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Leading the DAW industry with Windows technology and education for music production

Music productionSONAR 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. Continue reading “Leading the DAW industry with Windows technology and education for music production”

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Graduation Gifts for Musicians

After-The-GraduationLooking for the perfect gift for the high-school or college graduate? Give them the gift of music with Cakewalk. Whether enrolling in a music school, starting a career in the industry or enjoying music as a hobby, Cakewalk’s Graduation Gift Guide offers a wide range of products for the performing and recording musician.

Check out these great products for making music in the dorm, on the road or wherever inspiration strikes.

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Education Profile: Doherty Middle School – Andover, MA

Jeff Buckridge directs the General Music program at the Doherty Middle School in Andover, MA. Besides being a well-known and accomplished guitarist in the New England area, Jeff is also an experienced music educator. His classes include General Music for all students, Intro to Guitar and Electronic Music as elective courses. SONAR Home Studio is used in the classroom to teach the basics of music and composition to his General Music students.

Jeff Buckridge, Director of Music, Doherty Middle School Andover, MA
Jeff Buckridge, Director of Music, Doherty Middle School Andover, MA

Students learn about rhythm, melody, chords and song forms and SONAR Home Studio is a key component to the curriculum because it allows for hands on learning. The Track View is invaluable for showing song forms in a visible format and the Notation View helps Jeff to demonstrate how key signatures, time signatures and rhythm works.

Key concepts are demonstrated with project files that students can use as a starting point or play along to.

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Northeastern University Professor Teaches SONAR in Ghana

sonar5Head of the Music Technology program at Northeastern University, Dennis Miller and his wife, Susan, are spending spring semester in Ghana working as visiting professors for a local university. This trip marks the couple’s second trip to Ghana, having first visited the country in 2004.

The pair will spend 150 days working on the campus of Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) in the city of Kumasi. KNUST offers various music and arts courses through the Center of Cultural Research and African Studies. These courses include Keyboard Skills, Music Theory, Drumming, Ghanian Dance, Performing Arts Traditions of West Africa, Sound Engineering, and Music Technology.  Dennis is teaching two classes at the university in Digital Media Production and Digital Animation while Susan, a professor of biological sciences at the University of Massachusetts-Lowell, is working in the department of theoretical biology, supervising a lecture hall and lab.

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Dennis’s Digital Media Production course introduces students to digital audio, discussing MIDI, how to do basic editing with tracks, load and change patches in soft-synths, adjust tempo and dynamics, and more. They are also learning about sequencing in SONAR 8.5 Producer. Dennis provided each student with basic step-by-step tutorials to help them learn the program. He also made each student a DVD that includes copies of SONAR, project demos, articles and assignment files.

Continue reading “Northeastern University Professor Teaches SONAR in Ghana”

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Learn SONAR Online with BerkleeMusic.com

Berklee-Online-LogoBerkleemusic.com, the online continuing education division of Berklee College of Music, offers SONAR online courses and certificate programs for all skill levels. Master ascpects of multi-track recording using MIDI, audio, loops and plug-in effects using SONAR.

By the end of the course, you will learn:

– The basics of SONAR’s configuration, audio file types and user interface
– How to use soft-synths to record and mix your MIDI performance
– Professional mixing techniques using SONAR’s mixing console
– Audio editing techniques using SONAR
– How to use SONAR’s Groove Clips with MIDI and audio
– The signal flow in the SONAR mixing console
– ReWire and the benefits of using other software application with SONAR as the host.

Enrollment is now open for the Winter term, beginning January 11, 2010.

Learn more about Berklee’s SONAR course as told by the instructor, Steve MacLean.

Get a free SONAR lesson today

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Berklee Professor Steve MacLean Talks SONAR in the Classroom

Berklee-Online-LogoHello to all SONAR users!

In efforts to empower artists and music producers it is hard for me to imagine the huge numbers of students I’ve had the opportunity to work with over a 20 year span.  This happens in every format from private one-on-one or small group classes to many years in Berklee classrooms along with the Berklee online school (teaching production techniques in SONAR).  A range of numbers somewhere between 12,000 and 20,000 students is a not so calculated guess!  The truth is that I’m grateful for every one of them as each helped teach me to be a better coach and teacher along with all of the wonderful and amazing musical rewards when students apply what they have learned.  It gives me great satisfaction to know that these people will continue making progress and developing the music careers they wanted. 

One area of confusion that constantly comes up is this: 

I often notice that the technology almost forces people to work in ways that are very unnatural for what they are trying to do.  A great example of this is when the type of musical “style” the student is pursuing vigorously is ultimately made to sound lifeless and sterile.  You might ask, how can the musical style play such a huge role in the successful outcome of various production projects?

Continue reading “Berklee Professor Steve MacLean Talks SONAR in the Classroom”

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Learn SONAR Online with BerkleeMusic.com

Berkleemusic.com, the online continuing education division of Berklee College of Music, offers SONAR online courses and certificate programs for all skill levels. Master aspects of multi-track recording using MIDI, audio, loops and plug-in effects using SONAR. Enrollment is now open for the Fall term which begins September 28, 2009.

Click here to learn more about the online courses and to try a free SONAR lesson!

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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

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Creating Music In The Classroom With Cakewalk

On June 15 2009, Cakewalk Product Manager Samara Krugman discussed music production in the classroom with Keith Mason, coordinator of Music Technology at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee and producer for the Music Tech For ME podcast.

In this episode, Samara explains how Music Creator 5 can benefit the music student. It’s simple interface and getting started tutorials guide users through the process of recording, editing, and mixing their first tracks. Students can add sound effects and backing tracks to their projects with hundreds of high-quality instrument sounds, loops and samples built right into the software studio. With these tools, plus Music Creator 5’s various project views and assistant features, students will learn basic music composition techniques as they work toward arranging and printing their own sheet music.

Visit Music Tech for ME online to hear the interview.

Music Tech For ME covers all aspects of incorporating music technology into the K-12 school curriculum, advising music educators across the globe on the latest advancements in creating and teaching music. Even if you’re not a music educator, you can learn a lot about the numerous technological tools and resources that are available on the market today just by listening to the show.

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From The Studio, To The Moon!

SONAR users, Tim Tully and Kathy Marty, make learning fun for the whole family with Universe Productions’ DVDs on outer space.  

Journey through the galaxy from your seat on the sofa with The Universe, a wondrous video tour through space.  Experience over 200 amazing astronomical phenomena as seen through the lenses of the Hubble, SOHO, TRACE, and other NASA orbital telescopes.  Watch Saturn change seasons, stars being born and see galaxies from the dawn of time, complemented by an amazing surround sound music score and narration.

Also released by Universe Productions is a DVD just for kids (ages 4-9) about the wonders of space. With The Astropuppies In Space: An Amazing Adventure for Young Astronauts, blast off on an incredible adventure from the moon to the sun and out to the planets. Join the Astropuppies on their quest to meet real astronauts on an exciting Space Shuttle launch, as they visit the remarkable International Space Station, and go on an amazing space walk.

Read reviews for these titles and pick up a copy at Amazon.com.