Introducing Cakewalk Next and our new brand identity

[Wickham]

Hello from Finland!

This is great!

I`m an old Sonar(platinum)user. I´m interested  can I still use my Sonar/Cakewalk  by BL system safely.?

All my many plugins from several manufaturers have worked extremely well in my present version!(the latest)

When  can you tell something about prices?

Best regards

Markku

 

[chris.r]

On 6/8/2023 at 7:57 PM, Alan Tubbs said:

Yet cakewalk by Bandlab will remain free even after another update.  It should be good to go for as long as the OS updates work with it. until they will pull their plug out (speaking about the 6 months time-out).

corrected for you  

Edited June 9, 2023 by chris.r

[chris.r]

11 hours ago, Lord Tim said:

Totally get that people are going to see it as they're going to see it though, and moving to a paid model may make some people move on - I think that's fine and expected. Nobody really knows what deal it'll be going forward, what goodies we'll get, if anything will be free as an incentive... it's all basically speculation for now, so rather than worrying about if the sky is falling, I'd personally hold tight and wait to see what's going to happen and then make a decision. There's been a lot of goodwill over the years, so it'll be interesting to see how it all pans out. I'm optimistic.

For me personally, it makes no sense to go elsewhere to another paid product that I have to learn as well as I do Cakewalk, no backwards compatibility with my old projects, etc. just because I have to pay for this one. If I'm going to pay for anything, I'd like to pay for something that's going to be the easiest transition for me so I can just get the hell on with getting my work done.

In my opinion best approach would be to keep Cakewalk Sonar in it's base form (as CbB is now) free and supported for those who aren't making money from doing music or are on tight budget, and then start adding new features and content in higher tiers for those who want to pay for it. Best of both worlds.

[Mark Morgon-Shaw]

17 hours ago, Alan Tubbs said:

And the new Sonar, stripped down or for owners of previous or paid versions maybe  $100.  Maybe $200 for new users if it includes some starter native effects.  The pc eq is great, the 1176 is usable and the ssl buss is great and as good as you are going to find natively.

what do you think will work?

Having built up a collection of preffered 3rd party plugins over many years I don't ideally want anything bundled with it as I would never use it, so the option to have it bare bones as possible would be prefereable . Same goes with the bundled instruments which are merely adequate at best, anyone with a basic version of Kontakt will have a much higher quality selection to choose from.   

[Mahmut Hürkan Çelikkanat]

I am a registered user till Sonar 2.0. I bought Cakewalk Sonar Platinum "lifetime update". (It was a huge disapoinment) And now using CbB. And i like it, i use to make my productions with it. 

"If you're not paying for a product, you're the product!" That's why i dont like such a Business plans.  I am very happy to see that there will be a paid version of Cakewalk. This is how sustainability is ensured. I want updates, bug fixes, new features,  ask my problems about software freely... ...etc.

But, a big but to justify my arguments;

1-There are lots of good DAWs around, for example Studio One.  I like it but i dont want to change my UX. Cakewalk must maintain my expectations.

2-Price  / performance ratio must be competitive. (Cheaper than Studio One ...) 😉

3-Different payment methods should be offered (subscription / single payments for big updates / One time purchase ...)

4-Additional features not found elsewhere. (Cloud storage,  sample - loop libraries, new enstruments and effects....)

5-Yes, a little jest for old Sonar users. (may be %15 - 20 discount....) 🙏

 

Yes, those are my feelings about your new way.

 

Edited June 9, 2023 by Mahmut Hürkan Çelikkanat

[Alan Tubbs]

Chris,

Maybe if one can’t scrounge up a little cash for 5 years worth of free updates to what was a free program you can find a better deal somewhere else.  BandLab doesn’t owe anybody a free DAW forever and I’m grateful they’ve kept cakewalk going.
 

 That being said, BandLab should have a cheap, clean version for the benefit of future customers or those that have plenty of fx and synths.  Maybe for the destitute they can provide a crippled-up version with only a dozen audio tracks or so.  The first DAW I bought was Plasma, an early cakewalk looper Daw.  I got a crippled copy out of one of the European mags.  I upgraded from that version until CbB today.  
 

Quite  frankly, I’m not too interested in paying for someone else’s software.  However, don’t mind helping BandLab expand their paying base which helps everybody who uses the software.  
 

But the more I think about it the more I figure you are right.  CbB needs to end at some point because far too many would be customers will stick with a free version rather than paying to upgrade.  Of course bandlab should give a long lead time before they close CbB and plenty of warning so any one could save up for Sonar or find a cheaper DAW.Another reason to keep the basic Sonar cheap.
 

Mark, 

 

I said a stripped down version.  My interpretation of stripped down means none of the more expensive software add ons like synths and melodyne and such.  I thought that was clear.  Did it not read that way to you?

[Will.]

4 hours ago, chris.r said:

In my opinion best approach would be to keep Cakewalk Sonar in it's base form (as CbB is now) free and supported for those who aren't making money from doing music or are on tight budget, and then start adding new features and content in higher tiers for those who want to pay for it. Best of both worlds.

Thats why CbB is coming out with its final update. This will be the last update to the free Daw you are using now. Sonar will be the DAW that will continue to be worked on and get new features every year. This has been said and explained numerous times. 

Cakewalk by Bandlab (the free DAW) will continue to work and be free with it getting its last and final update. 

Sonar will be the DAW that will be priced. It is the one putting on its makeup and glitters for its launch soon. 

Next is the "newborn" DAW that was created from scratch. The baby of Cakewalk and Sonar. It cant yet hold its head up straight by itself, that is why a few members will be selected to test it out before its public release. 

Read the announcement and website people.  

[Misha]

"Cakewalk by Bandlab (the free DAW) will continue to work and be free with it getting its last and final update. "

Until it deactivates one day and will not be "allowed" to activate by Bandlab.  Local license please. 

[Will.]

My wish for NEXT is that its aimed more towards the HIP HOP and EDM Producers and Sound designers. The notes on the website does say its comes with built-in samples which i already like alot. I just hope its raw samples for us to mix and alter to our taste. I'm not a fan of samples that are "ready mixed." 

Sonar on the other hand - I have high hopes for it. I cant wait for the launch and I hope its not as cluttered as before. A Nice clean and Sexy interface is what keeps one glued to ONE DAW. 

Edited June 9, 2023 by Will.

[John Vere]

9 hours ago, Misha said:

 

"old Sonar version do not need the internet or any on line activations."

That is not true. Serial is not enough to activate it.  For offline activation, you are still dependent on Bandlab's server that generates DAT file for offline activation for these last 2017 versions. 

----

 

If you read my post you will see I said “ Other than Splat “ Sonar Platinum , Splat, was the first version to require servers.  And once activated never needs the server again until you install it to a new machine or change your C drive.  
X3 and backwards as well as Most of the add ins came with there own installers and serial numbers. Worst case scenario for me would be returning to using X3. I’ll do that before I change DAWs. 

[Noel Borthwick]

Guys I think there is some disconnect about what Sonar is. We aren't changing the core Sonar code from what Cbb is so its not changing the user interface. You can think of it as exactly the same as what you are using but with some new features. i.e. treat it similar to a major point upgrade over CbB. The UI will look nicer and be more modern as well.

[John Nelson]

All well and good, but

 

 

will it be 15-20% better than Pro Tools?

[Noel Borthwick]

It already is :-P

[GaleOm]

Will UI of Cakewalks plugins also be scalable?

[InstrEd]

3 minutes ago, John Nelson said:

All well and good, but

 

 

will it be 15-20% better than Pro Tools?

 

2 minutes ago, Noel Borthwick said:

It already is :-P

Let's not turn this into a Intel vs AMD thread like the tech forums 😆

Now the waiting game to check out your hard work.   Meanwhile I have Mixcraft Pro Audio 10 to download and play with on my laptop

[Terry Kelley]

20 minutes ago, Noel Borthwick said:

Guys I think there is some disconnect about what Sonar is. We aren't changing the core Sonar code from what Cbb is so its not changing the user interface. You can think of it as exactly the same as what you are using but with some new features. i.e. treat it similar to a major point upgrade over CbB. The UI will look nicer and be more modern as well.

So it sounds like:

1. CbB will get updates with some new features but that will be the end of the road for it.

2. The CbB core will get a new UI and become Sonar. This is the main product going forward.

3. You're releasing a totally new product called Next directed towards song writers. This will also be ported to MacOS.

4. You're also porting Sonar to MacOS to compete with the big boys. <--- Not true per Noel.

Edited June 9, 2023 by Terry Kelley

[Noel Borthwick]

Um no where did you read Sonar mac in what I wrote. Sonar will not be ported to Mac. Cakewalk's Mac solution going forward will be Next.
Going forward its just Cakewalk Sonar and Cakewalk Next exclusively. 

[Terry Kelley]

5 minutes ago, Noel Borthwick said:

Um no where did you ready Sonar mac in what I wrote. Sonar will not be ported to Mac

Sorry, I thought one of the earlier staff posts mentioned that. I will strike through that.

Ah, Next. Ok, I corrected that too.

Edited June 9, 2023 by Terry Kelley

[Meltopia]

I'm more worried about how long the activation will last once the other programs come out. If I never updated my computer would cakewalk keep working? My music PC rarely goes online and I'd be quite happy to keep it completely offline and continue with WIN10 and Cakewalk as it's only used for music. But will I be able to do that?

[Will.]

14 minutes ago, Terry Kelley said:

 

2. The CbB core will get a new UI and become Sonar. This is the main product going forward.

 

No CbB, stays CbB.

SONAR gets revived with new features and a new face. 

Thats it.