Cakewalk recently announced new versions of its SONAR Home Studio and SONAR Home Studio XL titles. Version 7 focuses on enhancing the user experience and simplifying the product interface. By streamlining the workflow and restructuring controls in an intuitive, logical order, SONAR Home Studio 7 users - especially those new to the product - will have an easy and fun first-time experience.

Both versions of SONAR Home Studio 7 also enhance the user experience with improved support through new tutorials in the Getting Started Guide, video tutorials, and a comprehensive online help guide.

New Version 7 Features:

• Streamlined user interface for better workflow.
• Enhanced Loop Explorer to find and audition both audio and MIDI loops.
• Workflow enhancements to help users quickly create new tracks and audio routings for better mixes.
• Instrument Tracks to demystify the soft synth experience.
• Tutorials to get users up and running quickly, even with no prior recording experience.

SONAR Home Studio 7 XL

SONAR Home Studio 7 XL adds greater value and functionality, incorporating additional music production features such as Studio Instruments while retaining previous popular elements such as Boost 11 Peak Limiter and Dimension LE.

Exclusive SONAR Home Studio 7 XL Features:

• Studio Instruments back-up band (individual VSTis for Drums, Electric Bass, Electric Piano, and String Section) with a new expansion pack from Digital Sound Factory.
• Dimension LE combining real and synthesized instrument sounds.
• Garritan Pocket Orchestra for Dimension LE providing high quality orchestral sounds.
• Studio Devil VGA+ Guitar Amp Simulator.
• Step Sequencer for programming drum parts and synth lines
• Boost 11 Peak Limiter for maximizing the punch of your final mix

Pricing and Availability

SONAR Home Studio 7 has a manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP) of $139 U.S., and $209 U.S. for Studio 7 XL. Both will begin shipping in October, 2008. Registered SONAR Home Studio 6 customers can upgrade to SONAR Home Studio 7 directly through Cakewalk for $59 U.S. Additional pricing and other upgrade paths are available, visit here for details.

SONAR Home Studio 7 and SONAR Home Studio 7 XL will ship with English, French and German printed documentation; the included electronic Quick Start guides will ship in these languages as well as Italian and Spanish.