Learning to Record Guitar on a Laptop… In Space!

Cakewalk software is so essential to the recording experience that astronauts don’t leave earth without it! Future commander of the ISS, Chris Hadfield, visited the Larrivée Guitar factory in Vancouver, Canada – builders of the Space Station guitar. He talks about challenges of playing in the weightless environment and recording original music in Space using Cakewalk.
Credit: Larrivée Guitars

Watch the video at Space.com: Zero-G Guitar – Re-learning how to play in Space

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Highlights from NAMM 2013: New Products from Cakewalk and Roland

Cakewalk and Roland at NAMM

If you weren’t able to make it to sunny Anaheim California for the 2013 Winter NAMM show, you missed out on quite a show from Cakewalk and Roland.  Ballroom A was packed with press, dealers, artists, and engineers hoping to get a look at our latest technology and new products.

Cakewalk kicked off the show by announcing the new CA-2A T-Type Leveling Amplifier – now available for download at the Cakewalk Store for only $99/£79/€99. This legendary vintage electro-optical tube compressor, originally released as a ProChannel module, is now available in VST or AU format.

CA-2A

The other big showpiece at this year’s show was touch support in SONAR X2. We had multiple experience stations where users could reach out and touch SONAR X2 for themselves. Station setups included a 27″ touch display, Z420 PC from HP, 2 Intel Ultrabooks with built in touch screens, Roland A-300 PRO MIDI Keyboard Controllers, Roland Octa-Capture Audio Interface, and a brand new Roland Studio-Capture USB 2.0 Audio Interface.

Our main stage demos included Working with Touch in Skylight, Mixing with Touch, Touch in the Matrix View, plus SONAR Technology including R-MIX SONAR, ProChannel, and Virtual Instruments like Z3TA+ 2.

We had some special guest demonstrations as well. Our friends at Overloud joined us to show of TH2 Producer and BREVERB SONAR.

We also had TC, Paul Oakenfold’s main engineer, discussing techniques for remixing and vocals in SONAR X2.

As usual, Cakewalk’s NAMM booth was surrounded by all the other the other members of the Roland family.  We were fully impressed with all the new Roland product announcements.  You should be sure to check out the entire lineup for Roland Connect 2013.

Free 30 Day Groove 3 All-Access Pass for all SONAR X2 Producer users

Groove 3

To start your new year off big, we have added a great new freebie to the SONAR X2 Producer Content Club. When you purchase or upgrade to SONAR X2 Producer by February 28th, you will get a code to access any video on www.groove3.com free of charge for 30 days.

If you already own SONAR X2 Producer, your 30 Day All Access Pass is already in your account as a bonus treat from the SONAR X2 Producer Content Club.

The 30 Day “All-Access Pass” gives you just that, instant online access to every single video tutorial currently on the site and any ones that get added while your account is active. A $34.99 value!

You can watch any video as many times as you want, anytime you want. Just redeem your code and login to www.groove3.com to watch videos on SONAR, Z3TA+ 2, and loads of other great plug-ins.

Please Note: The final day to redeem your code is February 28th 2013.

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SONAR X2 is a huge hit with the press – Read SONAR X2 Reviews

Reviews

SONAR X2 is a huge hit with the press
The reviews have been pouring in from magazines all across the world and SONAR X2 is a certified hit with the press. We have put together a collection of the best pull quotes, with more coming in the next few weeks from other magazines.

Music Tech:

“SONAR utilizes the very latest in CPU and operating system technology to provide excellent performance.”

”All of this [advanced mixing and tracking tools, ACT controller technology, integrated per-track arpeggiators, 64-bit mastering plug-ins] makes SONAR arguably the most complete DAW around in terms of functionality.”

“For new users on the Windows platform, SONAR is an attractive proposition, more so since the old interface was done away with in favour of Skylight. You get a huge amount of bundled content, a DAW that utilizes the very latest in CPU and OS technology to provide excellent performance, and more or less all of the tools you’ll need.”

Tape Op:

“It’s a much more polished program given that Cakewalk spent the last two years refining the ergonomic changes introduced in X1. Moreover, it’s the most stable update from Cakewalk I’ve enjoyed.”

“SONAR X2 Producer adds Rapture to the list of bundled synths, which still includes Dimension Pro and Z3TA+ [Classic], so Producer buyers are pretty well covered in the synth department right out of the box.  Other new goodies include BREVERB SONAR (perhaps the best algorithmic reverb ever included with SONAR,) Overloud TH2 amp simulator, and Roland R-MIX spectral audio manipulator.”

Computer Music:

“Console Emulator sounds fantastic; Auto Zoom is most helpful; that Smart Tool keeps getting smarter; BREVERB and TH2 are winners.”

“The Console Emulator, BREVERB and Overloud effects are all stellar and very powerful enticements to upgrade from X1.”

“The icing on the cake is the inclusion of the stunning Console Emulator in the Producer edition’s ProChannel (SONAR’s superb in-built channel strip system), enabling users to avail themselves of the sound of three classic consoles.”

Electronic Musician:

“X2 is a refined, smarter, easier-to-use, highly tweaked update of X1…the more I use X2, the more I find I’m tracking and mixing faster, with less effort than ever before.”

“The more you dig, the more you find; the attention to detail is noteworthy.”

“Along with the new features and workflow improvements, Cakewalk has wisely prioritized stability, streamlining the audio engine, and revising older elements. It paid off: A quick glance at the Cakewalk forums find most users are not only very pleased, but calling X2 the smoothest rollout yet.”

Stay tuned for more reviews!

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SONAR X2a coming soon

SONAR X2a

We are pleased to announce that the SONAR X2a update is almost ready for release and will be available later this month. The SONAR X2a update is free to all registered SONAR X2 users and introduces many new exciting features including:

  • Official Windows 8 support as well as Touch support for Intel-Inspired Ultrabooks and other touch-enabled devices
  • Over 50 UI enhancements and improvements
  • Accessibility support
  • Enhanced Play List experience
  • Enhancements and fixes
  • And more

Stay tuned for more information on availability!

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Upgrade today with special holiday offers

SONAR X2 Producer receives Performance Award and 9/10 rating from Computer Music

SONAR X2

SONAR X2 Producer receives “9/10 rating” from Computer Music
The December 2012 issue of Computer Music features a full length review of SONAR X2 Producer and the verdict is great. Here are just a few excerpts from their review:

On Automation Lanes: “Automation Lanes come to SONAR and integrate beautifully with the Smart Tool for ease of use.”

Console Emulator: “You get three gorgeous vintage console emulations in SONAR X2 Producer, meticulously modeled after authentic analog circuit behavior.”

BREVERB SONAR: “This stunning reverb only comes with the Producer Edition, but it almost pays for the price difference itself.”

Verdict for upgraders: “The potential sound quality is awesome. The Console Emulator, BREVERB, and Overloud effects are stellar and very powerful enticements to upgrade from X1.”

Read the entire review in the December 2012 issue of Computer Music magazine, which is available at newsstands today.


Download the SONAR X2 Producer Free Trial today and see for yourself!

SONAR X2 Feature Peek: ProChannel FX Chains

Like many of you, we’re all fired up about SONAR X2. And we’re pretty sure you’d like to know more about what makes it so delicious. So, take a closer look at the newly refined, ever smarter, SONAR X2.

What’s an FX Chain?

FX Chains are an answer to a long standing feature request; to have FX bin presets, or a way to recall an FX bin on an existing track in SONAR. In SONAR X1 Producer we introduced FX Chains, which are essentially an FX bin, or group of FX, saved as a preset.

In SONAR X1 Producer Expanded we upped the ante and upgraded the feature to version 2.0 which added assignable controls and a custom user interface to FX Chains. Later on in the free X1d update we added a Mod Matrix to FX Chains allowing up to four parameters to be mapped to a single control on an FX Chain, which I wrote about in an earlier blog post.

In X2 we’re including FX Chains in SONAR X2 Essential and Studio, as well as Producer. But In SONAR X2 Producer we’ve taken FX Chains one step further having added them to the Producer exclusive feature, the ProChannel.

Continue reading “SONAR X2 Feature Peek: ProChannel FX Chains”

Big Z3TA+ 2 News: Now on Mac OS X, Save 50% of sound packs, and new video tutorial

Z3TA+ 2 for Mac

A decade in the making: Z3TA+ 2 now available for Mac – only $99/£69/€79

For 10 years, Z3TA+ 2 has only been available for Windows…until now. We are pleased to announce that Z3TA+ 2 is now available for Mac OS X 10.6.8 and higher in VST3 and Audio units format. This is huge news for Mac owners who have been asking for Z3TA+ to come over the Mac platform. Z3TA+ 2 for Mac includes all the ground-breaking features of the Windows version plus all the updates and improvements in Z3TA+ 2.1.

Z3TA+ 2 features 1000 new sounds from top sound designers including:

  • Nico Herz, Big Tone Studio
  • Frank Genus, Pro Sounds
  • Francesco Silvestri, FI Sound
  • Chad Beckwith, FI Sound/Patch Arena
  • Bryan Lee, Xenos Soundworks
  • Ben Cantil, Encanti Productions
  • Tim Swartz, Digital Sound Factory
  • Kieran Swarbrick, Dance MIDI Samples
  • Listen to over 50 sound examples

The new sounds alone are worth the price of Z3TA+ 2 but you also get much more:

  • A completely redesigned user interface
  • Quicker access to needed controls
  • More parameters and controls
  • 1,093 classic Z3TA+ patches
  • All new patch browser
  • New filter types
  • New waveshapers
  • New modulation destinations
  • Revamped FX section with drag and drop
  • New Performance Module
  • All updates and improvements from Z3TA+ 2.1
  • And more!

Download it today

 

Z3TA+ 2 Expansion Pack

Limited-time offer: Save 50% off additional sounds for Z3TA+ 2

In honor of the Z3TA+ 2 for Mac announcement, we are slashing prices on all Z3TA+ 2 Expansion Packs. This is a great time to stock up on more sounds from leading sound designers like Xenos Soundworks, Digital Sound Factory, Loopmasters, and more. Choose from 13 individual expansion packs that span many different genres of music. Offer ends August 31st, 2012.

Download today and save 50% off the regular price

 

Z3TA+ 2 Explained

New Z3TA+ 2 Explained video tutorial now available for only $19.95/£14.95/€19.95

To help you learn all there is to know about Z3TA+ 2, we are also offering a brand new video tutorial from Groove 3. Whether you are familiar with Z3TA+ 2 or a first-time customer, no other video offers you a comprehensive look at the amazing Z3TA+ 2 waveshaping synthesizer.

Z3TA+ 2 Explained Highlights:

  • 24 tutorials / Over 2 hours of total runtime
  • Perfect for beginners or more advanced synth users
  • Written by DAW master instructor Doug Zangar
  • Simple to use video control interface for Mac & PC.

Add it to your Z3TA+ 2 order today