Cakewalk dumb question

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BigPapaFly

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...please forgive me for not reading the help files...I don't use Cakewalk, though I have a copy I've never used, but I have neighbor-- an older guy-- who thinks because I have a home recording studio I can answer all his questions...please help me be a hero here...eh? Thanks:

So, he has no external gear and composes his music one click of the mouse at a time, using the computer synth to generate his playback tones. Is there some way, assuming he has a cd burner installed, to turn the midi file into audio an a cd?

Thanks a bunch.
 
You will need to somehow convert the MIDI data into a wave file to do that.. what version of Cakewalk do you have?

Porter
 
The answer is yes. It's done all the time. However, the MIDI has to be recorded to audio first. Then you can export it to a .wav file that can be burned onto a CD.

Generally it is pretty easy. You need to set up an audio track in Cakewalk, and record the midi onto it. It would be helpful to know the sound card he has, as well as the version of CW (as Porter indicated).

If you open the Windows mixer and go into the recording section, see if you can find a selection for "What U Hear." If so, select that, and the arm the audio track (push the R button on the track) and then hit the main record button.

That should give you a track with the MIDI data recorded to audio. From there, export the project to a Wave file.
 
Okay, the version is Pro Audio 9...soundcard as yet unknown...a couple questions: I assume each audio track in Cakewalk is mono, so wouldn't I need to link two tracks, arm them, and then record?

Also, when I right click on SOURCE and choose "audio" another screen comes up, when I reduce it, the source still says MIDI? Any idea what I'm talking about?


Open Windows Mixer and choose 'what you hear'? How does one do that, exactly?

I am sorry for the elementary nature of my questions. I record rock bands, not computers, however, my curiousity is peaked now. Plus, this guy I'm trying to help actually handwrote 12 pages of a madrigal for me-- transposed it, that is- into a key I could play it in (amazing to see music handwritten on paper in pen!)-- and I feel the least I can do is learn from you guys and send it on to an old-timer.

...bear with me...

thanks
 
You can choose stereo or mono for a track in PA9, so that's your choice.

The Windows Mixer is usually found when clicking on the little speaker-icon next to your clock. Then go Options -> Properties, and select "Recording" and hit OK. Then you can choose "What U Hear".





And I record rock-bands too, and not computers. Why would I record a lot of fan-noise?!? :D :D :D

Sorry, coudn't resist... I record bands with a computer ;)
 
BluesMeister said:
Obviously you haven't heard me playing... :D
Click to expand...
Maybe not... Let's hear! It can't be much worse than my guitar signal path. My two monitors make the tracks noisy as hell! I need to go out in the hall to make them noise-free... ;)
 
Why record fan-noise? Those screaming fans ARE obnoxious- usually drunk, too, but they can give a live recording a good vibe.

(hehehe- I knew what you meant...the small air current generator in the pc...)

Anyway...when I choose "recording" in "properties" I don't get an option of "what u hear." (I get: mono mix; stereo mix; aux; tv...;cd...;line in; mic; phone) Mixer Device is Avance AC97.

Also, I can see how it's possible with CW but I'm still not getting how to set it up on the screen. It can't be very complicated, I mean, I create a track on CW, then go to track properties for that source...then choose the SOURCE-- Avance AC97...right? You create a track, you designate the source, right? What am I missing...because it ain't workin'.

Thanks a bunch...
 
What U Hear is a Sound Blaster feature, but since so many cards are SB knockoffs, it was worth a try.

Since you don't have What U Hear, what are you selecting as recording source in Windows Mixer? Try it with Stereo Mix selected. That sounds like it will record whatever is playing back through the sound card.

The rest of it you seem to have OK. As for the source in CW, you should normally get three choices: Sound Card Left, Sound Card Right, or Sound Card Stereo. Make sure to choose the stereo option.

If all else fails, you can take a short cable and route it from the Sound Card's Line Out to the Line In. (Note the Line Out may be where your speakers are connected, so just unplug the speakers.) Then select Line In as the recording source in the Windows mixer. This is a workaround, as you really should be able to accomplish it through your software.


**************
Where is AlChuck when you need him? He's great in this area. My problem is I use Sonar, which can handle MIDI without relying on the sound card - so I forget how to do this stuff. :D
 
Yes, I select STERO MIX...

As far as CW goes...let me break it down. I simply open his song that is ALL midi (no audio) track 1-10.

I Click on Track 11 and MIDI comes up in the Source box. I double Click MIDI in the source box and Track Properties comes up (Source; Port; Channel; etc...) I do nothing but choose Stereo Avance AC97 in the Source drop down menu. Port says MS GS Wavetable--- change it to AVANCE?

Anyway, that's it. I arm the track by pressing R...then I hit the record button along the top and it starts playing-- I can hear it. When I press STOP there is a grey area that says Record 1 after Track 11.

When I try to play it back I mute all the MIDI tracks and leave only TRACK 11 unmuted...NOTHING!

Any more help?
 
There are two types of Tracks within Cakewalk - MIDI or Audio. It sounds like you are trying to record to a MIDI track, when you need to be recording to an audio track.

Since your friend only works with MIDI, it is likely when he oringinally set up the project that he only included MIDI tracks. Therefore you probably need to create an Audio track.

Somewhere on the top menu's there should be a command for Insert Audio Track. Try selecting that command and then recording to the new track that gets inserted (it should be the bottom track in the project). When you select the source for the Audio track, you should get a choice of Left, Right or Stereo. As mentioned before, choose Stereo.
 
Well, Dachay's been very very kind to reply so much...but he/she doesn't really use Cakewalk and I've not been able to figure out this little puzzle yet...

...is anyone else able to take a minute to walk me through a process that would allow me to take a Cakewalk song that is strictly MIDI, and burn the song to a CD that a person can listen to?

Thanks.
 
BigPapaFly said:
Well, Dachay's been very very kind to reply so much...but he/she doesn't really use Cakewalk and I've not been able to figure out this little puzzle yet...
Click to expand...
Dachay is indeed very kind. And what's more HE does use CakeWalk a lot. :)

First off, I don't use Pro-Audio9, I'm a HomeStudio kind of guy. But I trust this will work with PA9:

In order to hear MIDI tracks you need to Insert an Audio track into the all-MIDI project. Do this via the pull-down menu at the top of the screen.

Next you must use either a software synthesiser or an on-board sound chip on your audio card to play the sounds of the MIDI file. This is activated via the FX button on the Audio Track.

You will then have to route each of the MIDI tracks in turn through the soft synth or through your audio card's sound chip. There's a section in the manual that comes with CakeWalk entitled Working With Soft Synths that describes this in great detail.

Once you can hear everythin playing in all its glory, you must then Export the project to an Audio track. This will be a WAV file and can be burned to CD.

See how you get on with that then come back if you run into any further problems.

--
BluesMeister
 
BluesMeister said:
You will then have to route each of the MIDI tracks in turn through the soft synth or through your audio card's sound chip. There's a section in the manual that comes with CakeWalk entitled Working With Soft Synths that describes this in great detail.
Click to expand...
Nono, BluesMeister. Not in Cakewalk Pro Audio... ;)




BigPapaFly, check this out:
http://www.cakewalk.com/support/lessons/burningcds.asp
 
BigPapa - a couple of terminology points. Cakewalk is a company. They make several recording programs such as, Home Studio, Pro Audio 9, Sonar, and so on. So no one actually uses "Cakewalk," rather they use Cakewalk's programs.

As for myself, I currently use Sonar. However, I did use Pro Audio 9 for over a year before Sonar was introduced. So I am pretty familiar with the program, although I will readily admit that over time my memory has diminshed somewhat regarding the features it had, and how the menu structure was arranged, etc.

My last comment to you was that you seemed to be trying to record to a MIDI track. Is that not correct? This was your comment that led me to that conclusion:
I Click on Track 11 and MIDI comes up in the Source box. I double Click MIDI in the source box and Track Properties comes up (Source; Port; Channel; etc...) I do nothing but choose Stereo Avance AC97 in the Source drop down menu. Port says MS GS Wavetable--- change it to AVANCE?
Click to expand...
Have you tried to insert an Audio Track into the project?

Recording MIDI to audio is not a difficult task. However, working in an unfamiliar program and not understanding some of its terminology and structure can make it difficult and frustrating. We'll try and help you, but you need to let us know what works or doesn't work. Sorry but this is a process of elimination, starting with the most obvious stuff.

BTW, the link moskus gave you is a good one, but it pretty much just repeats what you've already been told here.
 
BigPapaFly said:
...but he/she doesn't really use Cakewalk and I've not been able to figure out this little puzzle yet...
Click to expand...
Are you refering to your friend or to Dachay?

Because Dachay is the master! There's no doubt about that. :)





He's almost as good as me... :D
 
moskus said:
He's almost as good as me... :D
Click to expand...

...both Dachay & moskus were very good apprentice of me ;)


While I was their bad master :p :D


Kids learn fast these days... oh well :)
 
moskus said:
Nono, BluesMeister. Not in Cakewalk Pro Audio...
Click to expand...
I was able to use PA7 & my EWX24/96 together to play MIDI files. I used VS2.74 as a softsynth to produce the MIDI sounds. There's a tutorial in your CakeWalk FAQs.

Unless of course your Nono is aimed at the softsynth tutorial section of the manual of PA9, in which case I bow to your superior knowledge. :)

--
BluesMeister
 
well...I'm making progress for sure...I can now record an audio track of the MIDI tracks I'm hearing...thanks to you all...problem is now: it's very distorted. I've gone into Options-Properties and set them all high, all very low, all very in-the-middle...etc...

Here's something I don't get-- it looks like the voulme default on a track is -1? So I'm thinking that the audio track volume is too hot, so when I go to adjust the volume level for it to correct the distortion, I see it's at -1, and then of course goes up to 127. No adjustment on the track volume makes a difference...well, not exactly anyway...what it does is play the very distorted track at a lower volume. My thought is obviously that it's being recorded too hot...but if the source volume is found in my Windows Mixer, it's sure odd that setting it extremely low beofre recording the audio track doesn't make any difference.

I'm almost out of the woods, guys...and ideas?

Thanks so much.
 
okay...got it...he had the volume levels based on 127 and only slightly going down from there...thanks again.
 
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