NAMM: SONAR Home Studio 4 Announced

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Cakewalk has announced SONAR Home Studio Version 4 and SONAR Home Studio Version 4 XL, the newest additions to the SONAR product line of recording software. Cakewalk SONAR Home Studio Version 4 and Cakewalk SONAR Home Studio Version 4 XL have manufacturer's suggested retail prices (MSRP) of $149.00 and $229.00 U.S., respectively.

Based on SONAR 4 technology, SONAR Home Studio brings the power of SONAR to musicians looking to take the first step into digital recording. SONAR Home Studio provides everything needed to take music from inspiration to finished CD with features that include: 64 audio and unlimited MIDI tracks; 24-bit, 192 kHz audio engine; Master Control Toolbar; Track Presets for easy track setup; Track Icons for quick visual orientation when recording and mixing; Track Inspector; Project Navigator; enhanced loop-based composition tools; music notation printing; customizable Console, color schemes, layouts, toolbars and keyboard commands; ASIO, WDM, DirectX, DXi, VST, ReWire Support; PowerStrip multi-effects processor and Cakewalk Audio FX1 and Audio FX2 plug-in suites; SFZ SoundFont player; Virtual Sound Canvas DXi and Dreamstation DXis; CD burning; and hundreds of megabytes of ACID-format loops.

SONAR Home Studio Version 4 Highlights

• Record, edit, arrange, and mix 64 audio tracks and unlimited MIDI tracks
• 24-bit, 192 kHz audio engine
• 32-bit floating point audio engine
• Dynamic Console view
• Master Control Toolbar
• Track Presets and Track Icons
• Navigator view
• Track Inspector
• Project Navigator
• Loop-based composition tools with enhanced loop construction toolset
• Universal Bus Architecture (up to 16 busses simultaneously)
• Advanced MIDI routing & synth layering
• Audio metronome
• Confidence recording of audio, MIDI, and automation
• Music Notation
• PowerStrip multi-effects
• Cakewalk Audio FX1 and Audio FX2 effects suites
• Virtual Sound Canvas DXi
• Dreamstation DXi
• SFZ SoundFont player
• ASIO, WDM, DirectX, DXi, VST, ReWire Support
• Hundreds of megabytes of ACID-format loops
• CD burning with included Cakewalk Pyro Express

Master Control Toolbar -- this view centralizes all common controls needed for recording, providing quick access to all Views, Record, Loop, and Punch transport functions; direct access to Track Presets and Track Properties; shortcuts to the Windows Mixer and File Export for CD burning. The Master Control Toolbar can float or dock to the top or bottom of the screen.

Track Presets -- provides an easy and flexible way to create and recall complete track setups including mix, routing, and effects settings. Track Presets can contain any combination of Audio, MIDI, and DXi tracks, as well as any number of Tracks, Sends, and Busses. Hundreds of Track Presets included.

Track Icons -- provides quick visual cues when recording and mixing. Track Icons can be assigned to any track or bus and stored per-project, per-Track Preset, and globally. Track Icons can be independently toggled on/off from Track, Console, and Track Inspector Views; Track Icons are also customizable, users can easily add their own Track Icons using Windows Bitmaps (BMPs).

Music Notation -- integrated notation tools for the creation and printing of musical scores. Record and transcribe performances using any MIDI instrument, or just point and click to edit notes directly on the staff. Print up to 24 staves per page with chord charts and symbols, lyrics, dynamic markings, and more.

ReWire 2.0 -- allows access to additional instrument sounds by patching Project5, Kinetic, Reason, ReBirth, and other popular ReWire compatible instruments right into the SONAR Home Studio Synth Rack. Also adds advanced audio recording, mixing, and editing capabilities to Kinetic or Reason.

Powerful Editing Tools -- perform non-destructive edits on multiple clips simultaneously: nudge, roll out groove clips, add/edit fades, change the tempo and pitch, preview, move, extend or cut certain sections; add track envelopes; normalize or reverse the audio; unlimited undo/redo; multi-track piano roll; and Multi-port Drum Editor.

Loop Construction -- the same powerful loop editing and composition capabilities found in SONAR 4 with slice-based envelope control of gain, pitch, pan; slice preview and auto-loop simplifies marker placement/adjustments.

Cakewalk Loops -- hundreds of ACID and MIDI loops from leading manufacturers PowerFX, SmartLoops, and X-MiX. Rock, Hip Hop, Dance, and Electronica styles all included.

Additional features powered by SONAR 4 Technology - SONAR Home Studio Version 4 also includes many of the same features found in SONAR 4 including: customizable console, color schemes, layouts, toolbars, and keyboard commands; professional project file management tools: per project audio directories, consolidate project files for fast backup, search for associated files; Windows AVI and MPEG video support for scoring soundtracks, and adding sound effects to band videos or home movies.

SONAR Home Studio Version 4 XL

SONAR Home Studio Version 4 XL is the premium-edition of SONAR Home Studio that ships with additional instruments, effects, and loop libraries. SONAR Home Studio Version 4 XL includes:

• RXP DXi is the new tempo-syncing drum machine and groove box that plays REX and SFZ loops, as well as single hits. RXP DXi features hit and loop preview pads, built-in multimode filter and envelopes, drag-and-drop (drag REX files in/drag MIDI out).
• Square I DXi analog modeling synthesizer features warm and classic vintage analog synth sounds--designed for the serious music enthusiast. Easy layout with abundant high quality sounds.
• PowerFX Dyad DXi Sampler is the advanced SF2 (soundfont) sample player with powerful tools for sound manipulation.
• Reverb XL is based on the critically acclaimed Sonitus:fx technology found in SONAR 4 Producer Edition. Reverb XL provides a range of lush reverbs from subtle plates to grand cathedrals. Clean and intuitive user interface with full parameter automation and built-in Preset Manager.
• Content CDs -- two additional CDs of content are also included: CD two contains a library of unique and versatile samples from PowerFX. CD three contains hundreds of high quality REX and ACID format loops from Loopmasters and SmartLoops.

Pricing and Availability

SONAR Home Studio Version 4 has a manufacturer suggested retail price (MSRP) of $149 U.S.; SONAR Home Studio Version 4 XL is $229 U.S. (MSRP), and begins shipping July 27, 2005. All registered Home Studio customers can upgrade to SONAR Home Studio Version 4 for $59.00 U.S. Existing Home Studio XL customers can upgrade to SONAR Home Studio Version 4 XL for $59.00 U.S.