I have purchased 3 versions of Music Creator since starting to use Cakewalk software, the 1st was MC4 and ever since I have liked the software. 
 
Kinda got sidetracked and give reaper a try, the main reason was the vocal correction software that comes inside of it with the REATUNE plugin embedded in Reapers software. 
 
Long story short, I purchased MC7 recently and the only problem I have with it is trying to work with programming my drums using the SMART TOOL, I like the SMART TOOL with everything else except trying to program drums in PIANO ROLL view. I am just more accustomed to using the traditional Piano Roll drum maps and such when programming drums, and easier drum maps to work with. 
 
Or in other words install my Music Creator 5 with Music Creator 7 already installed. I am wanting to keep my NEW PC with only my essential software installed, and it's just something I am installing that I will never use then I don't want to install it. 
 
Aside from plugins which I suspect are hard wired to MC7, can I load an MC7 Bundle file in a MC5 program and work in retrospect between the two?
 
Or in other words, I am just interested in the drum tracks. I Know there are multiple options, I am wondering about the saving of the CAKEWALK BUNDLE files and if they will work hand in hand. Or in other words, If I load a Cakewalk Bundle file that I created in MC7 and it say's "Those VST's are only for MC7", If I save that Cakewalk Bundle file IN MC5 and then RE-IMPORT it into MC7 where all plug in's are available for that version. If it would still work right? 
 
Sorry this is probably something I might just have to try for myself. But the thing is I just got a new Electric guitar to record with and a brand new computer a couple weeks ago and I am being very careful with it, I don't want to install anything that I'm not going to use and I do make regular IMAGE backups and use software that snapshots for removal before removing anything, but still, I just don't wanna waste my time one something that might not work at all if someone can tell me who might know? 
 
As for MC7, I'm thrilled with it so far, except the PIANO ROLL/SMART TOOL and programming drums. 
 
Something I would suggest with at least the MUSIC CREATOR series of software, and that would be that perhaps they include a "RETRO" function for earlier versions of cakewalk software to ease some of us older users into working with the newer features. Perhaps that is asking too much and I realize that what MC does years ago was probably considered an impossible task. But it's just a suggestion, at least on things like PIANO ROLL where working with MIDI and DRUMS are concerned. 
 
Sorry such a long message. Haven't been around here for a while and I wanted to try and explain why I use Music Creator software and how I use it. 
 
I know I could work with a mixdown and just the midi track and work with things that way, I'm just wondering how backwards compatible they might be, so that I might could save/load and re-load in MC7 after programming the drums in MC5?
 
 
Thanks in advance for any replies. And Happy Holidays everyone!
 
 
 

I don't have MC7 but I do know that all of the Cakewalk files are supposed to be backward and forward compatible between the Cake DAW's.
 
I have opened files made in one version of MC in other cake DAW's.  You may get a warning that not everything may work, but I have found that it always has.   The exception is the plugins that were on one computer that were not installed on the new one or vice versa.  Synths and such things.

But all the midi date and audio was there.

Bobby,
all cakewalk software is designed to be forward and backward compatible as far as saving and loading both bundle files and project files.  as we know, sometimes the way things are designed do not always work, but the majority of the time what you're trying to do - open bundle files in MC4 from MC7 should work by design.  
 
you are correct, tho, that plugins will not necessarily open in MC4 from MC7.  there may be some plugins not available in MC4 which are available in MC7 (if you have 64bit MC7 loaded, MC4 came only in 32bit, so those 64bit plugins won't work in MC4).  however, if you have MC7 installed as 32bit, you can just use the VST scanner in MC4 and those new 32bit plugins from MC7 will work in MC4.
 
I do, however, want to point you to some videos of how to make drums in MC7 in a way we never had available for MC4 and it makes things SO much easier!
 
https://youtu.be/UquKaN5Ruio
 

Beagle
Bobby,
all cakewalk software is designed to be forward and backward compatible as far as saving and loading both bundle files and project files.  as we know, sometimes the way things are designed do not always work, but the majority of the time what you're trying to do - open bundle files in MC4 from MC7 should work by design.  
 
you are correct, tho, that plugins will not necessarily open in MC4 from MC7.  there may be some plugins not available in MC4 which are available in MC7 (if you have 64bit MC7 loaded, MC4 came only in 32bit, so those 64bit plugins won't work in MC4).  however, if you have MC7 installed as 32bit, you can just use the VST scanner in MC4 and those new 32bit plugins from MC7 will work in MC4.
 
I do, however, want to point you to some videos of how to make drums in MC7 in a way we never had available for MC4 and it makes things SO much easier!
 
https://youtu.be/UquKaN5Ruio
 

Thank you Reece. I'm going to give it a try. I'm trying to be as careful as I can and keep my new computer installed with only the things that I use. I'll check out that tutorial link you shared. Thanks. I have watched some of the Tutorials on Cake TV but not all of them. Really like this MC7, so far except for having trouble programming the drums it does everything and more for my needs. Thanks again. 

Guitarhacker
I don't have MC7 but I do know that all of the Cakewalk files are supposed to be backward and forward compatible between the Cake DAW's.
 
I have opened files made in one version of MC in other cake DAW's.  You may get a warning that not everything may work, but I have found that it always has.   The exception is the plugins that were on one computer that were not installed on the new one or vice versa.  Synths and such things.

But all the midi date and audio was there.

Thank you Herb. I had a feeling that was the case, but I thought I would ask before I made any quick decisions on installing anything on my new PC. Thanks again. 

Beagle
all cakewalk software is designed to be forward and backward compatible as far as saving and loading both bundle files and project files. 

This may be true for MC but it is not always the case for all Cakewalk products. For example, all older versions of Cakewalk DAWs restricted bundles to 2GB. After Sony Wave-64 support was added to SONAR, bundles and individual clips could exceed 2GB. When a bundle or clip exceeds the RIFF Wave limit, SONAR automatically uses the new 64bit format. The is no way for an older DAW without Sony Wave-64 support to handle these files. While new projects usually open in previous versions, I do not believe Cakewalk supports the practice.

scook

Beagle
all cakewalk software is designed to be forward and backward compatible as far as saving and loading both bundle files and project files. 

This may be true for MC but it is not always the case for all Cakewalk products. For example, all older versions of Cakewalk DAWs restricted bundles to 2GB. After Sony Wave-64 support was added to SONAR, bundles and individual clips could exceed 2GB. When a bundle or clip exceeds the RIFF Wave limit, SONAR automatically uses the new 64bit format. The is no way for an older DAW without Sony Wave-64 support to handle these files. While new projects usually open in previous versions, I do not believe Cakewalk supports the practice.

Thanks Scook, I had no idea about that. 
 
I decided to tuff it out and figure out how to do the drums in MC7.  Actually, this might sound crazy, but what I learned was that it was so easy to do, that it was my old school way of doing things that was making it complicated, at least for me. 
 
After watching some videos and getting a grasp on a few short cut keys on the keyboard it made all the difference. 
 
After learning that there is the "T" shortcut to bring up the floating smart tool selector at the mouse cursor that made all the difference for me.
 
I was thinking that I was going to have to either press the F-keys for each individual tool to make a tool selection or use the mouse selections at the dock to select the various smart tools. I also see that the floating tool selector has a note duration selection. I guess I should take a little more time to learn more before asking questions. Because what I should have taken into consideration is this being a newer Music Creator version from the older 4 & 5 that I have used that it is designed to be easier and not harder to do things, and that's why it was sorta confusing me because I was used to the old way of doing things. So far this seems really easy and the work flow is a lot faster. 
 
It really amazes me to think that a software I purchased for $19.99 can do so much, it can actually do more than a Boss recorder I paid 1800 dollars for years ago, I sold it to a friend a couple years ago. 
 
Thanks again. 

Newer versions of Cakewalk DAWs rely a lot more on keyboard shortcuts. Also many of the SONAR videos apply to MC as well.

scook

Beagle
all cakewalk software is designed to be forward and backward compatible as far as saving and loading both bundle files and project files. 

This may be true for MC but it is not always the case for all Cakewalk products. For example, all older versions of Cakewalk DAWs restricted bundles to 2GB. After Sony Wave-64 support was added to SONAR, bundles and individual clips could exceed 2GB. When a bundle or clip exceeds the RIFF Wave limit, SONAR automatically uses the new 64bit format. The is no way for an older DAW without Sony Wave-64 support to handle these files. While new projects usually open in previous versions, I do not believe Cakewalk supports the practice.

you are correct, I forgot about the 2G limit.  I believe MC4 does fall into that category because it was a derivative of Sonar 4 and now that you have brought it up, I do remember that Sonar 4 was part of the 2G limit.  probably all the way up to 7.