iSteve

Its a well-kept secret, but Cakewalk has risen from the ashes of Gibson. In fact, Cakewalk by Bandlab (or CbB) as it is now known is at the moment very much alive and well with on-going improvements and fixes. Not only that, but it is free--as in no cost, though from what I have read you do have to log in via the BandLab Assistant software something like every six months. However, with the frequent improvents (new features, etc.) when you boot the new and improved Cakewalk, there's a small box that tells you an update is available. Old-timers like me will appreciate that old plug-ins purchased over the years (or decades as the case may be) have their TTS/Cakewalk/Sonar plug-ins (well, most of them in my experience) migrate to the current incarnation of Cakewalk. I have even had the old-style *.wrk files (predating *.cwp files) work!!!! Old-timers who paid hundreds or thousands over the years/decades need not be jealous that now anyone can get Cakewalk by BandLab for free--because we have years/decades of the Cakewalk plug-ins that are not part of a new installation. Some footnotes: Among other things, BandLab also has the web/browser-based BandLab software. That should not be confused with Cakewalk by BandLab, though I just stumbled onto a "preview feature" that might appeal to electronic musicians wishing the complexity of a full-featured DAW combined with the collaborative potential of BandLab--"BandLab import and export (preview feature)." Apologies if enthusiasm is out of place here. We all have our own preferred tools, workflows, etc. for sure, but when I saw that the most recent post here about Cakewalk was "Goodbye . . . Gibson Pulls Plug on Classic DAW," I wanted to sing praises of its resurrection!

While many people use gear and software synths for factory patches and patch libraries made by third parties, many also create their own. I have found a useful tool for sorting through the E-Mu patches I have created the E-Mu Patch Library Software found here. To share some of the ones from my personal collection, I have found the section for E-Mu patches here to be promising. Perhaps others would want to share their original patches, too.

Very often discussion groups tend to be organized around specific gear; however, the structure of the E-Mu Synth engine is common to different product lines. In fact, the very popular E-Mu ROMPlers inherit much from the previous generation of E-Mu Samplers. Some users of the gear (and the less well-know software versions, Proteus X and Emulator X) are drawn to E-Mu's architecture for its use of virtual patch cords, recalling patch creation found in modular synthesizers of earlier generations.

I just stumbled onto a full concert vimeo from RPI's EMPAC of the 80th birthday celebration. The concert features (among other things) a recreation of the noted Cistern acoustic reverb by Jonas Braasch. It's not the same as being in the auditorium but fans of Pauline Oliveros, Deep Listening, etc. might appreciate the celebratory concert. May 10, 2012 In celebration of Pauline Oliveros’ 80th birthday, complete with Tibetan dungchen, didgerdoo, accordion, meditative percussion, and the Fort Worden Cistern—a two-million-gallon underground water tank made famous by Oliveros’ 1988 Deep Listening album and recreated by Jonas Braasch from Rensselaer’s Architectural Acoustics program. Presented in collaboration with the Rensselaer Arts Department, this event will benefit the Deep Listening Institute. https://vimeo.com/193534724

Having started with Cakewalk for MS-DOS a few decades ago (after graduating from the C-64/SX-64 and Dr. T's KCS to an 8086/8088-based MS-DOS system), the demise of Cakewalk hits hard. That being said, as "legacy" software SONAR (and related software) will probably continue to be used for quite a while by those of us who have grown accustomed to its face--until such time that Windows/Microsoft does updates/upgrades/outdates that render the software incapable of being run on current and future PCs. My guess is the code and formats will probably not be open-sourced, although that might be nice if it were made available. Steve

Thanks for the referral. I couldn't get it to work, possibly because there were too many scripts I had to unblock; however, there is a link on the ambient sleeping pill site to this: http://radio.stereoscenic.com/index.html which only needed me to unblock the main site. I'm not really sleeping. but just wanted some easy-listening music while I do stuff. I don't know if the other 141 listeners are sleeping or doing other stuff! Again, thanks.