[CLOSED] Cakewalk 2020.07 Early Access

[Morten Saether]

2020.07 Early Access installer now available!

We're pleased to announce Early Access for 2020.07! This release introduces support for multiple Arranger tracks, Arranger section types, Arranger templates, MIDI automation on Instrument tracks, Workspace enhancements, Classic Creative Suite and Channel Tools plug-ins, new FX Chain presets, export directly to Standard MIDI File, optimizations, and much more, including over 60 bug fixes.

We'd love for you to check it out before we drop the official public version. This time we're also providing an easy rollback installer should you need to quickly revert to the last public release for any reason.

Please note that Early Access installers are update installers, which only update from a specific version. To install the 2020.07 Early Access build, you must be on the latest public release of 2020.05.

Download Cakewalk 2020.07 EA installer

Should you need to revert to the 2020.05 release, you can download the Cakewalk 2020.05 Rollback installer.

If you haven't already done so, please read about the Early Access Program before participating.

Thanks again for your participation!
The Bakers

 

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2020.07 Highlights

For detailed info, see the attached PDF.

New Features in Cakewalk 2020.07.pdf

 

New features

Multiple Arranger tracks

A project can contain multiple Arranger tracks, with each track containing its own set of sections. Multiple Arranger tracks provides many benefits, including:

• Simultaneously declare multiple sections intersecting within a given range of time.
• Define and organize sub-sections within a larger section. For example, if you have a live recording of multiple songs, you can use one Arranger track to mark out each song, and another to mark out the verses and choruses within each song.
• Use multiple sections for generic annotation within a project.

 

 

Arranger section types

Arranger sections can be assigned to an optional section type attribute, such as Verse, Chorus, Bridge, etc. Cakewalk includes many common section types, and you can create your own custom section type presets.

Section types provide the following benefits:

• By tagging sections with type attributes, you can use Arranger templates to instantly create new arrangements from your existing sections.
• Quickly assign consistent names and colors to sections that serve specific musical functions in a song.
• Directly insert new sections that automatically use appropriate names and colors.

 

 

Arranger templates

Arranger templates are pre-defined song forms that store the order in which sections are arranged. You can think of an Arranger template as a map of an entire song.

Arranger templates are global and can be used in several ways:

• Create a new Arranger track from a template. The template is applied to the Arranger track, which creates new sections. This is useful when starting a new song and you want to quickly create all Arranger sections for a typical song form that you can fill in with music.
• Insert sections in an existing Arranger track. Drag Arranger templates from the Media Browser and drop them in existing Arranger tracks. Sections in the template are inserted into the target track.
• Create a new arrangement. If your project already contains existing sections, you can use Arranger templates to create new arrangements from the existing sections. This allows you to preview your existing sections with different song forms. Sections that exist in the template but not in the project can be optionally created at the end of the project in the active Arranger track.

 

 

Show and edit MIDI automation on Instrument tracks

Instrument tracks can now show and edit MIDI automation. Previously, Instrument tracks only showed the automation available for the audio output section of the track. Now both MIDI and audio automation parameters can be set from the track’s Edit Filter.

 

Classic Creative Suite audio effects

The Classic Creative Suite is made up of powerful and easy to use Cakewalk effects including Alias Factor, Classic Phaser, Compressor/Gate, HF Exciter, Modfilter, Multivoice Chorus/Flanger, Para-Q, and Tempo Delay.

 

Channel Tools plug-in

The Channel Tools plug-in provides easy and powerful channel processing for gain, Mid-Side decoding, delay and stereo panning.

Channel Tools is ideal for enhancing and adjusting stereo separation for stereo tracks and full mixes.

 

New FX Chain presets

Cakewalk includes many new FX Chain presets that use the new Classic Creative Suite and Channel Tools audio effects.

 

Export to Standard MIDI File

The File > Export > Standard MIDI File command lets you directly export the current project’s MIDI data to a Standard MIDI File.

 

Enhancements

Enhanced ‘Instrument Track Per Audio Output’

When inserting a multi-timbral soft synth, you can use the Instrument Track Per Output option in the Add Track menu and Insert Soft Synth Options dialog box to specify how many Instrument tracks to create. This allows you to have multiple Instrument tracks for a single instance of a synth.

However, if you specify more output tracks than the synth supports, Cakewalk will now create additional synth instances as required. For example, adding 16 TTS-1 tracks will create 4 TTS-1 instances as the TTS-1 supports 4 audio outs per instance.

 

Workspace enhancements

‘Apply Workspace on Project Load’ option

When using a workspace, you can now specify if the active workspace should be automatically applied when loading projects. This is specified with the Apply Workspace on Project Load option in the Workspaces menu. The Apply Workspace on Project Load option is disabled by default.

When enabled, the active workspace is always applied to an opened project.

When disabled, projects load with their saved window layout, even when a workspace is active. To apply the active workspace, re-select the workspace form the Workspaces menu.

Track view View and Options menu settings are not saved in workspaces

The Track view View and Options menu settings are global, and no longer saved in screensets or workspaces.

This change prevents global settings from being overwritten when applying a workspace.

 

Ripple Edit affects Arranger section move/copy operations

The Ripple Edit setting is respected when moving and copying Arranger sections.

 

Auto Crossfades is applied to Section Split/Arrangement Commit

Section operations now respect the Auto Crossfade enable in the Track view. Section Split and Commit Arrangement operations will now have crossfades applied when enabled.

 

Option to center Now Time when zooming with the keyboard

The Track view Options menu has a new Center on Now Time with Keyboard Zoom option that centers the Now Time when zooming with keyboard shortcuts (CTRL+LEFT ARROW and CTRL+RIGHT ARROW).

 

Key binding to open soft synth on current track

A new key binding named Open Soft Synth on Current Track allows you to open the soft synth UI on the focused Instrument track. You can assign the key binding in Edit > Preferences > Customization - Keyboard Shortcuts (under Area: Global Bindings).

 

Improved loading of synth data

Loading soft synths is now a two step process: first the plug-in is loaded, then its content is loaded (samples, etc.).

A new toast notification shows the loading status.

 

Enhancements to Duplicate Selected Clip(s) command

The Duplicate Selected Clip(s) command now respects the selection when duplicating instead of reverting to clip size. It also no longer sets the Now Time during playback.

 

Toggle Clip Gain edit filter

You can quickly toggle between Track Volume and the last/previously shown data type on the current track. To do so, press the = key. This only works on the current parent track, not in Automation lanes.

To toggle between Clip Gain and the last/previously shown data type on the current track, press SHIFT+=.

 

Improved handling of temporary removal of control surfaces

Cakewalk now better handles the temporary removal of devices related to connected/configured control surfaces. 
If the MIDI input or output ports are not available, the control surface is now disabled. The control surface name will be shown in parentheses and any missing ports will be shown as -- None --.

Regardless of whether MIDI ports have been remapped or not as a result of adding or removing MIDI devices, only user changes to the control surface setup will be saved. Unchanged control surfaces will retain their original settings. Therefore, if a MIDI port is unavailable and the ports are shown as -- None --, as long as this surface is left unchanged, it will automatically restore its previous settings the next time Cakewalk is restarted with the MIDI device available.

 

ALT+drag in time ruler to select both tracks and buses

By default, making a time selection by dragging in the time ruler only selects tracks. To select both tracks and buses, hold down the ALT key while dragging in the time ruler.

 

‘Split MIDI Notes’ and ‘Non-Destructive MIDI Editing’ options in MIDI menu

The Non-Destructive MIDI Editing and Split MIDI Notes options that are found in the Edit > Preferences > Customization - Editing dialog box impact Arranger track editing, so we have made them more accessible by also adding them to the Track view MIDI menu:

• Non-Destructive MIDI Editing. Select this option to make all MIDI editing non-destructive. When toggled on, this option forces deleted data to be retained even though it is not visible.
  • When you split or crop clips, the old MIDI events are still there but they're hidden. So you can extend the ends of the clips to reveal the MIDI events again. If this is turned off, you lose those events when you split. In most cases you should leave this option enabled.
• Split MIDI Notes. Select this option to split any underlying MIDI notes when you split clips, and insert MIDI chase events (such as continuous controllers, Pitch Wheel, and Patch Change) at the split position.
  • The advantage of this is that you don’t get lost notes when copy/pasting or cut/pasting notes that start just before the split point.
  • The disadvantage of this is that if you extend the clip ends, as the note has now been split, it will be retriggered at the split point.

The menu commands are also available as key bindings. You can assign the key binding in Edit > Preferences > Customization - Keyboard Shortcuts (under Area: Track View).

 

Add Track menu now supports plug-in layouts

The Add Track window’s menu now supports the use of plug-in layouts. The Plug-in Browser and Add Track menu display the same layout.

 

Copy and assign automation envelopes

Copy and Assign Envelope is now available via the context menu for envelopes to facilitate copying an existing envelope and assigning it to a different parameter.

 

Staff view respects global Snap to Grid settings

The Staff view respects the global Snap to Grid settings for note positioning when drawing notes.

 

Optimizations

• Improved scrolling in the Track view with Snap to Landmark Events enabled. This fixes a reported issue where Snap to Landmarks with AudioSnap transients was causing scrolling to become sluggish.

 

Bug fixes

Stability

• Crash attempting to rename drum map note in Piano Roll view
• Crash when attempting to duplicate Instrument track
• Crash when closing Cakewalk with Arranger context menu open
• Crash when re-doing a Copy after undoing a Create Section
• Crash when applying arrangement in project
• Crash importing MIDI file to project
• iZotope Iris crashes if the project sample rate differs from the default sample rate

Automation

• Bus automation deleted when dragging Arranger section if no clips present
• Automation for multiple instances of a plug-in delete unexpectedly
• MIDI automation does not update slider on Instrument track lanes
• Custom Automation lane names are easily lost
• Copying clips with envelopes creates extra envelopes on Instrument tracks
• Ability to toggle between Clips and Clip Gain envelope on active track
• Bus Envelope being copied to tracks on Cut/Paste
• Paste from bus envelopes go to synth envelopes unexpectedly

UI

• Ripple Edit button status incorrect when opening template
• Piano Roll view Snap button does not have tooltip
• Export as MIDI defaults to .cwp file extension
• Selected buses should give clearer indication of selection
• Scrolling in Clips pane is sluggish with Snap to Transients enabled 
• Current tab in Multidock does not persist
• Allow for background colors in Synth Rack
• Change text for "Move Checked Devices to top" button in Preferences > MIDI - Devices to specify outputs

Arranger

• If selection does not include audio, automation is not moved with sections
• Arranger Preview should not be impacted by Stop at Project End
• Arranger Sections not rippling properly when moving clips with Ripple Edit set to ALL
• Ensure only MIDI tracks are having trim applied after splitting notes in arranger commands
• Dragging audio to extract tempo broken by Arranger code
• Not possible to drag multiple sections that are lasso selected
• Section events do not move/copy if the selection only contains long MIDI notes outwith the selection extent
• Clicking on project end icon in control bar doesn't include sections
• Update section selection on Project Selection Extent change
• Creating new section should snap to nearby section or time boundary
• Inconsistent behavior between section selection move and single section move
• Disable Autosave triggering during Commit Arrangement
• Show onboarding text in Arrangements inspector
• Commit arrangement should auto-crossfade if Auto Crossfade is enabled

Misc.

• Cropped MIDI notes chase unexpectedly
• Aim Assist Text status not persisting
• Auto Crossfade button not updating between projects
• Nudge in tracks fails to crossfade
• Unexpected results when nudging comped clips with auto crossfades
• Automatic Crossfades does not bind as expected in Preferences
• Cakewalk includes FX Chain presets that reference non-included plug-ins
• Autosave firing every few patch changes in VSTi
• Projects with Kontakt load slowly if sample rate differs from default sample rate 
• Increase MackieControl.ini plug-in entry limit
• Disabling 'Recycle Plugin Windows' not working as expected
• Dragging plug-ins from browser stops playback
• CTRL dragging a plug-in should not open the plug-in UI
• Staff view should respect the global snap setting for note positioning when drawing notes
• Unable to move notes in Staff view
• Right-click should not clear the selection in the Piano Roll and Staff views
• Reduce minimum control surface timeout to 25ms
• Select All causes Insert > Time/Measures to only insert at beginning of project
• Shift + +/= should toggle clip gain for Lanes
• Duplicate Instrument track not working when drum maps are defined
• Incorrect behaviour when moving multiple clips past the end of a cropped clip 
• Ripple Edit adds time unexpectedly when pasting controllers
• MIDI Ripple Edit in Lanes fails partially
• Show and fit selection command is not working for tracks in folders
• Show and Fit Selection for CLIPS in Track Folders does not work as expected
• Export Audio does not append chosen file extension

 

[Apeirofobia]

This looks amazing!

[Mauricio Ramirez]

Thanks,  Testing! ?

[Marko Kush]

Awesome.. Great job.. Testing it now.. Love what you're doing!

[User 905133]

Thanks for the video showcasing the Arranger Track!!  I am glad I waited for the improvements (which look wonderful!) before trying to learn how to get started with the Arranger Track.

[User 905133]

I haven't tried it yet, for many people who have issues rooted in Workspaces, the enhancements seem like they should help. 

Would it be possible to optionally assign a specific Workspace as the initial Workspace on a project-by-project basis (future request if it is possible)? For example, for a certain set of projects, I almost always use a "Staff Entry" Workspace while for a different set of projects I almost always use a "Listen+Edit" Workspace.

[Zirrex]

Ripple Edit affects Arranger section move/copy operations
The Ripple Edit setting is respected when moving and copying Arranger sections.

When I move to right all is good (clips move), when I move to left - nothing happens.

This is video about this problem.

 

Edited July 24, 2020 by Zirrex

[Zirrex]

Key binding to open soft synth on current track

Quote

A new key binding named Open Soft Synth on Current Track allows you to open the soft synth UI on the focused Instrument track. You can assign the key binding in Edit > Preferences > Customization - Keyboard Shortcuts (under Area: Global Bindings).

1. This is nice but... this is work ONLY when I select Track Name! ? I can click to synth icon and open synth. It doesn't make sense to use this key.  
When I select clip nothing happens because the track is not selected completely, only number track! But for this key to work, you need to select the track NAME.
Please make an option FOR syncing the selection: Name & Track number.

2. Will be great to have Toggle options for this shortcuts: open/close synth.

This is video about this problem.

 

Edited July 24, 2020 by Zirrex

[msmcleod]

48 minutes ago, Zirrex said:

Ripple Edit affects Arranger section move/copy operations
The Ripple Edit setting is respected when moving and copying Arranger sections.

When I move to right all is good (clips move), when I move to left - nothing happens.

This is video about this problem.

 

Ripple in the Arranger works completely differently from Ripple in the clips.

In 2020.05, the Arranger completely ignored the project Ripple status, as it has its own ripple behaviour.  This behaviour has not changed.

In 2020.07, the Ripple Edit does the following:

1. If either Ripple Selection or Ripple All is enabled, the Arranger Move/Copy drag operations act as if the SHIFT key is pressed - in other words instead of "Blend Clips", the operation is "Shift Existing Clips"

2. If Ripple All is selected, sections in the other Arranger tracks are also rippled.

If you want to use the existing ripple behaviour, select the section with data then drag the clip instead of the section.

[Zirrex]

Improved handling of temporary removal of control surfaces

Quote

 

Cakewalk now better handles the temporary removal of devices related to connected/configured control surfaces. 
If the MIDI input or output ports are not available, the control surface is now disabled. The control surface name will be shown in parentheses and any missing ports will be shown as -- None --.

Regardless of whether MIDI ports have been remapped or not as a result of adding or removing MIDI devices, only user changes to the control surface setup will be saved. Unchanged control surfaces will retain their original settings. Therefore, if a MIDI port is unavailable and the ports are shown as -- None --, as long as this surface is left unchanged, it will automatically restore its previous settings the next time Cakewalk is restarted with the MIDI device available.

 

Amazing! Thank you! I love you!

Please, please, please... Can you do this for control surfaces:
If I select track (number or name) control surfaces automatically switches to the selected channel.
It would be great to have this option in the settings.
 

 

[msmcleod]

1 hour ago, Zirrex said:

Key binding to open soft synth on current track

1. This is nice but... this is work ONLY when I select Track Name! ? I can click to synth icon and open synth. It doesn't make sense to use this key.  
When I select clip nothing happens because the track is not selected completely, only number track! But for this key to work, you need to select the track NAME.
Please make an option FOR syncing the selection: Name & Track number.

2. Will be great to have Toggle options for this shortcuts: open/close synth.

This is video about this problem.

 

The hint is in the name of the shortcut: Open Soft Synth on Current Track ... not selected clip.

Using the selection would be ambiguous - i.e. what would take priority... the selection or the current track? And what if you've got multiple clips or tracks selected?

You don't actually have to click on the name... you just have to set the current track.  This could be by clicking the name, but it could also be by using the arrow up/down keys to go through the tracks, or pressing the track select button on a control surface.  You can also set the current track by clicking on the synth on the synth rack.

[msmcleod]

39 minutes ago, Zirrex said:

Please, please, please... Can you do this for control surfaces:
If I select track (number or name) control surfaces automatically switches to the selected channel.
It would be great to have this option in the settings.
 

This is dependent on the control surface you're using.

Mackie compatible control surfaces already do this if you're using Cakewalk's MackieControl surface plugin.

The ACT control surfaces and Generic Control Surfaces are one way - i.e. they only receive data, so there's no way of doing that with these.

[Esteban Villanova]

Thanks for the update!

The new plugins are appreciated but is there a possibility to make the UI's larger? They look very small on my 1080p monitor.

[Penguin Harps]

I made my first recording as normal. There was a bunch of static on the playback.

This was not present on the previous version.  I rolled back the version and opened the project, no static. Any ideas??

[Penguin Harps]

 

16 minutes ago, Esteban Villanova said:

Thanks for the update!

The new plugins are appreciated but is there a possibility to make the UI's larger? They look very small on my 1080p monitor.

I agree. They are small even on my 36 inch tv/monitor.

Edited July 24, 2020 by Penguin Harps

[Lemar Sain]

Happy see some of the older Cake Plugins making their way back into the fold.

Edited July 24, 2020 by Lemar Sain

[Noel Borthwick]

5 hours ago, User 905133 said:

I haven't tried it yet, for many people who have issues rooted in Workspaces, the enhancements seem like they should help. 

Would it be possible to optionally assign a specific Workspace as the initial Workspace on a project-by-project basis (future request if it is possible)? For example, for a certain set of projects, I almost always use a "Staff Entry" Workspace while for a different set of projects I almost always use a "Listen+Edit" Workspace.

If you prefer the workspace to auto apply then why not turn on the 'Apply Workspace on Project Load’? If you want it on a case by case basis then just apply the workspace manually. Workspaces are designed to be global not per project...

[Jose Guadalupe Garcia Garcia]

¡Thanks Bandlab! for this Update! We apreciate it...

***Cakewalk Forever***

[reevant]

Well I don’t know what to say.  
 

For the past week I’ve been frustrated, sending stuff to VSL asking questions on various forums including the Cakewalk forum.  I purchased Vienna Smart Orchestra but unfortunately could not get it to work in Cakewalk.  I even went to a “fresh” install of Cakewalk but no joy.

Today I get the message about the advance release so I thought “why not it can’t get worse”.   I downloaded and put it on my system.  Fired it up loaded the Vienna Smart Orchestra and it worked.  I hope I’m not speaking too soon but it seems as if the issue may have gone with the new update.

I can only hope and pray.

keep well all.

Tony

 

 

[Lord Tim]

This all looks amazing! Can't wait to try out the new arranger stuff especially when I get a break next.