Linking Parameters in Cakewalk?

[J-WESS]

Hi friends

I have a question: How do you link parameters in Cakewalk? For instance, if I have drums, instruments, and vocal buses set up, and I put compressors on each bus, how do I link the thresholds or other parameters for that matter so that when I pull down on the threshold of one compressor, the other two also come down simultaneously?

Thank you

[John T]

What the manual calls "Quick Groups" is how this is done, but unfortunately it's not universally applied, and I don't think it works in plug-ins. But basically, you select multiple tracks by CTRL+clciking them. And then you hold down CTRL while you move a control. Where this has been implemented, that control will move on all selected tracks.

This works well on the console and track view, and on many (most?) controls in ProChannel modules. But I've just checked, and it definitely doesn't work in the Sonitus compressor. I think it probably doesn't work in any VSTs.

Edited February 28 by John T

[John Vere]

I’m assuming you are doing this to add a effect at a certain point in a song? 
There’s a few approaches. 
One is  create a sub bus with the compressor that you automate. Send all the busses  there before going to the master. 

Second copy paste the automation lane from one track to the next. 

For this you have to use a compressor that can be automated. 
There is also midi Learn which most compressors have which I think can be set up to do this globally from your controller. 

Quick groups if available you might have to use a different compressor. 

Grab the Melda free bundle everyone should have it anyway. The included compressor is top notch and can be automated. And it’s worth it just to get the guitar tuner. 

Edited February 28 by John Vere

[Bristol_Jonesey]

To my mind it would be an extremely small number of cases where different busses would require the same threshold & other parameters set on a compressor.

They key word is require. You adjust the controls on a compressor in order to get the effect that the track, or in your case, group of tracks actually need.

These will all be different. I fail to see how  - for example - a drum bus would have the same settings as a vocal bus

 

[J-WESS]

Hi everyone

The problem is this. I  have limiters on each buss after my compressors. Currently when I pull down the threshold of one limiter it messes up the balance of my mix. Being able to link the thresholds on each limiter would solve this problem as they would come down simultaneously. Other daws allow this feature. I'm just wondering if cakewalk is able to accomplish this?

Thanks 

[SirWillyDS12]

Track View -> Options -> FX -> Show Assignable Controls, On... Assignable Controls will show up under the FX Rack bin, four parameters... Right Click the parameter that you want, go to Group ->... Select the Group you want for every FX you want to control... Now all parameters in the group will be able to be controlled as one... If the parameter that you want to edit is not listed right click on any of them and Reassign Control ->...

There is a bit of a bug in the grouping... Seem first time you edit not all plugins will update, but after that they all do... Also on my PC if I try to group DX - FX, like the Sonitus Compressor that you have in your screen shot, when I right click the parameter to group Cakewalk crashes to the desktop every time...

[J-WESS]

Thank you ! 

[msmcleod]

I did originally write a lengthy reply to this thread detailing how to group assignable controls, however there are a few issues:

1. The group assignment is lost on save/reload
2. The assignable controls don't always work with groups - i.e. sometimes they affect all grouped VST parameters, sometimes not.
3. The assignable controls seemed to be fixed to the first four parameters for DX effects, and can't be re-assigned.

I'll get bugs raised for these, but can't make any estimate as to when they'll be fixed.  Most people don't know the assignable controls even exist, so it's a pretty niche set of bugs compared to the other bugs in the queue.