Academic Cakewalk Sonar 8 Studio Edition Music Production System
(Scroll to bottom for System Requirements)

Cakewalk Sonar 8 Studio Edition Music Production System gives you what you need for recording, composing, editing, mixing, and mastering. Get innovations that matter, from exclusive features to ignite creativity and perfect your tracks, to groundbreaking technologies that always keep you in control, all backed by the industry's leading 64-bit audio quality.

Cakewalk Sonar 8 Studio Edition Music Production System delivers the go-to production tools you want with the best collection of virtual instruments, mixing, and mastering effects found in any DAW.  With unlimited tracks, amazing creative tools, inspiring virtual instruments, the freedom to work with any audio interface or control surface, and the most complete delivery capability for collaboration with users of other DAWS, award-winning Cakewalk Sonar 8 Studio Edition Music Production System is your best choice in a digital audio workstation.

Creating with Cakewalk Sonar 8 Studio Edition Music Production System
Sonar 8 Studio is the only DAW that offers one-of-a-kind music creation tools that actually help in the songwriting process. Whether you are searching for new ideas or looking to add musical parts to existing songs, Sonar 8 can help you break through those creative blocks.

Creating Features:
-Start producing quickly with over 400 track and project templates that instantly load your favorite sounds
  -Includes templates for audio tracks, virtual instruments, and entire projects
  -Save your own template to recall at any time
-Make beats and synth lines with a dedicated Step Sequencer
  -Sequence up to 16 steps per beat with 64 beats per pattern
  -Supports odd time signatures (non 4/4 meters)
  -Features a powerful "Fit Pattern to Quarters" control that fits patterns into lengths of any number of quarter notes for creation of
    polyrhythmic parts (5 against 4 rhythms, hemiolas, septuplets, etc.)
  -Control velocity offset and scale values in an entire row all at once
  -MIDI controller automation drawing
  -More: step ties; monophonic/polyphonic toggle switch; global portamento toggle switch with time control; swing and articulation controls
-Includes a critically-acclaimed suite of 14 virtual instruments
  -Use input quantize to record in perfect time
  -Instrument Tracks optimized for mono or stereo virtual synths simplifies the process of working with virtual instruments
  -Multi-track method of using virtual instruments employed by previous versions of Sonar still supported
  -Split and combine instrument tracks to/from discrete audio/MIDI tracks
-Build audio and MIDI tracks fast using Groove Clips and the redesigned Loop Explorer
  -Perfect for building backing tracks for your songs
  -Browse and preview audio and MIDI groove clips and patterns
  -Quickly drag and drop loops and patterns into the track view
  -MIDI groove clips and patterns can be previewed with the virtual instrument of your choice
-Support for VST, DXi and ReWire instruments and application

Recording with Cakewalk Sonar 8 Studio Edition Music Production System
Sonar 8 Studio provides the most comprehensive recording features of any DAW on the market today. It's designed to meet the needs of even the most demanding professional—whether recording a solo performance, a band, or even an orchestra. Click here for specs.

Recording Features:
-Capture all of your ideas with unlimited tracks of audio and MIDI
-Edit audio and MIDI fast and inline right in the track view
-Record at virtually any bit depth/sample rate up to 24-bit/384 kHz
-Record an entire performance at once with support for multichannel audio interfaces
-Faster I/O Assignment provides a quick way to set a series of consecutive inputs/outputs, set selected tracks to same input/output, and
  assign multiple bus outputs to same main
-Connect any Windows-compatible MIDI devices, control surfaces, and WDM or ASIO audio interfaces
-Experience high track counts with low latency performance
-ASIO latency compensation to keep new recordings in perfect sync with your project
-Stereo and mono hardware outputs for flexible routing options
-Live Effects and Soft Synth Recording—play and record effects and soft synths into audio tracks in realtime using Sonar's live bounce
  feature
-Anytime Recording—while the Sonar transport is running or looping, arm/unarm audio and MIDI tracks, punch in, punch out, and toggle
  between play and record
-New responsive Transport for on-the-fly recording
-Get more out of your PC with industry-pioneering multi-core/multi-processor support
-Record longer projects with support for 2+ GB Sony Wave-64 files—Sonar has also been optimized for high-bandwidth multitrack recording
-File Recovery mode—while not a substitute for good backup practices, File Recovery Mode may be able to open damaged projects with
  minimal data loss, preserving your valuable data

Editing with Cakewalk Sonar 8 Studio Edition Music Production System
Sonar 8 Studio offers precision editing tools you won't find in any other DAW. Whether you're editing audio or MIDI, it's easy to make pinpoint edits and fix issues you didn't think were possible.

Editing Features:
-Manipulate the timing and feel of audio, just like MIDI, with AudioSnap
  -Quantize and fix audio timing without slicing up or destructively editing your audio
  -Quantize one part at a time or even an entire project at once
  -Quantize an out-of-time track to follow an in-time track
  -Convert audio beats to MIDI Groove and quantize MIDI notes with audio rhythms or even extract rhythmic MIDI information from audio
    and paste it into a track
  -Slip Stretch and non-destructively time compress or expand your audio's duration.
  -Elastic Tempo allows you to change the tempo or draw in changes from the Tempo View with all selected audio tracks following the
    project tempo
-Assemble the perfect take from Track Layers using powerful comping and editing tools
-Clip Group Editing—edit multiple tracks at once across multiple tracks or folders
-Clip Selection Groups—groups clips together across tracks after each recording pass—perfect for comping any multitrack ensemble
  performance—especially drum takes
-Aim Assist Cursor—visual guide to assist in lining up multiple tracks for precision editing
-Split and Mute Tools can now edit multiple clips simultaneously
-Free Edit Tool for allows you to edit by clips or by time without the need of a modifier key
-Streamline your workflow and project organization with Track Folders
-Use the Navigator Pane to get a birds eye view of your project, quickly zoom in and out to make quick edits, and scroll through your
  project with ease
-Freeze audio and instrument tracks for optimal performance; frozen audio data can be edited for added convenience
-Streamline your workflow and project organization with Track Folders
-Use X-Ray to temporarily make plug-ins and views in Sonar transparent
-Fast Zoom
  -Use your mouse wheel or shortcut keys to jump from a birds-eye view of your project to a high magnification instantly
  -Quickly jump back to previous views without losing your place
-Mouse Wheel
  -Use your mouse wheel to scroll and zoom horizontally and vertically in the Track View or Piano Roll
  -Adjust any of Sonar's controls
-Clip-based effects and editing
  -Audio and MIDI clips contain full-featured FX bins with automatic delay compensation
  -Copy effects from clip to clip, clip to track, or track to track
  -Apply fades and effect automation to selected audio clips—specify the fade duration and curve type
  -Clips can lock to time (including SMPTE), and can even be slip-stretched to a new length
-Nudge
  -Vertically and horizontally within the Track and Piano Roll views
  -Customize nudge with multiple configurable resolutions and shortcut key
-Quickly edit MIDI with state of the art Smart MIDI Tools
  -Perform multiple MIDI operations without the need to switch tools, expediting your editing session
  -Includes three preconfigured Smart MIDI Tools; the default tool can be used to draw, select, erase, and edit notes and controllers.
  -Create your own Smart MIDI Tool presets by selecting from 20 different mouse actions and assigning them to edit functions such as
    slip-editing and transposition
  -New MIDI editing features including split, glue, event mute, and drag quantize
  -Control specific edit behaviors: change the way draw and erase works, it's all user-definable
  -Custom Smart MIDI Tool assignments can be saved as presets and apply to both the Piano Roll View and the Inline Piano Roll
  -Smart MIDI tools feature presets that match MIDI operations in applications such as Logic, Cubase, and Digital Performer
-MIDI Magnifier
  -Work with MIDI in-place, even when zoomed out
  -MIDI Magnifier allows you to quickly zoom in on isolated areas and make edits without changing the overall zoom level of the view in
    which you are working
-Velocity Colorizer
  -Provides improved visual feedback to the user
  -Notes are tinted depending on velocities for easier identification
-MIDI Meters
  -Standard MIDI Meters in the Track and Console view respond to MIDI velocity information
  -MIDI activity indicators respond any MIDI activity
-Multiple Controller Lanes
  -Multiple MIDI parameters can be displayed simultaneously within the Piano Roll View (PRV) in a multi-lane format
  -Easier than ever to edit and view MIDI data such as velocity, modulation, pitch bend and CCs
  -Controller data can also be moved and copied across lanes
  -Make precise comparisons and edits of multiple controller types by assigning controllers to the same lane
-MIDI Input Quantize
  -Time-align MIDI input as it is recorded to a track, and hear and see the effect of the quantization as soon as the track is looped or
    played back
  -Per-track quantize settings with presets makes recording MIDI parts easier
-Snap to Scale
  -Quickly make MIDI tracks conform to the pitches of a specified scale
  -Many modes, altered scales, pentatonic, and non-western scales available
-Drag Quantize
  -Select notes then drag up to quantize them closer to the grid
  -Drag down to move them away from the grid
-New MIDI Edit Functions
  -Split Notes, Glue Notes, Event Mute, Drag Quantize, and Repeat have been added to the MIDI tool palette

Control with Cakewalk Sonar 8 Studio Edition Music Production System
Sonar 8 Studio gives you deep control over virtual instruments, mixing, and more with innovative breakthroughs like Active Controller Technology.

Control Features:
-Active Controller Technology
  -Get total control of virtual instruments, effects, and mixing from MIDI controllers and control surfaces
  -ACT eliminates the common workflow bottleneck of constantly remapping parameters by re-mapping to whichever plugin you have open
  -Use preset mappings or create your own custom mappings
  -Sonar 8 includes new updated ACT presets mappings for popular MIDI devices and controllers
-Support for Control Surfaces and MIDI Controllers made by popular manufacturer's like Edirol, Mackie, Euphonix, Frontier Design, and more
-Transport Updates including True Rewind, Fast Forward and Pause Buttons; Audition Button
-Anytime Recording—while the Sonar transport is running or looping, arm/unarm audio and MIDI tracks, punch in, punch out, and toggle
  between play and record
-Automatically sync visible/hidden tracks between the Track View and Console View
-Synth Rack
  -Control the instruments in your project from one easy to manage window.
  -Find instruments quickly with customizable Synth Icons
  -Display customized controls for each instrument, putting the most needed controls right at your fingertips for easy adjustment and
    automation
  -Access parameters of all instruments loaded in the rack without having to expand individual plug-in windows
  -Achieve creative and dynamic sound design by linking controls of multiple synths together with Sonar's advanced grouping options
  -Quickly toggle through presets to find the right sound
  -Mute, solo, arm, and automate your instruments
  -Freeze synths to conserve CPU resources
  -Insert and delete instruments dynamically during playback, with undo/redo capability
-Create custom toolbars with all the features you need immediate access to
-Configurable Track View Controls
  -Make the best use of your workspace by re-organizing or hiding Track View controls
  -Call up different control configurations by simply clicking on customizable tabs
-Configurable Track Inspector gives you detailed information and control of any selected track
-Display multiple time rulers simultaneously; Options include Measure:Beat:Tick, Hours:Minutes:Seconds:Frames, Samples, Milliseconds
-Change the names of your audio and MIDI inputs and outputs for easy organization
-Customize all of Sonar's menus; hide items you never use; rename menu items; create different layouts
-Organize your plug-in menu to make finding the right plug-ins easier
-User-customizable color schemes let you adjust virtually every aspect of the interface

Mixing with Cakewalk Sonar 8 Studio Edition Music Production System
Sonar 8 Studio offers the perfect mixing environment for any professional engineer. Sonar's industry-first, end-to-end, 64-bit double precision floating point mix engine allows you to mix with sonic clarity using a suite of versatile effects, powerful mixing tools, and endless routing possibilities.

Mixing Features:
-Retain every nuance of your mix with the industry's leading 64-bit audio engine
  -Sonar achieves this unmatched level of audio quality by providing spacious amounts of headroom and footroom through extended
    dynamic range
  -Realize more definition in your mix through the improved summing and pristine digital signal path provided by 64-bit mixing
  -Sonar's unique mix engine maintains the 64-bit signal path from track to plug-in to bus, making it possible to retain absolute integrity of
    your audio throughout the production process, even when passing information to and from plug-ins
  -Features native support for 64-bit floating point audio files, allowing you to import, stream, and render tracks and mixes at the highest
    quality available in the industry
  -Sonar's 64-bit mix engine is seamless and accessible even on 32-bit computers
-Mix with a versatile Console view that looks and acts just like hardware
  -The Console View controls, metering, and layout make mixing fast and enjoyable
  -Parametric EQ is available on every track and bus, and each EQ can be controlled directly from its track strip
  -See the EQ state of every track with integrated EQ plot displays
  -Show or hide tracks, busses or mains with simple controls
  -Copy EQ settings across tracks via a simple drag and drop of EQ plots
-Choose from a suite of 42 professional grade audio effects and 7 MIDI FX
-Integrate DX & VST effects with Automatic Delay Compensation
-External Hardware support
  -Easily integrate external hardware effects and MIDI instruments with Automatic Delay Compensation
  -Latencies for external hardware will automatically be measured and compensated through Sonar's plug-in delay compensation (PDC)
  -External Insert plug-in for outboard gear appears in Sonar's plug in menu where it can be inserted into the audio FX bin on any track or
    bus
-Use Track Icons to visually organize your mix
-Get precise visual feedback from user-configurable meters with adjustable ballistics
-Take advantage of Sonar's infinitely flexible Universal Bus Architecture
  -Unlimited sends and busses, and limitless routing possibilities, make organizing, grouping and mixing your projects simpler
  -Quick Groups provide you with on-the-fly grouping of track or bus controls with a simple click of a selector on each track/bus you want to
    group
  -Bus Inputs QuickGroup Command automatically groups all source tracks feeding a selected bus
-Internal sidechaining
  -More flexibility and control over mix processes and creative options for key-triggered sound effects
  -Effectively avoid the clashing of multiple instruments occurring in the same frequency range
  -Common uses include "Ducking" which is a technique used in radio broadcast
  -Sidechain the Sonitus:fx Compressor, Sonitus:fx Gate, VC-64 Vintage Channel, and all sidechain compliant VST processors such as those
    available from Voxengo and Sonalksis
-Dim Solo mode isolates soloed tracks by applying a configurable -6, -12, or -18 dB dim to non-soloed tracks instead of a complete mute
-New Exclusive Solo Mode with Solo Override forces soloing to one track/bus at a time and prevents tracks and buses from being muted
    when other tracks/buses are soloed
-Analyst plug-in
  -Real-time spectrum analyzer with a number of display options, including spectrum color bars, cumulative averages, minimums and
    maximums, and a built-in Sonograph mode
  -Analyst can create automation envelopes based on the average levels of four frequency ranges
-BitMeter plug-in
  -See the benefits of Sonar's 64-bit audio engine in action
  -Monitor the digital activity of your audio stream and view output word length, dynamic range, signal peaks, and more to analyze the
    quality of your digital signal
-Envelope Automation
  -Get complete, sample accurate control over all aspects of your mix, effect, and instrument parameters with Tempo Synced envelope
    automation
  -Drawing options include freehand and multiple curve types—get virtually any sound you can imagine
-Use Control Surfaces and even MIDI controllers to get hands on control of your mix—use Active Controller Technology to automatically
    map or remember custom settings
-Exclusive Solo mode with Solo Override forces soloing to one track/bus at a time and prevents tracks and buses from being muted when
    other tracks/buses are soloed
-Use Dim Solo Mode to isolate soloed tracks by applying a configurable -6, -12, or -18 dB dim to non-soloed tracks instead of a complete
    mute
-Mono hardware outputs allow for easy assigning of tracks and buses to individual hardware outputs in addition to stereo pairs
-Insert Send Assistant provides a fast and easy way to create effect busses and insert sends to new or existing busses
-Find and correct mix problems as they occur with Bus Waveform Preview

Mastering with Cakewalk Sonar 8 Studio Edition Music Production System
Sonar 8 Studio allows you to deliver the final polish to your tracks with high-end effects that were designed specifically for the task of mastering.

Mastering Features:
-Boost 11 Peak Limiter
  -Look-ahead peak detection to prevent clipping
  -Program Dependent Release to minimize pumping
  -Dynamic waveform displays of input vs. output
  -Stereo peak and RMS input/output meters
  -Operation at sampling rates up to 192 kHz
  -64-bit double precision signal path
  -VST Automation

Sharing with Cakewalk Sonar 8 Studio Edition Music Production System
Sonar 8 Studio offers various options for collaborating with other studios as well as delivering to virtually any format including CD, video, surround, and even the web.

Sharing Features:
-Collaborate with other studios using DAWs like Pro Tools, Logic, Cubase and more
  -Export files to OMF
  -Export files to Broadcast WAV
-Import/export Sony Wave-64, AIF, CAF, FLAC, SD2 (Sound Designer II)
-Digital video import/export—support for the latest QuickTime 7 codecs, including H.264 and AAC audio; Windows Media Video (WMV)
  including Windows Media Pro; and AVI
-Right-click at cursor to import audio/MIDI data
-Use presets in the Export options section to deliver files in virtually any format: stems, mixes, bounces, and more
-Ensure pristine quality with Windowed Sinc sample rate conversion
-Enhanced Sample Rate Conversion now employs the same fast convolution engine as the LP-64 series 64-bit mastering plug-ins
-Integrated CD Ripping and Burning—import audio from CD directly into a Sonar project and burn multiple tracks to audio CDs right from
  within the application
-Integrated Cakewalk Publisher presents an innovative new tool to publish and present your music online
  -Simply drag files into Publisher to quickly create playlists
  -Build custom Flash-based audio players with choice of colors, size, layout, etc to match your web design
  -Support for album art: choose an image and URL for each song in your playlist
  -Includes FTP client to upload music and players directly to your website
  -XML generation to embed customized players on many websites (Myspace, etc.)

Cakewalk Sonar 8 Studio Edition Music Production System System Requirements*:
Minimum Requirements:
-Windows XP (32-bit)
-Intel Pentium 4 1.3 GHz or AMD Athlon XP 1500+ or higher
-RAM 512 MB
-Graphics (resolution, color depth)  1024 x 768, 16-bit color
-Hard Disk Space  200 MB for core program
-Hard Disk Type  Any
-MIDI Interface** Windows-compatible
-Audio Interface*** Windows-compatible
-Media Drive**** DVD-ROM, DVD+/-R, or DVD+/- RW Drive (Dual Layer-capable drive required for installation of Sonar 8 Studio content)
-Web Server Access*****  None

Recommended Requirements:
-Windows XP/Vista (32 and 64-bit), can be run on Mac OS X with Boot Camp
-Intel Pentium 4 2.8 GHz [EM64T] or AMD Athlon XP 2800+ or higher
-RAM 1 GB or higher
-Graphics (resolution, color depth)  1280 x 960, 24-bit color or higher
-Hard Disk Space  30 GB for program and content 
-Hard Disk Type  EIDE/Ultra DMA (7200 RPM) or SATA
-MIDI Interface** Windows-compatible
-Audio Interface*** Windows-compatible
-Media Drive**** DVD-ROM, DVD+/-R, or DVD+/- RW Drive (Dual Layer-capable drive required for installation of Sonar 8 Studio content)
-Web Server Access***** Available web server space with FTP access privileges 

* Sonar does not support Windows 95, 98, ME, NT, 2000 or XP x64
** Required to connect external MIDI devices
*** Required for audio playback. See Cakewalk.com/PCresource for a complete list of recommended audio devices
**** Sonar is presented on DVD media. DVD-ROM, DVD+/-R, or DVD+/- RW Drive required for installation.
*****Cakewalk Publisher requires you to have available web server space with FTP access privileges. An internet connection is required
           for music uploading. A broadband connection is recommended.