Cakewalk Sonar X2 Essential Music Production Software (Windows)

A very affordable way to make music, Sonar X2 Essential music-production software is the 64-track version of Roland Cakewalk's flagship digital audio workstation (DAW) for Windows -- offering just the essential production tools, virtual instruments, and effects needed for PC-based recording, editing, and mixing.

What You Get in the "Essential" Version

Sonar X2 Essential features 64 audio tracks and unlimited MIDI tracks, Cakewalk's useful Skylight user interface, 11 virtual instruments including Studio Instruments, 38 audio and MIDI effects, Overloud amp modeling technology, and much more. When you are done making music and are ready to share your work with others, you can upload it directly from Sonar X2 Essential to SoundCloud, or export to notation software for printing or scoring with MusicXML. If you're just dipping your feet in the DAW pool, or you're not sure what features you actually need, Sonar X2 Essential is a great way to dive into music-production software.

An Intuitive Workspace Makes for Efficient Workflow

Sonar X2's Skylight user interface gives you a clean, configurable environment that's designed to work with today's high-resolution, widescreen displays. Thanks to Skylight, you can work within the DAW without having to move or close a bunch of windows, scroll through endless menus, or do extensive searches for your audio files. Skylight allows you to switch between configurable Screensets, dock windows wherever you want, navigate quickly with… read more features like Timeline Zoom, and so forth.

Support for Touchscreens

Got a display with a touchscreen, like an Ultrabook? Touch functionality allows you to "swipe," "pinch to zoom," or use other gestures to navigate through projects in Skylight. When it comes to working with your software, you won't be limited to a mouse or trackpad.

Get Organized with Matrix View

Use Sonar X2 Essential's Matrix View to organize audio and MIDI loops, phrases, and one-shot samples into cells and columns for real-time triggering from one (or more) MIDI controllers. Say goodbye to scrolling through menus or lists to find all your sounds -- Matrix View provides an at-a-glance way to arrange song sections and audition them at a moment's notice.

Built-In Instruments and Effects

Think of Sonar X2 Essential as a virtual studio. Make music right out of the box with its 18 built-in virtual instruments -- including Z3TA+ Classic -- and with 50 audio and MIDI effects, Overloud's TH2 Sonar amp simulator with models of classic gear, an integrated per track arpeggiator, and more. In Sonar X2, it's easy to save sounds, stacks, and layers with Track Templates, and then open them up again with drag and drop simplicity.

Overloud's TH2 Sonar amplifier simulator features models of classic gear, making it easy -- not to mention fun -- to perform with the digital versions of over 10 classic amps with big, lifelike tone and expressive playability.

Sonar X2 Essential's integrated per track arpeggiator does way more than just up/down patterns. If you find yourself in a sonic rut, take advantage of the arp's ability to generate circular and inverted patterns, or even custom phrases, and add some variation to your tracks.

Features:

- DAW/music-production software for Windows PC
- 64 Audio and unlimited MIDI tracks for unlimited music making
- Skylight user interface provides a clean, organized environment
- 11 Virtual instruments, including Studio Instruments, for making tracks right out of the box
- 38 Audio and MIDI effects included
- Matrix performance view provides real-time arrangement and playback tools
- Integrated per track arpeggiator
- Includes TH2 Sonar amp simulator
- FX Chains 2.0
- Automation and Take Lanes
- Flexible export and delivery options, including MusicXML and SoundCloud
- Pristine 384 kHz/64-bit audio engine
- Native 32/64-bit application

Cakewalk Sonar X2 Essential gives beginning DAW users and budget musicians alike an impressive set of music-creation tools and instruments. Load it on your Windows PC and start making music! read less