SONAR X1 continues to be the leading the digital audio workstation for the Windows platform for many reasons. For 25 years Cakewalk has focused almost exclusively on development for Windows operating systems and Windows based computer technologies (see our section on SONAR X1 leading technologies for more information). While cross-platform DAWs may seem like a great option if you are not sure which platform you want to run, those who have chosen to use Windows will appreciate the hardwork and dedication by the Cakewalk development team to fine tune SONAR for Windows. This is one of the most cited reasons as to why SONAR dominates on the Windows PC platform. But today, I want to discuss another reason why Cakewalk is a leader in the industry.
Since 2010, Cakewalk has made a commitment to educating all levels of Cakewalk customers on music production. At Cakewalk, we think that post-sales activities are just as important as pre-sales ones, and nothing is more import than making sure users understand and enjoy the software they are using.
In that spirit, we set-up a dedicated section on our website called CakeTV. CakeTV includes SONAR University which is dedicated to teaching users of all experience levels the ins and outs of SONAR X1. For beginners, we offer Get Started videos which show you the basics of recording and tips on how to configure system for optimal use. Once you get more comfortable with SONAR X1, you can watch Go Deeper videos, which offer some more advanced production techniques. For the SONAR X1 experts, we offer Master Class videos, which are longer tutorials on professional production techniques. Some Master Classes even include content packs so you can follow along. There are currently almost 50 videos up on SONAR U.
Now you may be wondering, what the cost is to subscribe to CakeTV? We are happy to say that it is really affordable. In fact, it is FREE. It’s our way of thanking you for your purchase, and more importantly, making sure you have the very best experience possible.
But that’s not all! Starting February 2012, we will be offering monthly webinars. We had our first one on February 23rd, which was a huge success. You can watch the archived video here. CakeTV Live streams live and is a great way to interact with users in real-time. This is also a free service.
Our commitment to education doesn’t stop with CakeTV. Last year we enlisted music industry expert Craig Anderton to help us launch our first official Cakewalk Video Tutorial. Released in July 2011, Cakewalk Advanced Workshop with Craig Anderton was a huge success. Users loved the content because it was so specific to SONAR X1. While many tutorials focus on general ideas that can be applied to any DAW, the Advanced Workshop shows users how to use the tools in SONAR X1 in very specific and unique ways. The success of the first Advanced Workshop video spawned a second video called SONAR X1 Advanced Workshop: The Next Level. This video was also hosted by Craig Anderton, in collaboration with Cakewalk. It took the theme of the first video and took it to the next level (yes, that’s how we got the name).
These Advanced Workshop videos were really designed for the SONAR X1 enthusiasts and retailed for $39.99 each. The feedback we received was great and we began to realize that these videos would also be suitable for first-time customers, as well as existing Cakewalk customers who are upgrading to SONAR X1. That’s why we have decided to offer these videos for free with the purchase of SONAR X1. Here’s the deal: If you purchase SONAR X1 Studio, you get SONAR X1 Advanced Workshop with Craig Anderton for free. If you purchase SONAR X1 Producer or SONAR X1 Production Suite, you get both SONAR X1 Advanced Workshop video for free. Visit the Advanced Workshop Giveaway page for more information. If you already own SONAR X1 Producer, you can take advantage of the Advanced Workshop Video bundle, which includes both videos for only $49.99.
Finally, Cakewalk has worked with other content providers offer additional video tutorials for SONAR X1 and other Cakewalk products. Last month, Groove 3 released it’s third video tutorial, Mixing with SONAR X1. If you don’t own any of the Groove 3 SONAR X1 videos, you buy all three as part of the Groove 3 Complete SONAR X1 Video Tutorial Bundle. Plus if you prefer books, check out the Guitarist’s Guide to SONAR from Craig Anderton or the A-Z guidebook from Scott Garrigus SONAR X1 POWER!.
You can also download video tutorials for products like Z3TA+ 2, Music Creator 6, Rapture, and Dimension Pro from other video content providers. Just visit our videos and book section on the Cakewalk Store to see our complete listing.
Education is just one of the ways that Cakewalk continues to be a leader in the music industry. Please check back often at CakeTV and the Cakewalk Store for new videos and educational resources.