Sonar 2025.07 Feedback

[Matthew Carr]

A difference in behaviour from CbB, which seems like a bug - apologies if this is not new to 2025.06, this is the first time I've really used new Sonar

1. Click and hold on the timeline to begin a selection

2. Hold and drag mouse pointer off the far right of screen

In Cbb, this would advance the selection end, and the waveforms displayed in the track view would scroll in sync with the end of the selection

In Sonar, the selection end is advanced, but the waveforms only refresh their display once either a) the mouse is released or b) the mouse pointer is moved back to the left to be on screen. This makes it very difficult to fluently select ranges longer than what is currently displayed on screen as you can't see the waveforms for the current end selection point.

[timeworx]

19 hours ago, Kevin Mapplebeck said:

I have tried several times to install the ProChannel Modules, both from Product Center and the install file. It seems to complete the install but never updates Product Center nor are the modules available  in Sonar.

 

I'm seeing the same behavior. I thought it might be because I had a previous install with ProChannel modules from earlier Sonar versions. This would still be a bug with Product Center at the very least.

[PopStarWannabe]

After the today update (2025.07) Sonar found 4 new plug-ins after the startup scanning it did when I launched it.

What were those 4? How can I find out?

[Jonathan Sasor]

1 hour ago, timeworx said:

I'm seeing the same behavior. I thought it might be because I had a previous install with ProChannel modules from earlier Sonar versions. This would still be a bug with Product Center at the very least.

There's a product center issue with it not seeing that the PC modules have installed. The updates tab in Sonar recognizes it though. The included modules are PC2A and Concrete Limiter.

 

1 hour ago, PopStarWannabe said:

After the today update (2025.07) Sonar found 4 new plug-ins after the startup scanning it did when I launched it.

What were those 4? How can I find out?

No new plugins were included with the update, but the scanner will pick up changes for XSampler (which builds with every Sonar build) or if anything else has otherwise changed on the system.

[Tommy Byrnes]

I have been running a client’s sessions all week with the “new” Sonar. It’s a project that we’ve been working on now for two months, every week for long sessions. Until I downloaded Sonar out of necessity, since end of life has been announced for CbB, I have been using CbB many hours every day for years and have never once felt like my DAW would either let me down or fail to inspire some level of creativity by its looks. We are visual primates after all.

There have been problems with Sonar, some graphics problems (minor annoyance in the grand scheme) and some audio problems, which are major.

When using external inserts there is a two to three second freeze of the audio engine when toggling on/off. That makes real-time comparison of the effect impossible and a bad look when previewing mixes for your client. This issue does not exist in CbB. Certain plugins now pause the audio toggling on/off that didn’t in CbB. Not sure if they are related.

The audio glitches and stutters when scrolling in Console View, either front to back of tracks or up and down the strip.

And, there is a graphics glitch where items show up in the wrong place. I have posted examples previously here: https://discuss.cakewalk.com/topic/85548-graphics/

If I may ask, please make the active plugin in the FX bin highlighted in all themes. Also, please make the active track indicator at the bottom of the console strip more apparent in all themes, not just a thin blue outline.

Please add hash marks and more detailed numbers to the meters like the way the used to be. And, please give us the ability to change the color of the markers and text.

Overall, I feel that CbB was a more elegant and stable version. I’m sure there are a hundred things done since the last CbB update including the new vector graphics but this version of Sonar feels somewhat like a downgrade for me in both looks and performance.

I have too many years invested in the program and a booked out studio to switch so my hope is these issues will be addressed.

 

[benstat]

13 hours ago, Matthew Carr said:

A difference in behaviour from CbB, which seems like a bug - apologies if this is not new to 2025.06, this is the first time I've really used new Sonar

1. Click and hold on the timeline to begin a selection

2. Hold and drag mouse pointer off the far right of screen

In Cbb, this would advance the selection end, and the waveforms displayed in the track view would scroll in sync with the end of the selection

In Sonar, the selection end is advanced, but the waveforms only refresh their display once either a) the mouse is released or b) the mouse pointer is moved back to the left to be on screen. This makes it very difficult to fluently select ranges longer than what is currently displayed on screen as you can't see the waveforms for the current end selection point.

This is indeed a bug. Thanks for the report. I've logged it and we'll get to it ASAP.

[Ben Staton]

14 hours ago, Matthew Carr said:

A difference in behaviour from CbB, which seems like a bug - apologies if this is not new to 2025.06, this is the first time I've really used new Sonar
...

I fix is currently in testing. It may even come with a slight performance gain too!

Thanks again for the report. I suspect this bug may be behind some of the recent reports of UI lag too, not just the specific Time Ruler drag/scroll issue highlighted above.

Bear with us though - much of the team is off today (4th July), and the fix is in a sensitive area so needs to be tested properly. We'll release an update as soon as possible.

[Phil T]

On 7/3/2025 at 3:06 AM, Trevor said:

Hello,

I think the flam indicator for step sequencer is missing in Sonar. The screenshot above was taken from Bandlab.  The first note inside the red circle shows two volume levels to indicate that it's being flammed. In Sonar, double clicking the note will still flam it, but the appearance of the note doesn't change so I have no way to keep track of which notes are being flammed without listening to the entire sequence.

Speaking of listening along, it would be great if I could disable the need to follow the cursor during step sequencer playback.  If I'm listening to a 16 or 32 bar loop and I spot something I want to change, I have to stop playback or else the window will scroll along to the next couple beats. Then when I resume playback, it starts over back at the first beat instead of where I stopped it at. I'd like to be able to disable the cursor or just drag it freely across the step sequencer window the same way you do in the arranger view.

I believe the 2025.07 release notes said there was a fix for this.

[Wayne Bangert]

I am reposting this problem since the new update for sonar is available today. The same problem that I had with the screen set. When I open a project sonar does not remember the screen set that I setup. In cakewalk this worked perfectly . I tried several solutions but not getting any results.

1. Rebuilt the song play list in current sonar. 

2. Resaved the file in current sonar version. The file was from cakewalk

3.  Set the workspace to none 

Some other random things are happening with I open a project:

1. When the file opens I get randum screens that open. Does not recognize the screen set I had saved.

2. When I use  Duplicate screen set to a new location the new location does not recognize the copied screen set.

3.  When I save a screen setting (track view) the Display screen keeps showing even when I close the display window and resave the screen set the display window keeps opening up.

[Wayne Bangert]

Need to also report that the opening of the display window (in the tracks window at left side) is random on some of may older files. One time I can open the file and the screen set shows the screen correctly and other times the display window (in the tracks window) shows. It appears that the only window that is affected is the main tracks window ( for placement of the window). The lyrics window responds correctly to the screen set and does remember the current screenset (when I make a new screenset). The only work around I have found to date is to set up a key binding to  open the screen set with the correct view after the file is loaded. Works but not a final solution. I started to open other projects that I have setup screen sets in cakewalk/Bandlab and I am getting the feeling that sonar is remembering the screenset from cakewalk and not remembering the new screen set. If I then open the new screen set after the file is loaded the screens are correct. Maybe sonar is not writing over the old calkewalk screen set. Also I noticed that some older cakewalk files are doing more random screens while some of the newer files may not have the random screens at all. Maybe add a function to the screenset window that erases all the user screen sets so you can start over fresh.

[Milton Sica]

@Jonathan Sasor

The page that provides several clarifications about migrating from Cakewalk to SONAR in one of the items describes:

What is included in the free tier of Cakewalk Sonar?

The free tier includes the core functionality of Cakewalk by BandLab, adding many new features and enhancements. It is designed to provide a robust experience for music production without requiring a Membership subscription. Premium features are available with the purchase of BandLab Membership.

 

What is the meaning of  " the core functionality of Cakewalk by BandLab" or what are the features included in the meaning?

This is a question that needs to be answered very well and in detail, because, unlike what happened with the Dithering options that have already entered the free tier as being paid, the maintenance of Workspaces and their use, as well as the creation of tasks and their execution were configured as being at the paid level only when installing this version and without any mention in the version notes.

 

[Base 57]

Forced update

I'm surprised more people have not complained about this.

I updated to build 48 just 3 days ago. The "About" screen showed my activation was valid until December. So just imagine my reaction when I opened Sonar this morning (with a short time window in which to work) and the activation is no longer valid. I am given no choice but to spend valuable time updating again.

I am begging, please don't do that to us again.

[GBTBassist]

Hi @Milton Sica

Thanks but this isn't what I'm experiencing. If I grab the top of the vst window and move it it goes smoothly for a short while then stutters i.e. doesn't move then catches up with my cursor position. 

What you describe is exactly what I get i.e. location persistence and that is not an issue.

Cheers

GBT