Jim Allchin, former Co-President of the Platforms and Services Division at Microsoft, just released a new album, Enigma, now available for purchase online and in retail stores worldwide. Allchin received recognition from once-rival Itunes as a ‘What We Are Listening To’ recommendation to customers. As described on Amazon, Enigma’s “pop sensibility, with a touch of rock, blues and country, keeps the listener intrigued with great arrangements and toe-tapping grooves”. A longtime Cakewalk user, Allchin recorded and mixed the new album in SONAR Producer.
The :90 Music Show Explores V-Studio 700 and Cable Interfaces
In a recent episode of The :90 Music Show, presented by Music Connection magazine, host Scott Austin gets an exclusive look at SONAR V-Studio 700 and UA-1G cable interface recorded live at The NAMM Show 2009. Regularly airing on Youtube, The :90 Music Show captures exclusive interviews with top industry players and emerging artists.
Scott Austin is a regular contributor to Music Connection magazine. He writes ‘Insider Commentary’ for aspiring musicians exploring the music business. As one of the industry’s youngest CEOs, Austin manages Authentik Artists, an artist development company in Los Angeles, California. Austin is also credited with discovering musicians such Michelle Branch, All-American Rejects and music/tv/film heavy-hitter Tyler Hilton (Austin’s first signing to Madonna’s Maverick Records in 2002).
Synthesizer Expert Adds V-Studio 700 to Studio
Dutch Synthesist and Composer Michel Von Osenbruggen recently reviewed SONAR VStudio 700 in his blog after adding the system to his existing workstation in the Netherlands. Running on SONAR and a Tascam US2400 console, Osenbruggen compliments the system’s compatibility with his studio and comments on the VStudio 700’s flexible control. With transport, jog shuttle and T-Bar controls, Osenbruggen can produce his music without the hassle of switching between mouse and keyboard. He states that he has more room to work, as SONAR VStudio 700 fits comfortably on his desk and features easily-assignable tracks and faders. To read Osenbruggen’s review in full, please visit the Synth.nl blog.
A former software developer and engineer, Michel Von Osenbruggen discovered his knack for music production via his interest of sound production through data communication. He started producing his own music in the early 1990’s and later signed a record deal with electronic music record label Groove Unlimited. In October 2008, Osenbruggen released a project on CD, AtmoSphere, which takes its listeners on a musical journey through the layers of atmosphere between earth and space. You can listen to more of his music here.
Produce Robotic, Metallic Sounds with SONAR Vocoder
Robin Kelly’s latest video shows you how to use Pentagon, one of SONAR’s soft-synths, as a vocoder. A vocoder is an audio processor also known as a “talking synthesizer”. It analyzes speech, transforms it into electronically-transmitted information and recreates it into robotic, mechanical sounds. Vocoders can be heard in recordings by Cher, Beastie Boys, Kid Rock and Lil Wayne.
View more of Robin’s videos and tech tips.
Learn SONAR Online with Berklee College of Music
Learn SONAR online with Berklee’s renowned faculty from anywhere in the world! Enroll with BerkleeMusic by March 16th and get exclusive access to student-only offers, including deep educational discounts on SONAR software, and $100 off any online course or program.
Visit BerkleeMusic.com for Information on Online Courses and Certificate programs.
Producer Wyshmaster Finds Niche in Hip-Hop and R&B
After 7 years of dedication and focus, Wyshmaster is finally cutting himself a new niche in the hip-hop and R&B worlds for his ferociously unique beats; and Cakewalk is at the forefront of his game. Most recently, Wysh has been busy creating music for The Lonely Island -“I’m on a Boat” feat. T-Pain (as heard on Saturday Night Live), Jeremy Greene – “Rain” feat. Bossman, and Nelly – “U Ain’t Him” feat. Rick Ross on the Brass Knuckles album.
“I primarily use Cakewalk synths because they give me the power to create unique sounds. With so many people in the game now, you have to choose your tools wisely so you don’t sound like every other cat. That’s what Cakewalk and SONAR do for me, they allow me to create and sound how I want to sound.” – Wyshmaster
The Fine Print II: Updates Released for Cakewalk's SONAR Platform
Here’s an excerpt from Cakewalk CTO Noel Borthwick’s report on the new features that exist in Cakewalk’s SONAR 8.3 and SONAR V-Studio 700 1.1 updates. To view the entire discussion, Visit the Cakewalk Forums.
We’re happy to see so many of you enjoying SONAR 8.3. I know some of you enjoy the trivia that goes into a release so here is the unabridged version of what went into SONAR 8.3 aka “the making of SONAR 8.3” aka the 8.3 fine print. If details aren’t what you like wading through, just go ahead and enjoy using the product and skip this – what you don’t know wont hurt you 🙂
Disclaimer: This text is not an official Cakewalk endorsement of any features in 8.3 and has not been officially proof checked for accuracy, so I reserve the right to edit the content at will. The sole purpose is to provide more detail on the depth of some of the features in 8.3 that some of you have requested and to hopefully answer some common questions.
8.3 was a particularly intense point release for us and everyone involved spent a lot of long hours and effort to make this happen. Special thanks go out to our beta testers on this who spent long hours trying out all the new risky stuff. Posts from beta testers and Cakewalk engineers going into the wee hours of the morning attest to some of the dedication in this cycle.
As most who have been our customers awhile may know, the typical Cakewalk product lifecycle goes somewhat like this:
– We work on a major release
– Post release we typically do a quick minor point release to address any immediate or urgent issues that might arise
– We then hibernate a bit and do a major point release that makes some feature improvements and addresses any old or new issues that are common customer complaints.
– The cycle repeats
This time around when it was time to do our point release we wanted to continue working on the optimization theme we started in S8, but also revisit some common complaints and workflow issues with some of our existing features that needed some TLC. So we identified the following broad areas that we needed to work on in 8.3:
1. External Insert Improvements
2. Optimization and multi-core enhancements
3. VS-700 updates
4. New/Enhanced Features
5. Bug fixes
6. New content
Read Noel’s Fine Print In Full at Cakewalk.com
More Sounds, Features, & Better Performance in SONAR 8 & V-Studio 700 Updates
Cakewalk today announces free updates for SONAR 8 Producer, SONAR 8 Studio, and SONAR V-Studio 7.
The updates, for Windows XP and native Vista (32bit and 64bit), are available as FREE downloads to registered SONAR 8 and SONAR V-Studio 700 customers.
The SONAR 8.3 update adds classic Roland sample content for Dimension Pro and Dimension LE, drum kits for Session Drummer 2 and new usability enhancements and engine optimizations. The SONAR 8.3 update also addresses performance issues reported by customers after the initial release of SONAR 8.
Sound On Sound highlights a few of the latest improvements to SONAR 8 including Snap Presets, an External Insert facility and new content for Dimension Pro and Session Drummer 2.
Additionally, since the initial Winter NAMM update announcement, numerous enhancements are now included in a version 1.1 software update for SONAR V-Studio 700 and a firmware update for its onboard Fantom VS hardware synthesizer.
Click on the following links to download the SONAR 8.3 Update and SONAR V-Studio 700 1.1 updates.
Tune Up Your Production Skills with SONAR 8 Help Guides
StreamWorks Audio Offers Complete SONAR 8 Video Tutorial
Whether you are a beginner, just learning the ropes, or a more seasoned veteran of SONAR, this video tutorial leaves nothing out and offers lots of valuable information to get you up and running quickly.
You will learn how to setup your computer for optimal performance, master SONAR’s new user interface & advanced recording and editing techniques, use effects, dial in software instruments, mix down tips & techniques, and much more!
StreamWorks’s SONAR 8 Tutorial: Now Available in HD
SONAR 8 Power! by Scott Garrigus
SONAR 8 Power! is the ideal reading companion for SONAR 8, featuring detailed information that even the most experienced user will benefit from. New users will start from the beginning and learn everything they need to know to use SONAR 8 for recording, editing, producing, mixing, and bringing their music to the masses. Upgraders will learn all about the new features in SONAR 8 as well as enhancements made to existing features that may affect their current production workflow.
Learn how to use AudioSnap, Session Drummer 2, and V-Vocal
EMusician.com: SONAR 8 is 'Better at the Core'
EMusician.com gives SONAR 8 Producer high marks in their upcoming March review, stating that “version 8 is one of the most compelling SONAR upgrades in years.”
Critic Allan Metts gives props to SONAR 8’s programming and performance enhancements, including its compatibility with Microsoft VISTA and WASAPI (Windows audio-driver platform) support. Metts also commends the addition of four new plugins (TL64 Tube Leveler, Channel Tools, TS64 Transient Shaper, N.I.’s Guitar Rig 3) and three new virtual instruments (Beatscape, DImension Pro, True Pianos:Amber Module).
With more words to say than room, EMusician posted an exclusive online bonus article, in which Metts calls SONAR 8 “better at the core”.