The new version of Cakewalk’s digital audio workstation, SONAR 8.5, includes a wealth of features designed to help composers create the best possible productions.
Whether you’re composing hip-hop, rock, heavy metal or classical music, SONAR 8.5 offers all the tools you need with these fun and exciting new features. Check out the videos to see the Matrix View, Step Sequencer, Arpeggiator & Session Drummer in action:
Matrix View
Step Sequencer 2.0
Having trouble getting your Cakewalk instruments to load in your OS X DAW or sequencer? Use this guide to get Rapture, Dimension Pro and others to install correctly on your Mac computer. This guide provides basic setup information for a variety of hosts including Ableton Live, Apple Logic and Pro Tools. There is also a section that explains what to do if your instruments are not recognized as available plugins under the OS X platform. For more detailed information on using Cakewalk’s instruments within your host, you will need to refer to the programs’ documentation.
Read through this helpful tutorial at Cakewalk.com
If you’ve ever tried to record a perfect rhythm track before, you probably understand how hard it is to play the same part perfectly, over and over again. For years, audio software engineers have tried to find a way to make that part of song construction easier and less time consuming, so you can spend more time creating and less time trying to emulate that perfect take! On the other hand, you may be a great vocalist yet lack the skills to add your own backing band to the project. With numerous instrument loops available on the market today, you can construct your own multi-track masterpiece without breaking a sweat!
To learn how to create, add and edit loops in Cakewalk products start here
Take a look at this video produced by our friends at Smart Loops:
You did it! You bought software to record your music. You read the getting started guide, booted up the program, and even played around with the included features. There’s only one thing missing- your instrument!
Compact and affordable, our new line of USB Audio and MIDI interfaces for MAC and PC, make connecting your microphone, turntable, control surface and all sorts of devices to the computer, quick and easy. Scroll through the videos in the player below to get a closer look at these handy new tools for digital music-making:
*Select the icon above (box with arrow pointing out of it) to view the videos in full screen*
For detailed instructions on how to install and setup these interfaces on your computer, visit our Audio/MIDI Interfaces Support Page.
If you haven’t seen Electronic Musician’s master-class on SONAR 8’s new loop instrument, Beatscape, this would be a great time to check it out!
Via basic, easy to follow instructions, EM takes you through the process of importing and organizing audio files into Beatscape’s library and more. A brand new feature to the SONAR platform, Beatscape offers 16 pads to load and trigger your loops or samples for sequencing your music and beats. It also includes a massive 4GB REX library with preloaded material (beats, breaks, phrases in many genres). With drag and drop capabilities, Beatscape brings a new level of entertainment to remixing tracks!
Take a look at the masterclass in full at EMusician.com
Cakewalk has teamed up with The Serious-Sounds Network to bring you a summer of endless sound-sculpting possibilities!
Over the next three months (May, June, July) we will be giving away free copies of Z3TA+ and Rapture, along with Craig Anderton’s New Electronic Guitars Expansion Pack. At the end of each month Cakewalk and Serious-Sounds will draw two lucky winners at random.
Serious-Sounds.net is a massive members-only community for music producers providing tutorials, help, and advice on the world of music production and more- all available for free!
TO BE ELIGIBLE to win the contest all you have to do is either log in or register at Serious-Sounds.net(registration is quick, free & easy) and answer a few simple questions located in the exclusive competition thread. Then simply email your answers along with your member username & number to the address provided within.
PLEASE REMEMBER: You must be a registered member at Serious-Sounds.net to view content on The Serious-Sounds Network. If you’re not already signed up, then register today!
Cakewalk introduces Music Creator 5, the newest version of our leading home music-making software. With its brand new look and feel, Music Creator 5 is everything you need to start making music fast – offering a host of new features and a streamlined user interface. Simple recording, editing, mixing, great-sounding instruments, and tons of effects – it’s all here in one package… all for less than the price of four CDs!
New Features Include:
•A simplified user interface that puts the controls at your fingertips. All you have to do is focus on making music
•Active Controller Technology (ACT)™ – connect a MIDI keyboard to your PC and automatically control your mix, effects or virtual instruments with its knobs and sliders
•Cakewalk Sound Center™ – an exclusive, easy-to-use tool that combines 150 different instrument sounds from our award-winning professional instruments, Rapture & Dimension Pro
•IK Multimedia’s AmpliTube X-GEAR™ – a built-in virtual guitar amp, plug directly into your computer for great sounding guitar parts
•Add your own soundtrack to your home movies and other digital video files – including .MOV, .WMV, .MPEG – before you upload it to YouTube, MySpace and Facebook
•Burn CDs with Music Creator’s integrated CD Burner and share your music online with Cakewalk Publisher
•And much more…
For More Information:
See the Music Creator 5 press release
ALSO please visit the Music Creator 5 web pages
Network! Network! NETWORK! If you want to get ahead in any industry, the key is to look for new contacts and more knowledge. Check out the following sites to meet and learn from others in the Music Industry and YOU could win a FREE SONAR Home Studio 7!
Created in 1995, Gbase.com was one of the first gear-dedicated web sites. Since then, Gbase.com has become the ultimate benchmark for used and vintage equipment. Visitors from around the world have purchased guitars, drums, amps, effects pedals, basses, and more from their global dealer network.
StudioTraxx provides instant access to a vast global network of musicians-for-hire that are ready to work and collaborate via the web. Launched in March 2007, StudioTraxx is focused on creating new work opportunities for studio musicians while providing competitive music production outsourcing solutions to artists, labels, and others. StudioTraxx musicians consist of some of the finest music studios, production companies, and independent musicians from around the world.
If you become a member of Studiotraxx.net or GBase.com, during the month of April, you will be entered automatically into the SONAR Home Studio 7 Giveaway Sweepstakes!
Producer, DJ, multi-instrumentalist, and long time SONAR expert, Johnny Juice was an original member of the Bomb Squad at the age of 15, and has been doing productions for Public Enemy, Reverend Run, and countless others ever since.
The man is always working; his credo is “sleep is for the dead,” so he’s always looking for tools that speed up his workflow, travel with him, and sound great…and if they can combine more than one function in one device, even better.
Because of his long history with SONAR and relentless schedule, we asked Juice to put the V-Studio 100 through its paces. Watch the video to find out if it passed his test.
“This unit is ridiculous. I can bounce with it on the road and use it for backing tracks AND recording, and then import my work when I get back to my studio right from the SD card.”
The term ‘sidechaining’ refers to the manipulation of one signal by another where signal B (typically referred to a key input) effects signal A (primary input). Sidechaining is most often found in compressors, limiters and gates. Examples of sidechaining include ducking, voiceover, de-essing and pumping. For more information, check out this article on the Basics of Sidechaining.
Cakewalk’s CTO Noel Borthwick discusses the implementation of Sidechaining in SONAR is his latest Fine Print article. Since version 7, SONAR has supported side-chaining for both VST and DX plug-ins in all of its applications. This article describes how SONAR communicates with side-chain capable VST and DX plug-ins as well as how SONAR can be used as a guide to write a side-chain capable plug-in of your own.
