# Anyone know about Cakewalk for recording **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 22, 2021, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-know-about-cakewalk-for-recording/938393 "2021-03-22T02:04:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mike\_Mabes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mike_mabes/32/1782_2.png) [@Mike\_Mabes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mike_Mabes)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2021, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-know-about-cakewalk-for-recording/938393/1 "2021-03-22T02:04:15Z")
What I am trying to do is go from my Mustang amp USB to computer, but Cakewalk (what a weird name) is not recognizing it, it only sees Realtex speakers. Do I have to have an audio interface($169) , and if so, are there alternatives, like Audacity? ---
**Author:** ![Eonwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eonwe/32/240_2.png) [@Eonwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eonwe)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2021, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-know-about-cakewalk-for-recording/938393/2 "2021-03-22T05:02:42Z")
It ought to work. Here are instructions from Cakewalk’s website: > **[Unable to Select Audio Device / Missing Device](https://help.cakewalk.com/hc/en-us/articles/360034727773-Unable-to-Select-Audio-Device-Missing-Device)** > > Audio interfaces are normally recognized shortly after connecting the device to your machine. There are some cases, however, where Cakewalk by BandLab might not let you choose the audio device, or ... … and they suggest changing driver modes if that doesn’t work: > **[Changing Driver Modes](https://help.cakewalk.com/hc/en-us/articles/360034700013-Changing-Driver-Modes)** > > Audio Drivers are used to communicate between hardware and software, telling the software to work with a particular device. Audio Interfaces typically have an ASIO driver provided by the manufactur... ---
**Author:** ![jaycat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jaycat/32/3015_2.png) [@jaycat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jaycat)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2021, 11:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-know-about-cakewalk-for-recording/938393/3 "2021-03-22T11:55:51Z")
If you do go with an interface, you needn’t spend $169, I got one of [these](https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/UM2usb--behringer-u-phoria-um2-usb-audio-interface) for $49 and it works pretty well. I am using it with Audacity. ---
**Author:** ![NoCoolUserName](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5fc32e/32.png) [@NoCoolUserName](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NoCoolUserName)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2021, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-know-about-cakewalk-for-recording/938393/4 "2021-03-22T12:38:42Z")
> **[Cakewalk](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cakewalk)** > > Pages for logged out editors learn more > > The cakewalk was a dance developed from the "prize walks" (dance contests with a cake awarded as the prize) held in the mid-19th century, generally at get-togethers on Black slave plantations before and after emancipation in the Southern United States. Alternative names for the original form of the dance were "chalkline-walk", and the "walk-around". It was originally a processional partner dance danced with comical formality, and may have develope... “The American English term “cakewalk” was used as early as 1863 to indicate something that is very easy or effortless…” ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2021, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-know-about-cakewalk-for-recording/938393/5 "2021-03-22T14:47:12Z")
Well that’s interesting - I’ve had a Scarlett on my wish list for the last six months, but this essentially does the same thing I think? I’m also looking to plug a Mustang amp into my PC, plus a mic…looks like this has the necessary pre-amp and connectivity? ---
**Author:** ![jaycat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jaycat/32/3015_2.png) [@jaycat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jaycat)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2021, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-know-about-cakewalk-for-recording/938393/6 "2021-03-22T15:59:40Z")
I am plugging my guitar/bass directly into the box, but I don’t see why that wouldn’t work. I should disclose that I have never been able to get the second input to work. Not an issue for me, I never want to record more than one track at a time. But it conceivably could be, if you wanted to record, says, vocals and guitar at the same time. ---
**Author:** ![Mike\_Mabes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mike_mabes/32/1782_2.png) [@Mike\_Mabes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mike_Mabes)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2021, 8:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-know-about-cakewalk-for-recording/938393/7 "2021-03-27T08:13:32Z")
Either I am senile or this is the least intuitve program I have ever worked with. I was able to get it to recognize my amp, it was just a driver setting, thanks. And figured out how to record a guitar track, hit red record button to “arm” the track, hit the other red button to record it. Brilliant design there LOL. Two record buttons! I do like the metronome when you hit the second record button and the option to turn it off. HIt + to add a second track. Record that. I’ll be damned it I can figure out how to combine the 2 tracks into 1 I’ve tried saving the project, exporting, save as, save as other. I’ve saved as mp3, wave. VLC media player, Windows, JRiver Media Center, none recognize the file . ---
**Author:** ![pjd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pjd/32/3009_2.png) [@pjd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pjd)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2021, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-know-about-cakewalk-for-recording/938393/8 "2021-03-27T21:39:13Z")
Hmmmmm… works for me. Are both the tracks unmuted ? Try audacity … it’s much simpler for basic recording (and it’s free) - you can always export it all to Cakewalk later for mixing/mastering etc if you want. ---
**Author:** ![Made\_in\_Macau](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eada6e/32.png) [@Made\_in\_Macau](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Made_in_Macau)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2021, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-know-about-cakewalk-for-recording/938393/9 "2021-03-30T15:29:57Z")
I use cubase so may not be the same but in it you to select the range of material - ie start and end points in time/bars, as well as ensuring that all the tracks you want to export together are ‘live’ ie unmuted. In cubase you then click export and it gives you options of format, destination of exported file and action - such as upload to soundcloud, insert in new track etc. The ‘arm’ track to record is valuable when you have multiple tracks otherwise you would be recording on all tracks every time… Good luck, have fun! MiM ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2021, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-know-about-cakewalk-for-recording/938393/10 "2021-03-30T20:54:54Z")
> [@Maserschmidt](#): > > Well that’s interesting - I’ve had a Scarlett on my wish list for the last six months, but this essentially does the same thing I think? I’m also looking to plug a Mustang amp into my PC, plus a mic…looks like this has the necessary pre-amp and connectivity? > [@jaycat](#): > > I am plugging my guitar/bass directly into the box, but I don’t see why that wouldn’t work. > > I should disclose that I have never been able to get the second input to work. Not an issue for me, I never want to record more than one track at a time. But it conceivably could be, if you wanted to record, says, vocals and guitar at the same time. What you need is a “DI box”. You can plug a guitar or bass into it, and there will be an XLR output you can then plug into your USB interface or wherever you would connect a microphone. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2021, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-know-about-cakewalk-for-recording/938393/11 "2021-03-31T00:23:57Z")
I don’t know this stuff, so is that different from what someone posted earlier in the thread, or different from this? > **[Amazon.com: Focusrite Scarlett Solo 3rd Gen USB Audio Interface, for the...](https://www.amazon.com/Focusrite-Scarlett-Audio-Interface-Tools/dp/B07QR6Z1JB)** > > Amazon.com: Focusrite Scarlett Solo 3rd Gen USB Audio Interface, for the Guitarist, Vocalist, Podcaster or Producer — High-Fidelity, Studio Quality Recording, and All the Software You Need to Record : Focusrite ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2021, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-know-about-cakewalk-for-recording/938393/12 "2021-03-31T01:11:01Z")
You are correct. According to the specs, the interface in your link features a 1.5-megaohm instrument input that you can plug a guitar into, as well as a separate microphone input. So, if you had that interface, there would be no need to purchase a separate box to adapt your guitar to a microphone or line input.