Cakewalk basic help

Smithers XKR

Smithers XKR

Well-known member
Sorry if I have the wrong thread.

I am very new to DAW so my apology in advance. I have always used analogue recording for 30 years.

I get a signal on Cakewalk but can not get any sound into my headphones when I use the virtual keyboard. Can anybody help. All I need is a sound connection to get started. It is very frustrating.

Thanks
 
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Although it sets the inputs/outputs based on system defaults, you may need to adjust your input/output settings at the track level. But first check the system settings and make sure your sound card is detected and selected.

Most midi ('virtual keyboard' implies that's what you're using) is played through a soft(ware) synth being inserted into the project. I use the insert option from the menu, this assigned the synth track and automatically associates a midi track as the input/source for the soft synth.

Cakewalk - Cakewalk Documentation - Inserting soft synths

Cakewalk - Cakewalk Documentation - Inserting soft synths
www.cakewalk.com www.cakewalk.com

Inserting soft synths
In order to play a soft synth from a MIDI controller or with recorded MIDI data, you need to have at least one synth track that lists the soft synth in its Input field, and at least one MIDI track that lists the soft synth in its Output field. The data from the MIDI track feeds the synth track and plays the soft synth. If you’re playing the soft synth with a MIDI controller, the MIDI track that’s feeding the synth track must have the focus (lighter color). You can also patch the soft synth into an audio track’s FX Rack instead of a synth track’s Input field.
To add a soft synth to the audio and synth tracks’ Input menus (drop-downs) and the MIDI tracks’ Output menus, you have to insert each soft synth that you want to use into each project. There are two basic ways to insert soft synths in Cakewalk:
1.You can insert soft synths from the Synth Rack view or with the Insert > Soft Synth command. If you use this method, you can choose to have Cakewalk create the necessary synth and MIDI tracks, and patch them together correctly. If you want to use multiple synth tracks to take advantage of Cakewalk’s support for the multi-output soft synth format, you need to create and patch additional MIDI tracks manually to feed the additional synth tracks.
Click to expand...
 
Smithers XKR said:
Sorry if I have the wrong thread.

I am very new to DAW so my apology in advance. I have always used analogue recording for 30 years.

I get a signal on Cakewalk but can not get any sound into my headphones when I use the virtual keyboard. Can anybody help. All I need is a sound connection to get started. It is very frustrating.

Thanks
Click to expand...
I am using a master stage piano through the USB output from the piano into the USB input on the desktop. But Cakewalk is not recognising the piano. I think I might need a hardware interface module or some software MIDI interface?
Thanks
 
Pinky said:
Although it sets the inputs/outputs based on system defaults, you may need to adjust your input/output settings at the track level. But first check the system settings and make sure your sound card is detected and selected.

Most midi ('virtual keyboard' implies that's what you're using) is played through a soft(ware) synth being inserted into the project. I use the insert option from the menu, this assigned the synth track and automatically associates a midi track as the input/source for the soft synth.

Cakewalk - Cakewalk Documentation - Inserting soft synths

Cakewalk - Cakewalk Documentation - Inserting soft synths
www.cakewalk.com www.cakewalk.com
Click to expand...
Ah yes I see thanks Pinky
 
Smithers XKR said:
Sorry if I have the wrong thread.

I am very new to DAW so my apology in advance. I have always used analogue recording for 30 years.

I get a signal on Cakewalk but can not get any sound into my headphones when I use the virtual keyboard. Can anybody help. All I need is a sound connection to get started. It is very frustrating.

Thanks
Click to expand...
Now there ya go! You’re in the right place :D
 
Smithers XKR said:
I am using a master stage piano through the USB output from the piano into the USB input on the desktop. But Cakewalk is not recognising the piano. I think I might need a hardware interface module or some software MIDI interface?
Thanks
Click to expand...
You may need to go into sound settings and select the usb piano on the inputs list, then when you follow the steps for adding a soft synth you set the input on the midi track to your usb keyboard. This is assuming you want to use the usb keyboard as an input only/midi control for a software synth.

If the master stage piano has sounds you like/want to use in recording, you'll need to figure out how to use a usb device as a track input/audio within Cakewalk (like a microphone or direct guitar), which will depend more on the usb piano's abilities and compatibility. Most usb keyboards function easily as midi inputs as I've been describing, but not all are intended to be sound devices producing their own audio. IMO there's more flexibili8ty and control doing midi with a soft synth (like correcting flubbed notes easily/composing on screen), but you do need a software synth to control with those midi notes. If you're using the free Bandlab Cakewalk I don't think it comes with any or many software synths/software instruments. I use packages I've purchased and older Sonar X3 cakewalk instruments.
 
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