MESSE: SONAR 2 Takes The Cake

US Or should that be biscuit? Whatever, it's very tasty 15/03/02

Buying Choices

Affilliate Links help support the site

Tucked away in a swanky and extremely civilised hotel suite, Cakewalk showed the latest version of SONAR. Version 2.0 is packed with new features and continues to deliver excellent features and value for money. Here's a run down of the main points:

Improved project and file management.
When starting a new project file, you can now specify the location of the .bun file as well as the recorded and processed audio files. Once your session is underway you can list all files included in the project while also allowing you to link to assets at a separate location - say a central library. You may then bring all assets into a single location for archiving.

Multi port drum mapping
It's now possible to create a kit from any number of physically separate sound sources, each sound having a port setting. Many new templates are supplied.

Enhanced DX-i 2 instrument support
With improved softsynth integration. All instruments now managed from a separate rack panel making setup and tweaking a simpler process.

Support for Rewire 2
Apparently Propellerheads have commended them for the best integration of Rewire they've seen so far.

Universal control surface support
Cakewalk have made many of SONARs parameter and menu item events accessable through MIDI controller,SYSEX and META events and sent the lot to the controller making people so you can expect to see setups coming soon from Motormix, Peavey, Kenton and many more to come. SONAR also sends parameter/track names out via MIDI for auto naming potential.

Acid import and export as well as much enhanced loop and sample editing with Cyclone available as a DXI instrument. One cool feature is the ability to play acid files as loops even when the sequencer is stopped.

Support for Yamaha's new OPT plug-in format. Cakewalk have been working closely with Yamah R+D on this.(see separate report) Expect to see editors for download as they come. According to the Cakewalk boys, SONAR aims to bring the studio together - it looks like they've done just that.

www.cakewalk.com

Cakewalk Social