Converting old wrk files

[flange_59163]

Hi,

I have a lot of old *.wrk files from the days when I had a PC and Cakewalk.

Now I have a Mac; I don't have access to a PC.

I understand that Cakewalk Next cannot open these old *.wrk files. Is there some way I can convert the files to something Cakewalk Next will open? (Midi, perhaps?)

Thanks

[DeeringAmps]

AFAIK, open in any version of Cake and save as .mid. 
Not good news as you have no PC. 

t

[flange_59163]

"AFAIK"?

Is that some conversion software? (But only running on PC?)

[Glenn Stanton]

"as far as i know" AFAIK

[flange_59163]

Ah. Thanks.

[flange_59163]

I'm guessing that the answer to my original question "Is there some way I can convert the files to something Cakewalk Next will open? (Midi, perhaps?)' is ...

Nope.

[John Vere]

It is actually very simple but you will need a PC with any version of Sonar or Cakewalk installed.
The latest version of Cakewalk can still be installed an run on old W7 computers. I have 2 that I just updated to the last version.
 

 If these files are important to you go to your local computer tech shop and they will probably give you one.  

Your other option is you can install windows in a partition on your Mac. Many people do this. 

 

Edited October 27, 2023 by John Vere

[flange_59163]

OK. Thanks John Vere.

You answer implies that, yes indeed, I cannot convert wrk files to, say, midi. As you suggest, I'll see if our local shop has a PC.

 

[57Gregy]

On 10/27/2023 at 12:43 PM, flange_59163 said:

OK. Thanks John Vere.

You answer implies that, yes indeed, I cannot convert wrk files to, say, midi. As you suggest, I'll see if our local shop has a PC.

 

.wrk files are regular Cakewalk project files in a format from ~20 years ago. They could contain audio*, so the file itself can't be converted to MIDI. If you had a more modern program, such as Cakewalk by Bandlab, you could open the project and convert by saving any .wrk to a .cwp or, if it is only MIDI to a .mid.
If that project has audio and you have a working version of Melodyne, you can use Melodyne to (maybe) change the audio to MIDI.
Welcome to the forum.

* As mentioned by sjoens below, the .wrk files do not contain audio, just references to where the audio is on the hard drive. Sorry for the misinformation.

Edited October 30, 2023 by 57Gregy
Correction.

[flange_59163]

"If you had a more modern program, such as Cakewalk by Bandlab, you could open the project..."

I have Cakewalk Next. That's Bandcamp, no? I have found that it doesn't open wrk files.

However, you are saying I can open wrk files on my Mac using Melodyne and export ...?

[flange_59163]

(Sorry. I mean "have Cakewalk Next. That's Bandlab...")

[57Gregy]

I really don't know what Next is, other than an internet app. It's brand new and is not Bandlab.
You would need Cakewalk by Bandlab, a Windows program, soon to be discontinued. Probably the new Sonar will open .wrk files.
You cannot open .wrk files with Melodyne; you would open them in Cakewalk by Bandlab and then use Melodyne to convert any audio in the project to MIDI if that is your goal.

[flange_59163]

Cakewalk Next is the Mac version, run by BandLab. I have a Mac now, not a PC.

[user 905133]

Quote

Next [public beta] is available on both Mac and Windows.

https://www.cakewalk.com/next/

 

Edited October 27, 2023 by User 905133

[sjoens]

.bun & .cwb files can contain audio.  But .wrk files do not contain audio, only MIDI and project info.  Need Sonar or Cakewalk to open them.

Once open you can export or save them as .mid MIDI files.

[John Vere]

Like I was saying you can do this for free as Cakewalk by Bandlad is still free but that might end with in the next year. All you need is any PC running W7 or higher and install Cakewalk. 
 

Has anyone ever opened a Wrk file by changing the extension to mid.  ?? I could do that with DrT All files from my Atari.