No instrument sound in Cakewalk with MIDI controller connected

[tdehan]

I have connected my Roland PC-200 MK II through the Berhringer UMC404HD into Cakewalk.  I've inserted a new MIDI track into my project and select Hammond Organ from the instrument drop down within Cakewalk.  I can see the meters jump up when I play the keyboard on the MIDI controller but I don't hear any audio.  How do I get the MIDI controller to fire the instruments within Cakewalk?

Thanks

[reginaldStjohn]

I would first do the "Beginners Guide" section in the Cakewalk user's manual.  It describes how to insert and route for a midi instrument. Page 130 of the Reference Guide.

Depending on if you are using a simple instrument track or a separate midi and audio track things might look different but the principles are the same. You have to route the output of your midi track to the input of the virtual instrument. Then you route the audio output of the instrument to an audio track. A simple instrument track is just a single track representation of a combined midi and audio track that have been routed for you.  You also need to make sure that you route the audio track out to a master bus or hardware output to be able to hear it.

 

[tdehan]

Where do I find the Cakewalk User's Manual?

 

[scook]

The online version is updated most frequently. Use the links under Cakewalk http://www.cakewalk.com/Documentation/Home

The pdf is https://bandlab.github.io/cakewalk/docs/Cakewalk Reference Guide.pdf

Both links are in the Cakewalk by BandLab tab at the top of the forum.

There are quite a few tutorials in https://discuss.cakewalk.com/index.php?/forum/35-tutorials/ too.

[user 905133]

Edited June 8, 2020 by User 905133
Ooops-- See links in previous post.

[tdehan]

I checked out the MIDI section starting on page 130.  That didn't help.  I can get PIANO to sound when I play the MIDI controller.  However, I can't get any other instrument to play other than PIANO.   I selected Organ 1 but still only get PIANO.   If I select different pianos I still get the original one that sounds.   Here is how it is setup. 

[scook]

There are a couple of ways to work with TTS-1.

I prefer to ignore all the drop downs in an instrument track leaving them set to None except for the input and output (sometimes channel when using more than one track to drive an instance of TTS-1) setting the instruments in the plug-in itself. This video shows two ways to set an instrument on channel 1 in TTS-1

This is similar to how most synth plug-ins work

 

[tdehan]

Awesome!  That works?

[tdehan]

Another question.  I have the organ instrument now working.  I have good levels on the input.  But it is way to loud in my headphones.  Isn't there a way to turn what I am hearing down but not affect the input level?

[scook]

if the mix is OK and the audio meters look OK in the DAW turn down the volume knob  for the headphones on the interface.

 

[tdehan]

Turning down the headphone volume turns down the total mix.  Not just the one instrument.

[scook]

Every instrument and audio track in the DAW have a volume control.

 

[tdehan]

True.  However, when I turn down the volume of the particular instrument in question, it lowers the input level as well

[scook]

The volume control on an instrument and audio track has nothing to do with the MIDI data being recorded.

In fact, you can turn the volume all the way down and the MIDI data will still get recorded.

 

[tdehan]

Ok... however, I am back now where I was yesterday.  I've spent hours on this.  This should not be this difficult.  

I'm back to showing an MIDI signal in but getting now audio for the track.  I have it set for a Church Organ but no sound.  Here's what I've done:

• inserted a new MIDI track
• select the UMC404HD interface | INPUT | Omni
• it defaults to the UMC404HD interface as OUTPUT
• MIDI channel is set to 5 <default>
• Patch = Church Organ

Yesterday when I all of a sudden was able to get sound there was a MASTER slider that appeared also.  I have no idea how I got that and why I don't now but am guessing that is why I don't hear anything.

What I am missing? ...

[user 905133]

Track 5 is a MIDI track showing you the midi input is being received as evidenced by the green leds. I can't tell from the section above, but is the midi output [O] track control widget pointed to the softsynth? I see [O] = 1U40419 . . . which seems like an audio device, not TTS-1 (or another softsynth).

[tdehan]

Yes.  There are only 2 options and it selects the interface by default

[scook]

Yes, track 5 is setup to received MIDI from the audio interface and send MIDI back to the audio interface.

There is no amount of fiddling with the other drop downs in track 5 that will cause the DAW to produce audio short of sending the MIDI to a synth and adding an audio track to received the audio from the synth.

The channel assignment to 5 is not necessary.

The patch assignment to ChurchOrgan is meaningless because there is no GM synth receiving the MIDI data. The MIDI data is routed straight back to the interface.

In order to create sound from MIDI the MIDI data must be routed to a hardware or software synth. When using soft synths, you need to use an instrument track or at least one audio and one MIDI track to complete the necessary routing. A MIDI track by itself will not produce sound.

Use the Add Track menu to add TTS-1. Read the "To create instrument tracks" section in the link, add TTS-1 to the project  (step 1 and 2 from the "To create instrument tracks" section then click the Create button) and select the instrument to play in TTS-1 as I illustrated above. Forget about all the drop downs in the instrument track for now except the input from the interface and the output (which should be the master bus).

 

[tdehan]

Got it!  That's the part I was missing.  I need to insert an INSTRUMENT track.  Thanks!