Hello! I'm an amateur music composer learning to use Cakewalk Music Creator 6 for the first time. As much information as I could find was located in tutorials and the user manual (and some experimentation), but there are several things I still cannot figure out. Would you all please be so kind as to help me along and make this hobby just a bit easier? Thanks in advance.
 
1) How do I change/select an instrument for the Cakewalk TTS synth? (It has a different properties screen than the SoundCenter synth) ANSWERED
Guitarhacker: Thanks for the link! Took a brief peek at it and it looks very informative. On the side note -- I haven't played with the TTS synth much, but if anything...it is another set of instruments. :)
 
2) When I try to delete one track, it deletes another track also! Why is it doing this and how can I stop it? ANSWERED
Guitarhacker: You're right -- very simple. I drag the mouse down the numbers of the tracks, and they highlight black. This is why this was happening "accidentally" -- I had inadvertently selected more than one track (which I didn't know was possible.)
 
3) How do I enable vertical gridlines for the beats in a measure? Otherwise, placing a note on a specific beat is guesswork unless I look at the timer. (Quantization is already enabled)
 
4) Why do my notes change color sometimes as I edit them in Piano Roll? ANSWERED
Guitarhacker: I'll have to experiment with this more to see if there's a pattern, or I'm just plan overanalyzing. LOL
Scook: And I would assume velocity is defined as the force in which the note is attacked, as indicated by the vertical lines in the Velocity window? Gotcha.

 
5) When I click a track in Track view, it highlights light, and when I click again, it highlights dark. At the same time, the track number in the bottom of the Inspector module highlights light blue and off respectively. What does this mean? ANSWERED
Scook: Easy enough!

 
6) Is there a way to drag the mouse to specify the note length instead of duplicating the note? ANSWERED
Guitarhacker: I figured out that the Smart Tool can do all these functions without selecting other tools. :)

   Double-click: Place a note
   Right-click: Delete the note
   Hover middie: Move the note
   Hover end: Resize the note
However, seems as though you still have to click the Edit tool to edit the note properties.
 
7) How to I sort the tracks (move them around)? ANSWERED

Guitarhacker: I have discovered the function similar to what you suggested. If I click-hold a track header icon and slowly move up or down, a thick red line appears above the destination track. Simpler than I thought.

 
8) Every time I change Piano Roll Views, the Velocity bar keeps resizing to its one-inch space on the bottom of my screen. How do I size it permanently or remove it?
Scook: I will try clicking Show/Hide. It seems as though you can save your workspace with your project, I'll see if that stays intact...

 
9) How do I create pitch bends, modulation, etc.?
Scook: Will give it a try! This software is so elaborate that I get overwhelmed at the various number of ways to do anything... LOL

 
10) Where are the track options to change the Patch, Channel, Volume, etc.?
Guitarhacker: Will check the link. It just dawned on me -- that when I first started playing with this, these toggles could appear inline with the track info, but only for the TTS synth and not the SoundCenter synth. I absolutely forgot how I found these. But as I said...I will check your link. :)
 
11) Is there an easier way to edit the piano roll of a different track than having to manually close the existing one, select a different track and select the Piano Roll View again? Can't I just double-click on the track I wish to edit the piano roll for, or something? ANSWERED

Guitarhacker: I'm not entirely familiar with Staff view...unless you're referring to the Notation view? I cannot read music, which is why I've been doing this with the Piano Roll the entire time. (i.e. back in the Digital Orchestrator days)
 
I have partially found the answer. To immediately jump to another track for note editing, I have to double-click on the grid area of that track -- but I can only double-click the track if there's data in it. Anyone else have any info...?
 
Scook: Will give it a try. Any shortcuts/hotkeys I could learn would definitely benefit my productivity and make editing and navigation a whole lot easier.

 
Thanks again for your help. More questions may be added as I experiment further and continue to get stuck. LOL :)
 
EDIT 7/7, 4:06PM:
Some questions answered, noted above in red for reference.
EDIT 7/7, 4:36PM:
Questions answered, per Scook's responses.

Welcome.  It takes a bit of time to learn it all but I will try to assist.
 
1. To change instruments in TTS:  http://www.herbhartley.com/hh2_edited_slimmer_005.htm  my web site page tells how to do that...ignore that it's talking about MC4&5... 6 with TTS is very similar.   As a side issue...I would use CakeWalk Sound Center since the instruments sound better.
 
2. Delete a track and 2 go away.... don't panic, use EDIT UNDO to get them back. MC will delete whatever tracks and or clips you have selected, so you likely have several tracks currently selected. Select only one and then delete.
 
3. I don't use quantize. You can drag the notes but be sure the resolution is set to the shortest beat duration you plan to use. That helps to land notes where they need to be.  If you right click the note in STAFF, it pops up a note properties window  that lets you be very precise in what editing you do.
 
4. I don't use piano roll..... so, maybe to let you know what you have edited.... or just to look pretty?
 
5. No clue
 
6. Probably.
 
7. Click and drag them in the track view or the console view. I think you have to grab them in the left side inspector area..... but yeah...easy to do. Same deal in console view.... grab and drag.
 
8. IDK
 
9. IDK
 
10. See my web page again.
 
11. again IDK..... I rarely (as in never) use PRV to edit midi. I prefer STAFF since I am more comfortable reading the staff.
 
we have a few PRV experts here that can answer those questions. While I have used MC for many years, I tend to use and know the parts of it that I work with on a regular basis.
 
That is certainly a lot of questions, and I hope I have shed some light on the answers. Feel free to ask more.

Thanks a bunch, GuitarHacker! :)
I will check the link, and I have noted my original post above with your answers.
 
If anyone else could assist to answer these further, much help would be appreciated. Thanks!

filling in the gaps
 
4. Color changes to reflect velocity
5. Blue indicates the track is selected
6. Drag the end of a node in the PRV to adjust the length of the note.
8. Show/Hide controller pane in the View menu of the PRV
9. In the controller view, click the + next to the dropdown in the controller pane.
11. Try double-clicking on a MIDI clip to open the PRV, I believe that is the default. It is configurable in the Track view menu Options > Click Behavior > Double-Click > MIDI Clips. You can also use the Tracks menu in the PRV to select which track(s) to view.

Thanks for your help, Scook! My post was updated above based on your responses.

Missed 3. That is an option in the PRV View menu.
Also 9 can be recorded directly from your controller. I was describing how to add them after recording.

There are quite a few keyboard shortcuts defined in the documentation
You can also create your own shortcuts for most functions

Got it. Thanks again! :) I think this should do it for now...

'Kay, guys. I figured out the answer to #10 -- figuring out how to set MIDI channel, I/O sources, bank, and patch. There's a pair of blue buttons directly above the track list. I click the second one (the Windows 8 logo, LOL) and it gives me those options in tiny print below the MIDI tracks. :)
 
HOWEVER...I'm afraid I'm still a little stuck about the special effects controllers. I'd like to apply pitch bends, modulation, etc. I can't figure out how to do this, even after some web searching. Is this a built-in feature (like it was with Digital Orchestrator back in the day) or do I need external plug-ins for this as well?
 
The plug-ins thing kind of scares me because it seems like such a huge process...
 
Please help! 'Kay, thanks. :)

Maybe the Cake TV videos on the PRV and automation might help with controllers. The videos are for X2 but MC6 Touch is based on X2 so the info should apply. You can add the data either by recording a MIDI controller or draw them directly in the lanes.