A few requests

[Diogo Tavares]

Hello...

First of all, I apologize in advance if any of these are already implemented and I just didn't find them! While I believe that not to be the case, I realize it is a possibility.

A few things I believe would enhance cakewalk's workflow: 

1. Pre and Post Roll. 

2. The ability to record AS SOON as playback is initiated when one or more tracks are armed, despite the punch in and out points. 

3. Option to export/convert a session with different settings like Sample Rate and bit depth.

 

Thank you for your time.

 

 

[Starship Krupa]

14 hours ago, Diogo Tavares said:

3. Option to export/convert a session with different settings like Sample Rate and bit depth.

If I understand your request, this is very much already in place. The Export dialog allows you to export in any format, bit depth or rate that Cakewalk supports. Or do you mean do multiple formats at the same time?

If it's the latter, I find it best to export from Cakewalk in the lossless format of choice (I use FLAC) and then use another program to convert from that file. I use MediaHuman Audio Converter, which is freeware, but there are many options.

[OutrageProductions]

For Pre/Post roll I have set my loop length to be longer head & tail than the punch In/Out selection. Helps with sloppy guitar players and many vocalists.

And we have been begging for a few negative measures of preroll for a long time (to aid with video sync) like Cubase and Logic.

Still holding the occasional breath in case it actually happens.?

[Starship Krupa]

8 hours ago, OutrageProductions said:

we have been begging for a few negative measures of preroll for a long time (to aid with video sync) like Cubase and Logic

Could you explain in greater detail what "pre roll" is when applied to a DAW? I know what the term traditionally means, but not in this context. None of the DAW's I've used have the feature.

[OutrageProductions]

@Starship Krupa

Preroll comes from the days of analog tape (both audio & video) where it took a couple of seconds for machines to get to a stable speed and sync lock.

In a DAW, it can apply to having a couple of seconds/measures before record/playback is mission critical, like when cutting to a video cue that downbeats exactly at timecode zero (more commonly one hour, but you get my drift).

Other than the absolute start of a project timeline, where I wish there were at least a couple of negative measures, I enable preroll by setting a loop start a measure or more before the punch-in point, and occasionally do a post roll the same way.

Kind of a habit from the days of having to sync multiple tape transports together. Also gives performers a chance to 'get in the groove' before the important stuff happens.

And yeah, I know that I can offset the start of the video playback by the necessary time, but that is a PITA IMO compared to a negative preroll.

(Six of one, half dozen of the other...)

Edited March 31, 2023 by OutrageProductions

[Starship Krupa]

6 hours ago, OutrageProductions said:

And yeah, I know that I can offset the start of the video playback by the necessary time, but that is a PITA IMO compared to a negative preroll.

Okay, I think I get it, it's having some deadspace before "zero" on the timeline?

Part of me wants to be like Marty DiBergi in This Is Spinal Tap and ask "why don't you just make 1 your new 0," but I do get it. I'm forever inserting measures at the start of a project.

Edited March 31, 2023 by Starship Krupa

[OutrageProductions]

1 hour ago, Starship Krupa said:

Okay, I think I get it, it's having some deadspace before "zero" on the timeline?

And something that has cropped up recently (and is not the fault of the DAW) but Scaler 2.7 placed at bar 1 beat 1 will miss outputing the first chord about 90% of the time. If placed at bar 2 and dropped into record from bar 1... no problem. 

I usually request my incoming video dubs to have a countdown so that I can set the downbeat at bar 2,3 or 4 etc., but that doesn't always happen. 

Like everyone else that clamors for 'this or that feature request', I have work-arounds that function... but could be easier and more intuitive. We can all dream, right?

That's life.

P.S.  [Have a look at anyone doing scoring using recent versions of Cubase or Logic on YT... chances are that you'll notice at least 2 negative measures (-2, -1, 0 THEN bar/beat 1]

Edited April 1, 2023 by OutrageProductions

[Diogo Tavares]

On 3/31/2023 at 3:40 AM, Starship Krupa said:

If I understand your request, this is very much already in place. The Export dialog allows you to export in any format, bit depth or rate that Cakewalk supports. Or do you mean do multiple formats at the same time?

If it's the latter, I find it best to export from Cakewalk in the lossless format of choice (I use FLAC) and then use another program to convert from that file. I use MediaHuman Audio Converter, which is freeware, but there are many options.

 I don't mean the ability to export an audio file or even one or all the audio tracks. I realise this is something you can do.

What I mean is the ability to, essentially, convert a whole session's format. The way things are now, if you created (and worked on) a 

session in 24bit 48Khz at some point in time, you can never change it. Every audio file you import will be converted to the session's

format. You could export the files in whichever format you need and create a new session for them but imagine a session with lots

of automation and plugins already done and all you really want is to add/change something. 

 

And yes, you could just work with whatever format the session was created in and export the resulting master in another format.

However, in a work environment with lots of digitally synced devices like mine, I tend to find myself in a world of pain everytime I

need to switch back and forth between sessions in different formats, essentially, forcing my devices to also switch back and forth

between 44.1 and/or 48 and 96.  

 

On 3/31/2023 at 5:21 PM, OutrageProductions said:

@Starship Krupa

Preroll comes from the days of analog tape (both audio & video) where it took a couple of seconds for machines to get to a stable speed and sync lock.

In a DAW, it can apply to having a couple of seconds/measures before record/playback is mission critical, like when cutting to a video cue that downbeats exactly at timecode zero (more commonly one hour, but you get my drift).

Other than the absolute start of a project timeline, where I wish there were at least a couple of negative measures, I enable preroll by setting a loop start a measure or more before the punch-in point, and occasionally do a post roll the same way.

Kind of a habit from the days of having to sync multiple tape transports together. Also gives performers a chance to 'get in the groove' before the important stuff happens.

And yeah, I know that I can offset the start of the video playback by the necessary time, but that is a PITA IMO compared to a negative preroll.

(Six of one, half dozen of the other...)

Exactly. My experience also in the old days.

However nowadays I find it extremely impractical not having the option for a preroll when I am recording myself playing the guitar for example.

I always find myself having to go back and trim the clips around because I had to start recording before my desired punch in point. Makes it a bit more difficult to keep your playing in check since you can't really play along with what's already there before it punches in.

A solution is to cut/mute whatever you need redone and just record it on another track while listening to the previous one.

(I say "solution" but what I mean is "Workaround"). 

Edited April 1, 2023 by Diogo Tavares

[Diogo Tavares]

Also, since we're talking about "adding desired features", I would love to be able to set the faders on my DAW controller to send MIDI CCs (easily done with cakewalk or any other Sequencer) but have them feedback the recorded CCs on a track during playback. (NOT possible on ANY DAW/Sequencer I am aware). 

To clarify: Setting my controller to output CC11 (Expression) on fader one; record my fader movements effectively writing Midi CC events on a track then witness my motorized fader one (or any fader, actually, according to whichever CC it's suppose to be controlling) echo the recorded movements on playback.

This, of course, according to the selected track at the time.

After a few google searches I have found (and tried) a few workarounds to achieve this result. Midi Sends for MIDI tracks on Cubase, for example, actually help but even then, not without some "outofthebox" add on. Plus, If you have multiple tracks, the controller will go nuts trying to read and move according to the same CC data on different tracks).

Found a few ways to do this with 3rd party softwares and Scripts but it's NEVER easy and NEVER absolutely satisfying.

In short, It would be amazing to have this in cakewalk.

[Diogo Tavares]

On 3/31/2023 at 3:27 PM, Starship Krupa said:

Could you explain in greater detail what "pre roll" is when applied to a DAW? I know what the term traditionally means, but not in this context. None of the DAW's I've used have the feature.

What do you mean? Most other daws have it. I may be wrong but, from my experience, only cakewalk doesn't!!! (I emphasize the "I may be wrong" part) .

In Pro Tools, for example, besides your normal PRE and POST roll settings where you can input exactly how many bars/minutes/frames/whatever you want for your pre AND/OR Post, you can Alt Key + Click BEFORE your "Now Play" position to automatically set your Pre-Roll amount,

(Still prefer cakewalk though, despite the lack of Pre and Post Roll)

Edited April 1, 2023 by Diogo Tavares

[Starship Krupa]

5 hours ago, Diogo Tavares said:

What do you mean? Most other daws have it. I may be wrong but, from my experience, only cakewalk doesn't!!! (I emphasize the "I may be wrong" part) .

What I meant (and it's already been explained to my understanding) was exactly what I said. The DAW's I have the most extensive experience with, Cakewalk and Mixcraft don't have it. I've also had some time with Ableton Live and Studio One. They may have it but since I was not familiar with it, I wouldn't have known.

Now I know, and I agree that it would be a handy feature.

We're forever pointing out to fellow users that Cakewalk already has some feature or other, but since there's not a big front-facing button labeled with the name of the function, they missed it. Still happens to me from time to time.

[Diogo Tavares]

You are absolutely right.

I used Studio One for a while when I bought my Studiolive but I couldn't remember if I had ever used pre and/or Post Roll with it. Couldn't quite fathom not using it as I thought I would've notice it missing. Turns out I couldn't have since it's not included. Many users on a few forums ALSO describe workarounds for this both on Studio One and Ableton.

I went straight from Tape Machines to Pro Tools back in the day. (Well... Actually Sound Designer First but it was mainly a preamble to Pro Tools. And if you wanna get really picky, I also went back and forth between ADAT and uMatic and a few other "Digital Formats" at the time).

Pro Tools always had it so maybe I just assumed it's a normal transport feature when it really doesn't seem to be. 

I would REALLY like to have it in Cakewalk Though. Most of the times I will do almost everything in Cakewalk but I end up exporting stems to Pro Tools for tracking/overdubbing. Pre and Post Roll - even if not the only reason for this - is one of the reasons why I sometimes will prefer to do this.

And since it's already there, I might as well mix it in Pro Tools instead of exporting yet another set of stems for Cakewalk. (well.. Sometimes I do go back to cakewalk).

Mind you I am still using an old version of Pro Tools since I am not inclined to pay a monthly fee for a Software I have paid for three times already so one of these days I will probably be forced to stop using it for some or other reason. (Windows 13 Ultimate Pro WTF maybe?????)