Shayne White

I for one am hoping to get VST versions of the Sonitus suite, it would make saving/loading presets a lot easier. That being said, the 64-bit DX versions work great too.

I've run into an issue in Sonar (I'm using the latest version) where some older VST plugins that are not "DPI-aware" don't work properly when I disable the DPI-aware option. Basically, the on-screen controls can't be edited at all. Can't turn any knobs or change settings. The plugins are only functional when I have DPI-awareness turned on, and then the UI is the size of a postage stamp on my 4K monitor. (Well, maybe not quite, but you get the idea.) Examples: Soundtower's MophoX4 Plug SE MIDI controller (for my DSI hardware synth), Vladg Limiter No6, and some others. It really seems to depend on the plugin. Some plugins where I have to disable DPI-Awareness still work fine.

AFAIK the DXi version of Rapture was never upgraded to 64-bit, so it probably won't load in your modern Sonar DAW. I've run into the same issue with old projects trying to load the old 32-bit DXi Rapture that won't load on my modern 64-bit system. Thankfully I kept my old 32-bit PC lying around. Sorry but I don't think there's a workaround as there was never any kind of 32-bit > 64-bit wrapper for DX plugins.

Let's look on the bright side. At least the new Sonar isn't anywhere as hideous as Ableton Live. In my opinion the new graphics will take some getting used to, but I can probably be brought around eventually. Having full 4K compatibility will be great.

Hey Cakewalk community! Today I've just released two new songs online, recorded and produced entirely with CbB. My style I've termed "electro-dreamwave" and I use a blend of analog & digital synths, voice, harp, and more. I'm putting out these songs ahead of my album I plan to release this coming summer. I'm including Bandcamp links for you to check out, but they're also available to stream on Spotify, Apple Music, Tidal, Amazon, and all the other major streamers. Enjoy! https://shayne.bandcamp.com/track/the-first-time-hd-96khz-24-bit https://shayne.bandcamp.com/track/jacobs-dream-hd-96khz-24-bit

I think this was turned off in an earlier version of CbB if I remember correctly, and I had to go find that option as well. So this isn't anything new to Sonar.

I also have always had to install 8.5 off the DVD just to get Lexicon reverb for older project compatibility. As I recall, there was no online "activation" for that version - you just had to have your serial number and reg code written down (there was a sticker on the disc sleeve to do that). You might have to launch the app in Admin mode for it to work, I remember that was an issue for Dim Pro and/or Rapture as well.

While I'm excited to see what the new Sonar will be like, in the meantime I'm happily using CbB to produce my music and I'm in no kind of hurry. Besides, it's still the free version. ?

You're adding 2 audio streams together which will cause the output level to rise by 3db (assuming both the L and R channels are the same amplitude). If you're worried about clipping, you can hold down your CTRL key with the Smart tool enabled and drag the clip gain down 3db prior to bouncing.

It depends on your genre and desired sound. I mostly produce electro-pop music. First, take a look at the waveforms on your tracks to determine whether you should use compression. Generally, there should be compression on anything with spiky peaks - percussion/beats, bass, plucky instruments. Vocals need a lot of compression so you can hear all the words and your voices rise above the rest of the mix. On the other hands, anything with smooth or constant levels, like filler pads, need little to no compression. Use short attack and release times whenever possible - it'll help eliminate the "pumping" sound. BTW, I use the Sonitus Compressor that comes bundled with Cakewalk -- it almost always sounds great.

I still use Rapture (not Pro) from time to time. It was always a great synth.

Anyone I talk to doesn't know about Cakewalk because it's Windows-only and I guess they don't take it seriously. I'm hoping that since Next will run on Mac, it'll bring the Cakewalk brand to a new audience.

I took some audio classes that involved recording onto 24-track tape while I was in college. It was in San Francisco so the professor talked about how the fog that seeped in through the building's air vents would get the tapes damp. The damp tapes would shred if you played them, so you had to bake them in an oven to get them playable. Yeah. Don't complain about your DAW.

Honestly, I hope that Cakewalk brings back something resembling the Command Center when the new Sonar is released. It was a great app and easy to use for downloading and installing all the Cakewalk content. Kind of similar to NI Access.

I've had this issue with other audio interfaces in the past, where only odd numbers were showing up. Just set up friendly names for your I/Os and you're good to go. If you really still need to figure out which input/output is which and you like to think of your I/Os as stereo pairs rather than mono channels, the formula is to add 1 and then divide by 2, e.g. your "Analog 5" > 6 > 3 L/R.

I'm going to opt out of the early access release and wait till it's public, but I'm definitely excited to see a new update to CbB. I'm also looking forward to the Sonar revamp. Glad Cakewalk is still going strong!

There's an option that allows you to hide VST2 versions of VST3 plugins you have. I actually prefer having both versions because I need to access the old .fxp presets for some synths and effects. I don't remember if that option is in the Plug-in Manager or the main Preferences window, you'll just have to look. It's called something like "Hide related VST2 plugins."

I just used GarageBand to record some spoken voice because I was reading something on my Mac rather than on the Windows side - man, it sucked!!! I'm really looking forward to Next so that I can have some Cakewalk vibe on Mac as well as Windows!

Hey everyone! I just released a new single in the style I call Electro-Dreamwave. I'm posting a link to a video I made about it where you can see Cakewalk running in action! A side note: I've been using Cakewalk since Cakewalk Home Studio 3.0 running on Windows 3.1. So I was like 8 or 9 years old I think? And you can listen to the whole song on SoundCloud: Thanks everyone for listening!

So, for a long time I wished there were an arpeggiator that would basically repeat notes as I hold them and synchronize to the project timing grid. And do it polyphonically so I can play repeated chords in sync. I just discovered that the "Rhythm" mode in the Cakewalk MIDI arpeggiator does EXACTLY that. And it's been there for years -- I pulled up an old version of Sonar and it was there. HOW DID I MISS THIS??? Thank you Cakewalk! I've never seen that option in any other synth arpeggiator!! Speaking of the Cakewalk arpeggiator, I've always experienced this weird bug with it where often Cakewalk will freeze for about 10 seconds when I press play if the arp is switched on any MIDI track. Usually I have to record what I want, bounce it, and then turn it off to stop the hanging problem. Has anyone ever noticed this? I've had this happen across multiple systems.

I don't know if this is a bug or a "feature." I use a trackpad and obviously right-click is a two finger tap. If I'm clicking something and another finger happens to land on the trackpad, Cakewalk immediately treats that as the "View Undo" command, typically either zooming out or going to another location in my project. SUPER ANNOYING. I guess that's nice and convenient if you're using a mouse, but not at all with a trackpad. Is there any way to turn this off? I have the "U" key bound to the "View Undo" command so I don't need that "feature." On a side note, I just discovered that Shift + Alt + Z is "View Redo" so that'll help me out in the meantime.

I use Antares Autotune. It is a little bit expensive but the quality is much better than the MAutoPitch.

How about a crowdsourcing campaign? I'm sure many dedicated fans like myself would gladly donate into the cause to get a Mac version developed.

This all looks great! Thank you so much! I'll wait for the public release when it comes out.

Yes, it's a secret feature that saves a TON of time!!