Over the last few years, computers have made the quantum leap from “speedy” to “blazing fast.” Of course, much of this speed increase is a result of the availability of 64-bit processing. For those who only use their Macs and PCs for word processing, this turbo charging really doesn’t mean much, but for musicians, it means more simultaneous tracks, more realtime effects and more available virtual instruments. Another benefit is that monitoring and mixing can be done with near-zero latency.
The folks over at Cakewalk, whose products include SONAR 5, Dimension Pro and Rapture, want you to know how best to put the power of 64-bit computing to use in the real world. So they’ve devoted a whole page on their website specifically to 64-bit computing with Windows XP x64 Edition and the newest 64-bit Intel and AMD processors. You can go here and view an exclusive video produced by Intel and Microsoft and hosted by Cakewalk’s Brandon Ryan that gets right down to the nitty-gritty of 64-bit. Of particular interest is SONAR 5 running a monster project by film composer Shawn Clement that utilizes 17 virtual instruments, 42 effects, 150 tracks and full-screen video, all running on an Intel multicore workstation. You’ll also find a comprehensive list of 64-bit workstations, MIDI controllers, control surfaces and software with native x64 support and much, much more. This is a great resource. Thanks, Cakewalk!