Cakewalk Home Studio

[jacqui01]

I recently posted some Christmas Midis, that had to be removed as they were copyrighted,I never knew this at the time, and had the following reply as to how you can tell from Steptoe
I open the files in Magix Midi Studio (or any other Midi editor such as cakewalk) and then click on the lyrics of the song, in this instance in big red letters above the lyrics was written
I've since obtained Cakewalk Home Studio 2002, version 10.0.2, I've never seen anything so technical looking in my life I think it would be easier to drive a Rocket into space than operate this Gizmo, I'm sure it is probably far far superior than my little ole friendly Vanbasco Player, If I could only fathom out how to use it.
Managed to load a file and play it, checked under view lyrics to see if I could at least find any Copyright info, but nothing.
If I just want to change Key and mute a channel is there any easy way, without out having to be a brain surgeon
Pleeeese Help

Jacqui

[gibbo]

Hey Jacqui, I use CW 9 and I think home studio is much the same as far as your questions go.
To mute a channel; open the track-view and look for the little square box with an "M" in it and press that. m = mute, s=solo, r=record. You'll see these with a midi loaded.
To change the key; just look for the little box that says "key+" and type in 2, -3, 1, whatever you need for the number of semi-tones change. (Don't forget, don't change channel 10 - drums - or you'll get all sorts of odd percussion sounds!)
To see copyright info etc go to File and click on Info in the pop-down menu.
Stick with it, you'll get the hang of it soon enough. Read through the help file when you have something you can't suss out, the quickest way to learn is by playing with it... it won't break!
Good luck and let me know if you need some any help.
Cheers, Dave

[jacqui01]

Thanks for the Info Gibbo, I've just tried it out to get up the file info on a midi I'm going to post The Party's Over, and at least that bit worked.
So far so good
Cheers
Jacqui

[bri]

Or, I keep going on about it (I don't know anything at all about Cakewalk), if all else fails, try Kreatives multitrack (16 tracks) recording studio. It's fairly simple to use...it must be - I use it for everything. Best of all, it's available as a free download. I don't know if this is the sort of thing you want??
Best wishes
Bri

[Steptoe]

bri said:

Or, I keep going on about it (I don't know anything at all about Cakewalk), if all else fails, try Kreatives multitrack (16 tracks) recording studio.
Best wishes
Bri

Kreatives doesn't allow you to open up a midi file for editing purposes

[bri]

No, as I said, I don't know a thing about Cakewalk; just thought it might be a help. Maybe Kristal2 will allow it (if it ever comes out).
Regards
Bri

[mch]

Hello jacqui01. I, too, have had midis removed because they were copyrighted and I didn't even know it. But here's what I do.

I also used Calkwalk (home studio 2002). And by the way, there are features on that program that I still don't know how to use.

Anyway, I make it a habit to check for the copyright in the INFO block (located under the FILE menu bar), the LYRICS (there's a button labeled -Oh-, which is the LYRICS VIEW) and the embedded TEXT (you have to highlight all the tracks, then push the EVENT LIST VIEW button to see the TEXT). You would assume that if you don't see anything there, then there's no copyright attached, right? Well, at least I did.

Well, I discovered that there's a lot of midis out there that has had their copyrights removed or deleted. So I emailed Hit Trax (a professional midi producing company), and asked them if there is a way to tell if a midi is copyrighted, if the copyright had been deleted.

Here's basically what they told me. They said that in Calkwalk, I could see the SYSX INFO VIEW. Usually (but not always) ama-midis (amatuers midis) don't know how to use the the Sysx data, so if the banks are filled with data, there's a good chance that the midi is copyrighted.

The second thing they told me was that in Calkwalk, there might be a copyright signature in the MARKER'S VIEW.

And the third thing they told me was if the midi has a lot of Controllers at the beginning of each track (which I still don't get), then it could be copyrighted.

And last, most professionally produces midis are written and saved in MIDI Format 0 and ama-midis are written and saved in MIDI Format 1. (I don't get this either.)

The problem is if you don't have a program like Calkwalk, you wouldn't be able to tell at all.
Hope that helps you a little with your programming adventures.

[midimart]

There are many other ways of sealing in copyright, you just have to know where to look....

I myself use, ultra sonic & sub sonic pulse tones......

These are hidden in the music itself..... Although I grant permission for my files to be altered, I do like them to keep the original sequencer and programmer in tact.....

Copyright is a very fine line and many sites have been closed due to the infringements of said copyright.....

If you are unsure of copyright material, just send it to me at and I'll check for you.....

I may have more sophisticated programmes than most members... (That can pick out copyright). We don't want to spoil your enjoyment of sharing midi/mp3 files but we MUST abide by the rules..... Or closure WILL occur.

[Steptoe]

mch said:

Here's basically what they told me. They said that in Calkwalk, I could see the SYSX INFO VIEW. Usually (but not always) ama-midis (amatuers midis) don't know how to use the the Sysx data, so if the banks are filled with data, there's a good chance that the midi is copyrighted.

Thats very presumptuous and misleading (and a little insulting) to suggest that people making up their own midi files for personal use don't know how to enter system and or control commands (sysx).
An individual writing their own files at home can enter as much data information as he or she chooses. That does not infer that the file is copywritten!!

[ziggy]

I agree with Steptoe. In fact there's been a couple of occasions where the only place that I could find certain tracks was in the Hit Trax catalogue, but having listened to the demos, I decide not to buy because they weren't up to the standard that I'm used to here & on certain other free sites, (professional does not always mean best. As John said, that statement is insulting to sequencers like Glenn)

[midimart]

Well many years ago, before I started the main site. I actually approached the so called professional sites (8 in total) and offered my services to them (sequencing)...

They turned me down - Each and every one.....

(Their loss not yours)......

[mch]

Really Steptoe, the comments I received from Hit Trax, I'm sure, was not directed as an insult or meant to offend anyone personally. I do believe that they were merely responding to my q question (a newbie sequencer), as to how to identify a copyrighted midi. A guideline if you will.

For the most part, I found their information to be a good rule of thumb.

So if you find my post offensive, far be it for me to cause anyone to feel offended here. Just say the word, and I'll remove the post. No worries.

[oldsage]

one program that i use is very good for finding out if there is any copyright or lyrics is synthfont and it will play almost every midi file out there unless it is so corrupt that it wont play at all it will also let you change instruments add a layer to a track which i,ve never seen before.and will also take out the lyrics if you dont want them.best of all it adds new after the song so it doesn,t alter the original midi when it takes out the lyrics.the program is donation ware so it is up to you if you want to pay something for it.it,s worth a try for anybody who wants to know if a midi is copyright,and it will show you all meta events markers patch,and tempo changes and all events for the whole song on the same page.normally track1

[midimart]

In Cakewalk, there is a facility to create an "All Systems Off", and this creates it's own Sysex at the start of every saved file.

It saves it for Roland, Yamaha, Korg and many others.....

I use Sysex in many of the Old MidiMart.net files, MINVEC UK to add my own copyright, those of you who have a Roland - SC55 - SC155 _ SC88 etc etc. Will have seen the scrolling LCD.

I don't copyright these, they are just to notify everyone they are by me.... Now I embed the "Pulse Tone" to instead of the Sysex as Sysex can interfere with the sounds on newer machines.

THEY ARE NOT ESENTIALLY TO SIGNIFY COPYRIGHT.

There is a Sysex EDITOR on our downloads page. This can be to add text or a scrolling picture or graphics to an LCD.

[JazzCat]

Mch,
What irks me is that Hit Tracks is feeding you a line of rubbish. They are missleading you and I'm sorry to see that you actually think what they said is a 'good rule of thumb'.
For example, that garbage they said about a lot of controllers at the beginning of a file meaning it may be copyrighted? Phfffffffft! Whatta CROCK! If you know what the controllers mean you can often tell that an arranger keyboard that uses styles or patterns was used to start the file. I'll do that on occasion for cripes sake and my files aren't 'copyrighted' in the sense that everyone here is using the word.

One of these days I'm going to have to attempt at getting everyone here up to speed when it comes to the meaning of the word 'copyright', and what is 'legal' and what is not, and how a lot of you guys are being misled.
Today's not the day though.
Cat >^..^<

[brucehinely]

i love my cakewalk,i used it live