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New to Cakewalk: Can't record MIDI tracks

Bob Ouellette

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Bob Ouellette

Bob Ouellette

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Hello there --

I know I'm very likely doing something that's completely stupid, but for the life of me I can NOT seem to be able to record tracks properly.

Here's what I do, and the results:

  1. Open up a new blank project (Empty Project.cwt)
  2. Add a MIDI track to the Track View window (Right Click -> Insert MIDI Track)
  3. Arm the track
  4. Hit "r" to start recording
  5. Play some MIDI notes after 1 bar of metronome
  6. Hit "r" to stop recording

Should work, right?  Nope, it doesn't.  While I'm recording, I notice that the play marker stop moving at exactly "00:00:00:07" every time, and every single note I've played while recording is bunched up there, at that spot in the timeline, with a length of 1 tick.

Honestly, I have not made any changes to the Preferences, other than ensuring that my MIDI device is enabled to play the notes I'm trying to record.

I know it's something stupid, but for the life of me, after watching a number of "beginner videos", I just can NOT determine what is happening here.  I've used Reaper for years, and have never had an issue like this.

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scook

scook

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Could have dealt with this 20 minutes ago if you had answered the interface question

5 minutes ago, Bob Ouellette said:

That is currently set to the following:

Playback Timing Master:   1: ASIO Digidesign Driver Mbox2 Mbox2 Out 1

Record Timing Master:   1: ASIO Digidesign Driver Mbox2 Mbox 2 In 1

I suspected as much, see

 

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Bob Ouellette

Bob Ouellette

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Just now, Bob Ouellette said:

Would that matter?  I'm using the Alesis V25 MIDI keyboard, plugged directly into my computer via USB.  

Again, I'm trying to record MIDI note events, not audio.

I should also mention that I am able to hear samples/synths without any problem.  It's the recording that at issue here.

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msmcleod

msmcleod

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IIRC when recording with JUST midi and no audio at all (i.e. you've no audio tracks and you're not using any software synths either), you have to change your Source setting within Preferences->Project->Clock to Internal.

By default this is set to Audio, which is what it should be if any audio is being produced, as is the case with using software synths and/or audio tracks - but if all you have is MIDI, then there's no audio to sync the clock to.

Alternatively, you can just add an empty audio track.

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msmcleod

msmcleod

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1 minute ago, Bob Ouellette said:

I should also mention that I am able to hear samples/synths without any problem.  It's the recording that at issue here.

In that case, your clock source should be set to audio, but check your timing master within Preferences->Audio->Driver Settings->Record Timing Master.

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Bob Ouellette

Bob Ouellette

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3 minutes ago, msmcleod said:

In that case, your clock source should be set to audio, but check your timing master within Preferences->Audio->Driver Settings->Record Timing Master.

That is currently set to the following:

Playback Timing Master:   1: ASIO Digidesign Driver Mbox2 Mbox2 Out 1

Record Timing Master:   1: ASIO Digidesign Driver Mbox2 Mbox 2 In 1

 

Both settings are assigned to the only option available in the dropdown.

As for your first suggestion, changing the Project Clock to Internal works to record one time, then it does not save.  It get reverted back to Audio as soon as I finish the take, and it will not playback successfully past the same time code as before.  I also can't re-set the Clock setting to Internal again.  It will only work one time.

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Bob Ouellette

Bob Ouellette

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1 minute ago, Bob Ouellette said:

As for your first suggestion, changing the Project Clock to Internal works to record one time, then it does not save.  It get reverted back to Audio as soon as I finish the take, and it will not playback successfully past the same time code as before.  I also can't re-set the Clock setting to Internal again.  It will only work one time.

OK, an additional update to this:

It seems the problem occurs when I sent the transport controls back to Start.  Simply rewinding a bit does NOT reset the Clock setting on the project.  But when I go back to start, it switches back to "Audio".  Trying to set the Clock back to Internal and hitting Play again will throw an "Audio Engine Dropout" error to be displayed.

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Bob Ouellette

Bob Ouellette

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6 minutes ago, scook said:

@msmcleod , Digidesign interfaces need a change to aud.ini to run correctly.
The timing issue in the OP is why I ask about the audio interface.

And this did, in fact, correct the issue -- thank you!

I was able to change the setting, and confirmed it worked for new projects after a restart, as well.  Thank you!

9 minutes ago, msmcleod said:

@Bob Ouellette - can you confirm whether you're using actual MIDI tracks on their own, or whether you're using any software synths?

You mention you're hearing samples/synths ok - are these separate hardware devices, or from within Cakewalk ?

To answer your question, I was able to hear soft-synths and samplers (Dexed, OPUS, Kontakt) within the DAW itself -- both when noodling the keys on an instrument track, and when a separate MIDI track was routed to the instrument track.  It was only during the recording and playback that I was seeing the issue -- which scook's suggestion corrected!

Suggestion to you @msmcleod: is there a way to establish that as the default setting when ASIO drivers are selected?  Just a thought...

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