azslow3

You need Control Surface plug-in in Cakewalk, with input from MIDI port of the mixer. I think Cakewalk Generic Surface can do that (https://legacy.cakewalk.com/Documentation?product=Cakewalk&language=3&help=ExternalDevices.12.html). With some luck, selecting "Play" and pressing "Learn" can learn corresponding MMC (SysEx) message. If it does, proceed with other transport buttons. If not, you can try AZ Controller (from azslow.com). Here you should be able to see which messages your mixer send (if it send something, I mean you have configured it and selected correct MIDI port). Alternatively, you can try https://www.allen-heath.com/hardware/controllers/midi-control/, with Mackie Surface. PS. I think AZ Controller presets for ZED and QU will NOT work with SQ, so if you decide to go that route you need create different preset... PS.PS. I never had any of these mixers.

So, you are not the oldest Cakewalk user since the time they was producing Phonographs (under different brand) 😏 BTW (for casual readers) topic "107" does not require my software, it explains how "ACT MIDI Controller" works (features, limits, etc.). It also includes step by step tutorial how to mimic it in "AZ Controller", but that part can be skipped.

ACT plug-ins (all surface plug-ins are "ACT plug-ins", it is better mention "ACT MIDI Controller" explicitly when you ask about it) work with specific banks of strips. "ACT MIDI Controller" always works with 8. But the first strip it control can be arbitrary. Which strips are currently controlled is indicated by WAI (Where I Am) color bars (left from strips in the Track view, bottom im the Console view). Right click on that place for the strip which should be the first and select "Move ACT MIDI Controller -1 here". Alternatively assign "Next track bank" ("Previous track bank") commands to buttons to move from controller itself. If you really want to understand how "ACT MIDI Controller" works, read https://www.azslow.com/index.php/topic,107.0.html, but you probably don't want dig so deep 😏

Till now, there are no evidence something worse then "Demo mode"/"Not authorized" have ever happened with any CW DAWs. And since in this case you are still able load/play projects (from my knowledge without any "silent periods" nor "watermarks", typical for some software in demo mode), I also think you'll be fine.

Your observation with Mackie plug-in means you had problems with your MIDI setup, can happened with AZ Controller as well (sliders are technically sending pitch wheel. Surface plug-in has to be configured to "block" these MIDI messages. Mackie plug-in and AZ Controller Mackie preset do that, so if you manage record pitch wheel directly, there had to be "parallel MIDI route"). But customization of original Mackie plug-in is possible in C++ only (it is open source on GitHub). So as you have already found, in AZ Controller that is way simpler.

I can't fix Cakewalk bugs (only @msmcleod or other Cakewalk developers can do that). PM me (on this forum) your e-mail with which you have tried to register on azslow.com and I will approve. Normally that works (there are recent new members). On paper, SMC-Mixer looks like the best (from cheap) currently existing mixing controllers. Behringer Mini is more expensive and has way less controls. SMS-Mixer is almost like Korg nanoKontrol Studio without jogger. But it has encoders instead of knobs and currently 2 times cheaper (in Germany). How it feels in reality is a different question. Also there is report faders are sending movements with significant delay and all intermediate values (both not good). In any case, you can get the best out of this device only with dedicated, specially made preset for AZ Controller. And better not build it from Mackie, even so Mackie preset and controller in DAW mode can somehow work out of the box. I don't (no longer) create presets remotely and I already have several controllers... even so this one looks promising for me (wireless + encoders), I probably will not buy one (till there will be a sponsor... has not happened for controllers so far 😏)

Back in the hardware days, attaching one MIDI cable somewhere was exactly that, the signal was not magically distributed (by default) to all existing in the room not connected MIDI inputs 😏 Following that logic, "None" should not mean "Omni" and once existence of software MIDI outputs is detected and "All External Inputs" appears, "default Omni" logically should start point to it. I have hard time to imagine when current behavior is desired. An output from a MIDI processor: is "specific", so for particular tracks. Than it should not participate in any "Omni" or "All". is general, to be used as "Omni". But it this case original MIDI stream (the Input) should be excluded from "Omni", at least there should be such option. And that is not possible. If someone forget to shield (undesired) radio-frequency emission in one device and so all other devices around are immediately disturbed when the device is switched on, that can also be described as "it's just how it behaves" with proposal to better shield all other devices. But I personally don't think that is ok 🤪

Apart from external MIDI loops (including software), Cakewalk traditionally able to create "MIDI leaks" internally. As soon as at least one Synth has "Enable MIDI output" set, the fun can begin... Fortunately, the case is easy to detect: when in the selection list for possible MIDI inputs "All External Inputs" exists, there is at least one Soft synth with MIDI output enabled. Note that "Synth MIDI output" is not automatically "through", it can be silent, through or processed/modified MIDI. Intentional is a possibility to use VST MIDI processors (since Cakewalk doesn't support them as MIDI FXes). But it is easy to get it without intention. Since that is plug-in and flag status dependent, some people may never hit the problem. Even when the route is already there, "enabling" conditions (playback/echo constellation) limit the time you hit the problem.

...assuming you already have Cakewalk project (file), I am not going to teach you how to sing 😏 @Bapu wanted that possibility long time. And from today, other can also do that. After several months of development (please don't measure the effort by the size of downloadable), here are the instructions, link to the utility and documentation: https://www.azslow.com/index.php?topic=659.0 For those who don't need .song, there are "side products": all used VST(i)2/3 presets as .fxb/.vstpreset files (natural part of .song archive) tempo map and all midi clips as midi files (generated with "-m" option) Note that I have not got many bug reports from Bapu, so I guess the utility is buggy at the moment. Without reports, there will be no fixes (I am not going to use it by myself). PS. in fact the first attempt was .dawproject . But after R&D phase, I have found that "exchange" format is rudimentary, has several logical limitations, badly documented and currently really supported just by one from two (lol) DAWs which claimed to be "officially supported" (unfortunately not the one in question). So the idea was abandoned.

BTW as an example how to translate by MFX plug-in: https://www.azslow.com/index.php?topic=286.msg1479#msg1479 The very last example (corresponding SPP AZLua_CC2PC is attached or you can copy the code directly). Note if you "Record", original CCs will be recorded. Apply MFX my Process/Apply effect/MIDI effect if you want remove MFX and/or see program changes in the events list. That is a bit "programmers style" solution, but for me it was easier to write the preset then searching for MFX with GUI which do the same (and I am not sure it exist...) 😏

There can be several different goals for "sending Bank/Patch"... It is unclear what you want (especially after words "learn" and "launch"). If you want your MIDI controller send "Patch change", you need to configure your MIDI controller to send it. That is not something Cakewalk does, your controller can have special configuration method (controller dependent, f.e. for some "Launchpads": https://support.novationmusic.com/hc/en-gb/articles/360009860380--Launchpad-Components-Custom-Mode-Editor-Guide). If you expect Cakewalk "translates" Control Change into Program Change (f.e. if your controller can't be configured): no, it can't. At least not on its own. You need 3d party converter, running inside Cakewalk (on the track in question only so called DX/MFX plug-ins will work, VST MIDI effects are visible as "instruments") or outside (f.e. Bome MIDI translator). All that is relatively tricky to setup and use... But may be you really want something with "learn" and "launch"... Create "MIDI Clip" with required Program change and put it into a cell in the Matrix View (inside Cakewalk). Set it to "one time" (so it is not looped...), assign correct track and "Learn" external button to launch it. Please note Cakewalk can "leak" original MIDI message from your controller into content (so, your MIDI device/plug-in will receive corresponding CC). I don't exclude this bug is still not fixed.

I have tried many approaches, including ReaFir, to remove noise for conference software. On the input I have DM, so gating/EQ/effects are available on the hardware side. In my case there are several personal mics connected, all of them are working fine. The problem is picking the discussion in the room, while removing the noise from the cooling system in the far corner. And I have failed. Even when locally the result sounds great, "smart" communication software sometimes restore almost removed noise and sometime it think the whole discussion is just noise. So I recommend do everything possible to eliminate sounds you don't want on the input, so with right mic.

As discussed and explained many times on this forum (and other forums, blogs, videos, etc.): set record bit depth to the driver bit depth (from your picture 24), but interface bit depth (16) is also fine set render bit depth to 32 set import bit depth to "Original" 16 everywhere will lower disk usage (space and throughput), so on low end (f.e. HDD) system theoretically has advantages. But 16 bit is not the depth used in the software, even in case input and output of the interface are 16 only.

"Stop with Now Marker" command is "Rewind to Now marker on Stop" (Ctrl+W) state dependent. Even so the name of the command suggest it doesn't rewind. Checked in CbB 2024.7 (with keyboard shortcut assigned) Mackie surface (BTW open source) use the command for Play button, when it should do "Pause". So the result is what you get, Ctrl+W dependent reversed to what space does. PS Presonus has absolutely no influence on what particular control does in Cakewalk. They just send MIDI messages. They can only change what they send, f.e. in case they for some reason don't send "Note 94" when you press Play button. But once they send correct message (and they obviously do, you will be unable to start Playback otherwise), the ball is on the other side.

I am using another DAW, which is already at version 7 for a while. And for that DAW I understand complains about UI. But the DAW which is still at version 6, UI looks Ok for me. But I can't say the same about price / features... Sorry to say, but versions bound to year and fixed price for any upgrade (announced strategy) is almost the same BS as subscription. Effectively users are asked to pay for "the work", independent from what was done. I understand that is good for marketing team and that is "current trend", but till alternative exists, I will not play such game.