Cakewalk Announces New Line of Studio Hardware Products

Cakewalk announces the newest additions to the growing line of affordable, high-quality hardware products, designed in conjunction with Roland. These three new USB audio interfaces, the UA-4FX, UA-25EX and UA-101, provide a simple solution for the mobile musician and/or recording studio to connect and capture audio to Mac & PC. 

ALSO Cakewalk announces a new line of powered stereo monitor speakers. The Cakewalk MA-7A Stereo Micro Monitors and MA-15D Digital Stereo Micro Monitors deliver superior audio in a myriad of settings; the home recording studio, classroom or media lab, college dorm room, even in your living room entertainment system without stressing your budget.

Click on the links above for more information on these products
Check out Cakewalk’s Youtube page to watch the new videos

Artist Impression: Singer-Songwriter Cori Yarckin On the Road With V-Studio 100

One of Rolling Stones ‘Top 5 Up and Coming Female Artists’ and Cherry Lane Music Publishing Singer-Songwriter, Cori Yarckin, recently released her debut album, featuring the edgy new single, ‘Everything You Said’. Watch the video below to hear everything she had to say about writing and recording on the road with the SONAR V-Studio 100.

Using USB Interfaces to Connect & Record Instruments to the Computer

You did it! You bought software to record your music. You read the getting started guide, booted up the program, and even played around with the included features. There’s only one thing missing- your instrument!

Compact and affordable, our new line of USB Audio and MIDI interfaces for MAC and PC, make connecting your microphone, turntable, control surface and all sorts of devices to the computer, quick and easy. Scroll through the videos in the player below to get a closer look at these handy new tools for digital music-making:

*Select the icon above (box with arrow pointing out of it) to view the videos in full screen*

For detailed instructions on how to install and setup these interfaces on your computer, visit our Audio/MIDI Interfaces Support Page.

Home Recording Connection Impressed by New Version of Guitar Tracks Pro

Packed with an arsenal of tools for the guitarist and singer-songwriter, Cakewalk’s latest release, Guitar Tracks Pro USB, offers high-quality recording and ease of use – without the hassle. In a recent review by Home Recording Connection, Guitar Tracks Pro provides ‘great tracking and editing tools and is packaged with enough virtual instruments to build a complete backing band.’

It also includes a myriad of effects suitable for all genres of music including the award-winning virtual guitar amp Native Instruments Guitar Rig 3 LE. To complete this powerful package, Guitar Tracks Pro comes bundled with Cakewalk’s new USB audio interface, the UA-1G. This handheld, compact device features multiple connection options with stereo I/O and a Hi-Z option for recording and playback of high-impedance instruments like electric guitar and bass.

Take a look at the full review at Home Recording Connection.com

Cool Videos on Making Music for Video Games

Composing music for video games is a growing industry and an increasingly important part of our customer base. At NAMM 09′, we hosted a panel discussing this very topic with some of the best known composers around. Many of our customers, such as Stephen Hanson and Diwa Deleon, use SONAR for sequencing and recording music to their favorite video games. We recently came across their Youtube videos and thought you would get a kick out of their creativity:

V-Studio 700 Earns Future Music Magazine's Platinum Award

Future Music Magazine honors SONAR V-Studio 700 with a Platinum Award and a lengthy review in their latest edition.

Grab the August 2009 issue to read what happened when Future Music’s Greg Scarth tested the SONAR V-Studio 700 system in a variety of ways- by recording a few tracks with an acoustic guitar and vocals, calling up the included Fantom VS Synth, controlling SONAR 8 with it’s touch-sensitive knobs and ACT capabilities and even hooking up the system to a MAC run rig. In short, Scarth calls SONAR V-Studio 700 ‘a virtual studio for the 21st century’ and ‘a control surface that offers a level of DAW control that puts others to shame.’

Visit Future Music Magazine on the web for the latest news in technique and technology for making music.

The Basic Guidelines of EQ

What is Equalization or ‘EQ’? How can I use it to enhance the sound of my tracks?

Read the following guide to learn the basic terms, settings and tips associated with EQ. Adjusting the frequency levels while recording your instruments and vocals is just the beginning.

Also, watch the video below on how to adjust EQ in the console view of your Cakewalk software:

EM Magazine Hosts SONAR 8 Masterclass On Groove Tool, Beatscape

If you haven’t seen Electronic Musician’s master-class on SONAR 8’s new loop instrument, Beatscape, this would be a great time to check it out!

Via basic, easy to follow instructions, EM takes you through the process of importing and organizing audio files into Beatscape’s library and more. A brand new feature to the SONAR platform, Beatscape offers 16 pads to load and trigger your loops or samples for sequencing your music and beats. It also includes a massive 4GB REX library with preloaded material (beats, breaks, phrases in many genres). With drag and drop capabilities, Beatscape brings a new level of entertainment to remixing tracks!

Take a look at the masterclass in full at EMusician.com

Computer Music Magazine Review Gives V-Studio 700 High Marks

According to the UK-based magazine, Computer Music, we’ve rendered the mouse useless with the SONAR V-Studio 700. Computer Music was especially excited about the VS-700C control surface, stating “the console is smooth, responsive and professional… the (SONAR) V-Studio 700 is a dream machine that vastly enhances the SONAR experience.”

You can read the full review at MusicRadar.com or see the August Edition of Computer Music, available at news stands everywhere.

Beginner's Guide To Setting Up SONAR

Booting up music production software for the first time can be a daunting task. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by all the menus, tools and buttons. If you’re looking for a quick and easy way to learn the basics of SONAR, check out this brief Getting Started Guide by the folks of the JSONAR Project. Here you will learn how to incorporate SONAR into your studio environment by choosing the correct options for audio setup, MIDI controllers and hardware, and default locations on your computer for your audio files. You’ll also get a simple tutorial on SONAR’s various project views and how to setup your first multitrack recording project.

The JSONAR Project is a one-of-a-kind resource for finding JAWS scripts for SONAR. JAWS is a visual aid for blind SONAR users. The program provides the visually-impaired  with a screen reader and Braille display, assisting them in the music-making process. This page is full of great tips and links for all SONAR users.