Cakewalk Sonar Free Tier Does not Let You Backup/Restore Settings

[MozartMan]

I decided to try new Cakewalk Sonar Free Tier and installed it today.  Apparently new Cakewalk Sonar has new feature - Backup/Restore Settings. Cakewalk by BandLab and my old Sonar X1 Studio, that I also have installed on my PC , don't have that.

BUT.  Cakewalk Sonar Free Tier does not let me to use Backup/Restore Settings feature. It pops this screen wanting me to buy membership.

Also, reading that sentence below the header it looks like Cakewalk Sonar Free Tier will not be getting any upgrades.

Good job (Cakewalk) guys.

 

 

[Bass Guitar]

FYI You’re in the wrong sub forum. This is the now abandoned Cakewalk sub forum. There’s a new sub forum for Sonar. 

To me it seems they quickly offered the free version to help people transition  to a paid membership. They no sooner put it out and then announced the end of life for Cakewalk. 

People all act like this was a big surprise but they had said that this day would come over 2 years ago. Sure not everyone reads this forum so I guess they were unaware. 
The free version we were told may or may not be a permanent option as well. 

The free version is definitely not suitable for everyone especially if you’re relying on a Daw for semi professional work or using it live. 
 

You have choices- 

1- Pay for Membership 

2- Switch Daws

3- Use Sonar Platinum ( my personal choice) 
 

 

Edited Sunday at 03:39 PM by Bass Guitar

[MozartMan]

6 minutes ago, Bass Guitar said:

FYI You’re in the wrong sub forum. This is the now abandoned Cakewalk sub forum. There’s a new sub forum for Sonar. 

You have choices- 

1- Pay for Membership 

2- Switch Daws

3- Use Sonar Platinum ( my personal choice) 

"Wrong sub forum" - Yes, I know. But I thought it would be heads up for people who are going to switch to free Sonar. 

For me is not a big deal because I have a way to backup and restore settings of ALL of my programs installed on my PC.

And when they decide to kill both, CbB and free Sonar, I have a choice #4:

4 - Go back to Cakewalk Sonar X1 Studio.

I don't make a living of writing MIDI files or recording mixed content, so Sonar X1 Studio does everything that I need.

[mettelus]

@Bass Guitar that video above is nicely done, as is the follow up to it.

[msmcleod]

@MozartMan - Sonar Free Tier will receive updates at the same frequency as the Premium version - it's exactly the same application.

New features may not be available in the Free version, but all of the bug fixes will. 

That's not to say that the free version won't receive new features - just not all of them.

[MozartMan]

Just now, msmcleod said:

@MozartMan - Sonar Free Tier will receive updates at the same frequency as the Premium version - it's exactly the same application.

New features may not be available in the Free version, but all of the bug fixes will. 

That's not to say that the free version won't receive new features - just not all of them.

But this new feature in Cakewalk Sonar Free Tier - Backup/Restore Settings - it's a basic human right.

Just kidding.🙂

[MozartMan]

Just opened free Sonar again and got greeted with pop-up like in the image in my original post. And had to wait 10 seconds until I was able to click on "Use Free Tier" button.

Very nice free feature.

[Bass Guitar]

11 hours ago, MozartMan said:

And when they decide to kill both, CbB and free Sonar, I have a choice #4:

I think that Cakewalk is now officially dead. A few people have mentioned that it is still working but the deadline was Sept 30. 
 

# 4 The X series is the ultimate backup plan for me because as I said in the video Bandlab still has the option to shut down access to the Cakewalk Command Centre.

I own a license to X 3 and that was the last version that doesn’t require any on line activation. I have it installed right now and I don’t think I would use it for anything other than accessing old projects. It’s not really useful as a modern daw to me compared to the others I own.  Way too outdated. X1 was absolutely the worst version of Cakewalk ever  , but I actually think the new Sonar is a close second!! ( Just kidding) 
 

So if I ever do rebuild a new computer down the road I might not have access to Platinum. But I am always optimistic that by then they will give up on the membership only plan and I’ll be able to purchase Sonar in a normal way. 

Edited Monday at 02:56 AM by Bass Guitar

[Bristol_Jonesey]

11 hours ago, MozartMan said:

But this new feature in Cakewalk Sonar Free Tier - Backup/Restore Settings - it's a basic human right.

Just kidding.🙂

Just to be clear, the only backup option currently offered is probably not what you think it is.

It's simply a backup of your configuration, files. It's not a backup for your projects, at least as far as I can tell.

[MozartMan]

3 hours ago, Bristol_Jonesey said:

Just to be clear, the only backup option currently offered is probably not what you think it is.

It's simply a backup of your configuration, files. It's not a backup for your projects, at least as far as I can tell.

I know.

That's why I made a joke about basic human rights.

[MozartMan]

Double good news this morning.

1. My CbB is still working as of Monday morning, October 6.

2. I got rid of that pop-up screen that was coming up at the start up and was holding me hostage for 10 seconds before I could click on Free Tier button.  Now I just get Quick Start pop-up window.

 

I can live, for now, with this yellow bar in the Quick Start window

and this grey bar below the menu bar

 

Edited Monday at 02:08 PM by MozartMan