Cakewalk Virtual Keyboard

[Apolito Ghosh]

Beloware pix of what I see when I select the Piano Keyboard and the Computer Keyboard from the Virtual Controllers menu. Do you have them listed in the views menu (see below)? If so, I am not sure why nothing happens when you select either of them.

UPDATE: I don't think that's it. I switched from "All" to other options and I could still add them. I was able to create a Lens that doesn't have "Virtual Controllers" under "Views," but it sounds like you have them listed. Also, I created a Track Control called "NONE" (no nothing!) and the Virtual Controllers still show up.

Update: I found it also worked for me by opening a --blank project--, adding a midi track, and pointing the track to "Virtual Controller" in the track itself (pointed to the MS GM Synth). Not sure why its not coming up for you. Maybe others have suggestions to things to try.

I got the virtual keyboard to work with Omnisphere. You have to open virtual midi keyboard first, then pick the VST you want to use. What I am trying to do is create a virtual Mod wheel, but I can't seem to figure it out. Is there a set of key-strokes that can behave as a mod wheel? Also I haven't been able to get both the virtual midi keyboard and the computer keyboard to display at the same time.

Virtual MIDI keyboard and the Computer keyboard interfaces are switchable, thus they wont display at the same time. Use shortcut Alt + 0 (upper row button, not the keypad button) and Alt + Shift + 0 to switch between them.

I tested this briefly on my tower as well as testing the use of Ctrl+[the numbers 1-5] on the top row v. keypad mentioned in the other thread re: modulation. I get differences I don't understand yet--but the keypad numbers definitely function differently than the top row numbers. Not a priority for me to sort out at the moment since I was just exploring the Virtual Keyboard and Computer Controllers based on the initial post.

Good News, I got the Mod to work, Thank you so much James Argo. Now I have to deal with aftertouch! Is there anything such as a virtual aftertouch wheel? People talk about drawing AT in, but I am unsure how to do that. I have never used lanes, is there a specified lane for that and then you just set the values note by note? or is there an easier way to get it to function and onto different destinations, can they be reached Filters, Sync, by keyboard shortcuts? or is this already too far out?

Normally, aftertouch (either channel aftertouch or polyphonic aftertouch) is input by key pressure of your physical MIDI keyboard, not by wheel. Aftertouch can expand your playing expression if the synth allows it. It depends on how the synth utilize the aftertouch data for that particular patch / sound. Even if the synth supports aftertouch, most synth will only utilize channel aftertouch. Although possible, it's very rare for them to utilize polyphonic aftertouch.

In Cakewalk, you can draw channel aftertouch data in Track view, Piano Roll View, or even input the data one by one in Event List view. The process can be time consuming if you work in detail to really get the desired effect. If you really concern and think that you really need to deal with aftertouch that much, I suggest you to buy MIDI keyboard that support aftertouch.

My current one is how to control the SI Drum Kit with the virtual computer keyboard controller. I'm trying to do a quick fix (famous last words!) temporary drum track, simply by tapping in the beats by keyboard. I've done the kick, but I can't find a key on the virtual keyboard that inputs the closed hi hat alone (OK, I know I could use the mouse, but I'm trying to find out what's going on here...) The virtual piano keyboard has the same problem.

What happens depends on which kit is loaded, but none of them seem to have a key assigned to the high hat individually - only in combination with the snare or a tom (as far as I can gather.) And in all of them, the Eb key makes the same chinging noise that doesn't sound like anything in a drum kit. I wondered if it's this key that's supposed to play the hi hat, and if there's a glitch.

Each instrument in SI-Drums has a dedicated MIDI note assignment. These assignments are in the documentation (click in the UI of the plug-in to give it focus then F1 to bring up the help) and also in kit pieces at the bottom of the UI where one may set the instruments to audition. Also there are two velocity layers for each piece triggered by clicking low or high on the instrument images. The keys on the virtual keyboard are not velocity sensitive. They all send a set velocity based on the velocity arrow keys on the virtual controller.

Right - thanks. I can change the note number of the hi hat by right clicking on its lower pad, and I can play it either by left clicking on it there - with different velocities - or in the drumkit graphic, which gives a single velocity - which is what I assume that the controller should produce? However, there is still no key in the virtual controller which will do this. There are ones that trigger it visually in the graphic, but the resulting sounds are other drums, or combinations of them.

That said, to get the Drum Kit to fit in the range provided by the virtual controller or to make it easier to play certain kit pieces, it may be necessary to re-map some notes. This may be done using the Transpose MFX or a drum map.

With the "Piano Roll View" actually you can see the pressed notes when you play from your midi keyboard in real time , but not when you playback your records and you want to see which keys are pressed when you was writing your tracks with your midi keyboard.

do you mean audio that was recorded from your keyboard? MIDI data is only note information, so if you recorded audio from your keyboard that information is not captured (so cannot show up in the PRV). Most keyboards allow both audio and MIDI data to be recorded (highly preferred going forward), but if you have only recorded the audio, other solutions mentioned above are options. You can also try dragging/dropping your audio track onto a MIDI track (if you have Melodyne installed), which will also give you the MIDI notes, but realize that is not always 100% accurate. If that conversion does work, the PRV on that new MIDI track will now have note data for you to see.

I believe the question is something like this: "If I press the sequence of A-S-F-G-H-J-K on a virtual keyboard to record notes into Cakewalk, is there a virtual keyboard tool I can use to see the sequence of A-S-F-G-H-J-K light up when Cakewalk plays the sequence back?"

I believe the question is something like this: "If I press the sequence of A-S-F-G-H-J-K** on a virtual keyboard to record notes into Cakewalk, is there a virtual keyboard tool I can use to see the sequence of A-S-F-G-H-J-K** light up when Cakewalk plays the sequence back?"

I have create some orchestra tracks, but because after some time while recording , I don't remember every note of every instrument and because I don't read notes , I need a visual keyboard on the screen when playback... so I can add or remove or expand my musical parts.

Thanks for the explanation. Your workflow makes sense. I am resisting the great temptation to suggest taking the time to learn staff notation. If your workflow works for you, maybe you'd prefer to make music than to learn notation.

I have seen many synth plugins that have a piano-style keyboard in the UI. I haven't looked to see if they also display the notes when a track is played back. If they did and you had them set to a non-sounding patch/preset, that might work. On my older Audio PC I have a virtual controller that uses a piano-style keyboard. I am not sure, but that might also work.

MeldaProduction's MTuner (part of their MFreeFXBundle) might interest you for a couple of features it has. I haven't tried this yet but possibly the audio from your library might be routed to MTuner so you can see the names of the notes from the audio played (ear training). Just a thought.

Also, please consider taking a look at the Piano Roll View (PRV) mentioned above. When working with virtual instruments (VSTi), many focus their work in that view since it provides easy visual and editing access to the note information that is driving the VSTi. Recording (and editing) in that view will allowing you to capture, modify, and add performances (notes), especially with a mouse when you get into fine editing. Each time you run the transport (hit play/space), Cakewalk is using those notes to play the VSTi(s) you have set up. It is a very complex tool (many, many functions to it), so is something to get familiar with. There are some folks who compose exclusively in that view, and it can be set up to allow you to edit tracks while viewing data in others, which is efficient for building harmonies, etc.

Cakewalk/Sonar only highlights keys in the Piano Roll view when they are being played or recorded thru input, but not when the project itself is playing them. This feature has been requested in the past.

If the Spitfire Audio BBC Orchestra soft synth is able to send MIDI out, enable that and send it to the SI Keyboard to see the notes play. Don't select an output for SI Keyboard so you don't hear it playing over the BBCSO.

OK - I have two cats trapping me in my bed, whilst I run through a bunch of software installs - plugins, mostly, and so I cannot currently play notes on my not-as-handy-as-it-was-supposed-to-be midi controller.

This being the case, and the cats being too cute and cuddly to vanquish, I am using the CbB built-in Virtual Controller, for the 1st time, to allow me to sound some notes on the new Hybrid Synth plugin I just installed. To do this, I assigned the Virtual Controller as the midi Input device in the midi track for the synth, in Track Inspector.

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