SONAR 8.5 Leaves You Fully-Satisfied

stepsequencerImpressed with SONAR 8.5’s wealth of new tools and workflow enhancements, Music Radar gives the ‘half update’ 5 out 5 stars! Among the reviewer’s favorite additions were SONAR’s Matrix view, Arpeggiator and effects processors (VX-64 vocal strip and PX-64 percussion strip).

“Percussion and Vocal Strips rock! Step Sequencer is much more useful. Arpeggiator presets are a goldmine. Matrix View encourages spontaneity. Solid performance. The most comprehensive Windows DAW.”

In all, says Music Radar, SONAR 8.5 may be labeled a ‘half’ upgrade but it is well worth the price!

DJ Johnny Juice Joins Cakewalk V-Studio Tour

VS100_Artist_JuiceAs the Fall V-Studio Tour featuring SONAR 8.5 heats up, we are pleased to announce that Cakewalk artist, DJ Johnny Juice of Public Enemy fame will be on hand to partake in the V-Studio and SONAR 8.5 demos during tonight’s Guitar Center – Manhattan tour date.

Cakewalk Product Specialist Rich Curtis will be including DJ Johnny Juice in his demos as Juice talks about his long-standing relationship with Cakewalk and how he incorporates Cakewalk in his productions. Additionally, DJ Johnny Juice will be talking about his latest track “I am a king” featuring none other than hip hop legend DMC.

Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Guitar Center Manhattan
25 W. 14th Street
Manhattan, NY
(212) 463 – 7500
Time: 6:00 – 8:00PM

Plus: Tony Grund from IK Multimedia will be on hand to show off their latest mastering software, T-RackS 3 and how it works in conjunction with SONAR 8.5. All event attendees will receive a complimentary copy of IK Multimedia’s T-RackS EQ, plus if you purchase a V-Studio 700, or a V-Studio 100 the night of the event you will receive a $100 mail-in rebate.

Register for this and other V-Studio Tour  events today!

In Studio and On the Road with V-Studio 100

CakewalkVS100Whether recording in your home studio or performing on the road, Cakewalk’s V-Studio 100 can get the job done. With multiple I/O options, easy to use transport controls and a built-in digital audio workstation, you can hook up the V-Studio to your computer via USB and start recording. Away from the computer? Capture your performances with the V-Studio 100’s SD Recorder.

In a recent review, Computer Music gave the V-Studio 100 5.5 out 6 stars. Impressed with the units flexbility, the reviewer exclaims:

“It’s hard to deny the value of the VS-100. The audio interface alone is a winner for its great preamps and rock-solid Mac and Windows drivers, especially when combined with the utility of a flying fader and transport buttons. Throw in a basic mixer with real hardware controls and a fine software bundle, combined with the ability to mix and record even without the computer and the VS-100 is a near-perfect, do-everything box.”

Get a better look at the V-Studio 100,  take our brand new V-Studio Interactive Tour

Read the full review at Music Radar.com

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

Cakewalk Launches Holiday Gift Guide for Musicians

GiftGuideIt’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.

Cakewalk Travels to Japan for SONAR Premium Day

RobinBrandon2A few weeks ago, Cakewalk traveled to Akihabara, Japan (a district of Tokyo) to take part in the Fourth Annual SONAR Premium Day. To locals, Akihabara is known as ‘Electric Town,’ as it’s where all the technology stores (carrying everything from LED TVs to music production software) are located. Cakewalk’s CEO Greg Hendershott and Product Evangelists Brandon Ryan & Robin Kelly introduced the new version of SONAR to 870 guests at the event, giving live demos on how to record, mix, edit and more with SONAR 8.5.

The event kicked off with a video featuring SONAR Product Manager Alex Westner discussing the latest features in SONAR 8.5. Greg then gave a great speech on new technologies in the industry, such as the release of Windows 7. Brandon and Robin rounded out the day with a number of demos. Brandon used a Intel Core i7 machine running Windows 7 to demonstrate a few tasks on the V-Studio 700, while Robin ran a Quadcore Vista (32-bit) computer to show off the many features of the V-Studio 100. Throughout the day, attendees gathered around one of three stages to share tips and techniques on Cakewalk’s latest products.

Although we couldn’t see these events live in action, Robin added some video highlights of the trip to his unofficial Cakewalk blog. Click on over to see footage from the show floor.

Voting Now Open for Cakewalk's 'Your Music Anytime, Anyplace' Songwriting Contest

OurStage_420x229Inspiration can happen anytime, anyplace and we want to make it easier for you to capture those ideas as they happen. Cakewalk has come together with Intel  to provide some of the best songwriters and producers on the Ourstage circuit with an ultimate mobile studio!

Now through November 21, 2009,  log on to Ourstage.com and submit your original music to enter. The Top 20 submissions in the Rock and Urban genres will be selected by music fans. Out of those 20, six winners (three in each genre) will be chosen by our panel of industry professionals and will receive a complete mobile music production studio worth over $3,000 including:

• Intel Core i7 Mobile processor-powered laptop
• Cakewalk’s V-Studio 100 portable recording solution
• SONAR 8.5 Producer digital audio workstation
• Rapture virtual instrument
• Cakewalk MA-15D studio monitors

Continue reading “Voting Now Open for Cakewalk's 'Your Music Anytime, Anyplace' Songwriting Contest”

Live from AES 2009: Winksound.com Gets Closer Look at V-Studio 100

winksoundWinksound.com is a brand new social video networking site, offering audio enthusiasts free video tips and tutorials on music production. Got a question? Feel free to send it in video form to the Winksound team. Not only will they answer it, you could be featured in one of their segments!

Last month at the 2009 AES Show, Winksound team member, Justin, caught up with Cakewalk Product Specialist Rich Curtis to get a closer look at the portable music production studio, V-Studio 100.

SONAR 8.5 Named in Top 20 Hits of AES 2009

mix_certhit_logo-(2)For more than 30 years, Mix Magazine has been reporting live from major audio and music trade shows, acknowledging some of the most innovative products in the industry.

This year, Cakewalk’s SONAR 8.5 was selected by the editors of Mix as one of the Top 20 Hits of AES 2009!

Pick up the November issue of the magazine to see the full article!

Cakewalk Develops New Windows 7 Resource Page

windows7logo1Microsoft’s latest effort in the OS department, Windows 7 dropped yesterday after much anticipation. Windows 7 promises to be a much more robust OS than its predecessor, Windows Vista, making it an ideal choice for audio production. With Cakewalk winning Microsoft’s prestigious Partner of the Year award, you can rest assured that SONAR 8.5 and many other Cakewalk products are fully supported and compatible with Windows 7.

To keep you up to date with the latest information regarding your Cakewalk products and the new OS, we’ve created a Windows 7 landing page on our website.