Guide to Installing Vocal Presets in Cakewalk by BandLab

Guide to Installing Vocal Presets in Cakewalk by BandLab

Have you ever wondered how top-tier producers achieve that professional sound? The secret lies in the vocal preset. Fine-tuning your vocals with a digital audio workspace (DAW) like Cakewalk can be time-consuming. Nonetheless, you can cut the time in half by setting up plugins and using professional vocal presets in Cakewalk.

How to do it? Follow this guide until the end; it’ll be a piece of cake!

Step 1: Purchase or Create Your Own Vocal Preset 

You can either purchase a vocal preset or create one for yourself. Buying them from reputable sites like Cedar Sound Studios is a better option since pro music producers craft them with years of experience and expertise. It is a convenient and time-saving solution to your problem. After you get high-quality preset files, save them in an easily accessible location.

Step 2: Download the Required Plugins

Open your web browser and download the StudioRack plugin compatible with Windows or Mac. Don’t worry if Wave Central gets downloaded instead of StudioRack, as StudioRack lies within Wave Central.

Installing StudioRack for Cakewalk

After finishing the download, open it and navigate to install products > All Products> StudioRack. The installation will begin as soon as you click it.

Step 3: Setup StudioRack in Cakewalk

Launch the latest version of Cakewalk on your computer and open a new project. Click on the little plus sign to add a new track. 

Adding Plugins into the Track

Then navigate to the “Effects” section in the plugin selection window and look for “StudioRack”. Select the plugin from the list and click the "Insert" button. It will add it to the insert slot on the vocal track. You can also drag and drop the plugin into the vocal track.

Step 4: Install Vocal Presets in StudioRack

Now that StudioRack is set up, it's time to import your vocal presets. Locate the vocal preset files on your computer that you downloaded earlier and ensure they are in a compatible format, such as “.xps”.

Installing Vocal Preset

Alt: Installing Vocal Preset


In Cakewalk, open the StudioRack plugin window and drag and drop your presets. And boom, you’re done. It’s that easy!

Step 5: Adjust the Settings (optional)

After applying a vocal preset to a track in Cakewalk, dive into each plugin within StudioRack and explore the parameters it offers. Tweak the EQ to emphasize specific frequencies, adjust the compression settings, and experiment with reverb. 


Remember, presets are not set in stone. So, play with the values till it hits you with the perfect harmony. Also, don’t forget to organize the presets into folders and give them meaningful names for easy identification for future reference. 


Diligently follow these instructions, and you'll master the art of vocal presets quickly. This step-by-step tutorial on installing vocal presets in Cakewalk is as easy as a piece of cake. Anyone with any level of experience can do it! So, wear your headphones, get in the zone, and have a happy vocalizing. 

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