A Sign Of The Times? Cakewalk Announces Sonar For Mac
Who'd have thought it? Cakewalk has announced SONAR OS X Alpha. They say that this Fall, a free Alpha version of SONAR OS X-which comes with a set of Cakewalk plug-ins and ProChannel modules, works with any Core Audio interface, and includes features like the award-winning Skylight User Interface and critically acclaimed ProChannel customizable channel strip-will become available to gauge the interest of doing a full Mac port. Cakewalk CTO Noel Borthwick, tells us, 'Ever since SONAR appeared, Apple users have been asking for a Mac version. We're excited to explore SONAR for OS X, and open up our award-winning Windows software to a brand new audience of music creators.'
Along with this free download, a dedicated forum will solicit feedback on the program and provide support. Pricing and Availability: SONAR OS X Alpha will be a free download and available officially only at. More information:. More From: CAKEWALK.
22-Oct-18. 05-Apr-18. 23-Feb-18. 21-Nov-17. 01-Feb-17.
Good news if you've been wanting to use Sonar on the Mac, then, but there's potentially something even better for PC users this summer. Cakewalk has also revealed that anyone who purchases or upgrades to Sonar Platinum between now and 31 August 2016 will get free lifetime updates of any future core features, enhancements and fixes. Good news if you've been wanting to use Sonar on the Mac, then, but there's potentially something even better for PC users this summer. Cakewalk has also revealed that anyone who purchases or upgrades to Sonar Platinum between now and 31 August 2016 will get free lifetime updates of any future core features, enhancements and fixes.
This is an interesting move. $499 for new buyers owning no prior version. Update prices run $399 to $199 depending on what you currently own. So for me, already owning Platinum, it would be $199. Prices good 'till Aug 31st. Will they sweeten the pot if I wait?
CW has a long history of doing so. But LIFETIME.I'd save the subscription fees from here on out.
Geez, wish I was younger Cakewalk has a long history of annual versions, then fairly recently went to a subscriber model - monthly for the most part. So this lifetime option is pretty radical for them - I would love to see their pro forma revenue stream spreadsheets that estimate what this new option will do for them over the next five years.they will have to replace the old revenue stream with something - new customers (they are also heralding a Mac version) and new add-on products (VST stuff, 'plus' versions, etc).will it be enough?? But the paranoid bird on my shoulder tweets, 'are they mortgaging their future for the benefit of a current short-term burst of revenue??' Loading up this big base of 'permanent' customers and then, what, selling the company?? Will Apple buy them now??? Actually, I've forgotten who owns them now - maybe it doesn't make that much difference?
Or all the difference?? I do get frustrated with Sonar - little bugs here and there that waste my time which is so limited (and therefore so precious) for music production. And some dead simple improvements that never seem to happen.
At the same time I am constantly amazed at it's depth of features. But I'm also envious of the smart, streamlined workflow built into platforms like Ableton and Reaper. I know all platforms have their strengths and weaknesses - and I so.do.NOT.want.to have to climb any new major learning curves for recording. I'll probably spring for this one and if Cakewalk undergoes some future unpleasant seismic shift, write it off and move over to Ableton or Reaper. (not really) Any thoughts, insights, rumors, inside info, yeas or neas out there? Nat whilk ii. I know all about it First, check out the third announcement.
Cakewalk is re-visiting older aspects of the program that need some love, like true 'ripple editing' to get rid of the archaic 'delete hole' function, pipelining in the audio engine to allow more plug-ins to load and minimize dropouts, and optimizing the comping and take management - which started off on the right foot, but hasn't been updated. Cakewalk is very much aware of some people's sentiment that 'I love the program and I'm not going to switch, but jeez, can't they fix long-standing bug of your choice? It really annoys me' and want to focus on fixing more of those underlying issues. For example I'm pushing hard for something like ACT 2.0 and some Matrix view improvements.
As to the financials, believe me, a lot of thought went into this. The proof of concept is FL Studio, which went to this model and it has worked for them. Cakewalk isn't following the same model completely, but the concept is the same. The reality is that a lot of SONAR users are still using X3, SONAR 8.5, etc. Because regardless of how good the latest version is, you can get the job done with older programs.
They could have been giving lifetime updates and it wouldn't have had any impact on the bottom line one way or the other. I believe Cakewalk's financial situation will also be helped by signing up new users. A more recent example is Windows 10, which does the same concept of core updates for free, and optional-at-extra-cost add-ones. One complaint about Cakewalk's updates was that they might contain something people already had, like Melodyne or Addictive Drums. That will no longer be an issue; you get program fixes and features, but if you want to buy other things, you get to choose what to buy. One other element I'd like to stress but don't want to go on about in the Cakewalk forums is that this is all part of a larger, more comprehensive plan. Gibson is very much committed to Cakewalk's success and while I don't want to minimize the importance of today's announcements, they're kind of like buying a cool car.
A Sign Of The Times Cakewalk Announces Sonar For Mac Free
You like the cool car, and it looks great.but where you drive it is what makes the car really interesting. 'Look at it this way: think of how stupid the average person is, and then realize half of 'em are stupider than that.' - George Carlin 'It shouldn't be expected that people are necessarily doing what they appear to be doing on records.' - Sir George Martin, All You Need Is Ears 'The music business will be revitalized by musicians, not the labels or Live Nation. When the musicians decide to put music first, instead of money, the public will flock to the fruits and the scene will be healthy again.'
- Bob Lefsetz. 'Look at it this way: think of how stupid the average person is, and then realize half of 'em are stupider than that.'
- George Carlin 'It shouldn't be expected that people are necessarily doing what they appear to be doing on records.' - Sir George Martin, All You Need Is Ears 'The music business will be revitalized by musicians, not the labels or Live Nation. When the musicians decide to put music first, instead of money, the public will flock to the fruits and the scene will be healthy again.' - Bob Lefsetz. As to the financials, believe me, a lot of thought went into this. The proof of concept is FL Studio, which went to this model and it has worked for them. Cakewalk isn't following the same model completely, but the concept is the same.
The reality is that a lot of SONAR users are still using X3, SONAR 8.5, etc. Because regardless of how good the latest version is, you can get the job done with older programs. They could have been giving lifetime updates and it wouldn't have had any impact on the bottom line one way or the other. I believe Cakewalk's financial situation will also be helped by signing up new users. Since CW always updates so often, I routinely skip versions.
Same thing I do with NI's Komplete. Also - downloading big updates takes a long time. Too much time spent fiddling with the computer, regardless of juicy new features. I'm still catching up with the 'new' stuff that showed up five versions back. A more recent example is Windows 10, which does the same concept of core updates for free, and optional-at-extra-cost add-ones. One complaint about Cakewalk's updates was that they might contain something people already had, like Melodyne or Addictive Drums.
That will no longer be an issue; you get program fixes and features, but if you want to buy other things, you get to choose what to buy. My guess is that CW has to pay 3rd-party outfits like Melodyne or Addictive Drums a certain amount that CW only recoups once some target number of paid updates is met. So that goes into the price of the updates - whether these 3rd-party products are needed or not by the users.
So yeah, uncouple some of the pricier 3rd-party stuff from the updates, fine by me. One other element I'd like to stress but don't want to go on about in the Cakewalk forums is that this is all part of a larger, more comprehensive plan. Gibson is very much committed to Cakewalk's success and while I don't want to minimize the importance of today's announcements, they're kind of like buying a cool car. You like the cool car, and it looks great.but where you drive it is what makes the car really interesting So look for newer new stuff is my takeaway. Ok, but remember, I would like a simpler musical life at this point. I think a lot of DAW users feel that way.
And thx for all the insider info. Nat whilk ii. My guess is that CW has to pay 3rd-party outfits like Melodyne or Addictive Drums a certain amount that CW only recoups once some target number of paid updates is met.
So that goes into the price of the updates - whether these 3rd-party products are needed or not by the users. So yeah, uncouple some of the pricier 3rd-party stuff from the updates, fine by me. I'm not involved in that aspect but I believe it's a licensing situation, so it's more like paying out royalties. The 'uncoupling' is one aspect of creating software that's more a la carte.