Cakewalk Express Gold and multitracking, please

  • Thread starter Thread starter Julia
  • Start date Start date
Thanks...

Thanks again, Al...

"If you do go the BR-8 route, remember that you can use the computer and the AWE as a drum machine and synthesizer -- trigger it through MIDI."

I don't understand this. What do you mean? Use the computer to go INTO the BR-8 and use my AWE 64 Gold soundcard as a drum machine and synthesizer? I would love to be able to do that, but I'm not sure that's what you're telling me. If it IS what you're telling me, could you please specify how I can do that? Gee, that could mean I don't need to invest in a synth or a drum machine?

Thanks, Al...

You're really nice. :)

Julia
 
Julia,

I used to do something like it with my 4-track (a Yamaha MT-2X). I would record a synch tone (generated by a little $100 Midiman box that took MIDI Song Position Pointers and turned them into something called an FSK tone, and vice-versa) to track #4, and then I could lock my 4-track to a sequence. So I never had to actually use up tape tracks to record the MIDI parts -- when I made a stereo mix, the MIDI parts came in from the sound card into two inputs and I mixed them with what was on the three remaining tracks. The only prtoblem was that the tone didn't take very well on tape -- the gain of the recorded FSK tone was too low and I couldn't seem to get it hot enough to work reliably.

Basically the BR-8 or anything else like it doubtless has a means of synching with Cakewalk or whatever through MIDI or some other synch method. The BR-8 review in EM says it generates MIDI time code and MIDI clock signals. So you should be able to lock a sequence running on Cakewalk on the PC to this. The audio out from the AWE would come into two inputs of your BR-8, and you wouldn't need to record them and take up precious audio space on the ZIP disk. While you record, the computer will play its parts along with you, Cakewalk following the clock on the AWE's MIDI In port coming from the BR-8's MIDI Out. And when you mix to stereo, the recorded tracks likewise play along with the sequenced tracks out the stereo output. Does that make sense? It's a little hard to describe.

-AlChuck
 
Thanks, Al...

I am studying your post...I have read it several times now..I'm very confused, because I don't understand the ins and outs of Cakewalk well enough, nor do I know MIDI or sync-ing, etc...so...it's tough for me to understand. I THINK I hear you saying that I can come OUT of my Cakewalk, and go INTO the BR-8, but I'm not really sure what I'd be getting out of the Cakewalk and putting into the BR-8.

Are there preset rhythm tracks already in Cakewalk ...and synth tracks...which I can use? Because that's another thing I've been fiddling with in there, and I can't understand how to get those to work, if there are any available. So, see...I'm not sure what I would be getting out of Cakewalk...out of my PC, that is...and putting onto my BR-8 tracks exactly.

Sigh.

So much to learn. I LOVE learning, mind you...but it seems as though at every turn there's a glitch, and it also seems as though I don't even have the vocabulary to comprehend all of this. And believe me...I've been through glossaries...I've read through HOURS and HOURS and HOURS of this awesome homerecording.com site...and every article I can find...but they are so over my head. (What the heck is that SPDIF thing anyway?) ;)

I guess I need to know what in Cakewalk you're referring to which I might be able to sync up with the BR-8.

I'm ready to go out and buy one...they seem so simple compared to PC recording at this juncture. It's just the time limitation of the 100mb zip disks which really bother me most. And those zip disks are not cheap...and you need one for every song you create...and you can only get about 4-5 minutes of 8-track music...it's all so limiting, when right at my fingertips I have 16-tracks on which to record using Cakewalk. Just can't seem to make it work properly, though. :(

Okay, back to reading and tweaking! :)

Thanks again, AL.

Julia
 
Sorry to confuse you, Julia...

Let me take another crack at it... the BR-8 can send out MIDI time code. This can tell a piece of MIDI hardware when to start, stop, etc. Think of a drum machine connected with a MIDI cable to the BR-8. You can set the drum machine to start playing and follow the clock signal that's being sent from the BR-8 instead of its own clock.

OK, if that makes sense, then replace the drum machine in your mental image with your computer running Cakewalk. Cakewalk allows you to play a sequence using an external clock signal from the incoming MIDI port too.

There are no preset drum tracks or synth tracks within Cakewalk per se, but it undoubtedly comes with some demo sequences. There are plenty of already-generated MIDI sequences available on the web, and of course you can make your own... I use a program called Band In A Box that generates pretty good rhythm section tracks in a bunch of styles, and I often use it to quickly rough out a backing track for a song I want to learn and practice.

S/PDIF is just one of those stupid acronym names that means "Sony/Phillips Digital Interface"; it's just a particular kind of digital cable and the corresponding connectors. Instead of an analog signal like a guitar cable, these things carry digital audio data. The advantage is that you can transfer digital audio from one device to another without having to turn it back into analog audio, send it out a regular old-fashioned cable, and then digitize it again at the second device. Presumably you could use the BR-8's S/PDIF output to send a stereo mix to the computer, where you could record it as a WAV file and then be able to burn a CD or make an MP3 file. But to do that you need an S/PDIF interface on the computer too, and the AWE64 doesn't have one.

Yeah, the ZIP disk thing is really limiting, I think. I hope you can get the PC act together. But getting back to making music is the most important thing...

-AlChuck
 
To AlChuck, an update...

Hiya...

After trying and trying...everything I can think of and everything suggested (other than upgrading my computer and its soundcard) I STILL cannot record using Cakewalk OR n-Track without those suddens stops. It's really really frustrating, and I have taken to thoroughly researching the stand-alone units instead.

It just frustrates me, though, Al...really, with a K6-2/350 and 128megs of RAM plus the AWE64 Gold and Cakewalk...or SOMETHING...it seems as though I should be able to do some nice multi-track PC recording.

Sigh.

I'll take any and all suggestions and criticisms with an open mind and heart, as usual.

Julia
 
Julia,

I'm sorry! I wish I could help you further. I'm out of ideas and pointers, I'm afraid. So you did test your sustained transfer rate and it was greater than 3.1 MB/s? You did a uninstall and reinstall of Cakewalk?

One more thing that might be worth tring, if you're willing -- re-install Windows 98. Sometimes the device driver database just seems to get so much history built up that it's very difficult to get straightened out. It's a big deal, though, unless you are using the PC just as a DAW and don't have a bunch of other programs that will need re-installing...

Whatever you decide, I hope you get back on track and start recording soon... this kind of quagmire is a real drag to be in.

-AlChuck
 
Julia, after reading this thread fully up to this point, let me assure you that I have been through most of the same trials and tribulations that you have been through. Try running Cakewalk Pro on a Pentium 166 w/56mb ram ! At my point I am dead in the water until I get a new PC around Christmas. Cake eats my PC alive, but I am so hooked on it that I am upgrading just for the fact of being able to run Cake properly.
The only advice I will offer at this point is that I think you will be much happier with a stand alone unit AT THIS POINT IN TIME. I think you need to get into the technical side of things more before you go with a PC setup, mainly for the reasons that you mentioned...too many things can go wrong. We sometimes get caught up in the mindset of " wow! this thing can do such and such...I GOTTA HAVE IT!" syndrome, when you can record perfectly good music with a very minimum of equipment used in the correct way.
I never saw you mention how much that you would be willing to spend on a stand alone unit. Could you tell me?
Because if you were able to spend in the area of $1000, you can get a good 8 track mini-disc system that has much more time available than a zip disc ( I would definitely reccomend not going with a zip disc unit). I'll bet you would be surprised at what you could find used for a great price.
Once you get more accustomed to digital recording, then you can decide if you even need all of the PC stuff. Good luck with whatever you choose, and don't hesitate to ask more questions! bOb
 
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