Product Description

Sonar 8 Producer gives you what you need for recording, composing, editing, mixing, and mastering. Get innovations that matter, from exclusive features to ignite creativity and perfect your tracks, to groundbreaking technologies that always keep you in control, all backed by the industry's leading 64-bit audio quality. And Sonar 8 Producer delivers the go-to production tools you want with the best collection of virtual instruments, mixing, and mastering effects found in any DAW. Get hands on control of your mix, instruments, and effects with Active Controller Technology The best audio quality in the industry - end-to-end 64-bit audio, tracks, effects, busses, and export Amazing virtual instruments - Dimension Pro, Z3TA+, Rapture LE, True Pianos Amber, Beatscape Loop Performance instrument, 14 included instruments Awesome effects - VC-64 Vintage Channel, Guitar Rig LE, TL-64 Tube Leveler, TS-64 Transient Shaper, Lexicon Pantheon and PerfectSpace Convolution Reverbs, 42 effects in all Delivers your final master - LP-64 Linear Phase EQ, LP-64 Linear Phase Multiband, Boost 11 Peak Limiter, flexible export and delivery options Collaborate with studios who use other DAWs including Pro Tools, Logic Studio, Cubase, and others LP-64 Linear Phase Equalizer for mastering LP-64 Linear Phase Multiband Compressor for mastering TL-64 Tube Leveler VC-64 Vintage Channel with sidechaining capabilities V-Vocal 1.5 with Pitch to MIDI conversion Native Instruments Guitar Rig 3 LE Perfect Space Convolution Reverb Lexicon Pantheon Reverb Sonitus Surround Compressor Dimension Pro 1.2 virtual synthesizer with Classic Keys Expansion Pack TruePianos Amber VSTi Beatscape looping instrument Hollywood Edge Sound FX library for Dimension Pro Surround mixing in over 30 formats SurroundBridge technology to use stereo FX in surround

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #2843 in Software
• Brand: Cakewalk
• Model: SONAR 8 Academic
• Platforms: Windows Vista, Windows XP
• Format: CD-ROM
• Dimensions: 1.50 pounds

Features

• Start producing quickly with track templates that instantly load your favorite sounds
• Make beats and synth lines with a dedicated Step Sequencer
• Manipulate the timing and feel of audio, just like MIDI, with AudioSnap
• Assemble the perfect take from Track Layers using powerful comping and editing tools
• Get sophisticated mixes with flexible routing options, unlimited sends, internal sidechaining, external effect inserts and over 30 surround configurations

Customer Reviews

Pre-Eminent Windows-Based DAW Software
I've been a Cakewalk user for years, starting with their Pro Audio software and dating to when the company was known as 12-Tone Systems. Their software has only become better and better as the years have gone by. Sonar has been the best available Windows-based digital audio workstation software for a long time now - to the point where a fair number of producers and studios have migrated to Sonar from Pro Tools, not to mention a steadily increasing string of software and industry awards. (See Cakewalk's site for names, if interested.) And, of course, with Boot Camp, you can run Sonar native under Windows if you have a recent Intel-based Mac - running a Mac doesn't force you into Pro Tools for software at this level.

Be warned - if you are not heavily into audio, audio for video, MIDI, recording, sequencing, effects, looping, mastering, mixing, etc. - and possess the audio domain knowledge that all that entails, as well as a good understanding of the complexities of running full-on audio software from a technical standpoint - you can find yourself overwhelmed by this software, and you will be MUCH better off with Cakewalk's Home Studio version of Sonar. Sonar (particularly Producer) can be enormously complex, but that's not due to any design issues - quite the contrary! Rather, that's because it covers a vast array of audio activities, options, and capabilities. It is possible to use it simplistically, but I'd direct anyone with only those types of needs to simpler software suites.

On the other hand, if you do have the audio and technical knowledge, you'll find Sonar Producer is flexible, powerful, configurable, and responsive. It is also very stable and has been so for many versions now. Be aware that this type of software by its nature (high processing loads, need to control latency, timing control and issues among multiple devices and interfaces, etc.) can be compromised by PC setups optimized for multipurpose use.

The software comes with a terrific package of high-quality effects plug-ins. I've also found Cakewalk to have good customer service - one of the very, very few, in fact, where the response on customer service calls is as good as on sales calls. Cakewalk continues to improve the user interface with Sonar 8. Particularly welcome are edit changes, including multiple-clip edits, and optimizations targeted at running high track counts. Several instruments are included, and I'm particularly happy to see Dimension Pro, which includes Garritan Orchestral sounds, and TruePianos Amber. Your interests and activities will differ, of course (mini are Midi-heavy), and you should really look through the complete list of enhancements on Cakewalk's site. Enhancements for this version runs several pages long. This is a major upgrade from Sonar 7.

I do have one issue with Cakewalk, though I'm not knocking down the rating because of it as the software itself is too good. The problem is that Cakewalk hits their user base pretty hard on upgrade fees. You can pretty much count on having to spend a few hundred dollars per year to keep the software up to date if you take every version and keep your plug-ins up-to-date. I've always felt that companies should upgrade customers from the most recent versions for little or nothing if they have paid for a recent upgrade, at least for a download. There is some price tiering depending on what version you're running, but it's insufficient, in my opinion. At one point I unknowingly purchased an upgrade weeks before a new release - but Cakewalk still charged me the full upgrade price for the new version. That kind of pricing policy doesn't encourage customer loyalty. I understand that this is a minor issue for a pro or a studio, but Cakewalk also has a large installed base for Sonar Producer among non-pros.

My preference would be for Cakewalk to adjust their release approach to one of more incremental releases between major versions. It's far more disruptive to install a new version, taking on the setup and learning issues than it is to install incremental upgrades (Cakewalk does release some patches.). You do get what you pay for, however.

In addition to the software, buy a Sonar book or two, take the tutorials, hit one or two of Cakewalk's roadshows, and join a forum or two. There is a fairly steep learning curve with Sonar as with any other pro-level audio suite, the good news being there is a lot of support out there due to the market's embrace of Sonar.

Cakewalk continues to improve
I have used Cakewalk products for about 10 years now. I have always been impressed with how user-friendly their software is and it is great that a company out there makes PC-specific software. I have used other software and have found that Cakewalk's is the most logically (pun intended) set up.

I would suggest that if you buy this software you'd better have some foreknowledge of audio technology. Also, if you are just starting, then look at Sonar's Home Studio products first. They are much more affordable and can do much of what this product does minus the effects, soft synths, and processing power.

Also, you will need a powerful computer and audio interface to run this software. If you do buy this, make sure you invest in a high quality sound card too, otherwise what's the point? It'd be like buying a great stereo receiver and connecting it to two inch speakers, then wondering why it doesn't sound like the awesome stereo your neighbor has. You need the proper equipment to run this; it's not end-all-be-all product, and neither are the other DAW's.

I highly recommend this product. I have had great results using it, but it does require a lot of knowledge. I also highly recommend that you purchase a user guide to help exploit all this product can do. Check out "Sonar Power": they have always been helpful.

Basic Review
There are a lot of detailed reviews posted for Sonar 8 producer edition. Great job on the breaking down the product! I have used Cakewalk's products for home recording for several years. I have utilized Guitar Tracks Pro, Sonar 7, and now Sonar 8 PE. Basically, this product is outstanding for an amateur musician. Great quality at an affordable price. I would recommend getting the producer edition for the exclusive features such as V-vocal, Boost 11 and several more. I have my songs posted at [...] that I used the Sonar line to produce. Fill free to check out what can be accomplished using this program and a home pc.