Following the acquisition of certain assets and the complete set of intellectual property of Cakewalk Inc. from Gibson Brands on 2/23/18, BandLab Technologies announced the relaunch of SONAR as Cakewalk by BandLab - available free-to-download to all BandLab users worldwide.
As of Feb 21st 2018, information elsewhere on this website may no longer be accurate.
For the first time ever, automated mastering is being directly integrated into a DAW.
LANDR features sophisticated machine learning and a highly-adaptable artificial intelligence engine, but it is informed by profoundly human thought. The algorithms used to master are custom-tailored to your production style and genre, and are based directly on the techniques and skills of top-tier mastering engineers.
And it’s finally available directly in SONAR, and right on your desktop with the new LANDR app. Mastering can now be an immediate part of your production workflow — the desktop app offers end-to-end DAW integration for instant mastering with absolutely no effort, and all of your DAW exports can be automatically mastered.
The integration couldn’t be simpler. To master your track, simply choose “LANDR Master” as the file type when exporting your tracks from SONAR. As soon as you export your track, the LANDR desktop app will open automatically and start mastering. You’ll be able to listen to an instant free preview of your master, tweak a few settings, then choose your format for download.
LANDR is not intended as a replacement for a trained mastering engineer, but rather a production companion, another tool in your box. Use it to save time and money by quickly referencing your mix — LANDR allows you to instantly hear how your tracks will sound in a final state, at any point in time during production. Get a quick master of your demos before submitting them. Just composed a track while on tour? LANDR it and play it at your gig, tonight.
The age of automation is upon us. Time to get in on the ground floor.
You can start using LANDR today inside of SONAR. Just sign up for an account via SONAR to start getting free previews and two low-res MP3s per month (other subscription options available separately starting at $4/month). In addition, when you sign up today, you'll get 2 free WAV files in your first month at no additional charge.
LANDR is a tool designed by sound engineers, so although it employs artificial intelligence, it is guided by profoundly human thought. The LANDR team is comprised of leading sound engineers, signal processing specialists, record label owners, musicians and even an astrophysicist, all pursuing excellence in sound using cutting edge-technology.
The polish and balance achieved through the subtle adjustments of a skilled mastering engineer is not something we would ever diminish. There are some very talented engineers out there with exceptional ears, capable of brilliant work. It’s a beautiful art form, but there’s also a lot of science behind it, as our resident astrophysicist can attest. What we've designed is a tool that’s so easy and affordable to use, it just makes sense to try LANDR out first. If you’re unsure of the results, and can afford to invest more time, effort and money, then pro mastering may well be worth your while. Having a LANDR file as a reference can be a useful tool; along with your feedback it will guide a mastering engineer in the right direction.
Not at all. We've worked hard to avoid this kind of simplistic mastering and have created a highly responsive, sensitive and incredibly musical mastering engine. If you think that our masters still sound too loud, try adjusting the settings. Keep in mind that we’ve tuned the output based on real human testing, so LANDR is designed to give users what they want… and it’s listening and learning to all the feedback we throw at it, so it’s only going to get better.
LANDR is designed to be nearly foolproof, but, like any mastering service, or relationship, benefits from a little bit of breathing room.
First of all, make sure the master output isn't clipping. In fact, you should leave several dbs of headroom (keep the bouncing master level meters well below the red, ideally at -4 or -5dBs).
Secondly, avoid compression, limiting or EQ on the master output of your final mix. Only apply these processes if you feel they are musically essential, and try a version where they are left out completely.
Finally, export your mix at the highest possible bit depth (ex: 24bit) and sample rate (ex: 48kHz). This shouldn’t make a huge difference over 16bit / 44.1kHz, but the more resolution LANDR has to read from, the more precisely it will make its adjustments.