Cakewalk came to the SOS offices recently to give us a sneak preview of the latest version of Sonar. Sonar X1, which should be available shortly, incorporates a number of useful new features, many of which are designed to make working with the sequencer easier.Most visible of these is a new concept that Cakewalk call Skylight, which comprises a number of enhancements to Sonar’s user interface. A new window, the MultiDock, can be set to show any of Sonar’s views, including the Console, Arrange view, Piano Roll Editor, and even synth and effect interfaces. The window can be collapsed or expanded, and is designed to help minimise the need to switch between multiple windows when working. Cakewalk also say that it is ideal for people working with multiple monitors, as the MultiDock can be placed on a separate monitor so that frequently accessed views are always visible.
Then there’s the Inspector pane, which displays data on clips, tracks and channels (whichever you have selected). With a channel highlighted, the Inspector will show not only the full channel strip (including effects and sends), but also that channel’s output bus. The Inspector, like the MultiDock, can be expanded, collapsed, left floating or ‘docked’ to the top, bottom, left or right of the screen (the same is now true of all of Sonar’s views and windows).
A Browser window has been incorporated, and this works in a similar way to the browsers that can be found in PreSonus’ Studio One and Ableton’s Live. It allows you to quickly find and audition a wide range of files, plug‑ins and presets, including virtual instruments and effects, audio and MIDI files, track templates, song templates, and even entire projects. These can all be dragged and dropped from the browser into your current project — indeed, Cakewalk say that drag‑and‑drop functionality has been enhanced throughout Sonar, so you can now drag effects from the browser, from one channel to another, or even to individual audio clips. Another new addition is the Effects Chain, which allows you to group complex chains off effects, which can then be moved around your project (and dragged and dropped from the browser) in exactly the same way as a single plug‑in.
Also new to Sonar X1 is the Smart Tool. A context‑sensitive tool, this aims to reduce the amount of tool‑changing needed by adapting its function depending on where the mouse is pointing (so you can cut, select and move items without switching tools). For those occasions where you do need to select a different tool, however, there’s also a new Tool HUD (head‑up display). This small floating window allows you to select any available tool (including the Smart Tool), and can be dragged anywhere on your screen, or be made to hide or appear with a single keystroke.
Keyboard shortcuts have also been overhauled, and are now grouped around something called an Alpha Key, a key (normally a letter) around which all shortcuts for similar tasks are based. So, for example, pressing ‘L’ when you have a clip selected enables Looping for that clip. Pressing Shift+L sets the loop points to match your current Selection (a section of the time bar, or a group of clips, for example), while pressing Ctrl+L enables Groove Clip Looping for a selected audio clip.
As you can see, most of the enhancements are geared towards making Sonar easier and faster to work with, but there are some sonic treats thrown in with the latest version, most notably the Pro Channel. This can be instantiated on any channel or bus, and comprises a compressor, an EQ and a valve saturation emulator. There are two compressor types available, and by default, when the Pro Channel option is switched on for a channel, the compressor will be the PC76, an emulation of the classic FET levelling amplifier (no prizes for guessing which one!). When instantiated on a bus, however, the default compressor is one that Cakewalk call the PC4K S-Type, which is based on the famous bus compressor found in consoles from a well‑known UK mixer manufacturer. The compressor can be switched between either type, however, whether inserted over a bus or a channel.
The Pro Channel also features Gloss EQ, a six‑band parametric EQ that can work in three different modes: Pure, Vintage and Modern. The control layout is similar to what you’d see on a mixer or channel strip, but EQ bands can also be adjusted using the graph that sits above the controls. The bands are configured as follows: there are two shelf/bell bands, four bell/notch bands, and two fully parametric filters (one high‑pass and one low‑pass). In addition, a button labelled Gloss provides “one‑button shine”, a slight ‘smile’ EQ curve designed to make things sound more exciting and up‑front.
The saturation option can be switched on or off on a per‑channel basis, and features two drive algorithms. The accompanying Drive control, meanwhile, ranges from “simple drive to full saturation”.
A routing section in the Pro Channel allows you to place the valve saturation, compressor and EQ in any order. The entire Pro Channel can also be switched between pre‑ and post‑insert operation.
Sonar X1 is available in three different versions, at three different price points. The ‘full‑fat’ Sonar X1 Producer comes with all the bells and whistles, including the aforementioned Pro Channel, Session Drummer 3, Dimension Pro, Mastering Effects suite and True Pianos. Sonar X1 Studio, meanwhile, dispenses with the Pro Channel and some of the soft synths mentioned above, but is otherwise exactly the same as the Producer edition, and so should suit people who already have a collection of plug‑ins and synths and therefore don’t need some of the extras supplied with Producer. Sonar X1 Essential is the leanest version, and is compatible only with 32‑bit versions of Windows (both the Producer and Studio versions will work on either 32‑ or 64‑bit operating systems). It has a maximum track count of 64, and includes some of Sonar’s basic content (including the Essential Instruments collection), as well as features like the Matrix view and Step Sequencer. For details about pricing, call Roland UK, or see the Sonar X1 web site.
