Virtual instruments in Music Creator reset to default values when clicking play (at the beginning of track)
 
Problem is driving me nuts as I’ve tried everything offered in the forums and it hasn’t fixed the problem
 
So the scenario is that I have a midi track (no audio to complicate things just the midi)
And I’m adding Virtual instruments to improve the voices / final mix etc.
 
Although this problem occurs to varying degrees with all VI’s lets for simplicity sake & because it’s a Cakewalk product bundled with Music maker (so it should work fine right?) refer only to Sound Centre….
 
So I’ve tried all the global settings suggested and ones in project (like un ticking ‘re set values to default) or whatever.
 
I’m also saving any sound edits as a new preset…
 
So quite simply I play the track get every thing sounding fantastic – save everything – then click stop, re wind to beginning of track and press play for a final audition of the completed track – low and behold there’s an invisible gremlin actually turning down the parts volume knob on Sound Centre! – I can actually see it physically turning down – this happens at the moment I press play (from the beginning)
 
So I thought this might be a system re set message in the actual midi track so I went to the event list and removed every message before the first actual note – still the same gremlin turns down the knob before my eyes – what is going on!
 
I’d be so grateful for any advice – Many thanks Kev

If there are no events recorded to dictate midi levels for the instruments being played, they go to the default setting.
I believe that will be where the level control is set at in the track / console view. This ( I believe ) will be the starting setting when you push play. You'll have to use Automation to set ( change from the default setting) these events in the midi stream for each instrument or code it into the events track.

There is no gremlin... if the volume is moving all by itself, you have very likely turned on the AUTOMATION WRITE ( is the W in the track control area RED?)  if the W is red, its on. All the moves you make in the volume are recorded and well move by themsleves on playback.... is there a light blue line in the track? That's the volume envelope. Right click on it and select delete. That removes it.

Be sure the W is off unless you want to put in the volume envelope.

Now you apparently DO want to save the settings SO..... look for the PRESET box... normally at the top of the synth window screen.... type in a unique name and click the save button..... you should now have that instrument saved as a preset. Easy to pull it up again and it should not change when you restart a playback...although, the settings you change should not change anyway unless you close the project without saving it or the synth.

Many thanks for your advice - yes tried this and it did work - Interesting though - In write mode it would only let me set the volume level once the track was playing (ideally you'd be able to do this before the track starts rolling) I was fortunate that most instrument parts (in this current song) come in after the start of the track (If all or most of the instruments parts came in together that would mean rushing to set the right volume as the song starts to play - you'd probably end up with the volume settings all over the place in the first couple of seconds...?)

So yes this works but I'm thinking not a very elegant solution (not your idea I mean from the DAW S/W point of view

Hears a thought - what if I could add the correct code into the event list at the beginning of the track (that means say volume 76)
May be that would be possible....

Thanks again Kev

Thanks for your advice / help Guitarhacker - yep I'm understanding how the whole write function works a little better now.

Powerful feature - very useful - I'm going to try out some more 'tests' in MM.

Thanks again Kev