Uncategorized – Page 32

December 19, 2011

5 cool gift ideas for the musician with everything

Your time for holiday shopping is running out, but odds are good that there is somebody on your list who is impossible to buy gifts for. Your best bet is find a gift that even the person with everything hasn’t heard of yet. Easier said than done. So I thought I would do you a solid and share my five favorite gifts this year. Hopefully this helps!

1) Playable Synthesizer T-Shirt With Wearable Amp ($14.99)

Yes, you can play it like a real synth with chords and everything. You can even choose from 5 different sounds!

2) Make Your Own Guitar Picks With The Pick Punch ($25)

Never look for a guitar pick again! I bought 6 of these this year (no exaggeration). One for each guitar player I know, and one for myself.

3) Blue Mikey 2.0 Microphone for iPhone/iPad/iPod ($32-$36)

Perfect for recording guitar parts on the go. This little gadget is totally worth the regular $99 price tag, but the “unadvertised price” on Amazon is under 40 bucks!

4) Build Your Own 3-String Kids/Travel Guitar – Loog Guitar ($215)

If you build it, they will come (power chords that is). Downright adorable for kids and a great little project. Plus it makes a fun toy to travel with.

5) Last Minute: Completely Digital, Music Creator 6 Download Gift Card ($49.99)

If you love your Cakewalk software, be sure to share the wealth. Music Creator 6 comes with thousands of loops and sounds. It is perfect for a first timer looking to have fun making music. Best of all you can give this gift via email, so it’s not too late to ship it anywhere!

Good luck and Happy Holiday,

Marcus Dandurand
Direct Marketing Manager
Cakewalk

September 7, 2011

Ron Cote and Pristine Productions Utilizing SONAR X1 with Chart-topping Rock Acts

When it comes to SONAR, many of us often just think of recording and creating music for one medium, but there are many people out there using it in other ways. Pristine Productions is a company based out of Philadelphia that has been using SONAR for many years to record Major Label artists; only not in the traditional sense…

Week-in and week-out, Ron Cote and his crew are found working with some of the biggest names in the business such as Shinedown, Disturbed, Stone Sour, Staind, Avenged Sevenfold and most recently, the undeniable Adrenaline Mob who are currently making a huge mark in the rock world. When I say “working with” I am talking about a platform beyond recorded music that extends into the depths of capturing the whole “concert experience” on video. Ron is hired by Major Labels and directly by bands to go into the trenches and capture those moments that give us all goose-bumps; those moments where a guitar solo just sounds way better than it did on the studio version of the song; or those moments where the lead singer delivered an inspirational melody he/she should have put on the studio record. Continue reading “Ron Cote and Pristine Productions Utilizing SONAR X1 with Chart-topping Rock Acts”

August 16, 2011

Hollywood Undead Invites You To Mix-it-up

Enter the Hollywood Undead remix contest today

SONAR X1 user Hollywood Undead is one of the few modern bands that continue to sell records and play to sold out crowds around the world. This hard working band is considered as one of the biggest and most unique rock acts in the industry today, and now with the help of Indaba, Cakewalk and Roland, they want your help in remixing two of their original songs. That’s right folks, you could end up with actual credits on a record that is being released on A&M/Octone through this exclusive Cakewalk opportunity; and you never know where it could go from there… You can enter this contest and win great prizes including cash, recording gear from Cakewalk and Roland, and the opportunity to be on their new remix EP. Hollywood Undead rely on SONAR X1 and Cakewalk to keep their music original and creative, now they are reaching out to all their fellow SONAR X1 users. If this sounds interesting to you, please visit here on the Indaba music site to learn more on how to enter. Good luck!

July 27, 2011

Shawn Clement: On A [Quantum] Quest with Intense Music

Award winning SONAR user – composer/producer Shawn Clement is at an exciting point in his “intense” career:

His credentials and track record have allowed him to open an office/SONAR studio at the heart of Paramount Pictures.
He just had a major successful event at The Kennedy Center in DC where his music was premiered during “A Tribute to the Wounded Warriors.”
On July 29^th he will be hosting a score party at Paramount Pictures for his original music in “Quantum Quest, A Cassini Space Odyssey 3D.”

Little did he know, when in 1996 Shawn Clement took on a “gig,” that he would be stapling a movement to the universe’s musical bulletin-board. “Reality TV – what’s that? Who’s going to take interest in that?” These were some of the questions flying around the conference rooms of major television networks back then. Well it just so happens that still to this day 95% of us get sucked into the inevitable antics of The World’s Wildest… The World’s Scariest… The World’s Most… You know, those shows that catch your eye when you’re flicking through the channels and catch a quick glimpse of a Corvette being severed in half by a semi-truck; and there it is – wham – a half hour later and you have neither moved from that channel, nor your seat for that matter. Continue reading “Shawn Clement: On A [Quantum] Quest with Intense Music”

June 30, 2011

Congratulations to Cakewalk Artist and SONAR User Javier Colon for Winning NBC's "The Voice"

Since April 26^th we have been covering NBC’s new television hit “The Voice” and we are proud, and incredibly happy to congratulate Cakewalk Endorsee Javier Colon for winning the inaugural season. It was a long close ride, but in the end it was Javier’s gifted talents along with his first-class demeanor that drove America’s votes.

“You are the real deal. Competition or no, you have one of the best voices I’ve ever heard, ever!” stated Javier’s “show-coach” Adam Levine who is the lead singer for the Octone/A&M band Maroon 5. This comment resonated through music fans around the world, but more importantly, it accurately described the fact that regardless of a win, Javier is on a level that deserves success and exposure. It will be interesting to see where his career takes him after this, but it is certain that you will be hearing new music from Javier in the near future along with a tour.

We will continue to work with Javier and have some great exclusive content soon, but for now, all we want to do is offer a sincere congratulations to him, his family and his manager for not only a win, but for bringing some good old fashioned credibility and authenticity into this new-age platform of the “music industry.”

“I am at an exciting place in my career and have been blessed with an enormous amount of exposure as of late. My EP which is self produced and mixed in SONAR has really spiked since my participation on ‘The Voice’ and is now # 130 on ITunes top 200 Albums. With everyone’s help I think we can break the top 100. I’ve been using SONAR and Cakewalk software for over 10 years and I love it. I went from using the program in college just to get my musical ideas down, to recording my latest CD, ‘The Truth-Acoustic EP’, using SONAR entirely; it has everything I need to make amazing recordings from my project studio. Thanks to Cakewalk for all your support and I firmly believe ‘What’s Meant to Be Is Meant to Be.” ~Javier Colon

June 16, 2011

Cakewalk Artist Javier Colon Making His Mark on "The Voice"

A little over a month ago we featured Javier Colon on our blog the day before “The Voice” premiered. I don’t think anyone had a doubt that he would be anything less than stellar on the show, but I don’t think anyone realized the impact he would have on viewers around the world. If you have seen the show you know what I am talking about; Javier’s voice is undeniable, and combining that with his first-class demeanor and composure has authentically gained him millions of fans around the world. Since the premier, Javier has been on a whirlwind ride and we have been fortunate enough to keep in touch with him even though his schedule has changed… just a bit;) Continue reading “Cakewalk Artist Javier Colon Making His Mark on "The Voice"”

May 23, 2011

Cakewalk's own Dan Kaplan on the Discovery Channel's "Deadliest Catch"

SONAR has always been the “working man’s DAW.” From inception, it was built on the foundational theory that musicians should not be held back or creatively limited. From electronic beat-wizards to the most authentic acoustic musicians, SONAR has always been a DAW that creative musicians turn to for empowerment.

With the financial troubles of the Major Labels, a common trend is showing more and more very credible artists representing various genres who have the DNA to be on a major label, but successfully continue other career paths while keeping music on the forefront. Between the troubled economy and the state of the recorded music industry, many people are turning to SONAR to record “major label” sounding tracks on their own to tap into the licensing market, which has enormous potential not just in terms of making money, but also with obtaining national and international exposure. Continue reading “Cakewalk's own Dan Kaplan on the Discovery Channel's "Deadliest Catch"”

May 13, 2011

Grammy Nominated Luigie Gonzalez on SONAR X1

Friday, May 13 – Los Angeles, CA

Luigie Gonzalez 1 In the Cakewalk Artist Relations Department we have the honor of working with many producers, songwriters, mixing engineers, composers and musicians on a daily basis. As we all know (or we should all know), the beauty of SONAR is that not only does it stand out as the premier top-notch Digital Audio Workstation, but it’s also an inspirational and creative workhorse. Many recording artists and producers looking for a more creative environment turn to SONAR and never look back. The ability to customize just about anything you want, combined with a complete sonic package of content, plugins, virtual synths and other instrumentation really gives SONAR its award winning edge. Continue reading “Grammy Nominated Luigie Gonzalez on SONAR X1”

April 26, 2011

SONAR X1 User Javier Colon to Appear on NBC’s “The Voice”

Tuesday, April 26 – New York, NY

If you are making music I think you will agree with me when I say for better or for worse “What an interesting time it is for the recorded music industry.” There are a few elements that really make it “interesting;”

Music creators now have options such as SONAR X1 to create finished masters without having to pay for studios, therefore having the luxury of time to hone in on perfecting the art of making great recordings.
It’s a fact that music consumption is at a record high, but at the same time the money (in dollars) flowing into the industry as a whole is at a record low.
Major Labels are no longer developing artists.
Labels have lost the revenue of the “full length” record due to the fact that consumers can purchase singles for next to nothing now and bypassing those “throwaway” tracks.
One can click a mouse and literally “distribute” a song to thousands of people at once.

…add in a few money making American Idols along with the astronomical amount of money it takes to be heard on CHR radio, and there you have it; an industry that is really tough to figure out right now.

With all that being said, modern technology including the internet has brought one thing to the table for sure; “the truth.” If you’ve really got something going on and the talent to back it up, cyber-authenticity kicks into high gear and recognition follows. The internet has created an upward filtering platform where people gravitate towards the entertainment by which they really want to be engaged. Javier Colon is absolutely a pioneer of this revolution and is about as authentic and talented as they come, which has landed him an audition on the new highly anticipated NBC television show “The Voice” airing Tuesday, April 26th.

Continue reading “SONAR X1 User Javier Colon to Appear on NBC’s “The Voice””

April 8, 2011

There's Been a Murder (FM) on SONAR X1

Friday, April 8 – Dallas, TX

“Deep in the Heart of Texas,” a song you most likely will not hear at a Murder FM show, but it is a location where you will find the band pounding out amazing material using SONAR X1. In terms of work ethic and sheer determination, one will rarely find a band more in tune with what it takes to be a successful organization.

Based out of Dallas, TX, Murder FM (comprised of Norman Matthew, J6, Matt X3r0, and Brandon Arpin) has been performing sold out shows from coast to coast in the The United States while sharing the stage with some other notable bands such as Korn, The Used, Dope, Sick Puppies, Cavo, Red, Domain, 69 Eyes, The Birthday Massacre and Trapt amongst others. Lead singer/guitarist (and producer) Norman Mathew has been relentless in the past recent years setting up and maintaining the bands success. “It’s a real balancing act nowadays,” Norman says. “It’s a lot different than it used to be where you could just work on your music and let things fall into place. Now it’s a matter of working on your music just as hard, but on top of that you have to be on your promotional and business game as well. That’s why I have been so stoked on SONAR for my career because it really allows me to zoom in quickly and efficiently on my creativity.” Continue reading “There's Been a Murder (FM) on SONAR X1”