SONAR X-Series users will love these 55 improvements in the new SONAR

SONAR X-Series users will love these 55 improvements in the new SONAR

While there have been hundreds of fixes and enhancements added to SONAR since X3, we’ve compiled this list of the ones we think X-Series users will be particularly fond of.

Recording

  • Fixed clip & metronome placement during loop record
  • Fixed complex looping scenarios
  • Fixed MIDI issues during audio loop recording
  • Mute Previous Takes no longer interferes with Comping mode

Editing

  • Improved transient detection
  • Speed improvements when editing MIDI in PRV
  • Improved drag selection
  • Improved editing with the Smart Tool
  • Improved Lasso for audio transients at all zoom levels
  • Edit > Select > From/Thru no longer clears selections
  • Fixed Delete Hole issue when selecting empty measure in Track View
  • Fixed issues with Shift+Click on audio clips
  • Improved clip behaviors when using auto crossfade
  • Improved clip dragging graphics and offset handling
  • Improved note selection in PRV
  • Improved Melodyne behavior after setting region

Mixing

  • Sends now feed side-chain on project open
  • Fixed jumps when rewriting automation
  • Fixed VST3 behaviors in Clip FX bins
  • Improved console view EQ display
  • Fixed Dim Solo issue when using instrument tracks
  • Fixed plug-in output errors
  • Fixed plug-in removal issue on Simple Instrument Tracks

Chris Broderick SONAR Platinum ImprovementsChris Broderick has been focusing on his band Act of Defiance and their new record on Metal Blade Records. “We recorded all vocals, cello, lead, rhythm, classical and acoustic guitars at Ill-Fated Studio’s in Los Angeles, CA on SONAR Platinum. The features we gained upgrading from X3 to Platinum really helped us capture this new record.”


Audio / MIDI Engine

  • Fixed intermittent crash when switching driver modes
  • Fixes to Bounce to Clips for MIDI
  • Fixes to the Arpeggiator Preset workflow
  • Improved MIDI input port detection

UI

  • Fixed layout issues when removing icon from header
  • Fixed muted waveform drawing
  • Fixed waveform draw with tempo changes
  • Improved waveform draw on Groove Clips
  • Fixed waveform redraw on cropped clips when dragging
  • Improved clip fade waveform
  • Improved scroll in Console View
  • Improved Timecode unification in all views
  • Improved Track Folder grouping
  • Improved workflow when changing a Screenset

Murder FM SONAR Platinum X3 improvementsNorman Matthew of the band Murder FM not only used Platinum on his recent record produced by Beau Hill, but his band is also using it live on tour. “Platinum is ridiculously stable. Our show has developed into something more dynamic–and we like triggering some sounds that we used on the record on tour. SONAR Platinum works so well for us on stage as well as in the studio.”


PRV

  • Controller pane no longer resets size when switching tracks
  • Drum Pane now persists when re-opening PRV
  • Fixed PRV piano keyboard collapse when PRV maximized
  • Fixed right-click snap in PRV
  • Fixed Show/Hide state in PRV Track Pane

Other Views – LCV / Lyric / Marker / Meter etc.

  • Fixed orphan window in projects opened from Playlist
  • Fixed Screenset recalls
  • Fixed Take Lane rearrange on undo
  • Fixed vertical zoom behaviors when hiding tracks
  • Improved double-click behaviors on MIDI clips in Track View/PRV
  • Improved Step Sequencer behavior when using a clip assigned to a drum map

Misc.

  • Fixed bounced clip time base reset problem
  • Fixed Now Time marker movement when pressing Pause
  • Fixed silent drum map note issues after tempo changes
  • Fixed a crash when trying to open a moved project from recent file list
  • Fixes to BitBridge which could cause a project to hang on closing
  • Improved recall of Remote Control for synths

Javier Colon Platinum better than SONAR X3Javier Colon, winner of NBC’s The Voice continues his lifelong musical journey with a new record deal and album coming out on Concord Music Group this spring. “I’ve been using SONAR for a long time, but going from X3 to Platinum was the best upgrade I’ve had. Platinum was like a writing partner for me with this new record.”


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The Fine Print II: Updates Released for Cakewalk's SONAR Platform

Here’s an excerpt from Cakewalk CTO Noel Borthwick’s report on the new features that exist in Cakewalk’s SONAR 8.3 and SONAR V-Studio 700 1.1 updates.  To view the entire discussion, Visit the Cakewalk Forums.

We’re happy to see so many of you enjoying SONAR 8.3. I know some of you enjoy the trivia that goes into a release so here is the unabridged version of what went into SONAR 8.3 aka “the making of SONAR 8.3” aka the 8.3 fine print. If details aren’t what you like wading through, just go ahead and enjoy using the product and skip this – what you don’t know wont hurt you 🙂

Disclaimer: This text is not an official Cakewalk endorsement of any features in 8.3 and has not been officially proof checked for accuracy, so I reserve the right to edit the content at will. The sole purpose is to provide more detail on the depth of some of the features in 8.3 that some of you have requested and to hopefully answer some common questions.

8.3 was a particularly intense point release for us and everyone involved spent a lot of long hours and effort to make this happen. Special thanks go out to our beta testers on this who spent long hours trying out all the new risky stuff. Posts from beta testers and Cakewalk engineers going into the wee hours of the morning attest to some of the dedication in this cycle.

As most who have been our customers awhile may know, the typical Cakewalk product lifecycle goes somewhat like this:
– We work on a major release
– Post release we typically do a quick minor point release to address any immediate or urgent issues that might arise
– We then hibernate a bit and do a major point release that makes some feature improvements and addresses any old or new issues that are common customer complaints.
– The cycle repeats

This time around when it was time to do our point release we wanted to continue working on the optimization theme we started in S8, but also revisit some common complaints and workflow issues with some of our existing features that needed some TLC. So we identified the following broad areas that we needed to work on in 8.3:

1. External Insert Improvements
2. Optimization and multi-core enhancements
3. VS-700 updates
4. New/Enhanced Features
5. Bug fixes
6. New content

Read Noel’s Fine Print In Full at Cakewalk.com

More Sounds, Features, & Better Performance in SONAR 8 & V-Studio 700 Updates

Cakewalk today announces free updates for SONAR 8 Producer, SONAR 8 Studio, and SONAR V-Studio 7.

The updates, for Windows XP and native Vista (32bit and 64bit), are available as FREE downloads to registered SONAR 8 and SONAR V-Studio 700 customers.

The SONAR 8.3 update adds classic Roland sample content for Dimension Pro and Dimension LE, drum kits for Session Drummer 2 and new usability enhancements and engine optimizations. The SONAR 8.3 update also addresses performance issues reported by customers after the initial release of SONAR 8.

Sound On Sound highlights a few of the latest improvements to SONAR 8 including Snap Presets, an External Insert facility and new content for Dimension Pro and Session Drummer 2.

Additionally, since the initial Winter NAMM update announcement, numerous enhancements are now included in a version 1.1 software update for SONAR V-Studio 700 and a firmware update for its onboard Fantom VS hardware synthesizer.

Click on the following links to download the SONAR 8.3 Update and SONAR V-Studio 700 1.1 updates.