Reference Guide

1238
Beginner’s Guide to Cakewalk Software
Audio
After you stop recording, you should see a picture of your audio data in the Clips pane of the track
you’re recording in. Don’t forget to disarm the track and save your project if you want to keep what
you recorded.
If you don’t see any movement in the track’s record meter when you play your instrument, try some
of the following:
If your sound card has multiple inputs and has its own mixer software, you probably don’t need to
select inputs in the Windows Mixer. To record through the analog inputs on your sound card, you
probably only need to set your sound card’s clock to internal, and in Cakewalk’s Track view, choose
the correct number of the inputs you’re connected to in the In field of the track you’re recording.
To record through the digital input (S/PDIF), see the following procedure.
To Record Through the S/PDIF Input
1. Connect the instrument or CD player you want to record from to your sound card’s S/PDIF input
using a 75 ohm coaxial video cable or special S/PDIF cable. You may need to turn off the power
on your computer, sound card, and sound source first. See your sound card’s documentation.
2. Use your sound card’s mixer software to set its clock to external or S/PDIF.
3. Leave Cakewalk’s clock setting at the default choice, which is Audio. You can choose clock
settings by using the Options > Project command and clicking the Clock tab.
4. Arm a track, test the input level and adjust input volume, and record your track.
5. When you’re finished recording, set your sound card’s clock back to internal, and listen to your
recording.
There’s one more type of audio connection you may find on occasion called AES/EBU, which stands
for Audio Engineering Society/European Broadcasting Union, and is the highest bandwidth digital
audio connection. An AES/EBU connection can use cables longer than 33 feet, which is the limit for
S/PDIF cables. If your sound source has an AES/EBU connection, you can use your sound card’s S/
PDIF jacks to send data to and from the AES/EBU jacks by purchasing an inexpensive converter,
such as the Hosa CDL-313 (www.hosatech.com).
Possible problem Solution
You have chosen a Right input of your sound card as
an input, but your instrument is plugged into a Left
input.
Click the armed track’s Input button and choose the
opposite input from the currently selected one. If that
doesn’t help, try selecting the Stereo input.
Your instrument is plugged into a different-numbered
input from the one you selected as an input.
Try choosing different-numbered Inputs until the meter
starts to move.
Your instrument is not turned up or its cable is bad. Turn up the instrument and try different cables.
You’re using an adapter that doesn’t quite fit the sound
card input.
Try moving the adapter in or out slightly, and make
sure the cable is plugged all the way into it.
Table 227.