Cakewalk® Releases SONAR 3 Producer Edition™,

Audio Engineering Society (AES), New York (October 10, 2003) —Cakewalk, developer of the best-selling music and sound software for Windows, releases SONAR 3 Producer Edition, the latest version of the industry-standard, software-based production environment.

SONAR 3 Producer Edition extends creativity with fast, intuitive controls that capture and excite inspiration; precise tools for accurate, effective real-time editing; and unparalleled customization, allowing for the fine-tuning of the studio to match your workflow.  SONAR 3 boasts over 100 new features and refinements that include: streamlined UI with all new Track and Console views; Universal Bus Architecture; gapless effects patching; VST/VSTi support; enhanced MIDI routing and synth layering; MIDI Groove Clips; multi-port MTC/MIDI sync transmission; confidence recording of audio, MIDI, and automation; VSampler 3.0 DXi; Ultrafunk Sonitus:fx Suite; and Lexicon® Pantheon™ Reverb.

Key SONAR 3 Features

• Streamlined User Interface
• Dynamic Console view with per channel 6 band parametric EQ and assignable FX controls
• Universal Bus Architecture
• Advanced MIDI routing & synth layering
• Track Inspector —optional vertical patch point and meter in Track view
• Support for VST effects & instruments through included Cakewalk VST Adapter
• ASIO & WDM compatibility
• Full delay compensation throughout signal path
• Multi-port MTC and MIDI sync transmission
• Confidence recording of audio, MIDI, and automation
• Full control over color schemes with multiple presets
• Patch effects, trim audio, and roll out loops without disrupting the audio stream
• ACID™ loop, MIDI Groove Clip, Project5™ pattern support 
• DX (28 included), DXi (4 included), MFX (13 included), ReWire, VST, VSTi support
• Integrate MIDI-compatible control surfaces 
• Import/export OMFI & Broadcast WAV 

Streamlined User Interface — completely streamlined for version 3.0 to offer unmatched ease-of-use, efficiency, and flexibility with one goal in mind: speeding users’ ideas to completion faster than ever before. Everything from control style and layout, toolbars, and even colors (with presets) have been updated, along with many usability improvements: per-track input echo toggle for monitoring live audio, MIDI on any combination of tracks; confidence recording for real-time display of audio waveforms, MIDI data, and automation regions while recording; and the new Track Inspector pane providing convenient access to all track/bus parameters, settings, and plug-ins which automatically updates to display the current track/bus/main, or can be “locked” to only display a specific track/bus/main.

Dynamic Console View — engineered to meet the needs of mixing professionals. All parameters can be automated on screen or remotely via hardware; integrated 6-band per-channel Ultrafunk Parametric EQ with plot display (Producer Edition exclusive); assignable Channel FX controls (Producer Edition exclusive) for quick access to plug-in and MIDI automation (up to four parameters per-channel, direct from console); flexible metering (peak, RMS, peak and RMS, pre-fader, post-fader, and pre-fader post effects); user-definable strip widths (narrow or wide); Dynamic Display Filtering to see all mix parameters or only the ones you need.

Universal Bus Architecture — the new completely configurable, dynamic bussing capabilities in the SONAR 3 environment. Route buses to other buses or to the main outputs; use buses for subgroups, effect sends, headphone mixes, alternate monitor mixes, and more; insert buses on the fly pre- or post-fader; mute and solo on all buses.

Enhanced MIDI Routing and Synth Layering — play multiple synths from one MIDI controller and route multiple controllers to multiple synths or MIDI devices; save MIDI configuration presets for instant recall; non-merged MIDI input ports, multi-track echo; transmit MTC and MIDI sync to multiple output ports.

Integrate DXi & VSTi Soft Synths and ReWire Clients — compose, orchestrate, and perform using SONAR 3’s integrated software synthesizers, or expand your studio with DXi and VST instruments, ReWire clients like Project5, or external MIDI synths. Includes: Audio Simulation's DreamStation™ 2.0 DXi, Cyclone DXi, EDIROL's Virtual Sound Canvas™ 2.0 DXi, SpeedSoft’s VSampler 3.0; ReWire clients and soft synths are directly routed through the extensive SONAR 3 bus architecture for enhanced processing and seamless integration with your mix.

The Lexicon® Pantheon™ Reverb — combines world-class Lexicon reverb with a simple and powerful interface to create an indispensable tool for your SONAR 3 Producer Edition recording system. Includes: 35 factory presets; plus a powerful editor for creating additional presets with: sixteen user-adjustable parameters; six reverb types including hall, chamber, plate, room, ambience, and custom; 16 and 24 bit compatible with sample rates up to 96kHz.

Ultrafunk Sonitus:fx Suite — The critically acclaimed Ultrafunk Sonitus:fx suite of automatable audio effects:
fx:compressor, fx:delay, fx:equalizer (parametric), fx:gate, fx:modulator,
fx:multiband (compressor), fx:phase, fx:reverb, fx:surround, fx:wahwah.

VSampler 3.0 DXi — The DXi version of this powerful digital sampler which offers extensive editing capabilities, matched by extreme ease-of-use, and support for industry standard sampling formats. Supports: AKAI S1000/S3000 CD and AKAI S5000/S6000 .AKP); SoundFonts (.SF2), HALion (.FXB, .FXP), Gigasampler (.GIG), Downloadable Sounds (.DLS), LM4 Drumkits, and WAV and AIF Samples; 4 LFOs & 4 freely assignable EGs; 4 step sequencers; full automation and project tempo sync; built-in effects; 255 voice polyphony; 16 stereo outputs. Also includes two CDs of professional sample content from MAZ Sound Tools.

Professional Content — SONAR 3 also includes content from leading sample and loops developers. Includes: MIDI Groove Clips (a SONAR 3 exclusive) from KEYFAX™ in folk, jazz, rock, blues guitar, and drums styles; and over 500 live percussion, drums, acoustic and electric guitar, bass, modern and vintage synth files from PowerFX™ and SmartLoops™.

SONAR 3 Studio Edition

SONAR 3 Studio Edition is a special version of SONAR 3 designed for project studios and aspiring professionals. SONAR 3 Studio Edition is built upon the same core engine and feature set of the SONAR 3 Producer Edition and includes the “LE” light version of the Lexicon® Pantheon™ Reverb. The SONAR 3 Studio Edition does not include per-channel EQs, assignable Channel FX controls, VSampler 3.0 DXi and Additional CDs of sample content, and Ultrafunk Sonitus:fx Suite.

Pricing and Availability

SONAR 3 Producer Edition has a manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) of $719 U.S.; SONAR Studio Edition is $479 U.S. (MSRP). Registered SONAR 2.x XL customers can upgrade to SONAR 3 Producer Edition directly through Cakewalk for $179; SONAR 2.x to SONAR 3 Studio Edition for $99. For more information, visit Cakewalk on the web at www.cakewalk.com; or call 617-423-9004.