Cakewalk Offers Free Synths & FX Plugins

square1Yes, it’s true. Cakewalk is now offering our classic synths and effects processors for FREE Topping the list of the ’90s classics is the SFZ+ and Square I synths.  The Cakewalk Audio FX series of effects plug-ins are also now available for no charge via the Cakewalk online store.

SFZ+ is rgc:audio’s revolutionary SoundFont player sample-playback engine, packed in a professional VST/DXi instrument.  Outstanding sound quality, stereo built-in effects, adjustable CPU/quality settings to adjust it to your hardware, fully multitimbral operation, multiple stereo outputs, several loading modes including direct-from-disk streaming and a beautiful interface make sfz+ the perfect choice for SoundFont users and professional composers.

Square I offers the warmness and classic sound of the vintage analog synthesizers, combined with the fidelity and precision of a VST instrument.  A simple synthesizer, oriented to the serious music enthusiast. High quality sound with a warm and easy layout, perfect to learn synth programming: all controls in one panel for instant access, clear and distinctive sections. The built-in effects add depth to the sound and convenience to the sound programming.

Cakewalk Audio FX 1 is a series of real-time audio processing plug-ins. All Cakewalk Audio FX plug-ins are Microsoft DirectX- compatible, allowing you to use them with any digital audio software that supports DirectX – including Cakewalk SONAR and other Cakewalk applications.

Looking for a way to warmup your digital audio – but can’t afford to spend thousands of dollars on vintage analog or tube gear?  Now you can with Cakewalk Audio FX 2.  Created by precise measurement and analysis, Audio FX 2 uses advanced processing algorithms to apply the classic sound and warmth of several different vintage guitar amplifiers and analog tape decks to your digital audio.

Now you can make audio tracks sound like they were recorded in almost any room you can imagine. Cakewalk Audio FX 3 SoundStage allows you to design acoustic environments in which to play back digital audio, resulting in unique, realistic reverb. Audio FX 3 Features Two Views: Performer’s View and Room View. To create the perfect room, just click and drag your mouse to move walls and change ceiling height. Choose from different microphones, and place them inside the room. Then assign each audio track to different “performer” positions to hear custom reverb on each track. When you’re finished, save your soundstage for other sessions, or use as a template for other designs. Audio FX 3 includes ready-to-use soundstages too.

Visit the Cakewalk Online Store for more hot deals this holiday season!

Live from SIGGRAPH 09: Create a Killer Score with SONAR 8

Seth Perlstein shows you how to add haunting sound effects to your audio project using Cakewalk’s SONAR 8 and SONAR V-Studio 700! This clip was the final step in the digital content creation pipeline demo at SIGGRAPH 2009. Seth show’s you how to get greater control over your entire scoring, syncing and mixing process as well as how to access more tracks and more effects with ultra-low latency by using SONAR’s latest enhancements.

In part 2 (seen below) Seth adds environmental sound effects and convolution reverberations. Watch Seth  ‘geek out’  as he explains how to build an audio studio with audio equipment small enough to fit in your backpack.

Produce Robotic, Metallic Sounds with SONAR Vocoder

Robin Kelly’s latest video shows you how to use Pentagon, one of SONAR’s soft-synths, as a vocoder. A vocoder is an audio processor also known as a “talking synthesizer”. It analyzes speech, transforms it into electronically-transmitted information and recreates it into robotic, mechanical sounds. Vocoders can be heard in recordings by Cher, Beastie Boys, Kid Rock and Lil Wayne.

View more of Robin’s videos and tech tips.