good luck!

THAT is a truly GREAT idea. I wonder how hard that is to set up.

Nope i have not done that yet myself, as i have not had any big issues. But i would imagine that a bit of internet searching might turn up a plan. I will dig as weel and see what pops up.

I've thought of using different profiles to limit default services, but I don't know of a way to do this.  In the old days you could simply profile using autoexec.bat/config.sys, but now things like fw/antivirus and other services seem to be globally controlled.

If anyone knows a way - I'd like to know too!  I did once have a tool that was used as a pre-launcher for the MS-FS.  It allowed you to select services/apps you wanted to offload.  When you launched it, it closed them and then launched FS to maximise it's performance.  On closing the FS session it would open them all up again. Neat. Something like that would be great for Sonar but my coding days are long gone.

Edit: Might try some of this and see if it helps.  But I still suspect that the core things will be global settings rather than Current_User.
http://www.sevenforums.co...p-programs-change.html

You may have several issues.

First.... it's always a good idea to start a new topic thread rather than "tagging along" on someone elses.

next... Cakewalk Pro Audio 9 is really old.  It might not run properly because the operating system it's designed to run on is pretty old.... I had CWP8 and it was a Win 95 design.  

My best advice is to use Audacity unless you are willing to up grade to MC6 abd since you are on a laptop, you will also need an external audio/midi interface to be able to use ASIO drivers which are designed for recording. 

Cake software works perfectly fine when you have the right hardware and sound drivers. If you try to "get by" with out investing in the proper hardware tools to do the job properly, yes... you will have all sorts of problems that will cause you to talk bad about Cakewalk's fine software and you will likely go away mad and ticked off. 

OK, I understand. There is this "admission ticket" of a newer computer and (in my humble opinion at least) some systems troubleshooting knowledge - this software is not plug and play. Did not mean to upset those that enjoy the software in any way.
 
Once times get better and I can afford the required gear I will get it, then get back to trying and perhaps post again. For the moment, thanks for your answers.

57Gregy


I don't think anyone is upset. Guitarhacker just pointed out that the software is a little bit old, and since 'new computer' may mean the computer has Windows 7 or 8 as an operating system, the older software may not be compatible and may not run at all. If someone was upset, they would have written that you're in the wrong forum, but instead we tried to help you.
I would like to know which Cakewalk interface you're using, what operating system you're using and if it's 32-bit or 64-bit. This information may help us help you.
As for changing the driver mode, that's done in the software; there's no switch on the interface to do that. Well, there may be, but we don't know which interface you're using

Hi and thanks for your support. I am embarassed, but don't know what "interface" means in this context...

I keep reading about "changing the driver mode seting", but there seem to be no such option on my Cakewalk interface anywhere

 
Herb, he says he has a "Cakewalk interface". I assume he means an audio interface.
Unless he's thinking of the software as an interface?

Hi again,

Sorry for the delay in answering. I was trying to sort it out on my own, but it turns out I can't.

Some background: Engineer, 46 years old, leisure musician. Previous experience with this same version of Cakewalk, which used to run very well back when my computer was running Windows XP.

I have no plans to mimic a studio. All I wish is to record vocal tracks to facilitate my bandmates learning of their harmony voices. No requirement for any technical sophistication, end target is a humble mp3 file with one voice panned hard left and the others panned hard right.

Right now I have the Cakewalk Pro Audio 9 installed and running in my Vista laptop. No external sound card. I know it may sound like heresy to some here, but it should work with my signal input through the laptop microphone jack. It did in my old computer back in the day, so I see no reason it should not work now.

The symptom I am stuck at right now is that I succeed in recording my audio signal, but the recorded signal is very faint (i.e. weak, low volume). I know for sure that my input signal upstream of the laptop's microphone input jack is strong enough (the VU meters of my US Audio mixer indicate so), yet for some reason I get lots of noise and a very faint signal in my recorded audio track. So far I troubleshooted as follows:

1) checked and tried replacing each cable in the signal chain, from the microphone cable connected to the mixer up until the audio cable connected to the computer's microphone input. Nothing changed.

2) checked the Audio dialog box of windows (labeled Sound, with the little woofer icon) and confirmed that the "recording" tab has (under microphone properties/levels) microphone level set to 100 and the icon indicating that it is not muted. I also have microphone boost set to zero, because as mentioned earlier the signal coming from the mixer is positively hot enough.

Still I get a low signal with lots of background noise (no specific noise that I could identify, such as CPU cooler or anything like that).

I suspect some sort of configuration mistake, but have no real clue of what or where. Any suggestion - aside from spending money on another computer, etc. - will be much appreciated.

Guitarhacker


if you are using the laptop and all it's internals.....hardware and software..... you may wish to check the windows sound card control panel.

Back in the day, I used a different setup than I do now and I had to go into the windows sound mixer window to change the input levels and the recording levels and options. 

I don't know if that is the case with your system but it won't hurt to check. If you are not using an external sound card or as we call them .... interfaces...... the windows mixer is likely to control the levels going in. It could be as simple as moving a slider. (just read the rest of the post...looks like you did that) 

Should you decide to "do it right" a new computer would not be needed. The Sony is likely more than enough computer to do the job. However, I would recommend getting 2 things. 
1. Update the software by buying the new MC6 which is designed to run on W7 32/64. Around $50 in stores. Get the box version not the download.  That could be part of the problem you now have. CW9 was designed for 95/SE if I recall correctly. I had CW8 and it was 95 all the way. 

2. invest in a simple Audio interface. The simple addition of an audio interface will change things in a major way. You might spend $100 on this but it will make things work the right way. Some of the interfaces (Focusrite) have really nice preamps in them and need no mixer board to get levels high enough for a strong clean signal. I run my inputs on the focusrite at around 5 or 6 out of 10. 

Since you are employed as an engineer, and are in a band with some buddies I would assume you have some money to buy these 2 essential items without having to skip meals for the next several weeks. 

Having the right tools for the right job is the way to go. No need to build more of a studio than you need..... but get the things you need,  to do what you are wanting to do. The right tools will make that job a snap. 

I've been here 6 years now.... this is a common thing we see from time to time. Greg and Beagle have been here even longer. We've seen it before. 

I don't mean to diss anyone's choices, but mine are different. I have a long list of other gear that I'd buy before spending money on an interface, etc. I record once in a blue moon, and this is not a sin. The fact that our shopping priorities are different should not disqualify me for getting technical help, should it?
 
I read the previous posts and failed to identify references to this "Windows Sound Mixer" or "Windows sound card control panel". I will try to locate it via the Windows "Control Pannel", as it sounds like this could lead me to a solution. Again I am thankful for this lead and will appreciate any further comments sent my way.

Guitarhacker


You need to understand that this is a forum.... and we are users, not tech support paid staff with Cake. We do this because we enjoy helping others. Since you have CW9 there is not much likelihood that tech support from cake will help you much ...referring you instead to the archived support for CW9. 

We are simply trying to help you get CW9 working but there are a number of things going against you, all of which have been discussed in previous posts. 

If you can not get this solved for whatever the reason.... we do know that the solutions we proposed will work. Get  MC6 & an Interface that runs ASIO drivers....  

If you don't want to spend money on the recommended tools, then all we can do is say check your settings and check the windows sound card .... if that doesn't work, I personally, don't have an answer for you. 

It is very possible that there are software issues and conflicts between the CW9 code and the operating system on the newer laptop that allow it to work partially but not 100% the way it was designed. I've seen that happen in the past. But perhaps it's just a setting. 

All the best to you.

I am sure that nobody else construed m use of the expression "technical help" in the phrase "The fact that our shopping priorities are different should not disqualify me for getting technical help, should it?" as implying that fellow forum members are "tech support paid staff". You're merely being defensive, and it shows rather clearly.


As for your patronizing line "you need to understand that this is a forum", you are the one that needs to understand that the forum does not belong to you. Your opinions are just that - your opinions - and you will not push it as gospel, such as dictating what people "should buy" or patronizing people you don't know. Get a grip.


Now if someone else agrees with my right to avoid the patronizing invectives of the quoted poster, I'd like to proceed in the original civilized manner with the discussion of the technical issue at hand. As stated, any constructive suggestions will be appreciated.

I have not had any experience in the "low volume on mic input."

if Greg's suggestions above don't help, (which I'm afraid they might not), then I'm going to have to agree with him that the program might not work correctly with the newer OS - after all, it wasn't designed to work with it.  win7 wasn't even in development when PA9 was released.

check your settings on the realtek in windows, check what greg has given you and if neither of those work, then buying a cheap soundcard might be your only option to get it to work right - or possibly (and I don't say this is definitive) upgrading to MC6 might work.

upgrading to MC6:  $50 download
new soundcard:  $100 is about the cheapest you can get with a reliable mic pre and reliable drivers for win7.

I know you've already said more than once you're not interested in buying a soundcard, but if you change your mind, there are some recommendations on my website.  I would not recommend something like the cheap behringer UCA in your case because there's no mic pres on it and you'll have the same low volume problem.

alower


Thank you gentlemen for your responses. I will try these adjustments. If they don't work, I will wait until I eventually buy a new computer and perhaps try a new version of the software. 

A new computer is cool.... but you will likely have the same problem with it as you do now. The answer/solution will still be the same.