How do I acquire effects?

[Dennis Alstrand]

I've just downloaded the bandlab mix-editor.  I see in the various bandlab web pages (from which I downloaded the software) that effects are available, but I can't find how to go get them.  I'd like to add, at least, EQ and reverbs.  

I appreciate any help

[Starship Krupa]

Hello and welcome to Cakewalk and the Cakewalk forum.

There is a variety of effects (FX for short) included with CbB, some of them quite good, some of them excellent.

My guess is that you are new to the world of DAW's so I will suggest that as you start out, figure out how to use what's already there in Cakewalk. As I say, they sound good, but another benefit is that if you ask for advice on this forum, it will be easier for anyone on here to give you advice if you are using tools we all have access to.

There are two EQ's supplied. One, the Sonitus Equalizer, may be added via the track or bus FX rack. The other is the Quadcurve EQ, which may be added via the ProChannel. Both are versatile parametric EQ's.

There are three reverbs that come with Cakewalk. BREVERB (algorithmic reverb) may be added via FX rack or ProChannel, REMatrix Solo (convolution reverb) may be added via ProChannel, and Space (may be added as a ProChannel Style Dial). Space is the simplest, a one-knob "clockwise is more" reverb.

Cakewalk comes with most of the tools one needs to mix a song (some might say all). Having said that, I augment it with a variety of plug-in FX, both free and commercial, which make it easier for me to get the sound I like. I'm putting links down below to sources for plug-ins to augment the ones that come with CbB.

Here are relevant documentation pages regarding how to add effects to your projects' tracks:

Included plug-ins

Adding effects to a track

ProChannel

(humorous content ahead)

Later, as you grow bored with recording and mixing music, you can start "acquiring" effects, a pastime which once you start engaging in it can help ensure that you never need play or record another note, just spend all your DAW time hunting down freebies and deals and auditioning plug-ins trying to find the "best" emulation of a hardware compressor you've never used in real life.

Here is how you can get started (even for free):

Favorite freeware FX thread

Favorite freeware instruments thread

Deals

[Starise]

10 hours ago, Dennis Alstrand said:

I've just downloaded the bandlab mix-editor.  I see in the various bandlab web pages (from which I downloaded the software) that effects are available, but I can't find how to go get them.  I'd like to add, at least, EQ and reverbs.  

I appreciate any help

I think you need to also download CbB...

[Starship Krupa]

Good idea, unless the OP really just wants to skip that part and go straight to "acquiring effects."

[Robert Bone]

By the way - CbB refers to Cakewalk by Bandlab, as opposed to Bandlab.  Cakewalk by Bandlab (CbB) is the recording software's new name - it used to be called Sonar Platinum, before Gibson abandoned it and the wonderful folks at Bandlab bought Sonar and renamed it as Cakewalk by Bandlab (and thank you thank you thank you to them for not only keeping it alive, but also for continuing to both maintain and add new features to it).

So, anyways, make sure to download and install Cakewalk by Bandlab, which you do once you set up a free Bandlab account and download and install the Bandlab Assistant - when you launch that, it is where you will see the button to install Cakewalk by Bandlab.

Bob Bone

[jude77]

If you're looking for FX there are a zillion free ones online.  Some are great, some are dreadful.  Here are a few links to get you started

https://blog.landr.com/10-vst-plugin-effects-spice-up-your-mix/

https://bedroomproducersblog.com/free-vst-plugins/

And here is a link to a massive list right here on this forum

https://discuss.cakewalk.com/index.php?/topic/5064-favorite-freeware-fx-thread/

 

[Pat]

 

Start with this video and go through the series. They are not that long and will show you everything you need 

 

 

[Starship Krupa]

A little attempt at humor.

Actually, so many people who post here butcher the name of the software that no matter what they call it, I just assume they are talking about Cakewalk by BandLab, the name of which is up at the top of the forum, and which they would have had to have seen on several messages before even getting here.

So whether they call it "BandLab" or "BandLab Sonar" or "the new SONAR" or "Bandlad Cakewalk" or "CbD" or "CdB" I just reply with what I hope is something that will help. If they say "SONAR," that help will include the suggestion to switch/upgrade to Cakewalk. I've never heard of a "bandlab mix-editor" that one may download. The only BandLab DAW's I've ever used were Cakewalk (of course) and the browser, iOS, and Android ones.

There is a button in BandLab Assistant that will take the user to the browser version, but it's not downloadable and to my knowledge one may not "acquire" effects for it. The effects are included and proprietary.

I find it puzzling that people get this far with registering an account and all the windows and forum headers and topics and everything and still be so confused, but they do, and obviously they can use some info once they get here.

I don't even know if there are user forums for the other BandLab DAW's, but if the OP is trying to figure out how to add FX to his tracks in the browser-based Mix-Editor, such forums would be a better bet than this one.

[Starship Krupa]

Good call.

I think I may also have had a PAS (plug-in acquisition syndrome) response to the inquiry: of COURSE this guy wants to find more plug-ins for CbB, doesn't everyone? ?