Music Creator

January 25, 2016

5 New Features That Make SONAR Steam Edition a Great Upgrade

If you’re using Music Creator 6 or 7 on Steam, you already know how easy it is to set up and record with Cakewalk recording software. Now that you’ve gotten some experience, it’s time to take your productions to the next level with SONAR Steam Edition. A more inclusive DAW, SONAR Steam Edition combines the simple, easy-to-use layout of Music Creator with even more powerful tools and features for the ultimate recording and mixing experience.

5: Creativity Without Limits

SONAR Steam Edition follows the same mantra as any SONAR: “Creativity Without Limits.” SONAR will help you take your creations to the next level with unlimited Input/Output, Tracks, and Busses. You’ll also gain the ability to route any track anywhere with Universal Routing Technology, great for recording FX, creating submixes, and tons of other creative uses.

Feature	Music Creator 7	SONAR Steam Edition
Simultaneous I/O	8 x 8	Unlimited
Audio Tracks	32	Unlimited
Instrument Tracks	8	Unlimited
Patch Points & Aux Tracks	N/A	Unlimited

4: Audio and MIDI Engine Updates

Thanks to SONAR’s Rolling Updates, we’ve implemented dozens of fixes and enhancements — and that’s just to the Audio and MIDI engines! This means a cleaner, faster, smoother, and more efficient creative experience from start to finish.

3: More Audio FX

More FX means more creative potential, and when you want even more tools to shape your sound, SONAR has you covered. You’ll receive a whole new suite of VST FX, and a few upgrades on the FX you already have like TH2. And those Style Dials you’ve come to know and love? You get more of those, too.

2: Expanded Clip Libraries and File I/O

SONAR Steam Edition has a little something special that none of the other versions have. We added a whole toolset designed specifically for game developers — but anyone can use them! This means you get a free Sound FX library that can be used for any musical or post-production project. You can export clips directly formatted for RPG Maker. You can even import image files to create your own track icons for a speedier workflow!

1: Great New Instruments

SONAR Steam Edition boasts an incredible upgrade to your synth collection. You get:

Session Drummer 3, a more flexible and user-friendly upgrade to SI – Drum Kit.
Z3TA+, a world-renowned, legendary synth whose sounds can be heard on electronic productions the world over.
Our newest synth addition, Rapture Session, a streamlined synth that plays back all of your programs from Cakewalk Sound Center, plus includes an 11-instrument library of select sounds from our flagship synth, Rapture Pro.

Learn more about SONAR Steam Edition here.

July 19, 2013

RECREATING PORTAL 2′S “WANT YOU GONE” WITH MUSIC CREATOR 6 TOUCH [PART 2: VOCAL TIPS]

Recently, Cakewalk worked with the great folks over at Valve to make our Music Creator 6 Touch software available to their community, and the onslaught of new “music creators” has been nothing short of amazing and inspiring. To kick off our promotion, we thought it would be a fun experience to recreate Jonathan Coulton’s cult classic “Want You Gone” from Portal 2 all in Music Creator 6 Touch (MC6t) – but the kicker is that we had 24 hours to do it in order to make the deadline for launch. In this case, not only was collaboration creatively beneficial, but it was also essential.

Getting the bed-tracks together was the first step, and you can read our previous blog here on how this all came together. Cakewalk’s Bill Jackson and Seth Kellogg spent time programming some great drum tracks, keyboards and guitars, and then I was able to easily embellish and add to the programming with loops, sounds and mixing. After the drums, bass, keys and guitars were in a good spot, it was time to figure out how we were going to capture the focal point of the song: THE VOCALS.

I had just finished a record with a great singer by the name of Jodi Good so she was my first logical phone call. As timing and luck would have it, she had just finished her video shoot for her first single (Definitely Different) in NYC and she had a 2 hour window to help pitch in. There were two hurdles: 1.) she could not make it out to my studio, and 2.) I had to get clearance for name, likeness and sound from her and her legal team for usage – not a problem 😉

Continue reading “RECREATING PORTAL 2′S “WANT YOU GONE” WITH MUSIC CREATOR 6 TOUCH [PART 2: VOCAL TIPS]”

June 3, 2013

Recreating Portal 2's “Want You Gone” with Music Creator 6 Touch [Part 1: Drum Tips]

[All customers who purchase Music Creator 6 Touch on Steam will have a Demo Project for the Portal 2 song “Want You Gone.” We suggest that you open the Demo Project and follow along to best understand the concepts explained below. Click on any of the images below for a larger view.]

One thing I’ve learned over the years, which I believe is a key component to making great music, is the art of collaboration. Sometimes creating music on your own is the way to go, but a lot of the times the genius and magic in music comes from creative minds working together. In Music Creator 6 Touch, it’s easy to collaborate with other Cakewalk users by saving your project as a “bundle.”

Recently, Cakewalk worked with the great folks over at Valve to make our Music Creator 6 Touch software available to their community, and the onslaught of new “music creators” has been nothing short of amazing and inspiring. To kick off our promotion, we thought it would be a fun experience to recreate Jonathan Coulton’s cult classic “Want You Gone” from Portal 2 all in Music Creator 6 Touch (MC6t) – but the kicker is that we had 24 hours to do it in order to make the deadline for launch. Continue reading “Recreating Portal 2's “Want You Gone” with Music Creator 6 Touch [Part 1: Drum Tips]”

June 8, 2010

Converting and Recording MIDI into Audio

MIDI files function like sheet music. Sheet music contains all the information an instrumentalist needs to make music. If the instrumentalist does not play what’s written on the sheet music, you hear nothing. Like sheet music, MIDI does not transmit audio signals (digital or analog). Meaning, if you were to plug your MIDI cable into a loudspeaker or audio device, you wouldn’t hear anything.

Therefore, you need to convert a MIDI file into an audio file in order to hear what it really sounds like. There are several ways you can playback MIDI in Cakewalk and several ways you can convert or record MIDI to audio. Follow the link to Cakewalk’s support pages for more information.

May 7, 2010

How to Record and Playback Audio in Cakewalk Software

Recording your music on the computer is an adventure. There are thousands of different tools you can choose from, all with their own perks and obstacles. Recording your vocals, guitar, keys and drums is a process that takes time to learn in order to do it well.

Before you attempt to record, make sure you have all the equipment you need to connect your instrument of choice to the computer’s soundcard (such as cables, preamps, interfaces, speakers) as well as enable both for recording and playback. In this tutorial, learn how to use Cakewalk’s software to setup a track for recording and playback. Remember, pressing F1 while inside of the program will open the help guide.

January 12, 2010

CES 2010: Music Creator Shines During Intel's Core Processor Launch

Cakewalk’s Gina Garda recently traveled to Las Vegas, Nevada to take part in the 2010 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES). “Although the taxi lines were longer and the halls more crowded than last year,” remarked Gina, “the bustle of this year’s CES is a sure sign that 2010 will be a phenomenal year for the consumer electronics industry.”

From the Central Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center, Intel launched their new 2010 Intel® Core™ Processor Family. As part of that launch, Intel featured Cakewalk’s Music Creator 5 running on a new Core i5 laptop.

In addition to the Music Creator software, the setup also included Cakewalk’s MA-15D speakers and UA-1G audio interface, a PCR-300 MIDI Keyboard, a Blue Microphone as well as a Les Paul guitar. The Cakewalk space was consistently full of musicians and non-musicians alike wanting to learn more about recording on the newest computers. Guitar players were particularly interested in Cakewalk’s Studio Instruments Drums and IK Multimedia’s Amplitube X-Gear software. These tools are part of the Music Creator 5 package making it easier for the solo performer to boost their sound and add a backing band to their project in just a few clicks.

Visit Cakewalk’s Flickr to see more photos from the event.

Click here to learn more about CES 2010.

November 27, 2009

Huge Savings on Gifts for Musicians During Cakewalk's Holiday Sale

Kick off the holidays with enormous savings on popular products from Cakewalk, Native Instruments, IK Multimedia, and more. Get a heads start on your holiday shopping as these specials are available for a limited time only! Along with savings of over 80% on select products, you can also download free plug-ins, get special discounts on PCAudioLabs computers, and much more.

Need some ideas for gift-giving this year? Click on over to Cakewalk’s Holiday Gift Guide to find the perfect gift for the music lovers in your life.

Shop and Save today at Cakewalk.com

November 9, 2009

Cakewalk Launches Holiday Gift Guide for Musicians

It’s that time of the year again! Time to show family and friends just how much they mean to you with a gift from the heart. This year, you don’t have to go far to find the perfect present for the music lover in your life. We’ve created our own Holiday Gift Guide to make the process of gift shopping much easier.

Visit Cakewalk.com today to see our list of recommended products for singer-songwriters, DJs, record collectors and Guitar Hero fanatics. Plus, reward yourself with a treat and check out our Holiday upgrade bundles for existing Cakewalk customers.