Anyone using Scaler with Cakewalk?

[Tezza]

I got Scaler from plugin boutique about three months ago but have yet to actually use it. Just forgot I had it on my system. I think there have been some updates since my version, so I will get those.

I intend to get it up and running with Cakewalk this week, have downloaded some videos with it to watch when I set it up but I don't think I have any specifically for using it with Cakewalk.

Anyone using it with Cakewalk?

[scook]

Don't have scaler

That said, there are two ways VST plug-ins that send MIDI data are setup in CbB.

1) Plug-ins that scan as synths such as. sequencers

• Create an instrument track (or audio+MIDI track pair) using the plug-in. It is important the plug-in has a complete routing even though it does not actually create audio data.
• Make sure "Enable MIDI Output" is selected in the VST2/VST3 drop down. This causes the plug-in to appear in other instrument and MIDI track input drop downs.
• Set the  instrument or MIDI track input to your controller and enable input echo
• Set the input on the instrument or MIDI track for synth to the plug-in and enable input echo.

2) Plug-ins that scan as effects

• Add the plug-in to an FX rack of an audio track
• Make sure "Enable MIDI Input" and "Enable MIDI Output" are selected in the VST2/VST3 drop down
• Add a MIDI track with the input set to your controller, output set to the plug-in and enable input echo. If using existing MIDI data there is no need to set the track input.
• Set the input on the instrument or MIDI track for synth to the plug-in and enable input echo.

Here is an image of the VST2/3 drop down showing the two enable MIDI options

 

 

[Ronman]

I have option 1, above.  A piano sampler that accepts midi.

I'm trying to set up a midi filter on it.

I enabled midi out on the instrument's VST drop down.

But the FX choices for the track all have to do with audio, not midi.  Previously, I had it setup as a audio+midi track pair, and I could insert a filter on the midi track.  But that led to subtle phasing issues.

 

[scook]

As I explained in the other thread, the MIDI FX rack for an instrument track is available in the MIDI tab of the track's inspector.

IOW, click "T", and add MIDI MFX plug-ins into the MIDI FX rack "B"

 

[Starise]

I bought it mainly out of curiosity...though if things get to the point that I can't make a melody on my own  I probably shouldn't be doing this even as a hobby. 

I loaded it up last week in Cakewalk and several other DAWs. No issues there. It makes a great way to recognize or remember music theory, even for those trained in it.

Not sure if I'll ever actually use anything from it in any of my music. I could see using it to see quickly what different combinations sound like together. 

[Brian Walton]

4 hours ago, Starise said:

I bought it mainly out of curiosity...though if things get to the point that I can't make a melody on my own  I probably shouldn't be doing this even as a hobby. 

I loaded it up last week in Cakewalk and several other DAWs. No issues there. It makes a great way to recognize or remember music theory, even for those trained in it.

Not sure if I'll ever actually use anything from it in any of my music. I could see using it to see quickly what different combinations sound like together. 

I've been creating music for something like  25 years and find Scaler to be a breath of fresh air and an easy way to come up with things I might not have on my own.  

I personally think it is one of the best additions to a DAW you can buy for a non-keyboard user.   

While I can play multiple instruments, guitar is where most of my experience and learning stemmed from and that generally provides the framework for a limited set of chords and inversions .   

[Starise]

1 hour ago, Brian Walton said:

I've been creating music for something like  25 years and find Scaler to be a breath of fresh air and an easy way to come up with things I might not have on my own.  

I personally think it is one of the best additions to a DAW you can buy for a non-keyboard user.   

While I can play multiple instruments, guitar is where most of my experience and learning stemmed from and that generally provides the framework for a limited set of chords and inversions .   

I liked it for some jazz experiments thus far. I am primarily a keyboardist  although I have a bunch of guitars, a bouzouki and too many other things to mention right now.

I have liked the process of playing around to find ideas. Scaler is a great way to get ideas for sure. I don't mean t shoot it down . I might use it more later on. So far it seems a wonderful ideas plugin. I can tell lots of work went into it. I think it's very educational...a great way to learn in looking at the scale types, modes, etc. Many musicians get stuck into only one or two systems. I tend to get caught in D because so much of the music I play is in D, G and A. 

I think I still prefer to "play around" with what's in my head even though it probably isn't much. I have really only played with it a few times. It feels like someone else is doing all the heavy lifting for me lol. I feel "spoilt" with it

[ZincT]

On 5/13/2019 at 3:14 PM, Tezza said:

I got Scaler from plugin boutique about three months ago but have yet to actually use it. Just forgot I had it on my system. I think there have been some updates since my version, so I will get those.

I intend to get it up and running with Cakewalk this week, have downloaded some videos with it to watch when I set it up but I don't think I have any specifically for using it with Cakewalk.

Anyone using it with Cakewalk?

I'm a long time Scaler and Scaler 2 user. 

You probably know this but just in case version 2.09 is the latest. You can always check here for an up-to-date status https://forum.scalerplugin.com/t/scaler-2-latest-version-updates/3542   When a new version becomes available you can download it from your PB account.

I am probably similar to Brian in that I play multiple instruments but am first and foremost a guitarist. My keyboard skills are not that great (I can just about muster up a version of The Entertainer) but I do have reasonable music theory. 

What I love about Scaler 2 and all the other similar tools (I am a bit of a collector of these) is that they encourage experimentation and there's always the possibility of coming up with "happy coincidences".  I also like experimenting with feeding the output of one such tool into another e.g. Scalar 2 to create chords which I then feed into Chordpotion to create rhythmical movement and multiple parts. There's an excellent (but long) Baphometrix video  (2 parts) in which he uses Scaler to demonstrate modal interchange. 

[Leighton Cooper]

I too am having problems getting scaler 2 to work in CW BL  I've gotten it to work in FL Studio using Patcher but I have tried putting it before Kontakt and it's supposed to list itself as scaler in the kontakt input, but it doesn't do that.  I can use it with it's original sounds but I wanted to use the pianos in kontakt Alica Keys, but Scaler doesn't show up in the input list.  Any ideas?  Thanks in advance

[OutrageProductions]

I have several project templates built with Scaler on track 1 driving other instruments.

Make sure that the instance of Scaler is inserted as a simple instrument and that you have initiated the VSTi MIDI output from it, then it will show up in the MIDI input list of other instrument tracks or MIDI tracks.

It gets a little trickier if you want to use the Multi-out of Scaler, but the flow is the same.

[Glenn Stanton]

Use external software instruments vs. built in tones - Tutorials - Scaler Plugin - Community Forum

https://forum.scalerplugin.com/t/use-external-software-instruments-vs-built-in-tones/14398

[Jesse Screed]

check this out, maybe you can use it Tezza

 

[RexRed]

I learned how to use Scaler 2 from YouTube. It works the same in any DAW.

Cakewalk works in every possible way that I know of with Scaler 2..

There are many things you can do with Scaler, pick one and tackle that.

You can use Scaler to pick out the chords from a wave file,

You can get Scaler to generate many different types of arpeggios.

 You can get it to generate a nice group of very complex chords.

I use Scaler 2 to alter my style the same way other band members might suggest things I might not have thought of.

YouTube is the place to learn Scaler.

One of my tutorials with Scaler 2 and Cakewalk.

Very few people watch my Cakewalk videos but I make them anyway.

Please leave a like, subscribe (click the bell for "all" notifications) and leave comments, I read them all.

You might catch me "live" doing a Cakewalk video.

I have been making Cakewalk videos on YouTube for almost 10 years and never made a single dime from that effort..

Maybe one day Cakewalk will acquire the market share it deserves.

Best to you Cakewalk peeps! ?

Edited September 9, 2023 by RexRed

[Zaid Myers]

I tested Scaler, but it didn't seem irreplaceable to any free plugin, so I gave up. Instead, I used an arpeggiator and Chordz.  Easier to use and specific.

On 9/9/2023 at 8:53 PM, RexRed said:

You can use Scaler to pick out the chords from a wave file

I didn't know about that, you're making me retake the test. Thanks

[Brian Walton]

On 9/30/2023 at 11:18 AM, Zaid Myers said:

I tested Scaler, but it didn't seem irreplaceable to any free plugin, so I gave up. Instead, I used an arpeggiator and Chordz.  Easier to use and specific.

I didn't know about that, you're making me retake the test. Thanks

It sounds like you might want to consider a deeper dive if Chordz and an Arp generator provide you with all the functionality you were getting out of Scaler 2.