Getting Started with Cakewalk

1. What you need to know first
2. Installing on a Windows Computer
3. Checking your MIDI setup
4. The Tracks View Window
5. Opening and playing sequences
6. Things you can do with MIDI

• Change Tempo
• Change Key
• Change Volume
• Change Orchestration
• Turn Tracks On/Off
• Play Metronome
• Loop Sections of Song
• Mark Points in Music
• Record Tracks
• Add/Delete/Change Notes

Cakewalk Express is available from Cakewalk at www.cakewalk.com for $29.  The operating systems supported are Windows 95/98/NT Pentium 120 MHz, 16 MB RAM. Includes audio tracks.

Make sure that your MIDI drivers are installed and that your Multimedia Control Panel setup is correct. Also, make sure that any keyboard you may use for input or playback is turned on, connected, and has the correct settings. (General MIDI mode on.)

Download the installation file. Double-click the software to start the installation. Follow the instructions as they appear.

Start Cakewalk Express.
Use the Tools->MIDI Devices menu to check the Output Ports. The sound card synthesizer should be listed first, followed by the MIDI out for your keyboard. device list. Note that the top device is Port A and the second device is assigned to Port B.

Make sure that local is OFF on your keyboard and ON in the sequencing software.

Make sure the volume is up on your sound module (whether internal or external) and that speakers or headphones are attached and turned on and up.

The Tracks View window lists all of the tracks in the sequence. The left part of the window is the Track Pane. The right part is the Clips Pane.

Drag the vertical window splitter to the right to display more information about each track.

The tracks are listed by number in the left column. The track numbers may be dragged up/down to different locations to change the order of tracks. Right-clicking a track will open its Track properties dialog.

Mute The track is not played, but you can turn it back on while playback is in progress
Solo Only those tracks which are designated as solo tracks are played; all others are muted.
Record Designates track to be recorded into.
Patch Click here to increment/decrement the value to select different timbres.
Volume Click here to set initial volume.
Pan  Click here to set initial pan.

The Clips Pane is used to select portions of tracks for editing such as insert, delete, copy, paste.

Cakewalk will play Cakewalk files, standard MIDI files (Types 0, 1, or RIFF).
Go to File -> Open and navigate to the desired file. Highlight it and click OK.
The Transport toolbar may be used to play the files (sequences).
If the Transport toolbar is not visible, go to the View->Toolbarsmenu and select Transport.

Right-click on the Transport toolbar to display the Large Transport toolbar.

The Large Transport Toolbar shows the Measure, Beat, and Tick and SMPTE time.
Now (Measure, Beat, Tick). Displays and lets you change the Now time in MBT notation.
Now (Hour, Minute, Second, Frame). Displays and lets you change the Now time in SMPTE notation.
Now.     Slider for moving the Now time graphically.
Rewind.     Rewind command
Stop.     Stop command
Play.     Play command
Go to End:     Skip to the end of the project
Record.     Record command
Reset.     Reset command
Meter/Key.     Displays the current time and key signatures. Click it to edit its values.

• Change Tempo

Use the Tempo toolbar   change the tempo as the sequence plays. Click on the time display or use the Ration buttons.
 
• Change Key

This affects only the appearance of the notation of MIDI exported, not the pitch. Click the Meter and Key Signature icon in the Large Transport window.

• Change Volume

To set initial track velocities, click in the Volume box for the desired track and type a number between 0 and 127.
Use the Main Fader in the Console view  to control volume of all tracks in real time as they play.
Record volume changes by enabling fader recording for the desired MIDI Instruments. Make sure the update button in the Console view is pressed.   The Record button in the Console view is pressed. Start playback and move the sliders.

• Change Orchestration

Click  a Patch box in the Track List to change the instrument for a track.

• Turn Tracks On/Off

Click in the M box in the Track List to change whether a track is muted or not.

• Play Metronome

Click Metronome settings in the the Metronome Toolbar
Count-in Measures. The count in is in measures.
Count-in Beats. The count in is in beats.
Metronome During Playback. The metronome will sound during playback.
Metronome During Record. The metronome will sound during recording.
Accent First Beat. The first metronome beat of each measure will be accented.
Use PC Speaker. The metronome uses the PC speaker.
Use MIDI Metronome. The metronome uses MIDI notes.

• Loop Sections of Song

Select the area of a track to loop. Click the  to set the loop. Click  to start looping.

• Mark Points in Music

 

 

Use the marker toolbar...

• Record Tracks

Click in the R box to enable recording on a track. Doiulbe-click on track to set Source (Omni) Port, Channel, and Pathc. Use the Metronome toolbar and Record toolbar to set up options, click record and play.

• Add/Delete/Change Notes

Right-click on a track name and select Piano Roll to open the Piano Roll Window.

Use the arrow tool and click on a note drag it up/down left/right to change its pitch or where it occurs. Choose the pencil and click on a note to erase or use the arrow, click on a note, and press the delete key. Use the pencil to "draw" new notes. Use the note tool to select the duration on notes penciled in. Use the up/down button to select another track(s) to edit.