Cakewalk Sonar Is Back!

 

Cakewalk Sonar Returns: A Rebranded Powerhouse for Music Production

The wait is over—Cakewalk Sonar is back. After years of evolution under BandLab, the beloved DAW has been refreshed, rebranded, and packed with new features designed to elevate your music production experience. But before you dive in, let's break down what's changed, what's new, and whether this update is worth your time.

A Name That Resonates: Why the Rebrand?

Cakewalk by BandLab is now Cakewalk Sonar, marking a return to its roots while signaling a more focused and streamlined product line. For long-time users, the nostalgia is real, but the rebrand isn't just about sentiment—it’s about reestablishing Sonar as a premier DAW. Best of all, the new Sonar won’t overwrite your existing installation, so you can explore it risk-free.


A Fresh Look: User Interface & Customization

Sonar’s new UI refresh is sleek, modern, and more customizable than ever. With multiple themes—including the fan-favorite Tungsten—users can tailor their experience to their visual preferences. DPI Awareness is another welcome addition, ensuring high-resolution displays render crisp, clear text and graphics. No more blurry UI elements!

Pro Tip: Setting a default theme in Preferences can help maintain visual consistency across projects, reducing eye strain during long sessions.




Enhanced Workflow: Track Manager Upgrades

Efficiency is the name of the game, and Sonar’s Track Manager is stepping up. Users can now create per-project presets, toggle views more quickly, and enjoy a more intuitive layout. Whether you need a clutter-free session or custom track views for vocals, drums, or synths, the new Track Manager ensures that everything is just a click away.



XSampler: Your Built-in Sampler

No more hunting for third-party plugins for basic sampling—Sonar introduces XSampler, a built-in sampler that lets users import, tweak, and play audio as an instrument. This feature is perfect for producers looking to experiment with sound design without leaving the DAW.




Spectrum Analyzer: Precision Mixing Made Easy

Mixing engineers will appreciate the new Spectrum Analyzer, now integrated directly into the Console view, Inspector, and ProChannel. Real-time frequency analysis means better EQ decisions and faster mixing workflows.



Plugin Upgrades & Oversampling: Cleaner Sound, More Power

Plugins received some much-needed love in this update. TH-U Cakewalk Edition now delivers pro-level amp modeling, while the ProChannel Concrete Limiter ensures transparent peak control. But the real standout? Oversampling, now up to 16x. This means reduced aliasing, higher-quality processing, and overall cleaner audio.

Pro Tip: Use oversampling only when printing your mix to save CPU power during production.



Smarter Export & Backup: No More Lost Files

Sonar introduces the Cakewalk Interchange Format (CXF) for seamless project transfers across Cakewalk platforms, plus the Cakewalk ZIP format for archiving projects. These updates eliminate the common headache of missing audio files when moving sessions between systems.

Features Being Retired

Not everything made the cut in this new iteration. Here are a few notable exclusions:

  • Custom UI Themes: Legacy themes are no longer supported, meaning user-created color schemes won’t carry over.

  • ProChannel FX Chains: While FX chains remain, ProChannel-specific chains have been removed.

  • Older DX Plugins: Some DirectX plugins may not function as expected as Sonar shifts focus to modern VST formats.

  • TH3 Support Dropped: Sonar will automatically replace TH3 with TH-U, though existing TH3 presets won’t transfer.

  • No Free Version: Unlike Cakewalk by BandLab, Sonar is now a paid product, with Cakewalk Next remaining free for basic users.

Who Stands to Benefit the Most?

Singer-Songwriters: XSampler allows quick conversion of voice memos into playable instruments, making layering harmonies effortless.


Mix Engineers: The integrated Spectrum Analyzer provides visual feedback in real-time, enhancing EQ accuracy.

Live Musicians: Oversampling up to 16x ensures cleaner recordings for high-fidelity performances.

Producers with Large Sessions: Track Manager presets simplify complex projects, reducing the need for endless scrolling and manual organization.

The Verdict: Is It Worth the Upgrade?

Absolutely. With a refined UI, workflow improvements, and powerful new features, Cakewalk Sonar is a solid step forward. For existing users, the transition is seamless. For newcomers, it’s the perfect time to dive into one of the most capable DAWs on the market. Whether you're producing, mixing, or composing, Sonar has the tools to help you craft professional-quality music.

What’s your favorite update? Let us know in the comments!


7 Of The Best Free Guitar Pedal Plugins?

Our top pick for the best free guitar pedal plugin is TSE808 2.0 Lite, a software recreation of the legendary Ibanez Tube Screamer 808—the overdrive pedal that has launched a thousand solos.

For metalheads who think "gain" is just a suggestion, Mercuriall Metal Area takes the crown for best metal guitar pedal plugin. This beast emulates the infamous BOSS Metal Zone, loved and loathed in equal measure.

If you’re after dreamy, swirling textures, Mercuriall Chorus WS-1 is a fantastic choice, bringing the legendary BOSS CE-2 Chorus Ensemble to your DAW.

Here’s our list of the 7 best free guitar pedal plugins:

  1. TSE808 2.0 Lite (Best Overdrive) - Download Here

  2. Mercuriall Metal Area (Best Metal Distortion) - Download Here

  3. Ignite Amps Pro F.E.T. (Best JFET Emulation) - Download Here

  4. Mercuriall Chorus WS-1 (Best Chorus) - Download Here

  5. TSE R47 (Best RAT Emulation) - Download Here

  6. Heptode Deep Crunch (Best Amp Distortion) - Download Here

  7. Ignite Amps TSB1 Tyrant Screamer - Download Here


Best TS Emulation: TSE808 2.0 Lite

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆

Why We Love It:

  • Smooth, full overdrive that mimics the warmth of a cranked tube amp.

  • Faithful recreation of the Ibanez TS808 Tube Screamer—because some things never go out of style.

  • Mono/Stereo processing and Hi/Lo quality mode.

View on TSE Audio


Best MT-2 Emulation: Mercuriall Metal Area

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆

Why We Love It:

  • Unique dual-gain circuitry for maximum face-melting distortion.

  • 3-band EQ with semi-parametric midrange control (because mids matter!).

  • Emulates the legendary BOSS Metal Zone (MT-2), the most divisive pedal in history.

View on Mercuriall Audio


Best CE-2 Emulation: Mercuriall Chorus WS-1

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆

Why We Love It:

  • Spot-on BOSS CE-2 Chorus emulation for lush, dreamy textures.

  • Stereo processing for extra-wide goodness.

  • Depth, Speed, and Mix controls—because you like options.

View on Mercuriall Audio


Best JFET Emulation: Ignite Amps Pro F.E.T.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆

Why We Love It:

  • Tube-like saturation with JFET-based gain stages—because tubes are expensive.

  • 4-band EQ with Shape toggle for extra tweakability.

  • Mono/Stereo processing and up to 8x oversampling for pristine tone.

View on KVR Audio


Best RAT Emulation: TSE R47

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆

Why We Love It:

  • RAT-style overdrive that goes from crunchy blues to searing distortion.

  • Simple interface with Drive, Tone, and Output controls—no rocket science required.

  • Stereo/Dual mode for flexible routing.

View on TSE Audio


Best Amp Distortion: Heptode Deep Crunch

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆

Why We Love It:

  • Emulates the Soldano SLO-100 amp distortion—legendary for a reason.

  • 3-band EQ with cab sim switch for extra versatility.

  • Great for everything from classic rock to high-gain mayhem.

View on KVR Audio


Best TS for Heavy Music: Ignite Amps TSB1 Tyrant Screamer

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆

Why We Love It:

  • Tube Screamer-inspired, but with an extra shot of aggression.

  • Additional Sweep control for dialing in that perfect midrange.

  • Mono/Stereo processing with oversampling options.

View on KVR Audio


Final Thoughts

All of these plugins offer high-quality emulations of legendary guitar pedals—for the unbeatable price of free! Whether you want creamy overdrive, skull-crushing distortion, or a chorus that would make The Police jealous, these plugins will take your tone to the next level—without breaking the bank.

Tried any of these? Let us know in the comments! Got a favorite we missed? Share your secret weapons!

How I Built The Perfect Pedalboard | Start to Finish

What if I told you that building the perfect pedalboard isn’t just about pedals and power supplies, but about perseverance and persistence?

A little over a year ago, I embarked on a journey to create the ultimate pedalboard—a journey filled with surprises, setbacks, and problem-solving. What I thought would be a straightforward build quickly turned into a challenge, testing my patience and creativity at every turn.

In this post, I’m going to condense that year-long quest into a step-by-step guide. Whether you're building your first pedalboard or looking to upgrade your current setup, you’ll likely encounter some of the same challenges I did. Hopefully, my experience can save you time, money, and frustration along the way. Let’s dive in.


The Vision and the Challenge

When I set out to build my pedalboard, I had a few key goals:

  • Sparkly clean tones

  • Textured, wide ambient swells

  • Maximum creativity

  • Versatility to cover a wide variety of sounds

Sounds simple, right? Well, I quickly realized this wasn’t a plug-and-play project. After testing various pedals and board configurations, I finally landed on a setup that would give me the most tonal flexibility without compromising audio quality.

Once I had a general idea of my pedal choices, the next challenge was finding the right board. I needed something affordable, durable, and capable of clean cable management. Thankfully, I discovered the Rockboard Board Configurator, an online tool that allowed me to visualize my layout and anticipate potential snags. It helped me determine:

  • What size board I needed

  • What kind of power supply to use

  • Minimum cable lengths for my setup

Using this tool was a game-changer, but as I’d soon find out, nothing is perfect on paper.


Pedal Selection and Signal Flow

Here’s the lineup I decided on, in order of signal flow:

  1. Behringer FC600 Volume/Expression Pedal – A heavy-duty volume pedal with an expression function and a side input for a tuner.

  2. Rockstock Nano Tuner – A compact yet highly visible tuner, hooked up via the volume pedal’s side input.

  3. Donner EQ Seeker – A 7-band graphic EQ, perfect for shaping tone and boosting signal.

  4. Wampler Ego 76 Compressor – A high-quality compressor with blend control for natural dynamics.

  5. JET Pedals Unity 6 Looper/Switcher – The brain of my board, featuring a touchscreen, MIDI control, and six rearrangeable analog loops.

  6. Caline Pure Sky Overdrive – A transparent overdrive pedal that enhances natural amp tone.

  7. Lamb Overdrive – A versatile overdrive with warm, tube-like characteristics.

  8. ARP-87 Delay – A multi-mode delay pedal with tap tempo and modulation control.

  9. Tonex Amp Modeler – My virtual amp and pedal modeler with 150 tone captures and stereo outputs.

  10. X-Space Reverb – A high-quality stereo reverb with 16 algorithms and MIDI connectivity.

  11. Slöer Ambient Reverb – A dreamy reverb with multiple modes and infinite sustain capability.

Finally, my stereo outs travel to the Rockboard MOD 3 patchbay, keeping everything clean and organized.


The Setbacks Begin

Problem #1: Space Constraints

My dream setup was just a bit too ambitious for the board I ordered. While the online tool helped, I didn’t account for the difference in cable sizes—some of my non-Rockboard cables took up more room than expected. This led to a tough decision: something had to go.

Instead of removing pedals, I got creative. The EQ and compressor are “always on” pedals, so I decided to mount the EQ under the board to save space. Problem solved… or so I thought.

Problem #2: A Pedal That Wouldn’t Auto-Power On

I quickly realized that my EQ pedal wouldn’t turn on automatically when power was supplied. If I mounted it under the board, I’d have to flip everything over to press the power button—not ideal. After some research, I discovered a solution: modding the pedal.

Using a multimeter, I found the switch contacts that controlled power. I soldered a jumper wire to bypass the manual switch. At first, it worked—but then the pedal’s microcontroller reset the bridge after power loss. After more troubleshooting, I found another bypass method using a 1k transistor, finally getting the pedal to stay on when powered. Victory!


Overcoming Power and Cable Management Challenges

To ensure everything powered up smoothly, I used an isolated power supply with inline adapters for tricky pedals. Proper cable management was also crucial. I secured everything with Velcro and zip ties, keeping the underside clean and minimizing interference.

The biggest breakthrough came when I rearranged my signal flow. Placing the EQ up front gave me better tonal control, while keeping delay and reverb last ensured clarity.


The Final Assembly and Testing

After hours of mounting, wiring, and adjusting, it was time for the moment of truth. I plugged in the power supply, flipped the switch, and watched as each pedal lit up one by one. Everything powered on correctly, signal flow was clean, and—most importantly—the board sounded incredible.


Final Thoughts

Building a pedalboard isn’t just about choosing the right gear. It’s about problem-solving, creativity, and the satisfaction of crafting something that’s uniquely yours. If you’re planning your own build, here are some takeaways from my experience:

  • Plan ahead – Use online tools to map out your layout before purchasing.

  • Test fit everything – A “dry fit” before securing pedals can save headaches.

  • Expect the unexpected – Issues will arise, but creative solutions exist.

  • Invest in good cable management – A clean setup is easier to troubleshoot and maintain.

Have you faced any challenges while building your pedalboard? Let’s discuss in the comments!