Using Cakewalk Sound Center

I am trying to learn how to use the Cakewalk Sound Center. In a midi track, I inserted it as an effect. When I play it back, I hear nothing. If I bypass the effect, I hear the track. Can someone help me understand what is happening or how to use this?

Thanks Beagle. I did what you described, except for the last part. I don't understand how to route the output to the soundcenter. In the track view, under inputs, it says OMNI,when I drop down the list I see a bunch of other things but not SOUNDCENTER.

In the MIDI track (Midi source track) you click on the OUTPUT. There, you should see all the synths currently in the project. Sound center should be listed. double click it. 

that is how you select the synth as the output to a midi track.


IF however, you did the INSERT SYNTH thing, that should already be done for you. When you insert a synth, you actually are inserting 2 new tracks.... one is the midi source and the other is an audio track with the synth you chose to insert. all the routing is also set up for you by the program.  In this case the only thing you need do is set the midi synth channel if you're not using omni, and select the sound patch or sample for the synth to play. many will load a default sound, but some will not. depends on the synth.

Thanks guys, I  think I am starting to get this now. I started a blank new project and experimented a bit and got good results. But this has led me to another question: do I need to have a separate synth track for each midi track that I want to run through the sound center? Or can I run multiple midi tracks through the same synth track? It seemed like I needed separate ones, but not sure I am  doing everything right yet.
Thanks again, John

Thanks, that is good to know. What about dreamstation? I have that as well.

Go to my web page on MC4/5 and read the tutorial setup for TTS. I explain the details on how to assign up to 16 different instrument patches to one instance of TTS. 

Most of the synths are one trick ponies when it comes to using mutliple sources.... they only allow one. 


If that is a problem, you can always add multiple instances up to either the maximum allowed in the DAW.... I think it's 8 in MC... or up to the limits of the processor to handle them all without choking. 

A work around is to layer the tracks. Add one synth.... get the track 100% right and freeze or bounce it to audio. 

You can delete the synth and keep the midi source track in case you need it later. Drag the miri track to the bottom of the track view and pop a new midi track into the project and add a new synth to the audio track and layer the next synth... repeat as often as needed to finish the song.