Installing Music Creator

Please note before installing:

In order to install Music Creator, you must log in to your Windows system as a user who has administrative privileges. Once installed, the program can also be used by users who do not have administrative privileges.

If system monitoring software, such as anti-virus programs are installed on your computer, you must close them until you have finished installing Music Creator. You must also remember to close applications that are not shown in the Windows taskbar.

Cakewalk Command Center provides the easiest way to install Music Creator. Simply log in with your Cakewalk account and Cakewalk Command Center automatically retrieves your serial number and simplifies the download and installation process. Cakewalk Command Center also makes it easy to install future software updates. For details, see Cakewalk Command Center.

If you are not using Cakewalk Command Center, there are a few things you will need to know before getting started:

Where on your computer the program should be installed. If you are not sure you can simply accept the default path suggested by the installer.

Where on your computer the Instrument content, sample project files and additional content should be stored.

Your Music Creator serial number. Your serial number will be available at www.cakewalk.com/my-account, or it was delivered to you via email.

 

Note: If you purchased the boxed version of Music Creator, your redemption code is printed on a card in the box. Your Music Creator serial number will be added to your Cakewalk store account automatically after redeeming the code on www.cakewalk.com.

 

Note: If you choose not to install the Sample files or additional content, you may not have all the necessary content to use the tutorials included in this guide.

To install Music Creator

1.	Start your computer.

2.	Close any programs that are open or running.

3.	Do one of the following:

If you are installing from Cakewalk Command Center: Follow the instructions under Cakewalk Command Center. Cakewalk Command Center provides the easiest way to download and install Music Creator. Simply log in with your Cakewalk account and Cakewalk Command Center automatically retrieves your serial number and simplifies the installation process.

If you are installing from a digital download: Locate the file MusicCreator7_Build[BuildNumber].exe that was saved to your computer's hard drive and double-click on it to begin the installation.

4.	Click the Install button.

 

Note: If you exit Setup without completing the installation, repeat step 3 to restart the installation process.

5.	Follow the installation instructions on the screen.

 

Note: When Music Creator has finished installing, additional Music Creator components will also be installed.

Cakewalk Command Center

1.	Download Cakewalk Command Center from http://www.cakewalk.com/Command-Center, then install it on your computer.

2.	Double-click the Cakewalk Command Center shortcut on your desktop to start Cakewalk Command Center.

3.	Type your Cakewalk account username and password, then click Connect. If you do not yet have an account, click Create Account.

4.	Your purchased products are listed under Connected Products. Select Music Creator 7, then click Install. Cakewalk Command Center will download and install Music Creator.

During the download process, you may be presented with helpful information about the product that is being downloaded. A download progress bar is displayed at the bottom of the page.

5.	When installation is complete, click Launch to open Music Creator.

Note: Cakewalk Command Center lists your purchased products under Connected Products. The color-coded lights indicate the following: 4 Red = Not installed 4 Yellow = Installed and update available 4 Green = Latest version installed

Uninstalling Music Creator

1.	Double-click the Cakewalk Command Center shortcut on your desktop to start Cakewalk Command Center.

2.	Your purchased products are listed under Connected Products. Select Music Creator 7, then click Uninstall.

Activating Music Creator

Activation is the process by which Cakewalk validates that your software and serial number are genuine and that they are being used in accordance with the license you purchased. Music Creator can be activated by an online or offline process.

Music Creator will operate in Demo mode until it is activated, and saving and exporting will be disabled.

A toast notification appears at the bottom of the screen to inform you if Music Creator has not been activated yet. If your computer is connected to the Internet, click the toast notification to open Cakewalk Command Center and activate Music Creator.

If Music Creator is installed on a computer that is not connected to the Internet, you can use offline activation as long as you have access to another computer that is connected to the Internet. To use offline activation, follow these steps:

1.	In Music Creator, go to Help > Offline Activation > Export Activation Request to open the Save activation request dialog box.

2.	Select the folder you want to save the activation request file to, then click Save.

Music Creator saves a Activation request.crq file. This file is encrypted and machine-specific, and can only be used to activate Music Creator on the machine that was originally used to create the Activation request.crq file.

3.	Copy the Activation request.crq file to removable media, such as a USB flash drive, that you can transfer to another computer that is connected to the Internet.

4.	Using an online computer, navigate to www.cakewalk.com/My-Account/Offline-Activation and sign in with your Cakewalk ID and password.

5.	Load the saved Activation request.crq file.

6.	The Cakewalk web server generates a Activation response.dat file.

7.	Copy the Activation response.dat file to removable media that you can transfer back to your offline Music Creator computer.

8.	In Music Creator, go to Help > Offline Activation > Import Activation Response to open the Import activation request dialog box.

9.	Select the Activation response.dat file and click Open.

 

See:

Starting to use Music Creator