Need to import a mix and sync Cakewalk to it...

[TheSteven]

I need to import a mix into a new Cakewalk project then sync Cakewalk to it so that I can add MIDI tracks, etc.

What's the best way to do this?
Been a long time since I tried something like this and have no recall of what I did before.

[marcL]

There are 2 ways to do it, either with AudioSnap or Melodyne.

With AudioSnap:

1. Import the mix into a project, the tempo does not matter.
2. Use the "AudioTrnsnts" selection on the track (or tracks). If you have multiple tracks (stems) in the "mix" then use the drum track(s) for best results.
3. Disable all transients that are in wrong places and add/move the other transients to fit the material.
4. Open the AudioSnap menu and choose "Set Project From Clip", this creates a tempo map for the project, you're done! (maybe it needs some fine tuning?)

I can't remember how to do it with Melodyne, but it has something to do with Audio to MIDI in the first step.

[tonemangler]

The easiest way is to drag the clip into the timeline and a tempo map will automatically be generated.  Cheers.

[John Bradley]

10 minutes ago, tonemangler said:

The easiest way is to drag the clip into the timeline and a tempo map will automatically be generated.  Cheers.

Pretty sure that relies on Melodyne (seem to recall it was introduced when SPLAT started bundling in Melodyne Essential or whatever). As such, it's almost certainly hit or miss. I mean, it'll generate a tempo map of some sort, but not necessarily one that you'd want!

I generally give Melodyne a shot at it, by loading up the wav in Melodyne 4 Studio (standalone), trying the various tempo detection algorithms and seeing if it can grok the song reasonably. It manages to do so about 75% of the time, I'd say. If so, I Export a Tempo Map (as a MIDI file) and load that into CW.

When it fails, I manually generate a tempo map by turning on the vertical lines at quarter note intervals in Track View, aligning a good solid '1' somewhere, and inserting tempo changes every couple of bars as necessary to correct for drift. Fun, it ain't.

Never tried @marled's AudioSnap method. Have to give that a shot next time Melodyne fails me.

 

[Bill Phillips]

I work primarily with projects that include an acoustic guitar and the acoustic guitar player sets the project tempo. So far I have had good luck dragging the acoustic guitar clip to the timeline to generate a project tempo map.

[John Bradley]

Success depends greatly on what you throw at it. Sparse mixes (also stems or 'isolated' tracks if you can get them) or complete mixes with a very prominent beat work well. Dense "wall of sound" tracks (e.g. Springsteen's Born To Run), not so much.