DEVELOPER NOTES: SONAR X3 VST3 Internals

Introduction

SONAR X3 has numerous enhancements and updates to the VST engine, including rich support for the VST3 specification. This article is intended primarily for VST plugin developers to gain a better understanding of the features supported by SONAR and to write plugins that integrate better with SONAR. While the VST3 documentation covers typical information for plugin developers, it does not explain plugin to host integration in much detail. This article attempts to bridge that gap and explain some of the VST3 specific features are implemented in SONAR. Please also see this article that is more intended for end users.

Automatic VST2 to VST3 migration in SONAR

For plugin vendors who have a large base of VST2 plugins and wish to provide a smooth migration path to VST3, its recommended to implement support for automatic migration of a VST2 plugin saved in a prior project to its VST3 equivalent.

This capability will allow SONAR X3 to detect a compatible VST3 plugin while loading a project and automatically transition the VST 2.4 plugin to its compatible VST3 counterpart Continue reading “DEVELOPER NOTES: SONAR X3 VST3 Internals”

Blue Cat Audio Analysis Plugins – Worth A Closer Look

The highly flexible, unique Blue Cat Audio plugins are now available at the Cakewalk Store. Find out how these critically-acclaimed plugins make comparing your audio tracks to reference material and to each other a breeze and how nearly any component—peaks, RMS, crest factor, even isolated frequency bands—can become a key signal for advanced sidechaining.

Blue Cat’s Analysis Pack
At first glance, the plugins in the Blue Cat Analysis Pack seems fairly self-explanatory: Blue Cat’s DP Meter Pro is a digital peak meter, Blue Cat’s FreqAnalyst Multi and Blue Cat’s FreqAnalyst Pro are spectrum analyzers, Blue Cat’s Oscilloscope Multi renders waveforms and Blue Cat’s StereoScope Multi and Blue Cat’s StereoScope Pro are stereo image visualizers. Their included histograms, 3D and 2D spectrograms, envelope graphs, XY and different views may be no surprise, either. However, what their names do not make clear is their capability to generate control data from the dynamics and spectra of your audio. Use them with a dynamics processor to get nearly infinite sidechaining possibilities.

Blue Cat Analysis Pack
Image © Blue Cat Audio

You may be wondering what the difference Continue reading “Blue Cat Audio Analysis Plugins – Worth A Closer Look”

SONAR X1 & X2 Customers: Save $350 off the Waves Silver Bundle

Waves Bundle

Exclusive offer: Save $350 off the Waves Silver Bundle
Through a special arrangement with Waves, we are offering SONAR X1 and X2 customers the opportunity to purchase the critically-acclaimed Waves Silver Bundle (Native) for only $249 – save $350 off the regular price. Offer ends March 26th.

Waves Silver, an affordable new collection, was designed with personal production studios in mind.
With reverb, compression, equalization, level maximization, and more, Silver features 16 essential plugins that will take your music to the pro level. Now, you can join the ranks of the engineers and producers that count on Waves to deliver hit after hit after hit.

The bundle includes:

  • TrueVerb
  • L1 Ultramaximizer
  • Q10 Paragraphic Equalizer
  • C1 Parametric Compander
  • IR-L Convolution Reverb
  • SuperTap
  • Doubler
  • DeEsser
  • S1 Stereo Imager
  • Renaissance Axx
  • Renaissance Compressor
  • Renaissance Equalizer
  • MaxxBass
  • MondoMod
  • Enigma
  • Paz Psychoacoustic Analzyer
  • No iLok required

If you are new to the Waves, this is the perfect introduction to their powerful line of plug-ins.

Download the Waves Silver Bundle for $249

Upgrades to SONAR X2 start at $59

Back for a limited time: The Softube Mix Bundle (VSTs and ProChannel Modules)

Softube Mix Bundle

Back by popular demand: Save 40% off the Softube Mix Bundle
This past February, we featured the Softube Mix Bundle at the Cakewalk Store for only $179 (40% off the regular price). Since that time, we have been asked by many users to bring it back. Through a special arrangement with Softube, we are happy to announce that this special is back for a limited-time. Through July 31st, you can save 40% off this special bundle that includes both VST and ProChannel versions.

The Softube Mix Bundle is a collection of five essential tools that give you full control over the key elements of building a mix—compression, equalization, and reverb. These plug-ins are the same great Softube plug-ins professional recording musicians rely on daily, so you can mix with confidence, knowing that the FET Compressor you put on your vocal track is the same one used on hit records around the globe. If you missed out last February, this is your opportunity to download this very special bundle at an unbeatable price!

Purchase the Softube Mix Bundle exclusively from the Cakewalk Store for only $179/£125/€149 – save 40% off the regular price of $299.

Highlights:

Download it today

Tracks and Busses: A Guide to Routing in SONAR X1

In any project you will have tracks and these tracks are routed to busses. Sending a track to a bus and not directly to the Master output gives you additional control and allows you to take a group of similar track, like back ground vocals and control the overall volume, pan, add effects, EQ and so on. SONAR has many flexible mixing and routing features to help you get the most out of your project.

Continue reading “Tracks and Busses: A Guide to Routing in SONAR X1”