Music Creator 5 hangs after 4 play / stops.

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NitrocosmOld
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2011/12/05 21:04:48 (permalink)

Music Creator 5 hangs after 4 play / stops.

Hello, 

Cakewalk Music Creator 5 has exhibited bugs from time to time but normally it wasn't something a reboot wouldn't temporarily fix. 

Today, however, it has become unusable. Fortunately, I can reproduce the problem. 

Here's what it does. With or without any audio or synths, after starting and stopping MIDI playback (even if the current part being played is entirely empty) exactly four times, when stopping playback the fourth time, the application hangs. It can be any file that's open, even if all VST and DX plug-ins are disabled, even if there is nothing in the portion being played, it hangs after the fourth playback stop. 

 Here are the details of the hang, provided by Windows: 

Problem signature: 

Problem Event Name: AppHangB1 
Application Name: CWMC.exe 
Application Version: 17.0.4.23 
Application Timestamp: 49d40321 
Hang Signature: c69a 
Hang Type: 0 OS 
Version: 6.1.7601.2.1.0.768.3 
Locale ID: 1033 
Additional Hang Signature 1: c69ac413d0adc05096a1c94201bd0d70 
Additional Hang Signature 2: e1ac 
Additional Hang Signature 3: e1aca6dd4e1d48662d6a43ad399e8209 
Additional Hang Signature 4: c69a 
Additional Hang Signature 5: c69ac413d0adc05096a1c94201bd0d70 
Additional Hang Signature 6: e1ac 
Additional Hang Signature 7: e1aca6dd4e1d48662d6a43ad399e8209 

 I am running Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit and my sound card is a RealTek onboard chip. Additional details can be provided if needed. Thanks in advance for any help you may be able to provide. 

 I'm stuck with this huge project in limbo now and am so frustrated I could cry. You guys have been really helpful in the past so hopefully someone has come across this issue before.


UPDATE:

I have done some more experimenting and I've narrowed it down to a single setting in MC5.

If "Zero Controllers When Play Stops" is checked, this undesired behavior manifests itself.  If left unchecked, the application functions normally.

I'm not sure if I ever used this setting before but I *think* it has been the default option on new projects.  Anyway, this seems to be the cause and I guess it's a bug.  Hopefully, it's fixed in Music Creator 6 because I just purchased that today and can't wait to try it out when it finally finishes downloading.

post edited by Nitrocosm - 2011/12/05 22:28:46
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    Guitarhacker
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    Re:Music Creator 5 hangs after 4 play / stops. 2011/12/06 07:54:37 (permalink)
    MC5 doesn't have many bugs and I'm not so sure this is one of them. 

    You can always contact Cake's tech support to see if this is a bug.

    However, I think it is more likely in the computer itself.

    1. You stated that you are using the factory Realtek sound card. THis could be part of the problem because of the latency issue. The more synths you add (with midi tracks) the bigger the problem becomes. 

    2. Running Windows 7 HP in 64 bit could also be contributing. If I recall, the advice from Cake is to run MC5 in the 32 bit compatibility mode since that is what it's designed for.  Running it in 64 bit means some or all of the drives are not going to work right.

    3. the zero controllers thing I believe is not important and is acting like a distraction because right now, with the first 2 conditions existing, it is playing a factor somehow whether it works or not depending on the check mark.


    What I would do first is set MC5 up to run under the W7 32 bit compatibility mode. Test it to see if that solved anything. 

    Second I would look into getting a decent audio/midi interface to use with MC5. (USB connected) Something from Focusrite or M-Audio, or any other manufacturer of audio interfaces. 

    I really think that's where the problem lies. 


    MC 6 has a totally different look to it's GUI.....and there are some cool things in it, but when you install it, go ahead and set it up to start with in the 32 bit mode. I'm running MC 4,5&6 all in 32 bit XP and they are rock solid. I also have a dedicated musical interface (Focusrite Saffire) 

    My website & music: www.herbhartley.com

    MC4/5/6/X1e.c, on a Custom DAW   
    Focusrite Firewire Saffire Interface


    BMI/NSAI

    "Just as the blade chooses the warrior, so too, the song chooses the writer " 
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    Beagle
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    Re:Music Creator 5 hangs after 4 play / stops. 2011/12/06 09:26:59 (permalink)
    actually to me that would point to the softsynth you are using not being able to handle that parameter.  which softsytnhs are you using in this project?

    http://soundcloud.com/beaglesound/sets/featured-songs-1
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    NitrocosmOld
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    Re:Music Creator 5 hangs after 4 play / stops. 2011/12/06 13:04:39 (permalink)
    Hello again; thanks for the replies.

    Even with no software synths running and the audio engine disabled, the error was still taking place with the "Zero Controllers" option checked.  That should eliminate the possibility of the sound card or the synths causing the problem.

    MC5 worked reliably with 8 software synths going plus several audio tracks before, all on my RealTek sound card.  It worked surprisingly well, actually.

    Running MC5 in 32-bit compatibility mode still yields the same results except when the application hangs, no dialog with diagnostic information (provided by Windows) displays.  This is probably because compatibility mode does not provide that feature in Windows.

    It really does seem to be a bug.

    The good news is that version 6 seems to behave itself so far.

    Thanks again for your help. 

    Oh, I should mention that I re-checked the "Zero Controllers" option in Music Creator 6 and the problem no longer seems to occur.  It seems it was version 5-specific.



    post edited by Nitrocosm - 2011/12/06 13:10:05
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    Beagle
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    Re:Music Creator 5 hangs after 4 play / stops. 2011/12/06 13:07:05 (permalink)
    that doesn't make sense.   you can't run the project with the audio engine disabled.

    http://soundcloud.com/beaglesound/sets/featured-songs-1
    i7, 16G DDR3, Win10x64, MOTU Ultralite Hybrid MK3
    Yamaha MOXF6, Hammond XK3c, other stuff.
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    NitrocosmOld
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    Re:Music Creator 5 hangs after 4 play / stops. 2011/12/06 13:11:06 (permalink)
    There isn't an option to disable it directly but I disabled the driver by setting the input and output devices to "none".

    "Disabled" is the wrong word for it.  "Inactive" might be better since I was going by the CPU load (indicating no audio was being processed).


    In Music Creator 6, has anyone else noticed that the extra file format options for exporting audio are missing?  Specifically, the bit depth and sample rate, which are mentioned in the help file, do not seem to be anywhere in that dialog.

    post edited by Nitrocosm - 2011/12/06 13:50:23
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    Beagle
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    Re:Music Creator 5 hangs after 4 play / stops. 2011/12/06 14:16:58 (permalink)
    I will try to recreate your situation when I get home tonight. 

    as far as extra file format options - which options are you missing?

    http://soundcloud.com/beaglesound/sets/featured-songs-1
    i7, 16G DDR3, Win10x64, MOTU Ultralite Hybrid MK3
    Yamaha MOXF6, Hammond XK3c, other stuff.
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    NitrocosmOld
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    Re:Music Creator 5 hangs after 4 play / stops. 2011/12/06 18:40:51 (permalink)
    The missing options are sample rate and bit depth.  MC5 had them but MC6 does not appear to.

    Also mentioned as a feature in the help file but not apparently implemented is the option to export as a Broadcast Wave, the "extra encoding" options that should appear after hitting "Export", all the .wav and .aiff specific options that are listed in the help file.


    Now my USB MIDI keyboard keeps "disconnecting".  It just isn't meant to be, I must say.
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    Guitarhacker
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    Re:Music Creator 5 hangs after 4 play / stops. 2011/12/06 19:29:35 (permalink)
    MC 6 has the same stuff.... they just put it in different places..... or should I say, in different looking GUI's


    I'd look it up but I'm not on the DAW at the moment

    My website & music: www.herbhartley.com

    MC4/5/6/X1e.c, on a Custom DAW   
    Focusrite Firewire Saffire Interface


    BMI/NSAI

    "Just as the blade chooses the warrior, so too, the song chooses the writer " 
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    NitrocosmOld
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    Re:Music Creator 5 hangs after 4 play / stops. 2011/12/06 21:15:30 (permalink)
    I would think so, as well... will continue looking and learning and will report if I do end up finding these features.  Surely, others will wonder where they are, too.

    UPDATE:

    Well, I found a workaround.  It won't directly export 48kHz or provide any options on export (like its predecessor did) but bouncing everything to an audio track and then digging around in the audio files to copy that seems to do the job.  It's a bit of a hack, for sure, but it gets me what I need.

    Why did they remove all the options from audio exports, though?

    post edited by Nitrocosm - 2011/12/06 23:43:06
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