Add Track enhancements

A new Add Track button has been added above track strips in the Track view, which simplifies the process of adding and configuring new audio, MIDI, and Instrument tracks. The button resizes dynamically depending on the available space, and can appear as either or .

Figure 28. Add Track button.

The Add Track button opens the Add Track menu, which consists of an Audio tab and an Instrument tab, each with relevant settings for creating audio or instrument tracks. You can specify the track type, number of tracks, and settings such as record enable, input monitoring, input and output.

The basic steps for creating new tracks are as follows:

1.	Click the Add Track button to open the Add Track menu (or press SHIFT+INSERT).

2.	Select the Audio tab or Instrument tab, depending on which track type you want to create. The Instrument tab is also used for creating regular MIDI tracks.

3.	Select the desired settings.

4.	In the Track(s) box, specify how many tracks you want to create.

5.	Click Create.

Figure 29. Add Track workflow.

 

Note: The Track view Now Time display that is normally shown above track strips is no longer visible by default. To show the Now Time display, right-click to the right of the Add Track button and select the desired time format on the pop-up menu. For details, see The Track view Now Time display.

To create Audio tracks

1.	Click the Add Track button to open the Add Track menu.

2.	Click the Audio tab.

3.	Select the desired settings:

Input. Select the audio input device you want to use for recording.

Record Enable. Activate the Arm for Recording button on each new track (requires an input to also be selected).

Input Monitoring. Activate the Input Echo button on each new track (requires an input to also be selected).

Advanced. Show/hide the following advanced settings:

Create Folder. Place the new track(s) inside a new track folder. For details, see Track folders.

Create Bus. Assign the new track output(s) to a new stereo bus.

Output. Select any available hardware output, bus, sidechain, or patch point you want to use for playback.

4.	In the Track(s) box, specify how many tracks you want to create.

5.	Click Create.

Figure 30. Audio track settings.

A. Add Track button B. Audio tab C. Close D. Input E. Record Enable F. Input Monitoring G. Advanced (expand/collapse) H. Create Folder I. Create Bus J. Output K. Number of tracks L. Create 

To create Instrument tracks

1.	Click the Add Track button to open the Add Track menu.

2.	Click the Instrument tab.

3.	Select the desired settings.

Instrument. Select the desired soft synth. The options are as follows:

Default. Select the default Cakewalk TTS-1 soft synth.

List of available instruments. Select any available VST3, VST2, or DirectX soft synth.

MIDI Only. Create regular MIDI tracks.

Input. Select the desired MIDI input device. The options include the on-screen Virtual Controller/Keyboard and all available MIDI input drivers.

Record Enable. Activate the Arm for Recording button on each new track (requires an input to also be selected).

Open Virtual Controller. Opens the on-screen Virtual Controller/Keyboard after tracks have been created. For details, see Virtual Controller/Keyboard.

Advanced. Show/hide the following advanced settings:

Create Folder. Place the new track(s) inside a new track folder. For details, see Track folders.

Split Instrument Track. Split the instrument track into separate audio and MIDI tracks. For details, see Splitting an instrument track to separate audio and MIDI tracks. Specify which instrument output(s) to use for the split audio track(s). The options are as follows:

Main Outputs. A new audio track appears that uses the instrument’s first audio output as an audio input.

All Stereo. One new stereo audio track appears for each stereo audio output that the instrument exposes. Each new track uses a different instrument output as an audio input.

All Mono. Two new mono audio tracks (one Left and one Right) appear for each stereo audio output that the instrument exposes. Each pair of new audio tracks uses a different instrument output as an audio input.

Output. Specify the output. For Instrument tracks, select an audio port. For MIDI tracks, select an existing instrument or MIDI port.

4.	In the Track(s) box, specify how many tracks you want to create.

5.	Click Create.

Figure 31. Instrument track settings.

A. Add Track button B. Instrument tab C. Close D. Instrument E. Input F. Record Enable G. Open Virtual Controller H. Advanced (expand/collapse) I. Create Folder J. Split Instrument Track K. Instrument Output for Split Instrument tracks L. Output M. Number of tracks N. Create 

 

See also:

Using instrument tracks

Converting an audio and MIDI track to a single instrument track

Splitting an instrument track to separate audio and MIDI tracks

To create MIDI tracks

1.	Click the Add Track button to open the Add Track menu.

2.	Click the Instrument tab.

3.	Click the Instrument drop-down list and select MIDI Only.

4.	Select any other the desired settings (see To create Instrument tracks).

5.	In the Track(s) box, specify how many tracks you want to create.

6.	Click Create.

Figure 32. MIDI track settings.

To repeat the last Add Track command

To insert a new track with the same attributes as the last inserted track, hold down the SHIFT key and click the Add Track button . A track is inserted without opening the Add Track menu.

To close the Add Track menu

To close the Add Track menu without creating any new tracks, do one of the following:

Click anywhere outside the Add Track menu.

Click the close button in the top right corner.

Click the Add Track button .

Press the ESC key.

Press SHIFT+INSERT.

 

See:

Inserting tracks

New features