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Just installed the latest Cakewalk by Bandlab update, I was just thinking they really have stayed good on their word to keep it free, and the updates are frequent, such a long list of fixes in the latest update.
And to think that in the past users had to pay hundreds of dollars for this software, looks like the free lunch is still continuing.
Last edited by musiclover; 08/08/20 01:11 AM.
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Howdy....
I've been with Cakewalk since '94....starting with Cakewalk 3.0.
I've witnessed 25 years of it's evolution and growth.
Now there are many DAW programs to select from and they all have their place.
Gregg Hendershott was at the helm for along time but the DAW arena was changing quickly in the 90's.
To think that Cakewalk would end up being a free program would never have entered my pea brain.
I grew up with Cakewalk to that's where I'll stay.
I love the program and have every upgrade (except for 7.0) up through Sonar X3 Producer which is what I'm on now.
What I didn't do was get involved with the online 'subscription' thing....it never appealed to me.
I did install Bandlab's Cakewalk on my back up laptop.
The updating path process is a bit finicky and confusing to me but I stumbled on through.
Good weekend to all....
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I am also a Cakewalk user from the 90s. After it was announced there was no more support for SONAR I tried many other DAWs but came back to Cakewalk by BandLab once it was offered. I’m grateful it’s here but I still wonder what their business model is.
BIAB 2025 Win Audiophile. Software: Studio One 7 Pro, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6, Song Master Pro, Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Roland Integra-7, Presonus 192 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
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I am also a Cakewalk user from the 90s. After it was announced there was no more support for SONAR I tried many other DAWs but came back to Cakewalk by BandLab once it was offered. I’m grateful it’s here but I still wonder what their business model is. Likewise....I guess I'm not that business astute. They must be generating a fund base from somewhere or the BANDLAB team is mainly donating time and update/fixes in the coding. (which I know absolutely nothing about) But...how long could that last?....I don't know. Back to it....
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I am still using Sonar X1.
If I ever update to a 64 bit system, I will certainly get the free Bandlab Cakewalk.
You can find my music at: www.herbhartley.comAdd nothing that adds nothing to the music. You can make excuses or you can make progress but not both. The magic you are looking for is in the work you are avoiding.
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Herb, I found X1 to be the most problematic of all the versions of SONAR, before and after. X3 was stable, though.
BIAB 2025 Win Audiophile. Software: Studio One 7 Pro, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6, Song Master Pro, Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Roland Integra-7, Presonus 192 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
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I have also used Sonar for years. I had Platinum on my system and installed Cakewalk by BandLab over it and it all worked fine.
Recently however, I installed the Vienna Smart Orchestra which would not work in Cakewalk. After some research we found an old DLL had an issue that created a problem. I deleted some older software I had on the system which got shy of the problematic DLL. In doing this I did a fresh install of Cakewalk. Doing so I uninstalled Platinum now I can no longer install the Concrete Limiter or the LA-CA and some of the other olde instruments. (Not that it matters I have other tools to do the job). There is a warning that the program required (Platinum) to run the plugin no longer exists on the PC.
Just a bit of a warning for those rebuilding.
Tony
HP i7-4770 16GB 1TB SSD, Win 10 Home,
Focusrite 2i2 3rd Gen, Launchkey 61, Maton CW80, Telecaster, Ovation Elite TX, Yamaha Pacifica 612
BB 2022(912) RB 2022(2), CakeWalk, Reaper 6, Audacity, Melodyne 5 Editor, Izotope Music Production Suite 4.1
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I also started with cakewalk 3.0 on floppy disk. Used cakewalk thru X1 as well now have Cake by bandlab. Don’t use it found Presonus studio one easier to use. I will say if studio one every went away I would not hesitate to use Cby Bdlb. It is a nice DAW.
Also spent a lot of time using RealBand and an Indy product called multitrackstudios
Last edited by Rob Helms; 08/12/20 01:03 PM.
HP Win 11 12 gig ram, Mac mini Sonoma with 16 gig of ram, BiaB 2025, Realband, Reaper 7, Harrison Mixbus 9 32c , Melodyne 5 editor, Presonus Audiobox 1818VSL, Presonus control app.
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I used Cakewalk for a very long time. When things blew up I decided to look around for something else. I got Studio One and have upgraded to version 5.1. It has become my main DAW.
I downloaded Sonar by BandLab yseterday. It has been a while so I do not remember every detail of the last version of Sonar I paid for. It looked more or less the same. Missing most of the old VST's and adding a few new ones.
I also use Reaper and had Audacity on the last hard drive. I might like to try Pro Tools First just to see how it works.
Due to the failure of my old computer system and a virus I just could not get rid of I formatted the drives and started over.
Over the years I have acquired a lot of software for many different reasons...some useful and some a waist of time.
I bought Trilian A year or so ago for a little less than $300. A bit pricey but a good bass VST. Now they want $10 for me to re-download the product. I am not going broke over $10 dollars but I though that was a pretty bad business practices and would negatively influence me buying anything else from Spectrasonics.
Like it or not companies will go belly up and hardware and software will become unusable. Of course it is a question of money but in many cases it is a bigger question of having to learn how to use the new stuff.
Ever hour I spend messing around with music software is one less hour I do not spend with a guitar or piano in my hands.
Cheers.
Billy
“Amazing! I’ll be working with Jaco Pastorius, Charlie Parker, Art Tatum, and Buddy Rich, and you’re telling me it’s not that great of a gig?
“Well…” Saint Peter, hesitated, “God’s got this girlfriend who thinks she can sing…”
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I had little clue about DAW's when I chose to buy Cakewalk (X1 Studio?). I think the Cakewalk brand name was familiar to me though. Anyway, I upgraded and added Cakewalk plugins along the way to Sonar Platinum. And I put down another several bucks for the SPLAT lifetime subscription when it was first offered. Needless to say, I was fairly disgusted when that all went out the window.
I moved to SO when PreSonus offered a decent cross-grade deal. SPLAT still works just fine, but I don't use it.
Bandlab users got one heck of a DAW at one heck of price, that's for dang sure.
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Ask sales and support questions about Band-in-a-Box using natural language.
ChatPG's knowledge base includes the full Band-in-a-Box User Manual and sales information from the website.
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XPro and Xtra Styles PAKs Special Extended Until August 31st!
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- Look Ma! More MIDI 13: Country & Americana
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New! Xtra Styles PAK 20 for Band-in-a-Box 2025 and Higher for Mac!
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Video: Xtra Styles PAK 20 Overview & Styles Demos: Watch now!
Note: The Xtra Styles require the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box®. (Xtra Styles PAK 20 requires the 2025 or higher UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition. They will not work with the Pro or MegaPAK version because they need the RealTracks from the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition.
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Learn more and listen to demos of XPro Styles PAKs.
Video: XPro Styles PAK 9 Overview & Styles Demos: Watch now!
XPro Styles PAKs require Band-in-a-Box® 2025 or higher and are compatible with ANY package, including the Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, and Audiophile Edition.
New! Xtra Styles PAK 20 for Band-in-a-Box 2025 and Higher for Windows!
Xtra Styles PAK 20 for Windows & Mac Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher) is here with 200 brand new RealStyles!
We're excited to bring you our latest and greatest in the all new Xtra Styles PAK 20 for Band-in-a-Box! This fresh installment is packed with 200 all-new styles spanning the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres you've come to expect, as well as the exciting inclusion of electronic styles!
In this PAK you’ll discover: Minimalist Modern Funk, New Wave Synth Pop, Hard Bop Latin Groove, Gospel Country Shuffle, Cinematic Synthwave, '60s Motown, Funky Lo-Fi Bossa, Heavy 1980s Metal, Soft Muted 12-8 Folk, J-Pop Jazz Fusion, and many more!
All the Xtra Styles PAKs 1 - 20 are on special for only $29 each (reg $49), or get all 209 PAKs for $199 (reg $399)! Order now!
Learn more and listen to demos of the Xtra Styles PAK 20.
Video: Xtra Styles PAK 20 Overview & Styles Demos: Watch now!
Note: The Xtra Styles require the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box®. (Xtra Styles PAK 20 requires the 2025 or higher UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition. They will not work with the Pro or MegaPAK version because they need the RealTracks from the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition.
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