Impressed with Music Creator 6 release

I was a big fan of Music Creator 5 and really liked using it.  Satisfaction with the product led to a series of upgrades that has me currently using X1 Expanded.  However, when Cakewalk released Music Creator 6, I had to buy a copy just to see what they had done with Music Creator and how it worked in my environment.
 
I have to say that Cakewalk really came to the table with a winner on this one.  For what this costs at the local retailer I don't think there is a better choice for the money anywhere (including using an unlicensed copy of Reaper).  MC6 is just like using X1, but with some minor (for most home recording users) restrictions and a few less features.  However, with some of the freebies in the cakewalk store (RGZ, and the Cakewalk Audio Effects) and a few free VSTs from the internet this beefs up to a pretty respectable DAW.
 
The only drawbacks that I can see is the limit of two simultaneous recording inputs, the limit on the number of soft-synths in a project, and the requirement for a higher resolution monitor.  For someone getting started the only one of these that may be a problem is the screen resolution (some of the buttons can't be displayed with 800 pixels vertically).
 
I would recommend this to someone starting out in a heartbeat.  Good job Cakewalk!
 
Glen

Could either of you, if you get the chance, please check out the Matrix View performance? I am interested to know if it can replace something like Ableton Live (or the late Project 5), for playing time stretched audio loops and midi loops on the fly. What I also would like to know, if there is a live Tap Tempo function(which MC5 unfortunately lacks), where a Tap Button could be assigned a qwerty keyboard or midi note shortcut under Key Bindings? So, you would hit it twice, for example, and the new tempo would immediately take effect. Finally, does MC6 have the capacity for External Sync? Thanks for any information about these.

yeah, I'm with guitarhacker.  I've never used matrix.  I have used abelton very briefly with version 4 but that's only because it came from with my m-audio soundcard.

I don't use MC that way - for me, it's really just a big multitrack recorder that can also do what my keyboard sequencer can do.  I don't use the matrix view or beatscape or any of those things.

MC54PC


Could either of you, if you get the chance, please check out the Matrix View performance? I am interested to know if it can replace something like Ableton Live (or the late Project 5), for playing time stretched audio loops and midi loops on the fly. What I also would like to know, if there is a live Tap Tempo function(which MC5 unfortunately lacks), where a Tap Button could be assigned a qwerty keyboard or midi note shortcut under Key Bindings? So, you would hit it twice, for example, and the new tempo would immediately take effect. Finally, does MC6 have the capacity for External Sync? Thanks for any information about these.

These are the only things I found about sync in the MC 6 Help files:
 
"If you are using MIDI sync or syncing to MIDI time code, Music Creator waits to receive external timing data before it begins playing. If the various views are not updating during playback, make sure the SCROLL LOCK key on your computer keyboard is not enabled."
 
"MTC Sync
MIDI Time Code sync. Messages are received in SMPTE/MTC format from an external MIDI device and generate MTC"
 
I don't know if that's what you mean, though.
Haven't used the Matrix view yet, either. Not really sure what it's for.

MC54PC.... I hear what you're asking, but.... I don't use Matrix.... heck I have X1 which I believe has matrix and at this point I have not clue how or why it would be helpful to me with the way I work in the DAW. 

I am a straight-forward type of worker, and since I've used the MC series, I have continued to use that in X1. I'd really have to spend the time to investigate exactly what the matrix  is and how it would be useful to me before I would consider using it. 

Heck I just did a little bit of experimenting with screen sets. I think they might be useful, but the problem is, when I have the DAW on, it means I'm usually working on tracking or mixing my current project.... I really don't have a bunch of spare time to "play around" with the new features just yet. 

Work is busy, time is limited and until work slows down, I won't have a lot of "play time" in the DAW. 

Mondays and Tuesdays are Becan slicing days around the kennel!

  Thanks Greg. I'm not sure I understand what all that time code stuff means either, but it sounds to me, like MC6 CAN sync to external signals, hopefully just simple Midi Clock sync.

remind me again if I don't post in this thread by tomorrow.  I might have forgotten to do it with all the busy-ness I'm into Sunday thru Tuesday

thanks, I will do my best to try to get to it tonight.  (dont feel bad about pinging me again if I dont)

Great. Thanks. Only one more question: Can you please test this plugin in MC6, and see if it instantaneously updates MC6's tempo? http://homepage.ntlworld.com/jez.price/effects.htm And if it doesn't, can you put the plugin into an external host, such as VSTHost http://www.hermannseib.com/english/vsthost.htm and connect to MC6 via MidiYoke, and see if MC6 can slave to it's tempo?

That's fine, Beagle. Whenever you get the chance.

Beagle, you mean "Tap! 1.2 Tap Tempo" plugin, don't you? It is 3rd from the bottom of the page: http://homepage.ntlworld.com/jez.price/effects.htm You said "FiltSeq1.3" in your post. Assuming you did test the "Tap" plugin, and it did not work with MC6, thanks very much for taking the time to test, and letting me know the results.

Beagle, sorry for the confusion, and my not being more specific. Heck, I'm really sorry you have to go in for surgery this week. I hope it goes well, and you have a speedy recovery. This Cakewalk stuff can, obviously all wait, until you are better and have the time.

Jack is right... but I wonder about that SIGNATURE....spammer? 

Hey Beagle. I see you're back posting. How did your surgery go?