Music composition in MC4 or MC6

 I'm trying to create either midi or mp3 files of already printed music by copying the notes in the program using the staff view. The problem I am having is that the software is too eager to insert rests in the staff that are inappropriate and often end up changing the note values rather than correcting the automatically inserted rests on the staff. This is very frustrating as it means that later I have to go back in piano roll view and adjust everything. I'm also having trouble with playing back anything to where I can hear it which means that I have to save a midi file, convert it in another program to mp3 to see if it is working. I'm using a new computer. It's a Lenovo V750 with Windows 7 and Realtek HD sound. I'm sure that the ability not to hear it directly is probably a simple oversight on my part but I'm stumped about that. I'm hoping for one of two things, either something that I've missed in terms of stopping the automatic help when entering notes on staff, or a better operating composition in MC6. Someone had helped me before by actually linking up to my computer and getting me through this, an I'd be willing to do it again if someone was willing. Any help is appreciated, thanks.

 Okay, I'm using MC4. I figured out the problem with not hearing it as I forgot to insert a softsyth into it. I figured it out from one of the other files that I had previously. The problem there is that those won't play well. They will play between 1 and 3 notes and then go silent unless I click further along in the piece where it will do the same thing and then go silent again. I think part of it has to do with a bad job on my part of transferring files from one computer to another, or troubles I had earlier with the other computer when it crashed. In either case, I fear that I've lost what I have. It's not a lot, but there is one that I would like to try and rebuild if possible. The notes and everything are there, but it just does as I explained above. So far as the settings on the rests, I haven't seen any of the options that you have suggested. (Probably because I've looked in the wrong place.) LOL

OK... I opened MC4 to see if I could find the rest thing.... A quick look around did not show me the thing I thought was in there. So maybe it doesn't hide the rests.  As you enter the notes with staff, MC places rests automatically to fill the remaining musical time. But if you drop in another note, that note is more important and the rests will adjust automatically. 

That would kick it back to the resolution you are using to write the notes. Be sure to have the resolution of the note set to the smallest note value you will be using. Notes take precedence over rests. Default resolution goes from whole notes to 128th note triplets if I recall..... most songs are fine with 1/16th notes as the smallest resolution. 

Next... upgrading to MC6 I don't think will solve the problem with playback. That sounds more like a driver issue and the card itself. Factory cards are not good to use for cakewalk products. But.... you can always try the MME driver and set latency and buffers higher and see if that gets it working. It's generally pretty hard to break MC4. Try this next step first before you buy MC6...... although buying MC6 will give you some pretty cool new synths to play with and loops that MC4 doesn't have so upgrading is certainly worth the $40 cost.....

Ultimately, the best course of action is to get a decent USB audio/midi interface from a company like Presonus, Focusrite, or M-Audio. Most all of us here are using the USB interfaces for recording & playback. They really do make a huge difference in the recording experience. Through the years I have seen many, many strange issues come from trying to use a factory card and as soon as they buy an interface, the software works exactly like it's supposed to work. 

Well I don't know what happened, but when I tried it again, it's working fine as it should. Note placement and playback. It may be that I used 4 midi tracks instead of audio. Go figure! Thanks for the help and input. Just out of curiosity, is there a way to export the info itself from the staff view, or PR view of another project to a new file to try and restore what's not working in the project now? Just as a means of not having to enter all of the notes again manually. If so, how? Thanks.

Well, never mind, I figured it out myself. What I did was to create 4 new tracks and "paste special the original tracks into the new ones and then delete all the unneeded tracks. Everything is great now!