How to Insert Native Instruments Plug-ins in Cakewalk

This article explains how to insert Native Instruments plug-ins in Cakewalk by BandLab, including:

  • Inserting instrument plug-ins (e.g. FM8, Kontakt, etc.) in a software instrument track.
  • Inserting effect plug-ins (e.g. Guitar Rig 6, Replika, etc.) in an audio FX insert slot.

    Note: some NI products can be inserted both as instruments or effect plug-ins (e.g. FM8 / FM8 FX, etc.).

Inserting a NI Instrument Plug-In

  1. In the Track Pane Header, click the + button and choose the Instrument tab.
    Calkwalk_add_instrument.PNG
  2. Click the Instrument drop-down menu and choose from the categories available:
    Cakewalk_categories.PNG
    Cakewalk categorizes the VST instruments by type. Thus, you may find your NI VSTs under Sampler, Synth, or Uncategorized. Komplete Kontrol is loaded from the Sampler category in the above example.
  3. Select the plug-in you wish to load and then click Create.
    cakewalk_create.PNG

A new track has now been created containing the instrument plug-in (Komplete Kontrol in our example).
cakewalk_KK.PNG

You can now play the plug-in's sounds via a MIDI keyboard or record MIDI data on the software instrument track.

Inserting a NI Plug-in as Insert Effect

  1. Click the + button of the FX rack to open the FX rack menu.
    Cakewalk_FX_button.PNG
  2. Choose Insert Audio FX.
    Cakewalk categorizes the VST effects by type. Thus, you may find your NI effect plug-ins in one of the predefined categories or under Uncategorized. Replika XT is loaded from Insert Audio FX > Uncategorized in the below example.
    cakewalk_load_effect.PNG

The chosen effect now appears in the FX rack of the track.
Cakewalk_FX_loaded.PNG