Big news for SONAR users, as well as for Windows users looking for a new DAW playform: Cakewalk has announced SONAR X1. The new version of the venerable program puts a great amount of focus on the user interface and workflow, making composing, recording, editing, mixing, and creating more streamlined and intuitive. Chief among the new features accomplishing this is Skylight, a new window organization and “workspace” feature that allows screensets, docking, modular controls, a browser, an inspector, and more. The Control Bar has been redesigned for easier navigation, and “Smart Tools” allow fewer tools to work more consistently across views and windows. Keyboard shortcust have been reorganized into “clusters” of related tasks, and so on. The new ProChannel is a complete channel strip with console EQ, compression, variable “tube” stage, drag-and-drop routing, presets, 64-bit audio and computing resolution, and much more.
- SONAR X1 Producer includes ProChannel, Session Drummer, mastering effects, True Pianos, Dimension Pro, and everything else available.
- SONAR X1 Studio includes 64-bit operation, plus “options” such as Rapture, V-Vocal, and more.
- SONAR X1 Essential is a 32-bit version at an affordable price.