You can still use the VX64 and PX64 Vocal and Percussion strips by loading a project from a previous version of Sonar

[Trevor]

Hey all just wanted to mention this to any users of previous Cakewalk editions.

One of my big complaints earlier this year was that some features from X3/Sonar Platinum had been removed from CbB and since I can no longer get into my old cakewalk account to redownload X3, those features are lost to me on my current pc. The two most important to me were the Vocal Strip (in the photo that I've attached) and the Percussion Strip (which looks very similar but is designed for working with drums.) The vocal strip is particularly valuable to me because it has an excellent De- Esser and some really cool routing capabilities. 

Anyway I happened to recently load in a backed up copy of a project from four years ago in CbB and it turns it out will still load and allow you to use these plugins from within a project made on an older version of Sonar (even though there doesn't seem to be a way to put them into a brand new project) so I just figured that I would bring that up here, since to my knowledge there isn't another built-in de-esser in CbB (DO correct me if I am wrong as I would like to know.)

 

Also it's been almost 6 months since I've asked about this and I haven't really been keeping up with any news on the changes so if this old news and there is already a workaround for loading these plugins into a fresh project please let me know. As for right now what I did was create a template in Sonar X3 that has each of these plugs on a MIDI track, and then I just duplicate them onto fresh tracks as needed. 

[RBH]

Here is a quote from a previous thread. I was able to retrieve them.

 

 

VX-64 Vocal Strip, which is a "swiss army knife" multi-processor oriented toward vocals that includes a de-esser, a doubler, a compressor/expander, a tube eq with saturation, a delay (with filter), and tube saturation on the input and output stages. The 5 modules can be routed in any order. Obviously these tools may be used on many sounds other than vocals. This is a very useful plug-in.

PX-64 Percussion Strip, a similar format multi-processor aimed at processing percussion tracks that includes a transient shaper, a compressor/expander, eq with "vintage" and "classic" modes, delay (with filter), and tube saturation on the input and output stages. The modules may be routed in any order. Noting the similar complement of modules to the VX-64, I assume that each is more tuned to the specific application, percussion or vocals. Again, there is tube saturation emulation on the inputs and outputs.

TL-64 Tube Leveler, a tube saturation and compression emulator. For when digital seems too clinical. Season to taste.

Boost 11, a peak limiter/volume maximizer with a nice display of the waveforms before and after processing.

To be able to use them in Cakewalk, from the main menu, select Utilities/Cakewalk Plug-In Manager. Once Plug-In Manager is running, select VST Audio Effects (VST) under Plug-In Categories on the left side.

This will give you a list, in the middle pane, of enabled VST2 plug-ins. That's fine, but we are not interested in that for now. Down below, under Manage Exclusion List, click the button next to Show Excluded. This will change the list to show excluded VST2 plug-ins.

Look for the names of the 4 plug-ins. Once you have found them, click on each one and click on the button labeled Enable Plug-In. The names will disappear from the Excluded list.

Exit from Plug-In Manager and you should now be able to use all 4 VST effects in your projects.

Note: for whatever reason, I have sometimes found these plug-ins back on the Excluded list after an update to Cakewalk. If this happens, just repeat the process and you will be fine.

[Trevor]

Awesome that was exactly what I needed. Thanks for that!

[Bill Ruys]

I still use the PX64 on almost every project I work on.  Something about per-band tube warming in the EQ section just works better than any other tube plug-in I've ever used.  I have spent a lot of money on 3rd party plugins, but this is still a go-to for me.

[Starship Krupa]

I recognize those retrieved words!

I've still not been able to determine why those four processors are on the "disabled list" as CbB is shipped. They all appear to be Cakewalk-branded (Tube Leveler says "Powered by Studio Devil").

[chuckebaby]

ya that Vocal strip and Percussion strip are awesome plug ins. A bit dated now but those two (along with my personal favorite Channel tools) are classics in my book.

[Mánibranðr Studios]

It would be nice they would be updated. I especially loved the compander module in VX-64

[Colin Nicholls]

I don't understand why they are considered "dated"

[John]

I had forgotten about those plugins. LOL And yes they are dated but if they are useful, and I think they are, no law says one can't use them.  Heck I like the Pantheon. It is about as dated too.  

[chuckebaby]

7 hours ago, Colin Nicholls said:

I don't understand why they are considered "dated"

As technology advances, (example: newer Operating systems are released, DAW's are updated to new versions), older plug ins can be prone to issues.

Those plug ins are over 10 years old. Doesn't mean they are bad plug ins, Sonitus plug ins are dated as well, I still use them.

However.. I tend to throw caution at using any plug in as a reliable FX when it hasn't been updated in a decade. Those 3 plug ins I mentioned in my previous post ARE a great example of being "dated".

 

[Colin Nicholls]

I think the word you're looking for is "timeless". They work great; they sound great; they look great; stable coding, not frequently updated with buggy fixes.
To me, that's the opposite of "dated". But each to his own.

[Craig Anderton]

6 hours ago, Chuck E Baby said:

As technology advances, (example: newer Operating systems are released, DAW's are updated to new versions), older plug ins can be prone to issues.

Those plug ins are over 10 years old. Doesn't mean they are bad plug ins, Sonitus plug ins are dated as well, I still use them.

However.. I tend to throw caution at using any plug in as a reliable FX when it hasn't been updated in a decade. Those 3 plug ins I mentioned in my previous post ARE a great example of being "dated".

Well, I think both you and Colin are right. There's no technical reason why the VX64 (one of my go-to plugs) should become obsolete - it's VST2, and that spec is etched in stone. It's also highly unlikely that Cakewalk, or other programs, will stop supporting VST2. In that respect, it's timeless.

However, it hasn't been updated to VST3, so it can't take advantage of the features that spec offers (e.g., shutting off when not passing audio). So in that respect, it's dated.

Think of it like Jimi Hendrix's music...it's dated to the psychedelic era, but it's timeless

[Colin Nicholls]

7 minutes ago, Craig Anderton said:

However, it hasn't been updated to VST3, so it can't take advantage of the features that spec offers (e.g., shutting off when not passing audio). So in that respect, it's dated.

Hm... ok, I'll allow it ?

[Craig Anderton]

But it's also timeless! I love that plug-in.

[chuckebaby]

3 hours ago, Colin Nicholls said:

They work great; they sound great; they look great; stable coding, not frequently updated with buggy fixes.
To me, that's the opposite of "dated". But each to his own.

Any plug in that is abandoned and not updated in over a decade is a risk. I love these plug ins, I love the Sonitus bundle as well but im not afraid to admit..They're dated.

 

[Bill Phillips]

On 8/23/2019 at 11:27 PM, RBH said:

Look for the names of the 4 plug-ins. Once you have found them, click on each one and click on the button labeled Enable Plug-In. The names will disappear from the Excluded list.

Ok, I blindly enabled these excluded plugins just to find out that I had two copies of each enabled. I'm a long SONAR Platinum user which probably explains the copies in my preferred VST folder. What's surprising is where the formerly excluded versions are: c:\program files\Cakewalk\shared utilities\Internal\StPX64\StPX6464.DLL. Is that where Cakewalk by Bandlab installs them?

BTW, this thread reminded me  reminded me that I had them and that they're still supported. I'd been avoiding them because I assumed that they were no longer supported and would soon quit working. Thanks for the reminder

[lapasoa]

On 8/29/2019 at 9:10 PM, chuckebaby said:

I love the Sonitus bundle as well but im not afraid to admit..They're dated.

Sonitus Bundle still sounds pretty good.

[chris.r]

On 8/29/2019 at 8:10 PM, chuckebaby said:

I love the Sonitus bundle as well but im not afraid to admit..They're dated.

The only thing I consider dated here is when I have Cakewalk open using always dark skin (Tungsten), then they are hurting my eyes while working with them. Didn't expect making an alternative dark skin for them would be so troublesome.

[brandon]

As an aside its amusing to hear mention of 'dated' plugins. In 30 years time we will be hunting high and low for them just like some do for analogue tape processors and copycat echo simulators:-)

[brandon]

On 8/27/2019 at 12:29 PM, Bill Ruys said:

I still use the PX64 on almost every project I work on.  Something about per-band tube warming in the EQ section just works better than any other tube plug-in I've ever used.  I have spent a lot of money on 3rd party plugins, but this is still a go-to for me.

Hi Bill - any advice on using the PX64?  I havent looked at it yet so wondered what positives you have taken from it.