Working with Cakewalk FX, CFX, & DirectX Plug Ins

By Ron Kuper, Senior Software Engineer

One of my favorite features in Cakewalk Pro Audio is Cakewalk FX - Cakewalk audio processing effects. These powerful effects include Reverb, Chorus, Delay/Echo, Flange, Time Compression/Expansion, and Pitch Shifting. This Tech Tip also applies to any third-party DirectX audio plug-ins loaded by Cakewalk like Waves Native Power Pack. Because Cakewalk FX and DirectX audio plug-ins are relatively new to Cakewalk, some users may be uncertain how to implement them. There are essentially two ways.

1. Real-time—This method is recommended for users with a Pentium 200 or higher. The more powerful your computer is, the more simultaneous real-time effects you'll be able to run in Cakewalk Pro Audio 8.

Open the Console view. You'll see Aux and Main Busses and Track Inserts, with areas to patch in effects.

Aux and Main Busses let several tracks share a "chain" of common effects. The kinds of effects you'd usually put in an Bus are those which add a kind of ambient wash behind the music, most commonly reverb or delay. The logic behind this, particularly for reverb, is that you often want all of your audio tracks to sound as though they're in the same acoustic space.

Tip: Busses use less CPU processing than Track Inserts.

Track Inserts let each track have its own independent "chain of effects." The kinds of effects you'd put in a Track Insert are those that color or alter the sound of a particular instrument. For example, you could put EQ and chorus on a guitar to give you control over its individual tone.

To run effects through the Aux or Main Bus: right click in the area above the Bus and select the effect you wish to use. Double click on the effect name to set the parameters of the effect manually or choose a preset. Try experimenting with different presets and orders of effects.

Turn the Send knob up on all audio tracks you would like to send to the Bus.

You use Track Inserts the same way as Busses, by patching the effect in the area above the Insert.

2. Off-line—Use this method if you have a slower computer, or if you would like to use the effects as editing commands. Select the audio you would like to process. Select Edit | Audio Effects and choose the effect you would like to use. Alternately, if you're in the Audio view you can right-click, select Audio Effects, then choose the effect you would like to use. Adjust the parameters to where you would like, or choose from one of many presets. One of the great features in Cakewalk is that you can audition the effect before you apply it to a track...what a time saver! Click OK, then listen to your newly processed audio

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