Cakewalk Pro Audio 6.0

January 16, 1997 -- Cakewalk Music Software, the leading provider of music creation software for PCs, today announced the introduction Cakewalk Pro Audio 6.0, the first music creation package to support Microsoft's ActiveX open standard for streaming audio and video media.

Shipping in Spring 1997, Cakewalk Pro Audio 6.0 provides enhanced digital sound processing (DSP) effects. Version 6.0 offers seamless integration with 3rd party audio plug-ins, opening users to numerous effects and editing options never before available in the Windows environment. The program also features Cakewalk StudioWare(TM) which allows users to design custom interfaces within the Cakewalk application to control a variety of studio hardware.

"Cakewalk Pro Audio 6.0 is leading the industry into a new era of open system studio recording. PC users that never before had access to creative tools such as 3D sound can now easily integrate these software packages into Cakewalk," said Tom Cook, president of Cakewalk Music Software. "And the addition of StudioWare and new DSP capabilities bring an unprecedented level of studio control to the desktop."

Microsoft(R) ActiveX(TM) Plug-Ins

ActiveX represents the emerging standard in the home recording software industry for audio plug-ins on the Windows platform. Now, any ActiveX plug-in will work with Cakewalk as an audio effects processor.

Several music software manufacturers are planning to release ActiveX plug-ins in 1997, including Tracer Technologies, QSound Labs, Arboretum Systems. In addition, Waves has released a suite of ActiveX plug-ins for their suite of DSP effects.

Cakewalk's ActiveX DSP Effects

Cakewalk Pro Audio 6.0 offers several of its own ActiveX DSP effects to the program's audio editing tools, including Pitch Shifting, Time expansion/compression, Pitch-to-MIDI Translation, and Reverb, Flange, Chorus, and Delay effects. All 6.0 DSP effects can be auditioned in real-time. The new editing commands feature a preview mode and preset parameters for popular effects settings. In addition, users can create and save their own custom presets.

Cakewalk StudioWare

Raising the Windows 95 audio workstation to a new level, Cakewalk Pro Audio 6.0 lets users create their own control interfaces for their favorite studio gear, such as hard disk recorders, mixing consoles, effects processors, or any other device that can respond to MIDI and System Exclusive (SYSX) data.

Configurable StudioWare panels provide an on-screen emulation of the hardware's front panel, greatly simplifying work flow. But beyond merely representing a devices front panel in software, StudioWare allows users to "drill down" to a level of control not accessible from the device's physical surface.

"Cakewalk StudioWare now allows users to custom design their own integrated studio environment with the equipment of their choice. It brings virtual control of peripheral gear to the hands of the customer, " said Sue Imhoff, director of product marketing.

Cakewalk Pro Audio 6.0 will ship with several StudioWare panels for a variety of studio gear, including the Roland VS-880(TM), TASCAM DA-38(TM), and Yamaha ProMix 01(TM) Users also can easily create and distribute their own StudioWare panels, and the company plans to make additional StudioWare panels available throughout the year.

Other New Pro Audio 6.0 Features

Controller Data viewed from within Piano Roll Window

Percussion Notation

Improved tools for pattern-based sequencing

Real-time display of notes while recording

Save/Recall multiple screen layouts

Drop Markers on the fly

Support for 48 kHz audio

For more information, visit their web site at www.cakewalk.com.