KVR Audio

SampleScience · Post by **SampleScience** » Wed Apr 04, 2018 11:01 am

Just saw the news on SOS:

Cakewalk Sonar is now free!! https://www.soundonsound.com/news/sonar ... lk-bandlab

I'm going to download it right away!

Edit: direct url for download: https://cakewalk.bandlab.com/

george · Post by **george** » Wed Apr 04, 2018 11:32 am

It's available via BandLab Assistant

https://www.bandlab.com/download/assistant/windows

VariKusBrainZ · Post by **VariKusBrainZ** » Wed Apr 04, 2018 11:37 am

Their site is slow, wonder if its due to everyone clambering to download it

chk071 · Post by **chk071** » Wed Apr 04, 2018 11:47 am

What's the catch though?

JerGoertz · Post by **JerGoertz** » Wed Apr 04, 2018 11:52 am

Quite an interesting move! What's their business model?

beely · Post by **beely** » Wed Apr 04, 2018 11:54 am

chk071 wrote:What's the catch though?

They are likely doing it to stop existing customers abandoning ship, and to gain new users trying it out, then somepoint down the road, they'll likely launch a paid upgrade to get it back to generating revenue - they'll need some at some point if they plan on continuing to develop it, which their messaging suggests that are.

It won't stop the current version working though.

Also, no bundled third-party stuff, due to licensing costs. Other than that, it's a great deal.

VariKusBrainZ · Post by **VariKusBrainZ** » Wed Apr 04, 2018 11:56 am

Doesnt seem to be any choice of download location or indication of how big the download will be

Woodgardens · Post by **Woodgardens** » Wed Apr 04, 2018 11:59 am

Uhmm what is the download size?

PS there's also an Android version:

https://bandlab.en.aptoide.com

PPS it's a different app though.

Spencer Maddox · Post by **Spencer Maddox** » Wed Apr 04, 2018 12:01 pm

Wait...What???
Can't say I exactly saw this coming...

There has gotta be some catch coming eventually...Right?
Nothing is really "Free" nowadays.

Jorgeelalto · Post by **Jorgeelalto** » Wed Apr 04, 2018 12:17 pm

Spencer Maddox wrote:Wait...What???
Can't say I exactly saw this coming...

There has gotta be some catch coming eventually...Right?
Nothing is really "Free" nowadays.

We will see in some time what happens with it. I suppose they are going to sell instruments and effects (z3ta, dimension...) in it and create an online project storage within Sonar, using the Bandlab account and everything.

chk071 · Post by **chk071** » Wed Apr 04, 2018 12:28 pm

Spencer Maddox wrote: Nothing is really "Free" nowadays.

Well, we all don't work for free either, do we?

The "catch" in this case could be simply to get a lot of new customers, or, as has been pointed, stop people from hopping on to other DAW's. Might be a tad too late for that though. And, the future of Cakewalk as it is also seems a bit unclear.

ganym3d · Post by **ganym3d** » Wed Apr 04, 2018 12:38 pm

Woodgardens wrote:Uhmm what is the download size?

The Version without additional content is around 700MB...

recursive one · Post by **recursive one** » Wed Apr 04, 2018 12:44 pm

How much it used to cost? I think about EUR 300 or so? I guess many of the license owners feel very happy now

Anyway, i think it's the first full-blown uncrippled free DAW in the world.

(i gather that it has no difference from the former paid version except that it doesn't have the third-party plugins)

Spencer Maddox · Post by **Spencer Maddox** » Wed Apr 04, 2018 12:46 pm

Jorgeelalto wrote:
Spencer Maddox wrote:Wait...What???
Can't say I exactly saw this coming...

There has gotta be some catch coming eventually...Right?
Nothing is really "Free" nowadays.
We will see in some time what happens with it. I suppose they are going to sell instruments and effects (z3ta, dimension...) in it and create an online project storage within Sonar, using the Bandlab account and everything.

Hmm...
So similar to what FL does?
Not the Same of course since FL Itself costs money but in the terms that You can Buy the extra Plugins individually such as Harmor or Sytris or Maximus.

Woodgardens · Post by **Woodgardens** » Wed Apr 04, 2018 12:49 pm

@ganym3d

Thanks for the info!

Cakewalk Sonar Platinum is now free!