I'm an amateur MIDI music composer who just began using Music Creator 6 in July of last year. I've had several questions on the product which have been answered by very educated users on this forum. I still have plenty more I would like answered. (* I have done as much searching across the web as I could to find answers, but unfortunately, some of the answers are just not there...)
 
As I progress, I notice that the learning curve is more steep than I'm used to. In the same instance, I hope these questions/answers will benefit other new users of the software as well.
 
1) Recently, the MC6 window loads behind whatever application windows I have open. How do I tell it to open "On Top"?
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2) What's the advantage of having each TTS track call to a common output track (so they can share a channel) rather than one channel per TTS instrument? Or vice versa? Are there any potential system constraints from doing this either way?
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3) Do I ever have to select a Bank number? Does a Cakewalk SoundCenter track require a channel number designation?
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4) I was previously educated about Bounce by another user on this forum. I would like clarity on the following:
     - Any synth (CSC, TTS, SI-Drums) track can be bounced to an audio track
     - All tracks for a particular synth must be selected at once...I cannot bounce on of these at a time?
     - I cannot select cross-synth tracks (one from CSC, one from TTS) for bouncing into an audio track
     - I can bounce any track, no matter how it was set up
     - Finally, for example in a new project, why would Tracks > Bounce to Tracks be greyed out?
 
I oftentimes get confused with this function, because I've had varying results. (Sometimes, no bounce progress meter is seen and the final audio track doesn't show.)
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5) I still get track types confused at times. I would also like to confirm that the track types are as follows:
     - Keyboard icon is Synth
     - Audio jack icon is Audio
     - Auidio jack + Keyboard icon is Synth w/output
     - Waveform icon is Audio (Wave)
     - Double waveform icon is ___________
 
6) Selecting a track for PRV editing...sometimes I get confused as to whether a track is truly selected. When I click a track number, it's selected for the Inspector, but not for PRV editing. I have to go up in the menu for the track I wish to edit and select "Piano Roll View". Is there an easier way to quickly select a Track for PRV editing?
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7) In a MIDI track, what difference does it make whether the Event Filter is set to Clips or Notes?
 
8) "Maximum number of instruments exceeded". This happens when I exceed 8 Synth Rack entries and this is error is misleading. Instruments? If there's a limit of 8 in the Synth rack and I can have 16 track channels per synth, how can I expect to call several TTS tracks to an Output track with this restriction? Or have more than 8 of either TTS or CSC tracks?
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9) If I were to create a MIDI template of my own to start my projects from -- and I wish to implement TTS, CSC and SI-Drums tracks, what would be the ideal way to lay the tracks out so as not to encounter restrictions?
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10) Clarification on limits (per Comparison chart link):
     - 16 TTS tracks per output (cannot be done with SoundCenter)
     - 16 channels per Synth (?)
     - 8 entries in Synth Rack (still don't understand why)
     - 128 tracks
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11) In the Synth Rack Browser, should I concern myself with the order of the entries or whether to delete unused ones?
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12) How big is a pitch bend and how can I broaden it?
 
Possibly more to come. Thanks again in advance for any answers or clarification you may provide.
 

1) While there are settings provided by the OS to control Window position on display, Cakewalk does not expose them.
2) Not clear what is being asked. Is this a question about multiple MIDI tracks with output set to the same instance of TTS-1. There is no such thing as a TTS track.
3) If working exclusively with the soft synths probably not. No.
4) The tracks that may be bounced include instrument tracks, audio tracks, synths using audio+MIDI tracks. When bouncing synths using audio+MIDI tracks at least one MIDI source and one audio output from the same synth must be selected. It is not necessary to bounce all the audio and MIDI tracks routed to a synth at the same time. Tracks can be summed during the bounce operation. The "Bounce to Track" is grayed out until there is something to bounce.
5) keyboard icon = instrument track
waveform = audio track (I believe the double waveform is a stereo clip indicator)
DIN plug = MIDi track
DIN plug+keyboard = audio track with input set to a soft synth
6) Double clicking a MIDI clip should bring it up in the PRV. Alternately there is a Tracks menu in the PRV to select tracks for editing.
7) The Notes setting in the edit filter opens the inline PRV.
8) TTS-1 is "16 in/4 out" but an instance of TTS-1 counts as 1 instrument against the 8 instrument limit. CSC is not multitembral so each instance counts against the synth limit. How you uses them is up to you. If the limits are a problem move to SONAR X3 even the base version has no such limit.
9) IDK, see #8
10) see #8
11) the order is immaterial

The 8 synth limit is because MC is the lowest cost DAW Cakewalk sells, and has less 'stuff' than more expensive Cakewalk DAWs.
Chevrolets don't come with heated electrically-adjustable seats as standard, but Cadillacs do... but you have to pay more.
Being able to route 16 MIDI tracks through a multi-timbral synth such as TTS-1 allows you more tracks, natch, so you could have 8 instances of TTS-1 each producing sound from 16 MIDI tracks for 128 total tracks. With SoundCenter, you would only be able to use 8 MIDI tracks to reach the 8 synth limit, then you'd have to bounce in order to use more synths.

Your questions have been pretty well covered, but one point of clarification re #3:
To take advantage of the GM2 capabilities of TTS-1, yes you do.
TTS-1 defaults to bank 0, which includes the 128 instruments from GM1.
The rest of the 256 instruments in GM2 are distributed among the other 4 banks.
TTS-1 is the only synth included with MC6 where the bank/patch selection in your MIDI track is relevant.
 

I thought all the instruments in TTS-1 were directly accessible via the instrument popup menu in the TTS-1. At least, I have never used the bank and patch drop downs and all the instruments listed in those drop downs are in the instrument popup menu. It is the case the instruments can be set using the bank and patch drop downs too.

I like you.... you ask some good questions, and the questions show that you are thinking pretty deeply about this topic.
 
 
5: double wave form is stereo perhaps.
 
11:  no.  With only 8 slots, delete if you no longer need that synth and need to add another one.
 
3 no,,, unless you need a specific bank (not very common these days). otherwise it goes to the default bank.  And no. 

scook
I thought all the instruments in TTS-1 were directly accessible via the instrument popup menu in the TTS-1. At least, I have never used the bank and patch drop downs and all the instruments listed in those drop downs are in the instrument popup menu. It is the case the instruments can be set using the bank and patch drop downs too.

True enough, Steve.
When you select the instruments from within TTS-1, all are available. Note the numbers before each patch. The first group of three is the patch, the second group of three is the bank.
When working within TTS-1, these numbers may not matter, and it behaves as any non-GM2 synth with unique presets available from a proprietary preset list.
However, if one chooses to use the bank/patch settings in the MIDI track, the bank suddenly becomes relevant.
You will see only the patches available in the selected bank.
I don't work with TTS-1 much, but when I do, I prefer using the track settings, because they take precedence over the settings within TTS-1.
Both approaches are valid. It just depends on what you are most comfortable with.
All in all, it is a potent synth, especially in MC, where you are limited in the number of synths you can use.
16 MIDI tracks, 4 audio outputs, 1 synth.

SCOOK:
Yes, #2 is exactly what I'm asking. Is there a strategic advantage to several MIDI tracks calling a TTS output track rather than several MIDI tracks on their own channel? Or vice versa? And are there any system constraints, other than the limit of 8 entries in the Synth Rack?
 
ADDITIONAL QUESTION...METRONOME:
For some reason, I lost my audio metronome sound. (I would use my MIDI one, but it plays behind time, screwing with my head.)
 
My Metronome settings have never changed, but for some reason, I cannot hear my metronome when it's on. Already tried to Google this, but apparently nobody else on earth has ever experienced this issue.
 
Creating a new project does not restore the metronome.
What can I do to get my Metronome back? Thanks! :)

WRT to MIDI track usage, what ever feels right for you. Other than the limits to MC6 are spelled out on the comparisons page the only other constraints are imposed by your PC and interface.
 
If this is an accurate representation of the Metronome setup screen in Preferences (image from http://www.cakewalk.com/Documentation/default.aspx?Doc=Music%20Creator%206%20Touch&Lang=EN&Req=Dialogs2.059.html#1175510), make sure the output is going to the correct bus. It can be any bus, in this example a bus called "Metronome" is used.
 
 

My screen is fairly similar to yours. Here is what my drop-down menus look like:
 
AUDIO METRONOME
First beat: (None available)
Other beats: (None available)
Output:
-- Speakers (Realtek High Definition) (default)
-- - None -
-- Master
 
I wonder if I should reinstall the application...