Console View - missing features in audio module strips

HI EVERYONE. NEWBE HERE! I'VE LOADED MC4 ON MY LAPTOP RUNNING WINDOWS VISTA HOME PREMIUM. THOUGH I'M VERY NEW TO IT, EVERYTHING SEEMS TO WORK, EXCEPT I DON'T HAVE THE FOUR BAND EQ MODULE IN ANY OF MY AUDIO MODULE STRIPS. THERE ARE ALSO NO "SHOW/HIDE" STRIP CONTROL BUTTONS FOR "EQ" OR "DIAGRAM" (WHATEVER THAT IS FOR), AS SHOWN IN THE TUTORIAL BOOK. I WOULD ASSUME THESE WOULD LOAD AS A DEFAULT WHEN YOU BOOT THE PROGRAM. I INSTALLED THE PROGRAM AS RECOMMENDED AND DID NOT GET ANY ERROR MESSAGES OR STRANGE PROMPTS.

I WOULD GREATLY APPRECIATE IF ANYONE COULD ANSWER MY QUESTION.



MANY THANKS!

As Albert is pointing out, proper forum etiquette is using lower case or a combination of lower case and upper case, but if you use ALL CAPS, it is considered yelling in the forum.

as for the per channel EQ, I think that it might not be available on MC, but I don't know for certain. hopefully someone with MC4 will come along soon and be able to verify this for us. Unfortunately, there are several problems with the manual since it wasn't "scrubbed" well enough. basically, cakewalk takes the Sonar documentation and edits out the stuff that doesn't apply to MC, but they miss things and the manual isn't 100% accurate for MC.

no problem.

just to be sure you haven't turned OFF the view of the EQ, look at this and see if you've done that.



but even if MC doesn't have per track EQ, that shouldn't be a major problem, you can always use plugins for EQ whether they're on the track or not.

I'm sure it doesn't have anything to do with installation or vista. if it doesn't work it's because they disabled it for MC or because you have the setting incorrect in the view. look at my post above and see if that helps.

No wrong foot at all, just hurts my old eyes
Vista is telling you that it can't open the .bin files, but they open when c/w is installing, they are basically compressed "file cabinets", or "bins", that vista doesn't need to read.
Never watched the video for m/c 4, so I can't say why they would show a process that is not included in the program, but there are many free eq pluggins, and, after a little trial period, you'll find the different little boxes and icons that will make navigating the program easier. It is not as easy as the pomotion/marketing people make it out to be, but not overly complex, either. It's easy for me to say, I've had different versions of cakewalk over the last five years, but the truth is, you'll figure it out in a short amount of time. Just start on a project, go until you hit a wall, and come in here and ask questions.
Later
Albert

No problem
Later
Albert

Thanks for the nod RobertB. I went through the tutorials on the MC4 installation disc, and on the section for the console view they make semi-lenghty reference to the eq function and strip. It must be a generic presentation for several programs, as they always say "the application" and never refer to a specific one. It looks like the exact same one I viewed on the Cakewalk site. Either way, I could see the words "Sonar 6" on the header above the task bar. So, like I said, the videos must cover a couple different applications.

I've already downloaded some plug-ins and will unzip and install them tomorrow. They were all for "XP". Hope they work ok for Vista Applications.

Thank you for your concern and have a good evening.

Hey Albert, how's it going?

I waited for a reply on my MC4 missing onboard channel strip EQ question from this thread. Just thought I'd ask you myself (the request came from Beagle). I guess maybe I'm expecting a little too much from a $40.00 program.

I have a Korg D3200 dedicated hard disk recorder, but the small interface screen is a pain in the rear. I was always intrigued by the concept of computer based recording. I kind of liked the idea of having this program on my laptop and being able to flesh out ideas, etc. when I'm down at the shore or away.

I was playing with the vst synths that come with the program, and I have to tell you, for the money, it was impressive. The midi control parameters for the sound envelope, EQ, etc. are amazing and allow for incredible realism (really in depth). I love working with midi sequences (I guess that's old hat now; most people probably now work with sampling sequencers). But I have the severe latency problem everyone else has (latency slider doesn't help much) when triggering notes from my midi keyboard controller (haven't messed with the audio yet). I guess the Realtek soundcard in my laptop is a bust for this application.

I'm running Windows Vista Home Premium on a laptop with AMD Turion 64 Mobile MK-36 processor, 2.2 GHz, 512KB L2 cache, 1 gig of ram (766 megs free after Windows Vista, etc. chews up the rest). Let me know if you think I have enough horsepower to run these types of applications.

Also, do you, Beagle, or anybody else have any recommendations for any external soundcard/audio interfaces, preferably usb powered, with midi I/O. I have read some posts on this subject, but there probably may have been some revelations since then. If they have midi I/O, will that solve the triggering latency problem with my keyboard controller?

Oh yeah! Before I leave, I just wanted to say that I was a computer designer/draftsman for some time. That's where the typing in all caps came from. We did that for years on drawings (even pencil drawn) so contractors would have no problems reading the drawings in the field, in less than optimum lighting.

I want to thank you guys for all the help you've given me so far. Maybe somebody can recommend the next "bang for the buck" step up program, after I get my feet wet with this one.


Thanks again,
fendercatt

I know what you mean Albert. I'm nearly 57 years old. I learned my engineering and drafting skills with a little help from some friends and lot of perseverance. It was either that or lose my job. I actually became pretty good at it. In the end, they layed-off all the college boys and kept me, when things got tight. I guess they figured, without a degree, I couldn't ask for much money. So that's how it went. I had to work twice as hard as the college guys and got paid a little more than half as much. Corporations are funny like that. They laid me off after 32 yrs. Corporate moved somewhere else and they didn't want to duplicate resources they had there at my location. I did some consulting work for them last year and they paid me more than twice the money. Go firgure!

But now, I DIGRESS!!!!!

Thanks a lot for the comeback. Give me your opinion on the souncards, etc. when you have time. I really appreciate the support you guys give everyone. You're gold buddy.


Later dude,
fendercatt

Those EQ features are not available in MC Pro 24 either, which was the last version before MC 3. Maybe MC 5 will have it.
Sound interfaces: I am continually amazed at the clarity and detail afforded by my Focusrite Saffire, but it's a firewire device. And pricey (list last year $499, GC price normally $399, got it on sale $299). Are you married to the USB idea?

that does sound very much like something they would disable as part of the MC package, making it available only to the higher paying customers for SHS and Sonar.

Thanks Beagle. I did look at your link before. But I'm getting a headache looking at all these options, checking specs, and crunching numbers. I just thought maybe somenone could give a good recommendation, knowing the particulars that I posted about my laptop.

Also, could you tell me, in your opinion, if I can alleviate the midi latency problem with triggering notes from my keyboard controller by going with the external interface (usb or firewire)? Do you think I need more processor horsepower or RAM than what I have? I know working with midi isn't CPU intensive. Once I start with the audio, that will surely change.

I can have 16 channels of midi going, with effects in the soft synth operating and other operations open,and my CPU usage showing at the bottom right hand corner is like 6% - 9%.

Before I go, I'd like to say that I'm fairly impressed with you knowledge on these subjects. Many thanks for the help you've given me so far.


Have a good evening,
fendercatt

fendercatt,
It looks like you are starting to get your legs under you. Just want to touch on a few things you've mentioned here.
Sampling sequencers still use MIDI to trigger the sounds. The difference is that the sample player plays a recorded wav file instead of generating the sound with synth oscilators. Some synths use a combination of wav.s and oscilators, filters,etc. Pretty amazing technology, really. I can apprciate it, but i don't fully understand it.
The EQ's that you saw on the demos are actually plug-ins, but they have a direct link embedded. As far as CPU load, they are the same.
I don't like the Cakewalk parametric EQ at all. It works, but it squeals like a stuck pig if you adjust it too fast.
My favorite parametric is NyquistEQ (a free download).
The latency you are experiencing is not from the MIDI, but from the conversion of the generated sound into audio. So, yes, a sound card will help immensely. Many laptops don't have a 6 pin Firewire connection, so USB is probably a better solution. If you don't have a TI chip, that's usually a deal breaker for firewire.
I'm 100% with Beagle, it's not the MIDI, it's the synths that eat your CPU. If you don't use sample based synths, even the RAM may not be a real issue.
The E-MU 0404USB, Line6 Toneport UX2, or one of the M-Audio units would be a good choice.
As to the next "bang for the buck" sollution, I heartily endorse Sonar Home Studio 6 XL. But I am admitedly bised.

Thanks Beagle. For the most part, I was just looking at getting relief from the midi lag, so I can input my midi data with my keyboard controller instead of having to use an internal step sequence to avoid the latency.

I guess I could also trigger to one of my outboard rack synths to monitor my input. Just wanted to make this idea extremely portable.



Have a good day!

Thanks for the heads up on the EQ download RobertB. I've been looking at the M-Audio hardware and the Tascam US122L USB interface (it has midi I/O), but there are more than a few unhappy users with that one on Harmony Central. But you never know, a lot of times some people just can't grab hold of how to use something. Then it's easier to dis the product. Sometimes, something is just not 100% compatible with your software or hardware.

I understand the whole thing about midi data and sampling synths. Years ago I ran extreme midi sequences triggering an external sound module from a 486SX computer, and it never hiccuped once. I just meant that comparing midi triggered to GM sound modules vs. sampled wave files that can me manipulated is like, in some aspects, comparing a cigarette lighter to a flame thrower. The former is just not going to cut it in some situations.

I have two outboard rack synths. One is a true synth, which is difficult to edit, the other is a sample synth, which plays back multi-sampled wave or PCM sounds. But you cannot edit the waveforms as much as on a true synth (limited on filters and oscilators). But it does nicely.

Anyway, you've been a great help.


Cheers,
fendercatt