Cakewalk Sonar

Sonar
Developer(s) Cakewalk
Stable release
Sonar Platinum / 1 October 2017 (2017-10-01)
Written in C++
Operating system Microsoft Windows
Type Digital audio workstation
License Proprietary
Website www.cakewalk.com/products/sonar

Sonar is a digital audio workstation created by Cakewalk.

Notable features

Sonar's features include:

  • Record and manipulate an amount of multitrack digital audio limited by hardware only
  • Record and manipulate MIDI data
  • Apply any DirectX special effects, such as reverberation and delay
  • Automate the process of mixing audio
  • Use virtual instruments, such as software: synthesizers, samplers, and drum machines
  • Connect to other multimedia applications via Rewire
  • Some versions include a 64-bit mastering suite

Video and audio formats

Sonar provides limited facilities for video, surround sound (5.1, 7.1), and supports .avi, .mpeg, .wmv and .mov files. Sonar has the ability to show video as thumbnails contained in a separate track.[1] With appropriate hardware, it is also possible to output the video to an external monitor screen via Firewire. Common SMPTE formats, frame sizes and frame rates are supported. It is possible to transfer audio loop files from other compatible software into Sonar and complete a final mixdown.

Various audio export options (including 64-bit masters) are AIFF, AU, CAF, FLAC, RAW, SD2, W64 (Sony Wave-64), and WAV (Microsoft).

Included plugins[2]

SONAR X1

audio
  • Alias Factor
  • Analyst
  • Boost 11
  • Bit Meter
  • Classic Phaser
  • Channel Tools
  • Compressor/Gate
  • FX2 AmpSim
  • FX2 TapeSim
  • Guitar Rig 4 LE
  • HF Exciter
  • LP-64 Multiband
  • LP-64 EQ
  • Modfilter
  • Multivoice Chorus/Flanger
  • Para-Q
  • Perfect Space Convolution Reverb
  • Pitch
  • PX-64 Percussion Strip
  • Reverb
  • Sonitus fx: Compressor
  • Sonitus fx: Surround Compressor
  • Sonitus fx: Delay
  • Sonitus fx: EQ
  • Sonitus fx: Gate
  • Sonitus fx: Modulator
  • Sonitus fx: Multiband
  • Sonitus fx: Phase
  • Sonitus fx: Reverb
  • Sonitus fx: Surround
  • Sonitus fx: Wahwah
  • Tempo Delay
  • TS-64 Transient Shaper
  • TL-64 TubeLeveler
  • V-Vocal (Part of main program installation)
  • Vintage Channel
  • VX-64 Vocal Strip
  • DSP-FX: Chorus (32-bit only)
  • DSP-FX: Delay (32-bit only)
  • DSP-FX: EQ (32-bit only)
  • DSP-FX: Flange (32-bit only)
  • DSP-FX: Studioverb (32-bit only)
  • CW-Reverb (Mono)
  • CW-Delay (Mono)
  • CW-EQ (Mono)
  • FX1 Dynamics Processor
  • Parametric EQ
  • SpectraFX
  • Stereo Delay (32-bit only)
  • Stereo Reverb
midi
  • MFX Arpeggiator
  • MFX Change Velocity
  • MFX Chord Analyzer
  • MFX Echo/Delay
  • MFX Event Filter
  • MFX Quantize
  • MFX Transpose
soft synths
  • Beatscape 1.0.2 (Separate installation)
  • Cakewalk Sound Center
  • Cakewalk TTS-1
  • Cyclone
  • Dimension Pro 1.5 (Separate installation)
  • Dreamstation DXi2 (32-bit only)
  • Dropzone VSTi
  • Pentagon 1
  • PSYN II
  • Rapture LE VSTi
  • Roland Groovesynth
  • RXP REX Player
  • Session Drummer 3
  • Square I
  • Studio Instrument Suite
  • SFZ Soundfont Player
  • TruePianos
  • z3ta+ VSTi

SONAR X2

The plugins in SONAR X1 are also available in SONAR X2, with the following changes

audio

Added

  • Breverb SONAR
  • R-Mix SONAR Edition
  • TH2 Producer

Removed

  • Guitar Rig 4 LE
soft synths

Added

  • Rapture 1.22 VSTi

Removed

  • Beatscape 1.0.2 (Separate installation)
  • Rapture LE VSTi

SONAR X3

The plugins in SONAR X2 are also available in SONAR X3, with the following changes

audio

Added

  • Blue Tubes FX Collection
  • Melodyne Essential
  • Tone2 BiFilter2

Removed

  • Analyst
  • Bit Meter
  • FX2 AmpSim
  • FX2 TapeSim
  • Pitch
  • Reverb
  • V-Vocal
  • Vintage Channel
  • DSP-FX: Chorus (32-bit only)
  • DSP-FX: Delay (32-bit only)
  • DSP-FX: EQ (32-bit only)
  • DSP-FX: Flange (32-bit only)
  • DSP-FX: Studioverb (32-bit only)
  • CW-Reverb (Mono)
  • CW-Delay (Mono)
  • CW-EQ (Mono)
  • FX1 Dynamics Processor
  • Parametric EQ
  • R-Mix SONAR Edition
  • SpectraFX
  • Stereo Delay (32-bit only)
  • Stereo Reverb
soft synths

Added

  • Addictive Drums 2 (Separate installation)
  • Strum Acoustic Session
  • Lounge Lizard Session

Plugins available in X3 but no longer available in Sonar Platinum

  • Dreamstation DXi2 (32-bit only)
  • Pentagon 1

Active Controller Technology

Active Controller Technology (ACT) is a feature that assists in the process of remapping parameters of MIDI controllers or surfaces. Having the ability to control effects and virtual instruments (see software synthesizer), the controller/surface mappings for a given plug-in work the same on each instance of that plug-in, whenever that instance has focus.[3] Sonar now fully supports the integrated Sonar V-Studio 700 automation suite,[4] which is a complete Sonar-dedicated automation console built by Cakewalk/Roland.

Sonar also supports other dedicated special-purpose controllers/surfaces such as the CM Labs MotorMix. Sonar includes a general purpose plug-in, called ACT MIDI Controller, that can be configured to support any generic MIDI controller (controllers/surface), such as the JL Cooper FaderMaster, Peavey PC-1600, and Kenton Control Freak. Generic controllers/surfaces typically have 8–16 strips of faders-knobs-buttons, are non-motorized, and can often be configured to transmit MIDI messages (continuous controllers, non-registered parameter numbers (NRPNs), SysEx, etc.).[5]

Computer configurations

Starting with version 6, Sonar can take advantage of 64-bit internal processing, a 64-bit audio engine, and a 64-bit mixer on 64-bit versions of Windows Vista and Windows 7. Before introduction of Sonar X2 in October 2012, the entry-level Essential versions of Sonar (Sonar Home Studio and Sonar Essential) were 32-bit only. With the release of Sonar X2, the full program family is native 64-bit.

Sonar Platinum (2016)

Starting with Sonar Platinum (January 2016), releases moved to a monthly cycle, with new features and demo products introduced with each update.

Discontinuation and Relaunch

On 21 November 2017, Gibson (Cakewalk's Parent company) announced that active development of Sonar would cease immediately. Noel Borthwick (Sonar Chief Technical Officer) also posted the announcement on the Cakewalk forum.

On 4 April 2018 BandLab Technologies relaunched Sonar as a free program with the entire Sonar Platinum feature set, now entitled 'Cakewalk by BandLab'.[6]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Sonar Video Support". Sound on Sound. 2007. Retrieved 2007-05-21.
  2. ↑ "From X1 to Platinum : Plugins & Soft Synths : A Comprehensive List". Cakewalk Forums. 28 May 2015. Retrieved 16 May 2018.
  3. ↑ Active Controller Technology (ACT). "." Accessed on May 21, 2007
  4. ↑ "SONAR V-Studio 700". Cakewalk. Archived from the original on 6 March 2009. Retrieved 16 May 2018.
  5. ↑ Act MIDI Controller. "." Accessed on May 21, 2007
  6. ↑ Sonar now free, renamed 'Cakewalk by BandLab'. "." Accessed on 10 April 2018
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