Reference Guide

1225

Cakewalk Generic Surface plug-in

External devices

Controlling different tracks or groups of tracks

The Cakewalk Generic Surface plug-in can control anywhere from 1-32 tracks simultaneously, as

specified by whatever number you fill in the Number of Track Strips field in the Cakewalk Generic

Surface property page. There is always at least one track being controlled, referred to as the Base

Track. The Number of Track Strips value refers to the base track plus ‘n’ number of additional

tracks. The Control Bar’s ACT module automatically updates to display the range of tracks (1-8, 2-9,

9-16, etc.) that your control surface currently controls.

If multiple controller/surfaces are enabled, the Control Bar’s ACT module lets you select which

controller/surface to display track information for.

The currently controlled tracks are displayed in the ACT module. It is important to understand that

the ACT module is for display purposes only—it gets information from the Cakewalk Generic

Surface plug-in (or any other active controller/surface plug-in), but the ACT module cannot update,

or send information to the Cakewalk Generic Surface plug-in. Changing which tracks are controlled

must be done with the Move 1 Left, Move 1 Right, Move Bank Left, or Move Bank Right

parameters, or by clicking the BaseTrack buttons that are at the top of the Cakewalk Generic

Surface property page.

To control the next track or bank of tracks

1. In the Cakewalk Generic Surface property page under Global Parameters, select Move 1 Right

to control the next higher-numbered track, or Move Bank Right to control the next higher-

numbered bank of tracks.

2. Move (twice) the button or knob that you want to use to shift the controller/surface to the next

higher-numbered track or bank (for example, from track 1 to track 2, or from tracks 1-8 to tracks

9-16).

3. Click the Learn button.

The property page reads the type of MIDI message and displays the characteristics in the

appropriate fields.

4. Press the TAB key to accept the data.

5. Move the button or knob again and watch the display in the Control Bar’s ACT module to see if

the current tracks shift by the appropriate number.

Repeat this procedure, but use a different knob, and select Move 1 Left or Move Bank Left so that

you can move the current track or bank to a lower-numbered one.