Exploring Super Cool Drum Patterns 

in Cakewalk Sequencing Software

					

Cakewalk lets you quickly use the Super Cool Drum Patterns 

to create drum tracks for new or existing songs.  


We'll review copying and pasting drum patterns in Cakewalk.  

For this example, we'll use COOLDRUM.WRK and DEMO.WRK.


There are two sets of instructions for users of Windows and 

DOS Cakewalk.  


Scenario:  We want to take drum tracks from COOLDRUM.WRK and 

merge them into DEMO.WRK, which already contains recorded tracks.  

============================================

***IF YOU USE A WINDOWS VERSION OF CAKEWALK:


1. Open COOLDRUM.WRK.  


2. Copy the first 4 measures of all drum tracks to the Windows 

Clipboard.  


Notice that the drums are all on the same MIDI channel (10) but 

on different tracks.  These will be merged into one track when 

pasted into DEMO.WRK.  


Note: There are other methods of copying and pasting to multiple 

tracks.  They are explained in the Cakewalk Professional 3.0 

User's Guide.


a. To copy the first four measures:  pick the track(s) that you'd 

like to copy - click on a track number (in the left-most column 

of the Track pane) to highlight the first track, and while 

holding the mouse button, drag down to the last drum track.  

These tracks are now "sticky" selected, meaning you can have

more than one track selected at a time.  You can double click on 

any of them to cancel the sticky selection for all tracks.  


b. Define the time period you'd like to copy - you can easily 

set the From and Thru marker times by dragging the mouse in the 

Measure pane over the measures you want to copy.  After 

dragging in the Measure pane, the From marker should read 

1:01:000 and the Thru marker should read 4:04:119.


c. You're now ready to copy the drum tracks to the Windows 

Clipboard.  Use the Edit|Copy command.  Leave all default 

options as they are and click OK.  


3. Open DEMO.WRK from your Cakewalk directory.  


4. Position your cursor on an empty track where the data is to 

be pasted.  


5. Use the Edit|Paste to One Track dialog box to set the time 

to 1:01:000.  Set the number of repetitions at 5.  Click OK 

and your drum tracks will be pasted to the currently selected 

track.  


6. Un-mute the newly pasted drum track by double-clicking on 

the "m" in the check marked column for that track.  


7. Click the Play button to hear a very hip version of Bach's 

13th Invention complete with rock and roll drums.  


Note: Make sure that the port and channel assignments in the 

Track pane are appropriate for your synthesizer.


========================================

***IF YOU USE A DOS VERSION OF CAKEWALK:  


1. Use File|Load to open COOLDRUM.WRK.  


2. Copy the first 4 measures of all drum tracks to the Scrap 

Buffer.   


Notice that the drums are all on the same MIDI channel (10) but 

on different tracks.  These will be merged into one track when 

pasted.  


Note: There are other methods of copying and pasting to multiple 

tracks.  They are explained in the Cakewalk User's Guide.


a. To copy the first four measures:  pick the track(s) that you'd 

like to copy - click on a track number (in the left-most column 

of the Track pane) with your right mouse button to highlight the 

first track, and while holding the right mouse button, drag down 

to the last drum track.  These tracks are now "sticky" selected, 

meaning you can have more than one track selected at a time.  

You can double click with your right mouse button on any of them 

to cancel the sticky selection for all tracks.  


b. Define the time period you'd like to copy - you can easily 

set the From and Thru marker times using the Measure View.  


In the Measure view, you can click on the first measure of 

any track and press the F9 key.  Now, select the fourth measure 

and press the F10 key.  


This sets the From marker to read 1:01:000 and the Thru marker 

to 4:04:119.


c. You're now ready to copy the drum tracks to the Scrap Buffer.

Use the Edit|Copy command.  Leave all default options as they 

are and click OK.  


3. Use File|Extract to transform the Scrap Buffer's contents into 

a separate file.  Name this extracted file DRUM1.WRK and press OK.


4. Use File|Load to open DEMO.WRK from your Cakewalk directory.


5. Use File|Merge to select DRUM1.WRK and press OK.  The extracted 

file's contents should appear in the Scrap Buffer of the new song.  


6. Use the F6 quick-key to return to the Track view.  Position 

your cursor on an empty track where the data is to be pasted.  


7. Use the Edit|Paste to One Track dialog box to set the time 

to 1:01:000.  Set the number of repetitions at 5.  Click OK 

and your drum tracks will be pasted to the currently selected 

track.  


8. Un-mute the newly pasted drum track by double-clicking on 

the "m" in the check marked column for that track.  


9. Click on the Play button to hear a very hip version of 

Bach's 13th Invention complete with rock and roll drums.  


Note: Make sure that the port and channel assignments in the 

Track view are appropriate for your synthesizer.
