Cakewalk (DAW) by BandLab

SkyMonkey

SkyMonkey

Well-Known Member
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It is Free!
It's the Full Version!
Windows 64 bit only!

For whatever reason, when I decided on a DAW I chose Sonar X1 (2011?).
I upgraded through to Sonar X3 and then stopped (2014?).
Gibson then bought Sonar, and must have made a hash of it because support stopped in 2017.
In 2018 BandLab bought the intellectual rights to Sonar, renamed it 'Cakewalk', and it is now Free and Supported.

I have been away from recording for a good few years (not that I ever did much), but have recently reinstalled Sonar X3 to mess around with.
Then I found out about the BandLab thing and looked into it.
So I installed Cakewalk in parallel with Sonar X3 (i.e. just left X3 installed).
All the VSTs etc. that were bundled with Sonar X3 were automatically found and supported by Cakewalk.

It looks like a no-brainer for me to leave Sonar X3 installed but use Cakewalk instead.
I never really got to grips with Sonar X3, but what little I did learn is generally applicable in Cakewalk.

I am not here to try, to sell it to you guys, but here is a link to check it out: BandLab: Music Starts Here

If you have never had a DAW ('coz I know folk are very resistant to change - just look at me!) it might be the free way to go.

So has anyone else heard of, or used the new Cakewalk?
Any opinions on this, or other free DAWs?
 
I like cake, especially the carrot and cheese cakes the wife makes from recipes that have evolved over the years and become her own.
Sometimes the ........ oh, sorry.

I'm hungry, maybe between hungry and hangry. Definitely not angry.
Gotta go to K-mart.

EDIT: Please disregard my nonsensical ramblings and carry on thread exposure bump.
 
SkyMonkey said:
It is Free!
It's the Full Version!
Windows 64 bit only!

For whatever reason, when I decided on a DAW I chose Sonar X1 (2011?).
I upgraded through to Sonar X3 and then stopped (2014?).
Gibson then bought Sonar, and must have made a hash of it because support stopped in 2017.
In 2018 BandLab bought the intellectual rights to Sonar, renamed it 'Cakewalk', and it is now Free and Supported.

I have been away from recording for a good few years (not that I ever did much), but have recently reinstalled Sonar X3 to mess around with.
Then I found out about the BandLab thing and looked into it.
So I installed Cakewalk in parallel with Sonar X3 (i.e. just left X3 installed).
All the VSTs etc. that were bundled with Sonar X3 were automatically found and supported by Cakewalk.

It looks like a no-brainer for me to leave Sonar X3 installed but use Cakewalk instead.
I never really got to grips with Sonar X3, but what little I did learn is generally applicable in Cakewalk.

I am not here to try, to sell it to you guys, but here is a link to check it out: BandLab: Music Starts Here

If you have never had a DAW ('coz I know folk are very resistant to change - just look at me!) it might be the free way to go.

So has anyone else heard of, or used the new Cakewalk?
Any opinions on this, or other free DAWs?
Click to expand...
Yeah I tried it for a while. I liked the look of the user interface but I found it unintuitive and unnecessarily difficult to use so I went back to Reaper.
 
Cakewalk is great if you ask me. I used it for many years and many versions. I even bought the life time license when it came out, oh about a year before they sold it to bandlab. Talk about feeling like a sucker and taken hook, line, and sinker. But, it is still a nice DAW in my opinion. Between the cakewalk lifetime license fiasco and the bull with the superior drummer upgrade to version 3 I've about had it spending good money a recording related software though (but, I guess that is another subject). Which is ok, as I just basically unplugged my recording computer from the wall and said this it, this is the software and versions I'm using unless I find good freebie stuff, like bandlab or something - lol.
 
Drumoid said:
I just basically unplugged my recording computer from the wall and said this it, this is the software and versions I'm using unless I find good freebie stuff, like bandlab or something - lol.
Click to expand...
I did the same thing for a long time...until last year....I stayed with Reaper though. I did try the one Ray was using for a bit...Sonar IIRC, the free version.
It’s good when you find a DAW that makes sense to you...whatever it may be...if it’s a useful tool, well...master using it to the best of your ability. Have fun too.
 
Thatbastarddon said:
I did the same thing for a long time...until last year....I stayed with Reaper though. I did try the one Ray was using for a bit...Sonar IIRC, the free version.
It’s good when you find a DAW that makes sense to you...whatever it may be...if it’s a useful tool, well...master using it to the best of your ability. Have fun too.
Click to expand...

Ya, Reaper has a lot of fans. All the DAW's are pretty nice anymore really - like the usb type interfaces. A lot of choices out and I'm not sure there really are 'bad' ones really.
 
Drumoid said:
Ya, Reaper has a lot of fans. All the DAW's are pretty nice anymore really - like the usb type interfaces. A lot of choices out and I'm not sure there really are 'bad' ones really.
Click to expand...
I agree...I especially like a couple of the iPad/iPhone DAW apps, and that exploration got me in to trying a couple/few different USB interfaces, and even a cheap(but cool) USB mic thingie. Seemed like everything I was trying out was useful, and able to be used to make music. This tech has improved immensely since the mid 00s.
While my studio PC was unplugged from the internet, and I was also dedicating some time to learn about the iOS apps, and remote recording, I came back to discover that I had missed 2 full version upgrade cycles of Reapero_O. I have had, and still have, some catching up to do.:) I keep finding cool stuff...like spectral editing is now native, or “built in”, and it’s way cool!
 
Thatbastarddon said:
I agree...I especially like a couple of the iPad/iPhone DAW apps, and that exploration got me in to trying a couple/few different USB interfaces, and even a cheap(but cool) USB mic thingie. Seemed like everything I was trying out was useful, and able to be used to make music. This tech has improved immensely since the mid 00s.
While my studio PC was unplugged from the internet, and I was also dedicating some time to learn about the iOS apps, and remote recording, I came back to discover that I had missed 2 full version upgrade cycles of Reapero_O. I have had, and still have, some catching up to do.:) I keep finding cool stuff...like spectral editing is now native, or “built in”, and it’s way cool!
Click to expand...
Don't forget the pickle plug ins, still haven't tried it.............yet.
 
Thatbastarddon said:
I agree...I especially like a couple of the iPad/iPhone DAW apps, and that exploration got me in to trying a couple/few different USB interfaces, and even a cheap(but cool) USB mic thingie. Seemed like everything I was trying out was useful, and able to be used to make music. This tech has improved immensely since the mid 00s.
While my studio PC was unplugged from the internet, and I was also dedicating some time to learn about the iOS apps, and remote recording, I came back to discover that I had missed 2 full version upgrade cycles of Reapero_O. I have had, and still have, some catching up to do.:) I keep finding cool stuff...like spectral editing is now native, or “built in”, and it’s way cool!
Click to expand...

If you can find one of the old, talking windows 3 and first windows 95 days, IBM pen mike they supplied with their computers - snatch it up and give it a try. The last one I had and used cost me 25 cents at a flea market or yardsale. The ones I've had are white, not sure if that was the only color or not, but they would pick up sound and pick it up nicely - at least I thought so. I used one on Went'n Down Town, I think, one of the songs. Anyways - when you can't find that sound... the cheap butt old school IBM computer mic may just be the ticket - lol...
 
I have sonar 2. Jist installed it awhile ago, I was waiting to upgrade to a SSD and was jn no hurry to do it. I used the origjnal Cakewalk mamy years ago. This one I find not so intuitive. Kind of painful for me to me honest. I may look at something else.
Example - it meeds certain parameters as to the Master Out and if it is set wrong you get no more audio at all. But no real explainjng this anywhere.
 
If you have Sonar 2 (X2?) installed now and have enough hard drive room, you can install Cakewalk alongside Sonar.
Cakewalk will find all your Sonar plugins as it uses the same folder as Sonar (C:>Program Files>Cakewalk>VstPlugins).

One of the best innovations in Cakewalk is the Help Module.
It is a detachable/dockable panel that explains whatever the pointer is resting on, shows the keyboard shortcut, and has a 'Learn More' box to click, taking you to a detailed explanation at the website.
 
I used to use Reaper. When I’m done with the cellar, and start looking at new computers, I’ll start looking at recording software again. I’ll probably go with Reaper again so that I can mine my old music files.
 
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I tried to load
SkyMonkey said:
If you have Sonar 2 (X2?) installed now and have enough hard drive room, you can install Cakewalk alongside Sonar.
Cakewalk will find all your Sonar plugins as it uses the same folder as Sonar (C:>Program Files>Cakewalk>VstPlugins).

One of the best innovations in Cakewalk is the Help Module.
It is a detachable/dockable panel that explains whatever the pointer is resting on, shows the keyboard shortcut, and has a 'Learn More' box to click, taking you to a detailed explanation at the website.
Click to expand...
I tried to load Cakewalk. It just kept me at that online Bandlab crap. Cloud program, cloud editing but I could not find the link to Cakewalk.
 
I tried that and it takes me to the bandlab assistant which I loaded earlier. I do not actually get Cakewalk. I am using a PC so ntaurally I don't get Apps at the top like it claims. Frustrating. Perhaps what I loaded as band labs was cakewalk. It is pretty simplistic.

EDIT _ Got it now, I re installed the Bnadlabs thing. Cheers!
 
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Turns out it doesn't recognize or work with my sound card. i loaded Reaper and it seems to be pretty good. Will buy it in a month if I like it. Or just buy Pro Tools. Frustrating venture!
 
Jethro Rocker said:
Turns out it doesn't recognize or work with my sound card. i loaded Reaper and it seems to be pretty good. Will buy it in a month if I like it. Or just buy Pro Tools. Frustrating venture!
Click to expand...

I've been working with it about a year, if I can anyone can!

Make sure you make use of their forums, very knowledgeable people, also if I can be of any help just ask.

I don't want to volunteer anyone, but @Thatbastarddon has been a life saver when I first started, real solid dude.

Have fun, I love that DAW right now, and didn't cost almost $900 like Pro Tools.
 
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