Robert Bone

My motherboards have the built-in support for multiple M.2 drives (both NVME and SATA III), but in any, those drives show up like any other drives, under the control of Disk Management. Cloning software - which I believe Samsung supplies on their web site (lots of companies make it), would clone your current boot drive to the new NVME drive, and it would show up in the BIOS, to boot from. Bob Bone

By the way - if you are having dropouts playing projects back, it may be because of having plugin effects that are designed for use in the Mixing/Mastering phase of a project, and not meant to be used during tracking (recording). SO - generally, when recording, 1) Avoid loading plugin effects, when recording, that use look-ahead processing or linear phase processing - those kinds of effects are meant for mixing/mastering, and 2) Keep your ASIO Buffer Size down to about 128 samples or less (but not too low), for a reasonable balance between latency and CPU workload, and when MIXING, jack up the ASIO Buffer Size to either 1024 or 2048 samples, and then feel free to load the more resource-hungry effects that use Look-Ahead or linear-phase processing. (Effects that use look-ahead processing include things like convolution reverb effects, and linear-phase type effects often use LP in their names). If your dropouts go away when you temporarily 'Bypass All Effects', by hitting the letter 'E' on your computer keyboard before hitting Play, then that does point to one or more effects causing the dropouts - (look-ahead or linear-phase), and then you can either swap those out until you move on to mixing, and adjust the ASIO Buffer Size way high (1024/2048 samples), OR you can finish recording with the effects bypassed, and then Hit 'E' again when done recording, to toggle the effects back on. You could also turn off any of those kinds of effects while recording, and turn them individually back on when moving on to mixing. Bob Bone

Yes - the M.2 2280 NVME PCIe drives are allowed to transfer data up to the limits of their technology, so these drives an perform reads and writes up to about 3,500 MB a second, versus about 500 MB for regular SATA III drive. The M.2 drives are still solid-state - just not bound by the SATA III transfer protocols, so they are without a doubt, WAY faster than SATA III drives. I happen to use a combination of all 3 kinds of drives, 1) I use an M.2 2280 NVME PCIe drive for my boot drive, AND another one to store sample libraries. 2) I use a couple of SATA III solid-state drives, to store additional sample libraries, and Cakewalk Content. 3) I use SATA III 7,200 rpm HDD's to store Cakewalk Projects folder, and another couple to hold my user library folders (Desktop, Documents, Downloads, Music, Videos, Pictures). My desktop has a whole bunch of main memory, so regardless of the drive type that content comes from, once it is read, it pretty much stays in memory. (I have 128 GB of memory in my main desktop). I could have chosen to store the Cakewalk Projects on a solid-state drive or an M.2 drive, but they load just fine from the nice cheap regular HDD's running at 7,200 rpm. Bob Bone

Hey folks - we are NOT going to get into character bashing in this or any other thread, from or toward anyone, in any direction. @Dare Rihter is currently exploring other software, to see if it better meets his needs - He has expressed some views in his frustration, that I chose to not react to, and things had quieted down, but while I was out getting into a car accident (not a real one - just got rear-ended by the dealership's service techs - went in for a $100 replacement of my car's thermostat, and they handed me a seriously thick write-up of repairs needed that, with tax, came out to $9,100 and some change). Anyways, whilst I was out having fun at the dealership, folks have stirred up some stuff here. Please, EVERYBODY, knock it off - completely. I stand by my offer to assist Dare, if desired, if and when he chooses to circle back to try to work through whatever his current/recent issues with Cakewalk are/were. Even if he chooses not to return, I have sincerely wished him the best of success in his musical travels, and with his musical adventures, because THAT is what all of this, and all of what we do, and how we are, is all about. SOOOOOO - let's all of us chill out, and try to work with each other in a supportive and positive fashion, there is nothing whatsoever to be gained by getting and keeping our individual or group 'hackles' up. It is all going to work out - if we can do that, so let's keep MY weekend on as even a keel as possible, so I don't have to wade into dealing with a bunch of folks getting into it. I know I have way too much stuff to do, that should have been done weeks ago, to want to spend any time having to actually moderate folks and threads. Kewl? (oh, also, I am NOT spending the $9,100 for repairs to my vehicle, which is $100 more than the $9,000 I had paid for it, used, in the 1st place. I may be an idiot at times, but I am not stupid - usually). Thanks Bob Bone

If you hover your mouse over the left edge of the Buses, you can drag that to the left or right, to make it so that it lines up with the right-most edge of a channel strip. Now, that won't prevent you from having to scroll, should you have a bunch of audio tracks, but you can adjust that Buses group to line up. You can also hide things like the Preview Bus and the Metronome Bus, and you can also pick and choose what tracks and buses to display, using the Track Manager (the letter 'H' is its toggle to display it or not, and it helps keep the number of things displayed down, making the things you are working on able to be made visible. Bob Bone

My best advice is to try to leave all things USB plugged into the very first port you ever plugged them into, so that these issues don't even crop up. It is one GIANT pain in the rear to have to go through all of that in the first place, so leaving things plugged into the same ports is the easiest path to avoiding the issues. I literally took a picture of the back of my computer, and then edited it to add text labels with arrows, pointing to each USB port and named each device so if I ever had to unplug and reconnect the USB devices, I could hopefully get them back into the same ports. Bob Bone

I wonder if there is an issue with the VST3 version of Massive X - perhaps you can try the VST2 version of it? (Assuming there ARE both versions available - I do not have Massive X, so this is just a though of something to try). You might need to go into Preferences, to remove the check from the option to hide VST2 plugins if there are VST3 versions available. That option is found on the Preferences > File > VST Settings, under where it says VST3 Migration. Its exact text is: "Hide Related VST2 Plug-Ins". Some other plugins have had issues with the VST3 versions, whereas the VST2 version of the same plugin would work wonderfully. Please note that the actual sound from a VST2 version of a plugin and its VST3 version, should be identical. I seem to recall some Waves plugins had this issue in the past (not necessarily your exact issue - I refer to the VST3 version failing while the VST2 worked fine). Bob Bone

SUPER good news you are back in business - wish there was some kind of way to tell Cakewalk to do this ONCE, rather than having to do it for each project. Bob Bone

Thanks for posting the OS Build info - so I would start with getting all of the Windows Maintenance applied - just cycle through searching for available maintenance, applying it, and then searching again for any additional maintenance - even when it tells you that you are up to date - performing one last check for updates may find a bit more to apply. I don't think there is a compelling need to shell out more money to upgrade your Windows version, at this point. I suggest getting the maintenance up to speed, including chip set and other device drivers for that motherboard, as well as for your audio interface. I will follow this thread, to make sure I can help you get any of that stuff reviewed prior to applying - as far as the device drivers and chip set drivers. For the Windows 10 maintenance - just use the Windows Update process to get all maintenance applied. By following this thread, I will get notifications when there are any additional posts, so I can hopefully help you through the process. Bob Bone

For the chipset and other drivers, you can usually go directly to the motherboard's manufacturer's web site, go to the support page, and they often have a mechanism to auto-detect your system info and provide a list of current driver versions. I would suggest you look through the motherboard user manual for more info on updating drivers - or look for that info on their support pages for that model motherboard, Bob Bone

Well - that is your Edition, and your Version, but you did not list the 'Build' info - it is right in the same area as the info you did post - it will actually say OS Build and have a number after it - and it is THAT info that will tell us where your maintenance is currently at, within the 1903 Version. Thanks, Here is my info from that section of System info displayed by right-clicking on the Windows Start Button and clicking on System: Bob Bone

There is the OS Edition, (Windows 10 Home Edition) - the Version would be the major maintenance identifier, for me it is 1903, and the Build refers to the maintenance level, and can be viewed if you right-click on your Windows Start Button, then click on System. That information will be about at the bottom of screen. For me, my maintenance 'Build' is currently: 18362.418 which means nothing to me, other than it is up to date through Windows Update. Your supplying that build info, will give us an idea of where your Windows environment stands on maintenance. Please note that you have a different Edition than I do (I have Windows 10 Pro), so I imagine the Build info will be different - not to worry if indeed it is. Hope the above helps you understand what is being asked for Bob Bone

I am very happy it is working now, even if that is a mystery. Bob Bone

I just never ever record beyond 48k. Couldn't that stuff get filtered off, if you were wanting to record at 96k? Bob Bone

I had an issue with a midi controller, where it worked like a champ outside of Cakewalk, and had worked fine IN Cakewalk, but it began looking inert one morning, and I thought maybe its midi port had been moved, but since I had it plugged into my computer's front panel, I could see that it had not moved. Turned out that a friend of mine had unplugged my audio interface, and had plugged it back into a different port, and moving THAT device somehow resulted in a reshuffling of ports and devices in Windows, and that confused Cakewalk. The fix for me, was to remove the midi controller as a midi input device in Preferences, then click Apply, then save the project, open it again, and then add the midi controller back in as a midi input device, and THEN it started working. I had to go through this for every project I opened. QUITE the pain. So - maybe worth a quick try - so recapping: 1) Open a project where your controller isn't working 2) Go into CbB preferences and remove your midi controller from an input midi device, and I suppose midi output device as well 3) Click apply 4) Save the project and exit 5) Open the project again 6) Add the midi controller again, in Preferences, as a valid midi input and midi output device. 7) Click Apply and save project - see if that worked. Anyways, the above steps fixed my issues, which seem similar - controller quitting working in CbB but working fine elsewhere in other apps. Bob Bone

So - try temporarily disabling the WiFi drivers in Device Manager, and see if that makes the issue go away. Then you would enable it again once finished in Cakewalk. Quick and easy to test out. Bob Bone

I concur on the thought that some plugin is in Demo mode, and adding some noise to prompt you to buy it. You might also want to make sure you don't have plugins loaded into the project that are meant for mixing/mastering, and not during recording or playing live. Effects, such as convolution reverb or those that use linear-phase processing need big giant ASIO Buffer Size settings (like 1024 or 2048 samples) to have enough room to do their thing. You might also try turning off your WiFi transmitter, or disabling the WiFi drivers, just before you launch Cakewalk, and then you can turn WiFi back on or enable its drivers, once you finish your Cakewalk session. On some laptops, the WiFi drivers can cause issues when using Cakewalk, and other laptops don't have the issue. Bob Bone

Can you please detail all of the export settings? Bob Bone

Yup

Even with a whole bunch of computer horsepower, lots of memory, and all that, I FREQUENTLY experience long periods of time between clicking my mouse, and then my waking up sometime later, after nodding off. Not really a computer issue - I am just freshly 60, and I need my naps.... Bob Bone

I love the sound of Addictive Drums 2, and also that of Battery 3 and 4. I do wish that Addictive Drums 2 had 2 mics for snare and kick, rather than one each, just for a bit more control, however they AD2 does have some nice features 2. Another thing with AD2, that is quite a pain, is that when you set a kit to go to separate outputs, since that bypasses the effects the kit uses on its internal mixer's Master bus, if I want to match the sound of the kit as if I had not routed to separate outputs, I have to then replicate the effects and settings from those Master bus effects. Not a big deal, except that some of the parameters are expressed in goofy percentages, rather than a numeric level, and, those percentages are not displayed on the little Sends strips above each of the faders, and when I click on the little vertical bars, it does display the percentage, HOWEVER, it also changes the value because of my mouse click, and then I have to either guess at it while clicking until it looks like maybe I got it right, or I have to reload the kit to make sure I didn't alter those values. (and, percentage of WHAT?) And, in the process of replicating those Master bus effects, I have to guess at what things like their parameter, 'Swirl', mean. I have no idea what that is. Good thing AD2's sound is so nice, given the goofiness of the above., and, a BIG plus, is the incredible number of strike choices for the kit pieces, for example, there are note mappings for hitting the Hi-Hat stand, which is quite a kewl sound. Bob Bone

YAY! Good news, there, @jkoseattle - compromise - one of my favorite words, right next to 'My way, or the highway'. hee hee And, @User 905133, I like the notion of the colors in the Track Pane, for the different kinds of tracks. Hope it works out well for you and your brain, seems like it ought to help some. Bob Bone

Oh, your message and the subject line for your post, used the word 'Crack' - the correct word for when the program fails, is 'Crash'. In music software terms, the word 'Crack' usually refers to software that has been illegally hacked to allow use without a proper license. (Just thought you might want to know - I know it is difficult to communicate in a different language - I know some French, and some Romanian, but not enough to have a discussion with anyone). Bob Bone

While I cannot read the message you displayed - I can tell you that the error is an access violation error - meaning that Sampletank tried to access memory that did not belong to it. This usually means some memory pointer within the plugin either had a value of zero, or was valued with either a pointer to memory that the plugin had discarded, or just some garbage value that did not point to a valid piece of memory. Since a dump file was created, you can send that to the Cakewalk support folks, at support@cakewalk.com., though if the file is too large to attach to an email, you can use a file hosting service, such as Dropbox, to upload the dump file there, than can 'share' that dump file from Dropbox, with support@cakewalk.com, and they can see it there. In the email, try to provide as much information on your system specs, and whatever steps you can provide, as to what you were trying to do in Cakewalk when it failed. If you open a support ticket first, at: https://help.cakewalk.com/hc/en-us/requests/new you can add the ticket number to your email with the dump file, and that will help them manage your issue. If you are crashing using a VST 3 version of Sampletank, you might try using the VST 2 version of it, to see if that helps. Sometimes, certain plugins don't work with VST 3 versions, but do work fine using the VST 2 version, so that might be worth a try. Please note, that by default, Cakewalk hides VST 2 versions of plugins, when a VST 3 version is also available, and you would have to turn that option off in order to see both the VST 2 and VST 3 versions of your plugins. You can find that option in Preferences > File > VST Settings, near the middle of the screen, under VST 3 Migration - remove the check from the box, for the parameter labeled: Hide Related VST 2 Plug-ins, and then click Apply, and you should then see the VST 2 version of Sampletank show up to be able to use it in your project. Bob Bone

Sure - that makes sense - also glad something usable came from my earlier response. I use all caps when naming track folders, and that makes it easier for me to distinguish them from real tracks, visually - it is not perfect, but after doing it that way for a while, I kind of can tune those out, just from the corner of my eye seeing the capitalized track folder name. The track folders aren't displayed on the console view, if that helps any, and perhaps if you grouped tracks that were set up and empty, into an empty tracks folder, you could hide that whole folder until you were ready to populate one or more of them, and then you could selectively display those again, and quickly move them into whatever folder the would really belong in. (quick random thought there). I normally only have 3 track folders in my projects - all audio tracks, all midi tracks (except drums), and then the drums midi track and its audio tracks for the kit pieces - brought in as a track template, and I always have the audio tracks displayed first - in an AUDIO TRACKS folder, followed by midi tracks in a MIDI TRACKS folder, and then the drum tracks in a DRUM TRACKS folder. I also hide midi tracks when using the console view, and I pick a color and make all midi tracks that same color, just for the visual cue - and audio tracks are in colored by groups, like backing vocals, lead vocals, keys, guitars. It is MIGHTILY helpful to hide the midi tracks from the console view. I do agree with you, that it would be nice to have a way to quickly selectively or globally hide/display empty tracks. I would also love to see nested track folders Bob Bone