Cakewalk Sonar

Notable features

Sonar's features included:

• Record and manipulate an amount of multi track digital audio limited by hardware only
• Record and manipulate MIDI data
• Apply any DirectX special effects, such as reverberation and delay
• Automate the process of mixing audio
• Use virtual instruments, such as software: synthesizers, samplers, and drum machines
• Connect to other multimedia applications via Rewire
• Some versions included a 64-bit mastering suite

Video and audio formats

Sonar provided limited facilities for video, surround sound (5.1, 7.1), and supported .avi, .mpeg, .wmv, and .mov files. Sonar had the ability to show videos as thumbnails contained in a separate track.{{Cite web

Various audio export options (including 64-bit masters) were AIFF, AU, CAF, FLAC, RAW, SD2, W64 (Sony Wave64), and WAV (Microsoft).

Starting with version 6, Sonar could take advantage of 64-bit internal processing, a 64-bit audio engine, and a 64-bit mixer on 64-bit versions of Windows Vista and Windows 7. Before the introduction of Sonar X2 in October 2012, the entry-level Essential versions of Sonar (Sonar Home Studio and Sonar Essential) were 32-bit only. With Sonar X2, the full program family became native 64-bit.

Starting with Sonar Platinum (February 2015), releases moved to a monthly cycle, with new features and demo products introduced with each update.

Discontinuation and Relaunch

On 17 November 2017, parent company Gibson announced that it was ceasing active development and production of Cakewalk branded products, including all versions of SONAR. After 30 years of existence, Cakewalk, Inc. ceased operation, with only the company's web forum and license authorization servers still functional.

On 23 February 2018, Singapore-based BandLab Technologies announced its purchase of some of Cakewalk, Inc.’s assets and all of its intellectual property. BandLab's stated goal was continued development of the former company's flagship product, SONAR (now renamed Cakewalk by BandLab), as part of its portfolio of freeware digital audio workstation software.

In 2023, BandLab announced that the SONAR name would be revived for an updated version of Cakewalk by Bandlab, and that the new product would no longer be freeware.

References

References

1. "Cakewalk Sonar 3".
2. "Cakewalk Sonar 4".
3. "Cakewalk Sonar 5".
4. "Cakewalk Sonar 6".
5. "Cakewalk Sonar 7".
6. "Cakewalk Sonar 8".
7. "Cakewalk Sonar X1".
8. "Cakewalk Sonar X2".
9. "Cakewalk SONAR X3 Review".
10. "Cakewalk Sonar Platinum Music Production Software : Musical Instruments".
11. "Cakewalk Sonar Platinum".
12. (17 November 2017). "Gibson Brands announcement regarding Cakewalk, Inc.". Cakewalk.
13. (2018-02-23). "BandLab Acquires Cakewalk Assets from Gibson".
14. (2018-04-04). "Sonar now free, renamed 'Cakewalk by BandLab'".
15. (6 June 2023). "BandLab confirms that it plans to discontinue its current free Cakewalk DAW and bring back a new version of Sonar".