Add A 'Mixing Machine' To Your Gig Bag

vs-100-top-playrecordYour band is working on a new EP. You’ve got four shows lined up for the month of February. It would be really cool to record your performances to add a few live tracks to the new release. With Cakewalk’s V-Studio 100 you can record, edit, mix and produce those tracks without missing a beat.

The V-Studio 100 is a cross-platform, 8 in + mix/6 out USB Audio Interface that also functions as a SD Recorder, Digital Mixer and DAW controller. On stage, you can use the V-Studio 100 to play pre-made backing track, mix vocals and other instruments, and record your performance directly to an SD Card. Back in studio, dump your live tracks into your favorite DAW and start the production process. V-Studio 100 acts as a control surface for any program using Mackie Control (SONAR, Ableton Live, Logic, Record, Digital Performer). It’s 100mm motorized fader, five rotary encoders, 11 general purpose buttons and transport controls can all be re-assigned to control your DAW and soft-synths. For those musicians just starting out in digital music-making, the V-Studio 100 comes with it’s own DAW software — SONAR VS (Windows only)–  as well as cross-platform plugins (VX-64 Vocal Strip, Channel Tools, Boost 11, Guitar Rig 3 LE, Studio Instruments, Rapture LE and Dimension Pro LE).  

Check out the feature in the February issue of EQ Magazine which notes the V-Studio 100 ‘wears many hats but one says ‘mixing machine.'”

Sonic State Gets First Look at A-PRO Series

Sonic State was first on the scene at the NAMM Show this weekend to get an exclusive look at the new USB Keyboard Controllers. Brandon Ryan demos the 49-key controller, the A-500 PRO, along side SONAR 8.5’s Session Drummer 3 virtual instrument.

Whether you’re using SONAR, Logic, Ableton Live, Cubase, Digital Performer, Garage Band, or Pro Tools, these keyboards and the included Production Plus Pack instruments are Mac and PC compatible. If you’re using SONAR, exclusive Active Controller Technology keeps you in the flow and focused on your music. If you’re using another DAW, the keyboards ship with a variety of built-in control maps designed to get you using the A-PRO as a control surface quickly.

New Products Announced At The NAMM Show 2010

NAMMThe 2010 NAMM Show is off to an exciting start as Cakewalk announces several new products to our line of fully-integrated software and hardware solutions for music creation and recording! Click the links below to learn how these products can benefit your music production needs:

New Line of Keyboard Controllers
Cakewalk introduces the new A-PRO Series, USB MIDI Controllers for Mac and PC. The A-300 Pro (32-key), A-500 Pro (49-key) and A-800 Pro (61-key) are brand new keyboard controllers developed in conjunction with Roland. The A-PRO series focuses on intuitive real-time performance and ergonomic playability, making it a must-have controller for soft-synths in a live or studio setting.  This new line gives musicians the best of both worlds: Cakewalk’s legendary ease of use and Roland’s world-class engineering and keyboard expertise.

FA-66 Firewire Audio Interface
Cakewalk introduces the FA-66, a compact and portable 6-in/6-out FireWire 400/800 audio interface designed for mobile recording and performance professionals.  This unit has two XLR/TRS combo inputs with phantom powered mic preamps, with one offering Hi-Z for recording electric guitar or bass, plus two RCA inputs — all with zero latency direct monitoring. The FA-66 package includes Cakewalk’s Production Plus Pack, featuring SONAR 8.5 LE recording software (Windows only) and 3 high quality virtual instruments for Mac & PC: Rapture LE, Cakewalk SoundCenter, and Studio Instruments Drums. The FA-66 is a must have for a wide range of applications, from recording guitar or vocals in mobile or studio settings to connecting a mixer to a computer.

New Mobile Studio Canvas
Cakewalk’s Mobile Studio Canvas for Mac and PC, and standalone performance is the first of its kind in the Cakewalk hardware family. Capable of producing over 1,000 sounds, the Mobile Studio Canvas includes the Roland SD-50 Sound Module, redesigned GM (General MIDI) 2, and Roland’s Solo Tones sounds. Fitted with a USB memory drive, the studio canvas can playback MP3, WAV, AIFF, and MIDI files without a computer. It’s a 2-in/2-out audio interface as well as a 1×1 MIDI interface that ships with SONAR 8.5 LE recording software (for Windows only), perfect for musicians looking for a multi-purpose sound source and/or playback device.

Visit the Cakewalk website to view our NAMM Press Releases

AudioMidi.com Likes the Sound of the V-Studio 100

audiomidiAudioMIDI.com’s Dee Davis gave the V-Studio 100 a workout recently and came away very pleased with the results.

Dee hooked up the VS-100 to a PC running Windows XP Professional, with 4 GB RAM and two 1 TB Hard drives, all powered by an AMD Phenom X4 Quad processor. After installing SONAR 8.5, Dee pulled up some recent SONAR-produced projects and found them to sound terrific , “perfect” in fact.

After checking out projects in higher sample rates and getting positive results, Dee recorded some vocals using the mic pres and was also “pleasantly surprised with the sound quality.” But the true test came when s/he recorded his/her Musicman StingRay Bass with the VS-100. Initially skeptical — “I am very hard of audio interfaces, as I feel they never truly get the real tone” — Dee was delighted when the resulting sound turned out to be “the best I have ever heard on any recording system!” S/he also went on to highlight the VS-100’s Windows 7 compatibility, solid control surface functions and use in Mackie Control Function Mode.

“Ultimately, I found the V-Studio 100 an excellent device to work with,” she concluded. “The sound quality was great! The mixer and effects were solid and very easy to use.” Finally, she noted that “This compact unit will serve many of your needs with just one purchase. With the included software, you have everything you need to start recording right away.”

You can read the full review on AudioMIDI.com

Cakewalk Announces New SONAR 8.5.2 Update

S85screenToday, Cakewalk announces a free update for SONAR 8.5 Producer and SONAR 8.5 Studio! Registered SONAR 8.5 Producer, SONAR 8.5 Studio, and V-Studio 700 customers can download the 8.5.2 update* for free.

The SONAR 8.5.2 update offers over 100 usability enhancements, plug-in/component optimizations, and new features. These enhancements also address various performance issues across the entire application. All of these new and exciting features found in the SONAR 8.5.2 update are a direct result of active dialog with our users. Cakewalk’s delivery of timely product updates is an extension of Cakewalk’s commitment in providing the very best in product support for our customers.

* The 8.5.2 Update for Windows XP, Vista, and, Windows 7 (32-bit & 64-bit) versions of SONAR 8.5 is available as a free download to all registered SONAR 8.5 and V-Studio 700 customers at: www.cakewalk.com

TUAW.com, the Unofficial Apple Weblog, Explores the Versatility of V-Studio 100

Mac+VS100_v1Josh Carr, a reporter for the unofficial Apple weblog, TUAW.com, is slowly migrating from his analog mixer to the world of digital audio workstations. In studio, Josh uses Logic Pro for his music production needs. During the past two weeks, he has managed to learn the ins and outs of the V-Studio 100 as a DAW Controller and SD Recorder. In his review, Josh comments on how versatile the unit really is:

“When you toss in the SD card of your choosing, you’re able to record individual tracks for later synchronization… set it up at your latest show and record it for critiquing or a low budget live album… you can even toss an already-produced track from your computer onto the SD Card and use if for live playback… if you’re a one man band like me.”

Keeping the holiday season in mind, Josh recommends the V-Studio 100 as a great gift for the musician making the jump from analog mixer to DAW controller and for someone setting up a home studio on a budget.

Read Josh’s full review of Cakewalk’s V-Studio 100 at TUAW.com

An Affordable Alternative for Mobile Recording

VS-100-Multiple_Screenshots_Black_BGRecording your music, whether on the road or in studio, can be a costly venture. Expenses for instruments, equipment, session time and sound engineers can land you in serious debt. Many of today’s musicians take the DIY approach, either hiring friends in the biz or building their own home studios, to save time, money and resources.

Cakewalk’s V-Studio 100 is a perfect companion for the ‘new age’ musician. An all in one portable music studio, the V-Studio 100 is a high quality audio and MIDI interface, DAW controller, digital mixer and SD Recorder. You can take the unit to a live gig, plug in your instruments, and record the entire show with an SD card. With it’s on-board effects (Reverb, EQ, Compression), the V-Studio 100 doubles as a digital mixer during your live performance. Prefer to record in your home studio? The V-Studio 100 is also Mackie-control friendly, compatible with both Mac and PC DAWs.

As described in the latest issue of Tape Op, the V-Studio 100 is a “very cost-effective package for recording.” The reviewer, Alan Tubbs, goes on to say, “I’m sure you could rig up a similar system out of various components, but it wouldn’t be as compact and would most likely cost more.”

Pick up the latest issue of Tape Op magazine to learn how Cakewalk’s V-Studio 100 can save you more than just a few dollars.

Recording Magazine Features USB Interfaces in Gift Guide

Recording Magazine, Dec 09 COVERIn a few days, Recording Magazine will release their annual ‘Holiday Gift Guide’ (December 2009) with 30+ reviews on today’s most desirable audio products. Cakewalk is honored to have made the list with our new line of affordable USB Interfaces.

Compact and versatile, these Audio & MIDI interfaces are perfect for those just starting out with home recording and those looking for another piece to add to their gig bag. Priced just under $100, these items feature a variety of I/O options, included software bundles and are Snow Leopard & Windows 7 ready!

Pick up Recording Magazine at your local bookstore (US only) or visit online at RecordingMag.com

Hot Deals for SONAR 8.5 Customers

SONAR 8.5Though we do not normally post offers to the Cakewalk blog, we thought these special deals for SONAR 8.5 customers were worth the mention.

Due to the unprecedented success of the Elite Guitar Pack for SONAR 8.5 featuring Guitar Rig 4 Pro, we have renewed our agreement with Native Instruments and will offer this Elite Pack as a download for only $99 (while supplies last)! Visit the Cakewalk E-Store to see all of the Elite Pack deals for SONAR 8.5.

Looking to upgrade your computer? Now through November 30, SONAR 8.5 customers can save 20% off any Windows 7 computer in PC Audio Lab’s Rok Box Series OR take $300 off any PC Audio Lab’s Custom Shop audio computer. Click here to grab your PC Audio Lab’s redemption code from Cakewalk.