name or changed it to the new synth? I can see both really.

[sjoens]

Yeah, to my thinking, Cakewalk should change the name to the new synth even if I had renamed it before the change. Cause the old name usually reflects the old synth. If I change the synth and fail to rename the track, then come back later to see the old name still there (10 yrs later), I may be confused.

[User 905133]

1 hour ago, sjoens said:

Yeah, to my thinking, Cakewalk should change the name to the new synth even if I had renamed it before the change. Cause the old name usually reflects the old synth. If I change the synth and fail to rename the track, then come back later to see the old name still there (10 yrs later), I may be confused.

For people who name tracks by function/purpose in the context of the music/composition, who might include an abbreviated or shortened synth name, and/or who might include other useful information in the track name, having the original name of the track wiped out by an automatic process just to have the name of the replacement synth in the track name field seems like it would cause an awful lot of unnecessary work.

Since the Synth Rack and reflects the name of the replacement synth, if someone doesn't want to click on the track button to see what synth is there, they can keep an eye on the Synth Rack.

If Replacement Synth is set up to change the name of the track automatically, the user designated track name would have to be written down, put into the Notes Browser, restored manually, etc.  every time a different synth is swapped in.

I can't be the only one who uses my own choice of names for tracks.  On second thought, maybe I am and most people just leave the name of the synth for the track name instead of having a more purposeful name. 

Edited June 29, 2023 by User 905133
duplicate words removed

[sjoens]

Everyone's different. Probably no easy solution. I do change track names to my liking but they still reflect the synth name, so when I use "Replace Synth" I have to change the names anyway. It's when I forget to and the old name is still there when I can get confused.

It gets more tedious when multiple MIDI tracks are involved.

[Terry Kelley]

So they could write of bit of code to scan the track name and look for a synth name (and pass it through a small AI module to check for alternate spellings or foreign language) and change the name.

Just saying ...

Or just insert the new synth name at the front and let us sort it out. But give me vari-speed first.

Edited June 29, 2023 by Terry Kelley

[User 905133]

If this is going to be changed in the last CbB update, I would prefer either a preference check box that says, "OK to screw up my track names" with off / unchecked as the default or maybe a check box in the right-click context menu next to the Replace Synth selection options.  

As for changing user assigned track names, I really feel that is rather intrusive.  Not sure why people can't just use the button or the Synth Rack if they get confused.

Also, is there any possibility (1) undo/history might not be able to track all the name changes/replacements and/or (2) replace all tracks with this synth might get messed up?

And if it any of this gets anything messed up, does that mean CbB will forever not work the way it has worked for the past several years?

Edited June 29, 2023 by User 905133

[Terry Kelley]

Too fussy in my opinion (to quote my wife.) Since they add it when a synth is loaded, just keep doing it. Or do nothing. I'm easy.