I'm getting very frustrated with trying to get anything productive done, as I am in a constant battle in getting sounds to work. I am a guitarist who just wants to record to simple backing tracks and vocals. I know you're probably thinking he needs to spend some time learning the software but I've had cakewalk in one form or another for over a decade! I've watched tutorials and really tried to get to grips with it.
 
I am a solo guitar vocalist and am not keen on big backing track productions. I want to produce high quality bass and drum only backing tracks.
 
My latest attempt is as follows:-
 
1. Download a midi file and import into Sonar Professional.
2. Find I can't use AD2 or SD2 kits as they aren't GM. (I'm sure it may be possible to make a drum map but too complicated for me)
3. I use sample tank as my synth for drums and Dimension pro for the bass. They work woo hoo!
4. I add TSS-1 synth for cabasa.
5. Try to record the cabasa on the TSS-1 track along with the other two tracks. The cabasa sound is playing on the keyboard.
6. Start recording. No sound. The sound from the drums and bass has gone as well!
7. Switch pc off at the wall.
 
This is a typical scenario for me every time having to stop due to frustration and not actually completing anything. Trying to get everything routed correctly and every button in the right position to get sounds to work is a nightmare for me.
 
I'm sure I can't be the only dim person trying to use complex software?
 
I may try just using one soft synth per project, in the hope that I won't get confused.
 
Sorry for the rant. I really need one to one training with an expert to sort me out.
 
Paul
 
 
 

#1. Can you get metronome sounding?
#2. Can you by clicking in interface of an instance of SD2 - get a sounding drum?
 
If yes, check this:
 
#3. Activate echo on TTS1 (midi)track and see if keyboard activity play something?
 
If yes, try arm for record as well on TTS1 track - just this one thing first.
Then start transport for record on control bar.
 
I would start there...

You can solve the AD2 problem like this:

Switch AD2 to a GM-mapping in the map window wich you can find clicking the "?" (right top corner in AD2 ).

Paul Thomas
1. Download a midi file and import into Sonar Professional.
2. Find I can't use AD2 or SD2 kits as they aren't GM. (I'm sure it may be possible to make a drum map but too complicated for me)

Yep, I get annoyed at drums that don't try to follow the GM standard. I like Superior Drummer because it has sensible mappings within the GM range. You can add extra notes if you want but it'll play back GM tracks fine.
 
However, in Addictive Drums 2, try this - click the question mark (top right), select 'Map Window', click the Map Preset drop-down (top left), and select GM. You might find it does a better job with your GM midi that way.
 

5. Try to record the cabasa on the TSS-1 track along with the other two tracks. The cabasa sound is playing on the keyboard.
6. Start recording. No sound. The sound from the drums and bass has gone as well!

 
I don't understand what you're doing when you say "try to record" and then "start recording" in 2 steps. Is this 2 record operations, or one?
 
When you try to record a synth, are you making sure you have the MIDI track armed, and not the Audio track? (Assuming you use separate tracks for this - if you use a single Instrument track, I don't know how that works.)
 
And are you making sure that the other tracks, ones you're not recording on this time, are NOT armed? Otherwise, if you're in Overwrite record mode, you'll just wipe out what was previously recorded.
 
The important thing about synths is that you don't record audio, you record MIDI. So, your first port of call is to see if the MIDI is there. If not - then either you're not actually recording it, or you recorded it and overwrote it somehow. If the MIDI is there, but there's no sound, then something has broken with the synth.

Thanks for the quick responses guys!
IFM - I started again, simplifying by deleting all midi tracks apart from bass and drums and using TSS-1 got the casaba to record now.
 
snaut2000 and Kylotan - Thanks for the AD2 tip. I got the track working fine in GM mode. I had looked around for a GM mode and couldn't see anything. I should read the manual!!
 
I think my main problem is that I don't fully understand routing within the software, which is the cause of most of my woes. I've just realised that the midi and instrument tracks have different input options available! I couldn't understand why sometimes synth outputs were available and sometimes not - doh. I should have spent much more time reading the basics of the programme before heading off to record.
 
I wonder if there will ever be a time when all the routing is automatic for people with short attention spans.

Paul Thomas
I wonder if there will ever be a time when all the routing is automatic for people with short attention spans.

Well, if you get to the point where you use a consistent setup, you can save it as a template file and have everything open up the way you want when you start a project. Track templates are great too, I have one for guitar. When I start a project, I bring in the guitar track template and all the ins and outs are set, along with a couple of my FX chains (Classic and Hard Rock so I can select one and have a starting point).
 
Cakewalk has produced a ton of tutorial videos. Some of them cover operation on a very basic level, some are pretty deep. Go to the CakeTV section under community and then SONAR University. 

Paul Thomas

Is it just ME ??

 
Yup.

Anderton

Paul Thomas
I wonder if there will ever be a time when all the routing is automatic for people with short attention spans.

Well, if you get to the point where you use a consistent setup, you can save it as a template file and have everything open up the way you want when you start a project. Track templates are great too, I have one for guitar. When I start a project, I bring in the guitar track template and all the ins and outs are set, along with a couple of my FX chains (Classic and Hard Rock so I can select one and have a starting point).
 
Cakewalk has produced . Some of them cover operation on a very basic level, some are pretty deep. Go to the CakeTV section under community and then SONAR University. 

Thanks Anderton. Much appreciated.
 
 
 
 

I think there's a point worth making here, that isn't made often enough.
 
There's a whole industry, of which Cakewalk is certainly a part, that trades, partly, on the claim "It's now easy to make professional sounding music on your computer!"
 
Well, it's really not easy. It's easier than it used to be, but it's still pretty much a skilled craft. You need to learn about audio engineering. You need to learn about acoustics. You need to learn about MIDI. You need to learn about synths. And so on, and so on.
 
Now, if someone doesn't especially want to learn those things, that doesn't make them a doofus or anything. Maybe it's just not your thing. And that's fine. I like to think I'm fairly smart, but lots of things are Just Not My Thing.
 
If you just want to make music, and all of this screwing around with drum maps and routing Isn't Your Thing, then why not try to hook up with someone who loves all that crap and collaborate with them? This idea that everyone has to be their own producer is pretty crazy, I think.

I was just going to ask how long it took the OP to learn to play guitar?  Cakewalk (and every other DAW maker) has a fine line to walk between making things easy enough to learn and complex enough to do it all.  And there is a lot to learn.  Audio engineering, which ain't rocket science but ain't chicken feed either.  And midi, which can be like rocket science.  And combining them together, along with computer tech self support (thankfully that is a lot easier these days).
 
I never did learn to play guitar.
 
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