azslow3

A violin has strings, but it is not a guitar... Sounds like trolling, but that is not the point. Most devices are designed for particular purpose and Akai MPK is not an exception. Yes, most devices can also be used for something else, but that is at least inconvenient and normally requires DIY. Akai clearly mention the list of purpose for MPK: MPC software, Ableton/Bitwig DAWs and VIP VST host. You have mentioned MPC software but you have not mentioned VIP. May be good to check it, at least for working with VSTi. Any other application needs DIY approach. That is expected and no reason to be frustrated. For controlling Cakewalk, Generic/ACT MIDI surface plug-ins can do control to operation mapping on basic level. Limits of both are known, for any advance logic you will need AZ Controller. Starting point can be https://www.azslow.com/index.php/topic,393.0.html I really can't remember what this preset does, I have created it remotely for someone with device. Controlling external hardware synth is more challenging. Cakewalk build-ins for the purpose are INS definitions and DMs. Reasonable approach depends from final needs. If the idea is creating self-containing MIDI, so required settings for the synth should be inside the project, controlling sequences should go throw Cakewalk tracks. Correct INS files can help there (f.e. for proper selection of bank/patch in the Track Inspector). Converting controller input (in case corresponding MIDI sequence can't be configured on the controller or configuring it is too boring) can be tricky. Cakewalk still support DX formatted MIDI FXes only and keeping MIDI output from VSTi (any "usual" MIDI FXes will be instantiated as instruments) under control can be hard. So, when possible, try to find DX MFX which can do the conversion you need (f.e. Piz MIDI or my AZ Lua https://www.azslow.com/index.php?topic=286.5). Alternatively use external MIDI translator (f.e. Bome). just sending some settings live (so without recording them into project) can be a bit simpler. F.e. with AZ Controller you can assign sending MIDI messages (sequences, constructed on the fly, etc.). Learning how to write INS files, filter scripts and configuring AZ Controller can take a while. DIY rarely has PnP speed

There was not many single track controllers: Faderport Classic (old one, discontinued), Faderport V2 (which you have tried), Frontier Alphatrack (old one, discontinues) and Behringer X-Touch One. Any of them can work throw AZ Controller (when hardware works). May be you can find locally second handt Faderport Classic or Alphatrack for cheap (with check possibility). Any controller can have initial problems or stop working later (especially touch sensitive motor fader).

Have you ever had ASIO4ALL (or other ASIO drivers) installed on that system? I remember I had similar effect back in time, but I can't remember why. It can be that time I was testing ASIO4ALL on my primary computer, which did something with all other ASIO drivers. This I couldn't revert till the next major Windows update... And since that is fast to do... Have you checked in RME panel there is no errors? Another (relatively) quick and overall test (Cakewalk does not really show RT load, LatencyMon is more to find the reason of some problems then to detect which problem exists): install REAPER (portable), create the same track, open View/Performace meter, right click and enable everything (except Hold RT). Start playback and watch if some numbers look strange. Press "Record arm" on the track (no reason to stop playback for that...), check everything is still ok (in performance dialog).

In Cakewalk Preferences, visit MIDI/Playback and recording section and make sure at least Notes, Controller and Pitch Wheel are checked in the Record section. In the Windows task bar, where app icons like language switch, sound controls, etc. are, you should see MIDI icon from Cakewalk (when it is running). When you operate the unit (f.e. Move fader, press buttons), "LED" on this icon should blink (a bit hard to see, they just change the color a bit). Do you have other MIDI devices which are working properly?

Sometime with a bit of luck (+ handwork) Melodyne (Editor/Studio) can separate sounds (components) on sufficient level to at the end (more or less) remove them. But for metronome in more then several seconds recording that is not reasonable approach...

Taking the number of threads about "how to optimize my PC to run with low latency" with suggestion to "convince your GPU driver not block the system", adding GPU into real-time chain is going to be a pain (and I guess the reason they ask DAW developers to cooperate). At the end, all that is interesting for people with top CPU+ top GPU only, which are using so many effects that the system can't deal with that at all. It just not worse the trouble otherwise. On the positive side, may be they manage to convince NVIDIA and AMD monitor real-time performance of the hardware/drivers. Since any increase of latency in updated drivers will make all related audio products unusable, the number and attitude of complains will be high ? Another point, GPUs are traditionally inefficient in general computation to consumed power ratio (1kW PSUs in gamers PCs are not for CPU). I have nothing against 2 GPU fans running full speed when UFO is exploding, but if the same happens when I record with a mic in the same room, I am definitively going to be unhappy ?

? To use AZ Controller it should be installed first. All relevant information is on https://www.azslow.com/ there is a video which demonstrate initial installation. Once installed, Cakewalk Plug-in Manager (in Utilities menu) will have Control Surfaces / AZ Controller section and SPP files can be imported. X-Touch One is one strip controller. It internally has MCU (8 strips) emulation, but from DAW (Cakewalk) perspective the device will be 8 strips in MCU mode. That has consequences. Using the controller in "native" mode with explicitly constructed for it preset should be better. Note that I don't have that controller, the preset was created by one of the users and I have no way to check how good/bad it is.

Taking the art of this device into account, I don't think its Mackie emulation is useful, even in case it exists. Use ACT MID, deactivate Mackie on device and remove Mackie from Control Surfaces in preferences. Is music part works without surface modules? If yes, ACT MIDI is not blocking not assigned controls, but Mackie plug-in blocks everything.

Are you sure you have followed the video on page 1 and matched Windows sample rate with project sample rate? Note that existing project have fixed sample rate and the audio interface set to it on project loading. Windows does not re-set it automatically and it produce sounds only in case current rate match settings.

"A concurrent" has finally implemented up-sampling (in pre-release), as usual (for him) with max flexibility, so up-sampling individual plug-ins or whole chains, up to 768k. Not that there was no other options (project sample rate can be changed on the fly there and it is not fixed to the audio interface rate), but for performance that is nice ? Sorry for off-topic...

Please notice what scook has written. Some comments: * Cakewalk projects have no bit depth (but fixed sample rate). * what you see as "96/16" means your "Preferences/File/Audo data/Record bit depth" is currently set to 16. New recorded files will be saved as 16bit. * if you change the setting to 24, you can still see 16 till you re-open project (Cakewalk glitch) + Cakewalk can't work in 16bits at all, only 32 or 64 + Bit depth settings are global, they are not saved with projects (will influence any open project)

I don't think this device support Mackie mode: https://www.midiplus.com.tw/en/product-detail/Origin62/

Most recommendation from "producer" sounds reasonable (even so for older Windows versions, may be you can find for 10...): https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/error-windows-explorer-has-stopped-working-057f3872-6252-67e3-2c5a-88c9c633fe41 This (and alike) normally helps with many strange system problems (sometimes also cleans system files and improve system performance on "old" installations with many system updates): https://www.windowscentral.com/how-use-dism-command-line-utility-repair-windows-10-image

I have just checked "Record Latency Adjustment" settings. Cakewalk applies the settings for currently used device. I mean Cakewalk is working correctly (till it mess specified settings after driver mode change, but at least it display these messed settings, so easy to notice and correct when required). So, "Record Latency Adjustment" for me by default show "BEHRINGER USB Audio" (it is the first in the list). But since at the moment I use "M-Audio FireWire", I have to select it first to change options ("Manual Offset" and "Use ASIO Reported Latency"). Without doing so, keeping "BEHRINGER" selected, changing options has no effect (on M-Audio). That all could be "as desired", if not a bit misleading fact the number after "Use ASIO Reported Latency:" is always for currently used device, independent which device is selected in the dialog. I think Cakewalk should show current device and it settings by default (so what it really going to use) and not display ASIO reported number when different device is chosen (since that number is unknown for other devices). That will avoid confusion with this part of the settings.

ASIO4ALL can invade computer audio... That I had (btw disabling/removing it not always help, only Windows complete re-install or major Windows update can help in that case, the reason is unclear...). But I have several ASIO drivers in the system (including Realtek), sometimes active simultaneously. That populates Offset Device dialog and make the selection shown wrong (it selects the first from available, not current). That was never a problem for me. I repeat, I don't claim there can be no problems with 3d party ASIO drivers. I just claim what is shown in that strangly formatted Cakewalk dialog is not an indication of a problem. @Sheds before changing the interface, check your computer/settings. In particular: run LatencyMon, it should be under 1ms; check your Power Plan is set to Ultimate (or at least to Performance); till you have proved good power plan, explicitly check USB power saving is off.

@John Vere In your video "Record Latency Adjustment" (7:30) note is not accurate. For some (historical?) reason, Cakewalk list not only currently used device there, but also other devices. Whenever dialog is open, it select "the first" in the list, which can be currently unused device. Even more, Cakewalk can mess with these settings in case driver mode is changed and the sequence of devices in one mode differ from the sequence in other, it seems like Cakewalk remember/show manual offsets as a list, ignoring devices. So the shift set for one device appear as a shift for other after driver mode change. That is clearly a bug. Cakewalk IO settings (MIDI and Audio) are periodically messed since years, I guess there is some general deep problem there which is hard to fix. What I want to say, the fact some interface appear in "Record Latency Adjustment" drop box (and even selected by default) is not an indication something should be changed/removed in the system.

"Device" and "Manual Offset" are connected, select Steinberg and set 10. After saving, open dialog again. You should find that offset is still 0 for Realtek and 10 for Streinberg. About computer optimization for audio there are many threads and forums. Enabled Realtek by itself should not influence anything, at least not when unused (by Cakewalk and Windows). Getting most stable drivers under Window, which means RME device, is pricey. Steinberg should work fine when computer/system are ok.

You can disabled Realtek on BIOS level or Windows level, but no one really cares. In Record Latency Adjustement there is a possibility to set manual shift for all devices you have, on dialog display it select the first... but only the setting for currently active device is used. So select Steinberg and check manual shift is 0 (or set correctly, in case you have measured it). For Steinberg, ASIO reported value should be fine (or very close to real), so set to use it. Note that even in case ASIO reports correct value, it is for device only. In case you connect something with own latency to the input (f.e. digital mixer), extra manual adjustment should be used. There are many detailed guides how to measure the value to set there, quick method is just loop record output, zoom to the sample level and notice the difference.

Somehow thinking that configuring a controller for a DAW is "intuitive" and can be achieved without reading the documentation is common. That was also my approach at the beginning. And I was so frustrated from the result of configuring "ACT MIDI Controller", that I have started to write my own ("AZ Controller")... Later I have learned that existing in Cakewalk instrumentation is not bad and can fulfill many wishes, once learned ? BTW I have written in depth documentation about "ACT MIDI Controller" (interleaved with tutorial how to achieve the same in "AZ Controller", but that can be skipped): https://www.azslow.com/index.php/topic,107.0.html

"Generic surface" and "AZ Controller" have no such limitation. Alternatively you can write your own plug-in, Cakewalk Surface API is Open Source under MIT license, "ACT MIDI" controller is also open source. But that is tricky.

Sorry to say, but "ACT MIDI Controller" part is misleading... "ACT" button, "Active Controller Technology" group and "Exclude from ACT" in the options tab have absolutely nothing to do with MIDI learning the controller, BTW most users will want transport buttons "excluded", to use them as transport buttons when playing soft synths or working with FXes. Historically "ACT" has several different meanings in Cakewalk, mentioned options are related to "following context" and "dynamic plug-in mapping". From MPD232 pictures, it has encoders (knobs can be turned endless). For controlling DAW, so for the bank used with "ACT MIDI Controller", it is better to configure them as Inc/Dec2 (and set corresponding option in "ACT MIDI Controller" by Ctrl+Clicking corresponding cells). Banks for MIDI learn inside soft synths better set to finite (not all plug-ins understand encoders and recorded MIDI can have strange results otherwise). All switches to be used for DAW controlling ("ACT MIDI Controller" supports 8 in total, but "Generic" and "AZ" Controllers have no limit) better set to CC Momentary, pads to Note without After-touch. All controls used for DAW must have different CC to avoid troubles, on separate from performance controls channel (to avoid clashes). Controls for using with plug-ins can use standard CC (to use without learning) and "unassigned" CCs to learn (CC numbers are described on midi.org and many other Internet resources). Learning own device (reading the documentation for the device and related software) and learning software in question (in this case Cakewalk documentation, Control Surfaces section) is a good way to make a device work as desired. Randomly selecting/clicking sometimes works, but the result is random....

For the whole project in a DAW (with DAW and plug-ins parameters) the number of things to control is huge. And so the mapping has to be "smarter" then in case of one plug-in. That is what ACT try to target for Cakewalk. For occasional arbitrary control or control of small subset of parameters, MIDI mapping can work. From the video about "MIDI Remote Integration" assistant it is nice from graphics and workflow perspectives. From the end result that is not what some people call "deep integration" provided by custom scripts/programs/presets, which BTW take long time to create (and required MIDI/DAW/programming knowledge). If you need a tip what you should change so it works with User mode Arturia encoders, let me know ?

It depends what encoders send when they are turned. Check if that can be changes in User mode (unfortunately from the documentation seems like not) or try DAW modes (different). "Cakewalk Generic surface" support reversed controls, "AZ Controller" supports almost all possible variations, but "ACT MIDI Controller" does not support that at the moment. Note that in case you want "ACT MIDI Controller" and you will not find DAW mode which works, ask Cakewalk to support Keylab style encoders. I am almost sure msmcleod will help (also "ACT MIDI Controller" is open source, theoretically any C++ programmer can make related modification ?)

Physical encoders technically send relative values, and that is good for DAW control since they are always at "right position" when you change which parameter the same encoder controls. CbB has to be told to use such values, after that it will "get them right". In "ACT MIDI Controller" you need to Ctrl+Click on cell to configure that, in "Cakewalk Generic surface" that is in "MIDI message interpretation" section, in "AZ Controller" it is in the Value Action parameters. Several "ACT MIDI Controller"s assigned to the same MIDI input can course "MIDI leaks". Controller block assigned messages, but these blocks are not summed. So only blocked in the last controller for particular MIDI input messages are really blocked. In case 8+8+8 limit in "ACT MIDI Controller" is a problem, "Cakewalk Generic surface" may be better solution. For ultimate flexibility there is "AZ Controller".

Alternative way: https://www.azslow.com/index.php/topic,178.0.html