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New installation, no sound...


sciroccorics

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Hello,

I've installed Cakewalk this afternoon, to test the new "free" version by Bandlab (I've used Cakewalk years ago, and never since then). I started with a simple test : create an empty project, import one of my MIDI file and check how it sounds. And guess what ? No sound ! But also no error message ! 

I'm on Win10, using a Realtek audio card with native ASIO support. I've tested more than twenty different DAWs/midi players/midi editors on the same  hardware without any problem. Is this software a joke  ?

Regards,

sciroccorics

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The ASIO driver for Realtek is not very good.

Removing this driver is not a bad idea.

Even leaving it installed using one of the WASAPI driver modes may work better.

 

Importing a MIDI performance is not a good idea.

Importing MIDI files strips some data from the file and is intended for use with MIDI clips.

For a MIDI performance, try File > Open

If there is no MIDI output device specified in preferences, Cakewalk automatically sets up TTS-1 to play the MIDI file.

This is usually a better solution than relying on the MS GS wavetable synth.

 

No joke.

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Thanks for trying to help, scook ?

I've tested several driver modes in the preferences combobox : ASIO, WINAPI exclusive, WINAPI shared, MME driver, no luck with all of them. And still no  error message, so it's difficult to understand what's happening.

I've tried to send MIDI data on an external MIDI device (Yamaha PSR-SX900) or using internal MS wavetable, both without success. I also have different GM/GS/XG soundfonts installed, but didn't find how to active them through MIDI mapping within Cakewalk.

OK no joke if you like, but still I find it extremely disappointing to have an audio software in 2020 unable to correctly analyze some standard hardware and not working out of the box... The lack of error message is just unforgivable...

sciroccorics

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The audio issue is separate from the MIDI issue.

To resolve the audio issue start with an audio clip.

Review the audio settings in preferences 

http://www.cakewalk.com/Documentation?product=Cakewalk&language=3&help=0x20075

http://www.cakewalk.com/Documentation?product=Cakewalk&language=3&help=0x22B17

http://www.cakewalk.com/Documentation?product=Cakewalk&language=3&help=0x22B19

posting images of these screens may help in diagnosing your audio setup issues.

 

The MS GS wavetable synth does not rely on any audio mode in the the DAW as it is an external hardware synth.

Sending MIDI data to it should make sound. If it is not making sound then either the MIDI data is not making it to the chip or the problem is outside of the DAW. 

Trying to interactively play a controller through either a soft or hardware synth requires enabling input echo, the button to the right of the record button in the track header.

 

Soundfonts do not load natively in the DAW, to use soundfonts requires a plug-in to host them.

 

Once the DAW plays audio as expected, consider opening a MIDI file as described in my first post.

 

Most of what you seem to be dealing with fall outside the realm of software errors so I would not expect any error messages from the software.

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 Someone else had same issue a few weeks ago and I made them a video to save having to type this same thing over and over. As it was ,they had Digital audio as the output of the master bus instead of speakers. Cakewalk chooses the output at the top of the list in preferences. audio outputs. I have other videos you can get tyo from my signature that help you get started with midi tracks. 

 

Edited by John Vere
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We get a lot of these because Cakewalk is free. Newbies install it dreaming of creating that next hip hop sensation and struggle with the learning curve. 
Cakewalks first time start up screen should contain a warning that “This software performs best when using ASIO drivers and an audio interface “.  It would solve a lot of issues. 
ive tried to help a few people and in the process mucking about with on board and mine is Realteck and it sucks.   All you can do is edit and play with midi.  
One thing you’ll see is if you actually get the audio input to work the noise floor is like 40 db 

You can buy a Interface for $50. 

Cakewalk doesn’t push mandatory interface use because they would loose a lot of the “New “ user base. 

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Hi sciroccorics and welcome to the Cakewalk forums.

Make sure your routing is correct.  The audio track output should be pointing to the Master Bus and your Master Bus should be pointing to your audio card's output (speakers).

Kind regards,

tecknot

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