Are these features for making cutdowns available?

[Ronman]

I'm making cut downs, 15sec, 30sec, 60sec, etc.  What would really, really help are three things.  Are these currently possible?

1. In the Arranger Track, automatically extend one or the other end of a section to precisely the position of the Now pointer (not using drag, which is inaccurate if you're not zoomed way in).
2. In the Arrangement Inspector, it currently shows the total time, but also show the time of each section.  Then I could see ways to split and combine sections to come up with the needed lengths.
3. Increase/decease the tempo slightly ONLY for the arrangement, in order to make the total seconds come out right.

[John Vere]

Your desired work flow might be quicker  in a Wave editor.  
That’s what I’ve always used for editing wave files. Cakewalk is more for multi track recording and  doesn’t include the workflow features of a true wave editor. I think only Cubase has it built in. 
I use Wave Lab but there are many free wave editors available   
Cakewalk can be set to “tool copy “ a track and open in any editor using a tool made by @scook

[scook]

For 1 consider time-based selections.

In Preferences > Customization > Display enable "Display All Times as SMPTE"

This will allow precise time-based selections in the select by time dialog and select module.

Once selected create a new arrangement section.

 

For 2 and 3, the export module shows the run time of the current selection.

[Jimbo 88]

Cake is great for this type of project...at least it is for me.  The ripple edit makes this easy.  The only issue i have had in the past doing this sort of thing is Tempo and other automation getting cut.  Like a volume will off because it was programed in the middle of what was just cut.  So keep that and mind and most of the time you can cut things down very quickly.  A feature I rarely hear about, but I use all the time is "Fit to Time".

Good luck!

[Ronman]

On 1/20/2022 at 1:56 PM, Jimbo 88 said:

Cake is great for this type of project...at least it is for me.  The ripple edit makes this easy.  The only issue i have had in the past doing this sort of thing is Tempo and other automation getting cut.  Like a volume will off because it was programed in the middle of what was just cut.  So keep that and mind and most of the time you can cut things down very quickly.  A feature I rarely hear about, but I use all the time is "Fit to Time".

Good luck!

Doesn't using ripple edit in this way destroy the original full-length version, as you said by cutting automation, if not other things.  I need the full version as-is, plus extracted from various parts shorter versions as well.  For example, a 15 sec cutdown might consist of 5 secs. from three different spots that fit together musically but are not contiguous in the full-length version, plus an automated reverb in the last fraction of a second to make the end not sound abrupt.

[John Vere]

This is why I recommend you export the track and make the edits in a wave editor. Then you can bring it back in to Cakewalk or simply using the Wave editor save each clip as a named file to use   as you please. Done zillions of this stuff. Radio adds come to mind. 

[Ronman]

I've exported the whole file to Audacity and edited as a wave file.  Much more enjoyable than doing it in Cakewalk, but I lose the labeling of Arrangement sections.  But I think you're saying another way is to export each Arrangement section as a separate wave file,  then assemble them in Audacity or another wave editor.  I'm not clear why I would want to bring them back in to Cakewalk, though.

Edited January 24, 2022 by Ronman

[Jimbo 88]

10 hours ago, Ronman said:

Doesn't using ripple edit in this way destroy the original full-length version, as you said by cutting automation, if not other things.  I need the full version as-is, plus extracted from various parts shorter versions as well.  For example, a 15 sec cutdown might consist of 5 secs. from three different spots that fit together musically but are not contiguous in the full-length version, plus an automated reverb in the last fraction of a second to make the end not sound abrupt.

Yes, so the very simple solution is to "save as" another file.  Have CbB versions of both. 

My advice to anyone working in any DAW is to save multiple versions of any project you are working on.  You have no idea when a file is going to become corrupt. Whether or not you are creating different versions. I only mention this because it sounds like you are not familiar with this concept and It is not a matter of will it happen, but when...in any DAW.

 

Edited January 24, 2022 by Jimbo 88

[Jimbo 88]

10 hours ago, Ronman said:

Doesn't using ripple edit in this way destroy the original full-length version, as you said by cutting automation, if not other things.  I need the full version as-is, plus extracted from various parts shorter versions as well.  For example, a 15 sec cutdown might consist of 5 secs. from three different spots that fit together musically but are not contiguous in the full-length version, plus an automated reverb in the last fraction of a second to make the end not sound abrupt.

I have to admit sometimes this is an issue, so sometimes I have to add  a tempo(copy the last) node or automation on the reverb at the point of the cut.

[John Vere]

My point is Cakewalk is an Awesome DAW and definitely is flexible about how you can use it. But if you are working with stereo or mono audio files a Wave Editor will have much better tools and workflow.
Of course this is only once you’ve become accustomed to using it. Learning about the tools and the short cut keys etc. 

As far as the arranger feature you’re needing, most wave editors have markers you can name just like Cakewalk. Not that familiar with Audacity. I have it installed but I use WaveLab, for almost 20 years. 

[Ronman]

I'm finding that exporting  Arrangement sections one at a time to digital audio to be edited in Audacity is much easier than working in Cakewalk alone, per @John Vere's suggestion.  However, it still seems strange that Cakewalk doesn't have a command for moving either end of an Arrangement section to precisely coincide with the Now marker (or perhaps one tick away to allow a subsequent section to coincide).  If I was working with digital audio in Cakewalk it would be even more of an issue, after taking the trouble to find a clean ending spot in the waveform to end a section, then you also have to tweak the boundary of the corresponding section, almost certainly not getting it exact by just using a mouse drag.

[Ronman]

14 hours ago, Jimbo 88 said:

Yes, so the very simple solution is to "save as" another file.  Have CbB versions of both. 

My advice to anyone working in any DAW is to save multiple versions of any project you are working on.  You have no idea when a file is going to become corrupt. Whether or not you are creating different versions. I only mention this because it sounds like you are not familiar with this concept and It is not a matter of will it happen, but when...in any DAW.

 

I've been a software developer for 30 years so I'm very aware of the need for backup.  That being said, in the DAW world it's true I've gotten lazy about backups in the rush to finish an arrangement, which, as you know, is a never-ending quest.

[Jimbo 88]

19 hours ago, Ronman said:

I've been a software developer for 30 years so I'm very aware of the need for backup.  That being said, in the DAW world it's true I've gotten lazy about backups in the rush to finish an arrangement, which, as you know, is a never-ending quest.

Forgive my post, looks like you answered before I deleted it...I misread your post