Cakewalk has announced SONAR Home Studio Version 4 and SONAR Home Studio Version 4 XL. Based on SONAR 4 technology, SONAR Home Studio brings the power of SONAR to musicians looking to take the first step into digital recording. SONAR Home Studio provides everything needed to take music from inspiration to finished CD.

SONAR Home Studio Version 4 Highlights:

• Record, edit, arrange, and mix 64 audio tracks and unlimited MIDI tracks.
• 24-bit, 192 kHz audio engine.
• 32-bit floating point audio engine.
• Dynamic Console view.
• Master Control Toolbar.
• Track Presets and Track Icons.
• Navigator view.
• Track Inspector.
• Project Navigator.
• Loop-based composition tools with enhanced loop construction toolset.
• Universal Bus Architecture (up to 16 busses simultaneously).
• Advanced MIDI routing & synth layering.
• Audio metronome.
• Confidence recording of audio, MIDI, and automation.
• Music Notation.
• PowerStrip multi-effects.
• Cakewalk Audio FX1 and Audio FX2 effects suites.
• Virtual Sound Canvas DXi.
• Dreamstation DXi.
• SFZ SoundFont player.
• ASIO, WDM, DirectX, DXi, VST, ReWire Support.
• Hundreds of megabytes of ACID-format loops.
• CD burning with included Cakewalk Pyro Express.

SONAR Home Studio Version 4 includes many of the same features found in SONAR 4 including: customizable console, color schemes, layouts, toolbars, and keyboard commands; professional project file management tools: per project audio directories, consolidate project files for fast backup, search for associated files; Windows AVI and MPEG video support for scoring soundtracks, and adding sound effects to band videos or home movies.

SONAR Home Studio Version 4 XL

SONAR Home Studio Version 4 XL is the premium-edition of SONAR Home Studio that ships with additional instruments, effects, and loop libraries. SONAR Home Studio Version 4 XL includes:

• RXP DXi - the new tempo-syncing drum machine and groove box that plays REX and SFZ loops, as well as single hits. RXP DXi features hit and loop preview pads, built-in multimode filter and envelopes, drag-and-drop (drag REX files in/drag MIDI out).
• Square I DXi - analog modeling synthesizer featuring warm and classic vintage analog synth sounds-designed for the serious music enthusiast. Easy layout with abundant high quality sounds.
• PowerFX Dyad DXi Sampler - the advanced SF2 (soundfont) sample player with powerful tools for sound manipulation.
• Reverb XL - based on the critically acclaimed Sonitus:fx technology found in SONAR 4 Producer Edition, Reverb XL provides a range of lush reverbs from subtle plates to grand cathedrals. Clean and intuitive user interface with full parameter automation and built-in Preset Manager.
• Content CDs - two additional CDs of content are also included: CD two contains a library of unique and versatile samples from PowerFX. CD three contains hundreds of high quality REX and ACID format loops from Loopmasters and SmartLoops.

SONAR Home Studio Version 4 has an MSRP of US$149; SONAR Home Studio Version 4 XL is US$229, and begins shipping July 27th, 2005. All registered Home Studio customers can upgrade to SONAR Home Studio Version 4 for US$59. Existing Home Studio XL customers can upgrade to SONAR Home Studio Version 4 XL for US$59.