Cakewalk has announced that SONAR X1 is now shipping and available the world over from Roland distribution partners and via Cakewalk.com.

SONAR X1's user interface design speeds up workflow and provides a clean and modern creation environment. At the heart of the new SONAR is Skylight, introducing "a next generation workspace that ushers in a new level of simplicity, by providing an intelligent interface that moves beyond contemporary, single-window design and layout clutter".

Skylight:

• Takes full advantage of today's high-resolution displays and multi-monitor setups.
• Hide, dock, collapse or expand any of SONAR X1's views instantly.
• Dock any view top, bottom, left or right.
• Dock any or all views into the powerful MultiDock.
• Float any view and maximize to multiple monitors - even the MultiDock itself.
• See through stacked windows and work directly on underlying objects with X-Ray.
• Access all tool functions instantly and ergonomically with the floating tool HUD.
• Recall any window configuration instantly - just the way you left it.

The four main components of the Skylight interface

I. Control Bar - Where you access crucial functions quickly and clearly with a new modular design.

• Vital controls front and center.
• Fully collapsible, expandable, dockable and floatable.
• Modules logically group related functions.
• Arrange the layout of modules to suit your desire - just drag and drop.
• Sensible layout lets you concentrate more on your music and less on finding things.
• Screensets one of the Control Bar modules, remembers every window position, size, and state. Screensets are user definable and ready-to-go for just about any production scenario imaginable.

II. Browser - Where all content is organized in one, easily managed place with full drag and drop functionality. Fully resizable, collapsible, dockable, and floatable with user-definable preset locations. Finding just the right musical element has never been faster or easier.

Quickly view, organize and audition:

• VST and DX plug-in effects.
• VST and DX virtual instruments.
• MFX MIDI effects.
• Custom plug-in layouts.
• Rewire devices.
• Video files.
• FX Chains allow you to create combinations of multiple effects, including DSP-based fx that reside in one container and can be manipulated as a single effect; drag and drop from the Browser, drag and drop between tracks, and even drag to individual clips. FX Chains can even be mixed with other individual effects, preserving all the flexibility of SONAR's signal routing.

III. Inspector - Where you can view all vital track and clip information in one logical and quickly accessible location.

• All clip, track, and channel data - centralized and at your fingertips.
• A wealth of data in a small footprint.
• Shows full channel strip and related bus for ergonomic track view mixing.
• One-click display of entire ProChannel.
• Fully collapsible, expandable, dockable, and floatable.
• Simple control over track and clip properties including track notes, color, position, timing, automation, and advanced MIDI functions (Arpeggiator and Input Quantize).

IV. MultiDock - Where you can dock and instantly access any number of SONAR's views in one combined area. The Console View, Step Sequencer, Piano Roll - even instruments and effects can all be contained within one consolidated area. For ultimate flexibility, the MultiDock itself can be quickly collapsed or expanded and, can even be placed on an entirely separate monitor. Ideal for making the most of your workspace whether you are using a single, high-resolution display or a multiple monitor setup.

Additional SONAR X1 Highlights

Smart Tools - SONAR's tools have been completely revamped in X1. Most functions are now performed with a single implement that switches automatically based on context. This dramatically speeds up editing and arranging by reducing the need to constantly switch tools. However, sometimes you need a very specific tool for a particular task and SONAR X1's intuitive Smart Tool coupled with the new track Edit Filter really delivers. A floating, pop-up tool HUD accessed via the middle mouse button makes finding and switching tools a breeze, and getting back to the previous tool is just a simple key press away.

Further reducing the need to manually switch tools, SONAR X1's tools work across all edit views. Whether you're working on arranging in the Track View or editing MIDI data in the Piano Roll View, the same tool will work smoothly and consistently with no interruption to your creative flow.

Edit Filter - on every track in SONAR X1 allows you to see and work on only the data you want, and none of the data you don't. The Edit Filter works in conjunction with the Smart Tool to make editing less of a chore and more of an art.

Key Clusters - are intuitive keyboard shortcuts that make accessing SONAR's various functions simple and logical. Key Clusters intelligently organize all key commands around a single "alpha" key for simple access. For example, "B" for Browser, "Q" launches the Quantize menu. All related functions are a "shift" or "Ctrl" modifier such as Shift + "Q" launches input quantize settings and "Ctrl" + "Q" Enable/Disables input quantize.

Redesigned Menus - SONAR's menus have been redesigned making access to various functions far more ergonomic.

Preferences Dialog - Get up and running faster with SONAR X1's unified preferences view. Every option and setting is now neatly arranged allowing you to apply changes as you go.

Fresh Content - Setting up projects and getting to work is fast and easy due to SONAR X1's included content consisting of new Track Templates, patterns, and 1.2 GBs of new loops (64-bit Rex) and one shots (.wav) and more. Over 12 GBs of content included.

ProChannel

The ProChannel is a SONAR X1 Producer exclusive that expands SONAR's already impressive console with big, pro-studio sound built right in to every channel. ProChannel provides one button access to bigger and punchier mixes - without ever needing to leave your mix view or launch and manage separate plug-ins. Each channel has a highly musical EQ, a choice of two compressors, two types of tube saturation, flexible drag & drop routing to order the processing, and the entire ProChannel can be pre or post FX bin.

The ProChannel's Gloss EQ is carefully designed to sound clear and musical on virtually any source material. Utilizing the latest techniques, Gloss EQ injects the smooth beauty of an analog EQ directly into SONAR's mixing console.

• Pure, Vintage and Modern modes.
• 6 bands, 2 shelf/bells, 4 bell/notches.
• 2 fully parametric filters (high and low-pass).
• Gloss mode for one-button shine.

The Pro Channel's integrated channel and bus compression is designed to offer the big, punchy sound of classic studio hardware with no need to manage plug-ins.

• The PC76 U-Type channel compressor employs classic FET design with fast attack and analog-style warmth.
• The PC4K S-Type bus compressor "glues" a mix bus together, imparting the radio-ready sound made famous by classic, large-format consoles.

** Unique in this design both compressors include a wet/dry knob for easy instant parallel compression setup.

Additional SONAR X1 Producer exclusives:

• Session Drummer 3, Dimension Pro, and True Pianos Amber.
• Mastering Effects (LP-64 Linear Phase EQ & LP-64 Linear Phase Multiband Compressor).
• Channel Strips (VC-64 Vintage Channel, PX-64 Multi-stage percussion strip, VX-64 Multi-stage vocal processor).

For more information on the SONAR X1 family including a comprehensive list of what is included in each version please visit cakewalk.com/Products/SONAR

Pricing and Availability

SONAR X1 Producer has a street price of $399, SONAR X1 Studio $199, and SONAR X1 Essential $99 and are available at select music and sound retailers. Registered SONAR 8.5 Producer and SONAR 8.5 Studio customers can download the respective SONAR X1 upgrade for $99 and SONAR Home Studio customers can download the SONAR X1 Essential upgrade for $59 directly from Cakewalk.com.

A boxed option upgrade is also available for an additional nominal fee for those U.S. and International customers with slower connection speeds or who prefer physical media. Other upgrade paths are available. Detailed information on all available upgrade paths can be found here.

International pricing
SONAR X1 Producer, Studio, and Essential software is available in English, German, French, Spanish, and Italian; English, German and French boxed versions come with a translated printed User's Guide. SONAR X1 is available through Roland distribution partners around the World.

Registered SONAR 8.5 Producer and Studio customers can download the SONAR X1 Producer upgrade for €99 / £89 respectively. SONAR Home Studio customers can download the SONAR X1 Essential upgrade for €59 / £49, directly from Cakewalk.com. Also, boxed versions of all SONAR X1 upgrades can be purchased at retailers for €99 / £89 Producer and Studio, and €59 / £49 for Essential. Other upgrade paths are available, visit Cakewalk.com or a Roland distribution partner for details.