How to have the vst works with one track ?

[reko tomo]

Hi, I'm new here and I'm also very new to any DAW application.
About a week ago, I've downloaded Tracktion Waveform11 FREE edition.
But because I can't find the option to see the midi notes as Staff View, 
so today I download the Free Cakewalk BandLab.

When I'm learning WF11,
1. I found out that I can just drag a Soft Synth (Alter/Ego vst in this case) to a blank track,
and when I hit any key on my Yamaha PSR keyboard, I hear the Alter/Ego sound from the computer.
Also if I drag a midi file to this blank track, when I hit play the Alter/Ego sound comes out from the computer.
So with only one track I can use the vst.

2. The same if I drag this vst to a track which already consist with a midi clip,
when I play it, I hear this vst sound following the midi notes in the track from the computer.
Here also with only one track I can use the vst.

3. I can also "re-route" the the track (say, track-1) which already contains a midi clip (without any vst) to another blank track (say, track-2) with the vst.
So here I have two tracks. 

Now I'm learning the Cakewalk BandLab.
But I can't find out on how to do that.

What I've tried so far :
In Cakewalk Preferences, with nothing is selected in the MIDI device-output,
when I open a midi file, it automatically create two tracks,
one track (track-1) where the midi clip/notes and one blank track (track-2) with TTS-1 plugin.

I can drag another vst plugin (Alter/Ego) to track-2 which causing Alter/Ego replace TTS-1 and I can hear the Alter/Ego sound when I play it.
But after I drag the midi clip from track-1 to track-2 (now track-1 is blank), when I play it, there is no meter level output hence no sound.

Other thing I've tried, I click the Insert tab, then choose SoftSynth, then I select the TTS-1 plugin.
Then it create one new track, where "Omni" as the input and "TTS-1" as the output.
But I don't hear any sound from the computer although the input meter works each time I hit any key on the PSR. (as seen in the image below)

I also tried to drag a midi file into this new track, then hit play... but also no sound although the input meter works based on the midi notes played.
And vice versa, I also tried to drag a midi file into a blank track then when I try to drop TTS-1 plugin, it won't let me to drop anywhere.

So, the only thing that I can get the vst sounds is by opening a midi file (where there's nothing selected for the midi device output in the preferences),
which then Cakewalk automatically create two tracks.

What should I do in order the sound comes out from the computer with one track only ?
The computer is Windows 10 with onboard Sound Card.
In the Preferences, I've tried to each available driver mode, Asio4All, Wasapi Exclusive, Wasapi Shared, WDM/KS and MME (32bit).

Any kind of help would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you in advanced.

[mark skinner]

Reco , try clicking the input drop down arrow on your "midi" track and choose your PSR as the input. If it doesn't show up go to pref. and make sure it is chosen as a midi device. It should then feed the signal thru TTS.   

[gustabo]

Midi is data, not audio

[reko tomo]

On 5/26/2020 at 6:33 AM, mark skinner said:

Reco , try clicking the input drop down arrow on your "midi" track and choose your PSR as the input. If it doesn't show up go to pref. and make sure it is chosen as a midi device. It should then feed the signal thru TTS.   

Hi Mark,

Thank you for your reply.
Just now I've changed the input from "OMNI" to "USB2-0 MIDI", then choose "MIDI Omni".
The "USB2-0 MIDI" is the name of the input from the PSR.

In the image on my previous post, the input is "OMNI".
After I changed it to "USB2-0 MIDI" ---> "MIDI OMNI", now the input show "USB20MDO" as the input (as seen in the image above).
But still there is no sound comes out from the computer although the green level meter is lit each time I hit the key on the PSR,
(In the image above, the green animation level meter is when each time I hit  any key on the PSR).

Just now, from the condition above - I tried to add one more track, a blank audio track, track-2.
The track-2 automatically show the input as "None" and the output as "Master".
I change the track-2 input from "None" to "Cakewalk TTS1.1" ---> "Output 1 : Stereo" as seen in the image below.

Now each time I hit the key on the PSR, the green level meter is lit and I can hear the TTS-1 sound comes out from the computer.
I also tried to drop a midi file on track-1 (track-1 which contains the TTS-1 plugin),
and I also hear the TTS-1 sound following the midi notes after I hit the play button.
But then it uses two tracks in order to hear the TTS-1 vst sound.

Suppose that I have a midi file which has two tracks (2 different channel), Piano and Flute.
While in Waveform11 app I can just drop this midi file to the time line (it automatically creates 2 tracks) then on each track I add (say) Piano vst and Alter/Ego vst respectively then output each track to "default audio device", then I can here the Piano vst sound and Alter/Ego vst sound after I hit the play button. 
But I don't know how do I that within Cakewalk.

What I've tried so far with Cakewalk :
Drop that midi file to the time line (it automatically creates 2 tracks).
Add one more blank track which is an audio track.
Add TTS-1 to this blank audio track ---> the two tracks (with midi data/notes) output is set to TTS-1 automatically,
while the blank audio track input automatically is "None"  and the output is "Master".
I hit play, and I can hear the Piano and Flute sound from TTS-1 vst.
But I don't know how to do it if I don't want TTS-1 vst, but assign each midi track with (say) Piano vst and Alter/Ego vst respectively.

I also tried like this :
Insert "Soft Synth" ---> Piano vst. Cakewalk create one blank track (track-1).
Insert "Soft Synth" ---> Alter/Ego vst. Cakewalk create one more blank track (track-2).
Insert "Audio track", then set the input to Piano vst ---> Primary Output Stereo (track-3)
Insert "Audio track", then set the input to Alter/Ego vst ---> Primary Output Stereo (track-4)
Record track-1, then I hit any key on the PSR (the Piano vst sounds).
Record track-3, then I hit any key on the PSR (the Alter/Ego vst sounds).
On playback, I can hear both the Piano vst and the Alter/Ego vst sound.
But then it requires 4 tracks.
I cannot figure out how do I do that with just two tracks in Cakewalk, just like when I did in Waveform11.
I really wonder how do I do that in Cakewalk.

Thank you once again, Mark.

 

Edited May 26, 2020 by reko tomo

[reko tomo]

On 5/26/2020 at 7:04 AM, gustabo said:

Midi is data, not audio

Hi Gustabo,
Thank you for your respond.

Do you mean that the track (with a vst) won't sound at all in Cakewalk ?
I ask this because in Waveform11, I can drop a vst into a track, then the vst will sound if this track output I set it to "Default Audio Device".

What I still can't figure out in Cakewalk is:
1. How to drop a vst plugin to a Midi track, so it doesn't need to add one more blank Audio track where the vst is added to this blank Audio track.
2.  How to have a  "Soft Synth" track (with the vst choosen) will sound without adding one more blank audio track and set this audio track input to the "Soft Synth" track. 

Edited May 26, 2020 by reko tomo

[John Vere]

You need to just learn how cakewalk works with midi .  Don't ever go by what you did in another DAW. If you open Cubase you will find things even more different.  In my signature you will see a few tutorials on this subject,  

[reko tomo]

On 5/26/2020 at 9:10 PM, John Vere said:

You need to just learn how cakewalk works with midi .  Don't ever go by what you did in another DAW. If you open Cubase you will find things even more different.  In my signature you will see a few tutorials on this subject,  

Wow... very nice tutorials, John Vere.
Thank you very much for your respond and your tutorial.
I learn much from you.
Thank you once again.
 

[reko tomo]

After a few days playing and looking around in Cakewalk, at least one of what I'm looking for has been found out.
It turn out that inserting a soft-synth track won't has sound if in the Insert Soft Synth Options,  the "Simple Instrument Track" is not ticked.

If the "Simple Instrument Track" is ticked,
the inserted soft synth track will sound when any key in the PSR is pressed,
it can also directly record the PSR key hit to this track.
So it doesn't need to add one more blank audio track anymore to have the soft synth sound.

Thank you.
 

[gustabo]

59 minutes ago, reko tomo said:

After a few days playing and looking around in Cakewalk, at least one of what I'm looking for has been found out.
It turn out that inserting a soft-synth track won't has sound if in the Insert Soft Synth Options,  the "Simple Instrument Track" is not ticked.

If the "Simple Instrument Track" is ticked,
the inserted soft synth track will sound when any key in the PSR is pressed,
it can also directly record the PSR key hit to this track.
So it doesn't need to add one more blank audio track anymore to have the soft synth sound.

Thank you.
 

Yes, sort of. The Simple Instrument Track is a midi and audio track combined. SIT is not necessary if you select Insert Soft Synth to create a midi and audio track.

 

[reko tomo]

Thank you for the explanation, Gustabo.