RE: "Ultra Simple" an even simpler workspace that can easily be set up with CbB;

[Cakedance]

Recently I've been greatly inspired by an old CbB thread that I stumbled onto that actually turned out to be quite useful;

"this program is NOT User Friendly."  By thatoneXman, September 10, 2020 in Cakewalk by BandLab  ( 6 pages )

re: < https://discuss.cakewalk.com/index.php?/topic/19421-this-program-is-not-user-friendly/#comments >

 

CbB can be somewhat daunting to the beginner, especially to those with no previous DAW experience.

 

For beginners it's all about choosing "Basic" which will give you a feature set somewhat compatible to what you might see in GarageBand or a simpler DAW.                    

Noel Borthwick CbB Staff Member & 20 year developer of Cakewalk says "It doesn't get much simpler than what you see with Basic in any DAW." 

-The basic tasks are done in a very similar way in different DAWs,  with things like recording, opening and saving files, choosing instruments, etc, every DAW does more or less the same but each in their own way. 

As CbB is today,  it is the equivalent of fully kitted out recording studio, -luckily it is very customizable.  

At first looking  extremely complex (to the beginner) with what seems to be too many tabs, options and expandable/collapsable panes -it can be discouraging. 

-Collapsing the Inspector on the left and the Synth Rack/Browser on the right, then deleting  unneeded modules from the control bar at the top, you can actually have quite a basic DAW, with just your tracks and busses, -a better & doable starting point for the beginner. 

By default, Cakewalk guides you to using the Basic workspace, which is far less busy and shows far less of the stuff that a beginner need not be so concerned with. 

You can hide quite a lot of the more advanced stuff to concentrate on the things that matter to a novice user. 

Many people give up on CbB and go on to find a simpler & easier to operate DAW, -however, -this doesn't seem to really be necessary........

Noel Borthwick CbB Staff Member & 20 year developer of Cakewalk who says "It doesn't get much simpler than what you see with Basic in any DAW." and also, "To minimize distractions I suggest setting the default Workspace to "Basic" which will hide a lot of the details that you may not be interested in yet.", and, "Choosing Basic will give you a feature set somewhat compatible to what you might see in GarageBand or a simpler DAW.",  also indicates the existence of an even simpler workspace that can be easily set up "Ultra Simple".

In the 6 page September 10, 2020 thread in Cakewalk by BandLab by thatoneXman Noel Borthwick shows a screenshot of "Ultra Simple" being in the right top corner -where "Basic" can also be found -when it's selected...

 

However, when I get on CbB and look around there I do not find any trace or hint of the existence of this Ultra Simple workspace -that's supposedly easy to set up.... 

 

I feel that this, Ultra Simple workspace selection may be key to assisting beginners with absolutely no prior DAW experience.

Can anyone advise as to how to make this  Ultra Simple workspace selection  ? 

 

If CbB can be simplified to the point where there are no other easier DAWs -there's no need for beginners to dispair & try to looking elsewhere for easier solutions.

-Any other effective beginning suggestions, such as the "Creative Sauce Cakewalk Tutorials" -you should find on YouTube re: "Why Cakewalk? Top 5 Reasons" "CAKEWALK?  TOP 5 FEATURES"  Watch on [>] YouTube that were recommended by a couple of CbB user forum members on page #1 of the September 10, 2020 thread in Cakewalk by BandLab by thatoneXman < https://discuss.cakewalk.com/index.php?/topic/19421-this-program-is-not-user-friendly/#comments > (-a great place for newbies to get started, having a great way of explaining things without it sounding so complicated), -would also be much appreciated.

 

 

      

 

 

[John Vere]

 

[Cakedance]

 

Hello John Vere,

https://sites.google.com/view/cactus-studios/home                                  - Web Page with links to tutorials and CWP files

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIImmMf5qdvYsgRLQvlZlFA          -My Channel with Tutorials

 

Thank you very much for your  #3 Cakewalk 2021 Navigation & Workspace  of the Cactus Music Cakewalk Owner's Manual tutorial video from the John Vere Cactus Studios Part 3 Navigation.

I think that I'm going to find this tutorial video very helpful, especially with regards to knowing what everything is called. This will undoubtedly aid in my understanding to what is being referred to in the CbB user's guides & manuals as well as help clarify communications in the CbB user's forum Q&A.

On the top menu  re "Help" -almost nothing works for me because the Desktop (that the store technicians where I bought it installed & activated CbB )  -is not to be "Online".  Everyone involved with the future CbB projects including  myself wants to work exclusively Offline. -I only have a WIFI/Hotspot connection at home (that's quite unstable) anyway for a laptop that is used for emails & forum conversations etc.

I'm especially going to need some hard copy and/or some stuff on my connected  laptop  for "Documentation" and "Keyboard Shortcuts" -because when I click on either of these I get a "Failed to launch help" message, I assume this is because the Desktop is Offline. -If this isn't the reason please advise. 

-Other selections under "Help",  -such as, "Support",  "UserForum", and,  "What's New?"  brings up the big white windowbox with the "No Internet" "ERR_INTERNET_DISCONNECTED" message. 

Also under "Help" clicking on "Check for Updates" brings up two turquoise  rectangular message boxes that both read, (vertical on the side "CAKEWALK" on the left) "Connection Error  Could not check for updates, please try again later. doEarlyAccessCheck: WinHttpSendRequest: 12007: The server name or address could not be resolved" 

-As well under the top menu's "Help"  when selecting "Refresh Activation" I get, "Cannot Reach Internet" ( i ) "The requested service requires an internet connection. Please check your internet connection, or firewall settings, and try again  [ OK ]"   

-Again,  under "Help"  when selecting "Sign in to BandLab" I also get, "Cannot Reach Internet" ( i ) "The requested service requires an internet connection. Please check your internet connection, or firewall settings, and try again  [ OK ]"   

I realize that much of this is just the sort of thing that I will have to contend with in order to work Offline, yet I thought that I would bring this all to your attention as there are after all 4 differing messages re these failing "Help" selections. -I can see that two of these do most certainly relate to my Desktop operating Offline, -but the other two could relate to some other matter, -I feel that "Documentation" and "Keyboard Shortcuts" are of most concern because of their useful info and so if there's anyway to get these to work for me, (Offline) I would be inclined to pursue it further.

*On the top of the list under "Help" there is "Get Started" ;

When I click on that I go to a "Get Started" windowbox that says, "Welcome to Cakewalk by BandLab!", -then clicking  "[   Next   >  ]" I'm taken to an, "Audio Setup" windowbox, -clicking on,  "[   Next   >  ]" again I get to a, "Select Your Workspace" windowbox, -it states, "Select a workspace to automatically adapt Cakewalk to suit your experience level or intended task" -under that there is a task bar that reads [ Basic                                    v ]  -clicking on the downwards "v" arrow I go down a list that reads, "None", "Advanced", "Arranger", "Basic" (with a check before it), "Make Beats", "Mix", "Record", and "Tempo" (At the bottom of the list Basic is also listed there again in white fount against a black background) -but no "Ultra Simple" workspace setting... ;                                                                                  -Under that is a grey rectangular selection bar that in white fount reads, [  "Learn more about workspace"  ] -when I click on it only that familiar big white windowbox with the "No Internet" "ERR_INTERNET_DISCONNECTED" message appears. 

-Then clicking on,  "[   Next   >  ]" once more, I'm taken to a "Help Improve Cakewalk by BandLab!" windowbox.  With a little bright blue box in front of it, it says, "Use Analytics to Improve Cakewalk"                                                                                                                                           -Under that there is a grey rectangular selection bar that reads, "Learn more about our use of analytics...." but when  clicking on it, only the familiar big white windowbox with the "No Internet" "ERR_INTERNET_DISCONNECTED" message comes up.

What I am most concerned about here is that there's  no "Ultra Simple" workspace setting to be found here. 

I've looked around/clicked around but still cannot find the Ultra Simple" workspace setting.

I hope that 20 year developer of Cakewalk Noel Borthwick isn't the only guy that knows where the Ultra Simple workspace setting is. I'm becoming worried that this "even simpler workspace that can be easily set up" may not be so easily set up.

In the September 10, 2020 thread in the Cakewalk by BandLab Q&A user's forum by thatoneXman Noel Borthwick shows a screenshot of "Ultra Simple" being in the right top corner -where "Basic" can also be found -when it's selected...-but I can't find it there or anywhere else....

 

I believe that it could be the right way for me to begin with this DAW.

 

If anyone knows how to get there -I'd be most appreciative to be informed. 

 

Thanks,

 

 

 

 

 

Edited November 11, 2021 by Cakedance

[Kurre]

At the top of the forum there's three tabs. In the middle one "Cakewalk by Bandlab" you have the " reference guide pdf". It's kind of the manual for Cakewalk.

About the "Ultra Simple" workspace setting. I think it must be a user made workspace. Because you still can take away things from the view when you use the "basic" workspace. You are free to make your own workspace with only the things that you want to see in the display and name that workspace to whatever you feel like. Maybe you name it "Ultra Simple".

[John Vere]

In my navigation video I show you how to manipulate the workspace and save it. Or simply hide the views you don’t want using the shortcuts. 
Once you learn Cakewalk you will definitely want all the options. 

Im glad the video helped. I hope you take the time to watch them all. They are made to be watched in sequential order. 
 

[Cakedance]

Thank you John Vere, and Kurre for your replies,

From John Vere's 2nd reply it seems safe to say that Kurre's thought about the "Ultra Simple" workspace setting being a "user made workspace" -as you can still take things away & modify the "Basic" workspace, customizing a new workspace & renaming it (perhaps to Ultra Simple) -is what it is.

I should have known, when Noel Borthwick spoke of this, "even simpler workspace that can be easily set up" I must of took him sort of rhetorically rather than literally. (the screenshot illustration that he provided just showed Ultra Simple up in the right corner where Basic would otherwise be found)   -I've got to get used to the this new trade talk.

 

For the foreseeable future I don't believe I will have any need of MIDI stuff, -and mostly will only be doing comping & editing on a preexisting prototype project that I have yet to have managed  downloading into CbB (one track at a time).

Even after that, my purposes will be only of additional basic tracking & then the most rudementary of mix downs.