RexRed

Many kind thanks Treesha for your really nice complements!

Yea, ReverbNation has "improved" their website and now it had less features and does not work right half the time. I send them emails and they say they are working on it, months later, nothing... I don't think any of the music plays on ReverbNation right now. I hope they can fix it soon.

Hey awesome Cakewalk peeps! Here is a new song of mine, "Lover Divine". Please let me know your thoughts! Best to you! RexRed

Hey awesome Cakewalk peeps! My new song! I hope you like! Best to you! RexRed Sorry I posted the wrong song here, it was supposed to be my new song "Lover Divine". Somehow "Dreams of You" got posted, well, enjoy anyway. I will be posting "Lover Divine" soon! 🙃

Mine are on a dongle but some may save them on their PC 😀

Why put a rose in a room with no light? You have all of these VSTs, they are the rose, and the dark room is the old CPU. Cakewalk is now optimized to work with Intel's new core architecture. 13th gen is a good place to look for a new PC. New Motherboard, new RAM, possibly new power supply and you're most of the way there. The 13th gen prices have gone down. You could possibly use your old case and get by with your old graphics card... (for now) Buy a Windows 11 Pro retail key for 35 dollars. And as MSMCLEOD says, be sure to go into ILOK and deauthorize the old computer to avoid having to contact ILOK to do it. Then your plugins will have tons of power, and your songs will be practically unlimited. If you buy the new motherboard as a combo, you can get the 13th gen chip and motherboard together at a substantial price reduction. Just about any motherboard that will accept a 13gen Intel chip will be excellent. Make sure you have the right mounting plate for the chip. This will put your VSTs in a room with light and space. If you get a powerful enough power supply like a 1000 - 1600 watt one, you could theoretically add a REALLY powerful graphics card and have a state-of-the-art Nvidia 5090 gaming machine and video editing workstation. (you may one day like having this) You might look into a faster 4 or 5 gen PCIE m.2 drive for your OS and current project file. I really could not do my work without this upgrade and the new 5090 will probably be over $2000 I will get one for sure and put my 4090 in my backup PC. I know this is a lot of expense, but you only live once, make the best of it while you can... Perhaps, stop buying more VSTs and invest in the thing that makes them all come alive. Air CPU Cooler ARGB Cooling Fan 4 Copper Heat Pipes CPU Radiator with FDB Bearing 120mm Fan PWM 2000PRM 76CFM Addressable RGB Lighting Sync for AMD AM4/AM5 Intel LGA 1700/1150/1551/1155/1200 (Black) https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0CR6FF9MP/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title Noctua NM-i17xx-MP78, Mounting Kit for Noctua CPU Coolers on Intel LGA1851 and LGA1700 https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09FSTZM2G/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title Something like this INLAND CPU Motherboard Intel core i7-13700K 13th Gen 16-Cores LGA 1700 125W Gaming Desktop Processor with MSI PRO Z790-A MAX WiFi 7 Motherboard https://www.amazon.com/INLAND-CPU-Motherboard-Combo-Z790/dp/B0D2JCT6DH/ref=sr_1_11 Order some paste for the cpu. Windows 11 Professional Online Activation Key | Buy cheap on Kinguin.net https://www.kinguin.net/category/198296/windows-11-professional-online-activation-key CORSAIR VENGEANCE DDR5 RAM 96GB (2x48GB) 5200MHz CL38 Intel XMP iCUE Compatible Computer Memory - Black (CMK96GX5M2B5200C38) https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BVN11ZRB/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title Crucial P3 Plus 2TB PCIe Gen4 3D NAND NVMe M.2 SSD, up to 5000MB/s - CT2000P3PSSD8 https://www.amazon.com/Crucial-Plus-PCIe-NAND-5000MB/dp/B0B25ML2FH/ref=sr_1_1_sspa Pure Power 12 M 1000W | ATX 3.1 | 80 Plus® Gold | Modular Power Supply | for PCIe 5.0 GPUs and GPUs with 6+2 pin connectors | 12VHPWR Cable Included | Silent 120mm be quiet! Fan - BN506 https://www.amazon.com/Modular-connectors-12VHPWR-Included-quiet/dp/B0BVYCXQY4/ref=sr_1_1_sspa This is similar to the route I went, I hope it helps. This will take you long into the future. You need a workstation to make good use of your VSTs (in my opinion) and you are not likely to get one worth owning for less than $1000 dollars.

Thanks for the comments peeps! 🎶🎧👍🩷

Copilot also said: Here's a quick recap: Tracking (Recording): Disable Sonarworks Reference 4 and use the direct monitoring feature of your Zoom UAC-232 for latency-free monitoring. Mixing: Enable Sonarworks Reference 4 to ensure accurate monitoring and a balanced mix. Rendering (Exporting): Disable Sonarworks Reference 4 to ensure the calibration curve doesn't affect your final audio file. This workflow allows you to get the most accurate sound during mixing and ensures your final rendered files are true to the mix without any unintended alterations. 🎶

Even though this topic is "solved" you can still give your responses and experience with this process.

My Question to Copilot: So I use Reference 4 when I am mixing down but I disable it when I am rendering down? Copilot Response: Exactly! You use Sonarworks Reference 4 while mixing to ensure accurate monitoring and a balanced mix. Then, when you are rendering (exporting) your final audio file, you disable the Sonarworks Reference 4 plugin to prevent the calibration curve from affecting the exported audio. If you need a quick recap: Mixing: Enable Sonarworks Reference 4 for accurate monitoring. Rendering/Exporting: Disable Sonarworks Reference 4 to ensure your final mix isn't altered by the calibration. Let me know if there's anything else you're curious about or if you need further assistance with your audio projects! 🎶 Copilot also said this: Yes, you need to bypass the Sonarworks Reference 4 plugin every time you export audio from Cakewalk Sonar. If you don't bypass it, the correction will be applied to your master bus mixdown, which can imprint your unique calibration EQ curve on the rendered audio. To bypass the plugin, make sure to fully disable it in your DAW, not just the calibration bypass inside the Reference plugin. This ensures that the rendered audio remains unaffected by the calibration settings. Does that help clarify things?

Sonar Reference 4 and rendering music in Cakewalk How do I use Sonar Reference 4 with Cakewalk Sonar? Do I need to turn off Sonar Reference 4 when I render files?

My new song, hope you like. Simple and sweet. 😉

Hey awesome Cakewalk peeps! Here is my latest song, I hope you like, thanks for listening! Best to you! RexRed 💝

Hey awesome Cakewalk peeps! Tonight I made a new tutorial for you. Finding Creativity Cakewalk Sonar 2024 | MIDIMakerTV https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ufJ3zwBn3w In this tutorial I make a new song from scratch. Please like and click the bell for "all" notifications and you can join me in the live chat this can be a way to get you music out there though the live chat and the YouTube Cakewalk community. This channel is about making music, music that will go on and get millions of listens on my other channel. You will learn vital Cakewalk tips and keys to success as my music has been getting an average of two million listens a month for the last 5 years. Come along and be part of the community I am building @midimakertv I already have 1000+ subscribers. I need 3500 hours of viewing to get this Cakewalk channel monetized. 😁 Leave comments if you like as well. Best to you! RexRed

It might be time to have a "formal release" and dedicated website with all the splash and pomp the new Cakewalk Sonar DAW truly deserves. 😁

Me, being a user of Cakewalk since Cakewalk for MSDOS, I think I am entitled to "gush" when an update improves the performance to such a superlative degree as is the case. 😎 Having nearly 400 published original songs created in Cakewalk, I have an "invested" interest in the well being of this DAW... 🎵

Thanks Andy! I am still adjusting to the song, not sure what to make of it yet. My ears get tired and I need a break to come back and listen to it fresh again. The lead vocal may be a bit too hot in the first and second verse and there are a few lines that may need adjusting. Thanks for the awesome compliment and all the best to you buddy! 🌞

This song is not done yet, I am thinking of adding a lead guitar part in the solo section and there are a few minor edits in the mix. Maybe some drums in the chorus part?

Hey Cakewalk peeps! Here is my latest song, Hope you like! Let me know if you have and critiques and suggestions! Best to you! Rex

Very very loud signals can clip but I have not experienced that yet. That is why there is no gain on the device. Just look at what is recording, if your signal is in the ballpark but clipping occasionally in the track view you are golden. Just pay attention if it is way too high or way too low. I have had it clip a ton and still not be any noticeable distortion at all in the recording. The algorithm used by the Zoom UAC-232 to switch between the two 24-bit converters is designed to minimize any changes in the color of the sound. Here’s how it works: Seamless Switching: The algorithm continuously monitors the input signal and seamlessly switches between the two converters based on the signal level. This ensures that the transition is smooth and does not introduce any noticeable artifacts or changes in sound color. High-Quality Components: The converters and other components used in the UAC-232 are of high quality, which helps maintain the integrity of the audio signal. High-quality components are less likely to introduce coloration to the sound. Precision Matching: The two converters are precisely matched to ensure that their output is consistent. This means that when the algorithm switches between them, the sound remains consistent and transparent. Digital Signal Processing (DSP): The DSP algorithms used in the UAC-232 are designed to handle the switching process efficiently, ensuring that the audio signal remains clean and free from distortion or coloration. By using these techniques, the UAC-232 can switch gains without altering the color of the sound, providing high-quality, transparent audio recordings.

I am not sure what you mean, it never clips and there is no noise level. So the final result is a 32 bit floating point recording that sounds pristine (better than my Fireface). The converters are facilitating a 32 bit algorithm. The Zoom UAC-232 uses two 24-bit A/D converters for each input to achieve high-quality audio recording without the need for gain adjustments. Here’s how it works: Different Input Gains: Each of the two A/D converters is set to a different input gain range. This means one converter handles quieter signals, while the other handles louder signals. Automatic Switching: The UAC-232 constantly monitors the data from both converters and automatically selects the one that provides the best recording results. This ensures that the audio is captured without clipping or introducing noise, regardless of the input signal level. Wide Dynamic Range: By combining the data from both converters, the UAC-232 can achieve a wider dynamic range than would be possible with a single A/D converter. This design allows the UAC-232 to capture a broad range of sound levels, from very quiet to very loud, without the need for manual gain adjustments, ensuring high-quality, clip-free recordings. Then the algorithm turns the two signals into a 32 bit recording. The end result of having 2 x 24 bit recorders one set for low gain and the other for high gain is a wider dynamic range when they are both combined allowing for a performance with dynamic range to be capture flawless and then saved in a 32 bit format. Then you can use Cakewalk to lower and raise the volumes to the median.

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/UAC232--zoom-uac-232-usb-3.0-audio-interface Even lower price, almost 50% less than what I paid for it. Let me know here if you buy this. Let others know if you own this and like it a lot like I do! I'll give you a tip on how to use this device in Cakewalk. Since it does not have an input volume sometimes your project volume can be louder than your input volume. I just put a bus output volume envelope on my master bus and temporarily lower that and sometimes I will send the recording track output out of Cakewalk rather than have it flow to the master. That solves that issue. Then you can attenuate the recording input volume with that of the mix. Consider that it never matters the volume you record something at, low or high volume it will "always" be perfect in 32 bit. If you have a mic boost button, you might use it in the on position to raise the input a bit above the volume of the mix. Imagine a vocalist that is all over the place screaming into the mic and then whispering. This is NEVER a problem as 32 bit recording it is impossible to clip or saturate the gain or have it so low that turning it up reveals the noise floor. There is virtually no noise floor and there is not much in this world loud enough to clip this. I am a vocalist and the price of this to never have to set my gain is worth every penny of the investment not to mention that it does sound better, with more bits it should (in my opinion). The file sizes are larger but not enough to notice, a whole project may only be a few gigs... Just imagine your song in 32 bit... And Cakewalk does not run noticeable sluggish either, and with the new updates it is super efficient and fast. I was using this interface with the Bandlab version and was very happy then as well. I am not affiliated with this product in any way, I am just a very happy customer.

You use Cakewalk to gain stage, look at your levels and use a brick wall on your final mastering bus.

Once I switched to 32 bit recording I would never consider switching back. I own a RME Fireface UCX II, it cost me $1,700. I use that for Windows handling and routing all of my sound for live stream sources (couldn't do without it). But I use the Zoom UAC-232 2x2 32-Bit Float USB-C Audio/MIDI Interface for Cakewalk. I never have to ever set gain, it actually does not even have an input level knob. So when I re-plug a mic into it, it is always the exact same attenuation for re-singing lines. And it totally sounds better and cannot distort my sound. Even better than the Fireface, After years of buying many interfaces and never satisfied with the sound, (including the Fireface) I have found the perfect interface for my music and it is rock solid. I might add that with the new headroom with Cakewalk it might be/is time to experiment with 96khz settings again for songs. The Zoom I paid 200 bucks (it is now selling for $129.00) and, take my word for it, there is no interface on the planet that can even come close to beating it. For 129 bucks you can have the very best interface ever made... I will tell you now it will beat whatever you have. My Fireface gets HOT too, that bothers me a lot, the Zoom stays cool as a cucumber. And the Zoom is VERY easy to use. Easier than any other interface because you can just sing into it without setting any levels or worrying about clipping, EVER. This is a totally worry free and less cumbersome way of making music. Over time you feel like making music more because there are less obstacles. Try it and you will never ever consider going back to 24 bit.

I just got the new Cakewalk Sonar update and, WOW! I have been working for several hours now, laying down many vocal tracks and midi (in 32bit) and not one single dropped frame! (not one!) Clicking in the timeline is very noticeably more responsive, I am no longer fighting with the timeline, you fixed it!!!!! I could cry, Cakewalk (getting teary) is running so very nice! You deserve a 2024 award for excellence, never has a program of such magnitude improved so greatly over such a short amount of time! If I gave out awards and I could only give out one first place 2024 award, Cakewalk wins hands down without any doubt or reservations! (...and I work with a lot of very big programs!) You have made me very happy! Someone has noticed your work and you are, AMAZING! Cakewalk is king! Big thanks to the bakers! (Take a break, you deserve some time off!)