CAMBRIDGE, MA* Cakewalk, the leading provider of music and sound software, today announced Cakewalk Pro Audio 9, a new version of the world's #1-selling multitrack recording software for sound professionals. This significant upgrade includes features such as WavePipe technology, AudioX support, MIDI enhancements, guitar features and MP3 encoding functions. Now users have increased responsiveness and control when recording, editing, mixing and delivering music on the PC or via the Internet.

"This is a major step forward for the feature set of Pro Audio," said Damian Allen, multimedia specialist, Toshiba TAMS Multimedia Division. "The only thing missing from the new release is latency! This thing turns on a dime, smiles at your stereo tracks and has enough new shortcuts to keep you working creatively instead of spending hours on tedious edits. There is no going back."

"What struck me the most was the rock solid performance of the program, the higher track count and audio playback latency so low as to allow real-time adjustment of effects and mixing," said D. Glen Cardenas, Floating Point Productions. "Truly what-you-hear-is-what-you-get."

Audio Enhancements

• WavePipe Technology delivers instantaneous audio processing performance by providing direct communication to wave compatible sound cards. It also provides professional caliber response to mixing, muting, solo, record, effects parameters, and other real time audio functions. Unlike software products that deliver low latency only with a soundcard whose manufacturer has developed a special driver, WavePipe enables all users with a wave-compatible sound card to see performance gains. Users can choose from a wider variety of sound cards, without the quality concerns associated with independently developed drivers;
• AudioX support delivers direct control over advanced features in audio hardware such as DSP effects, SMPTE options, low latency mixing, and busses and patching, with support for the Yamaha DSP Factory, Sonorus Studi/o, and others;
• Performance Indicators have new system meters, which provide real time visual feedback over CPU and disk activity to monitor system capabilities;
• Stereo Track Support features audio clips, which support stereo data, providing easy editing and improved efficiency. Stereo clips can be used in any track, and audio tracks can even combine stereo and mono clips;
• Smooth Audio Scrubbing makes it easy to locate specific events in audio clips by scrolling through the clip while monitoring playback; 
• Enhanced Mixdown Options provides additional control for bouncing tracks, or over the final mix, such as the ability to mixdown to stereo, mono, or dual mono (independent left and right) wave files. In addition, you can specify whether or not to apply controller automation, volume and pan envelopes, and track effects, master effects, and aux returns.

• MP3, RealSystem G2, and Windows Media support allows users mixdown and encode to the most popular compression formats for distribution over the internet. Pro Audio 9 uses the patented Fraunhofer encoding technology for MP3 compression, providing pro-quality encoding at rates up to 320 kbps with complete control over all encoding parameters.

• Tuner enhancements offer direct access to a chromatic tuner for tuning guitars and other instruments through the sound card;
• Amp Simulation is a DirectX effect that provides a realistic amplified sound to guitar tracks, with selection of amplifier model, cabinet enclosure, tremolo, EQ, presence, and overdrive;
• Fretboard Display provides real time display of MIDI tracks on a customizable guitar fretboard;
• Deglitch Filter allows MIDI guitarists to filter out unintended notes with pitch, velocity, and duration controls; 
• Tablature Display and Editing converts MIDI guitar tracks to tablature display, with complete control over guitar type, finger span, and tuning. Tablature is synchronized with staff and other MIDI events, providing seamless editing and display. In addition, tablature generated in Pro Audio 9 can be exported as an ASCII text file for distribution.

• Mulitrack Piano View is the most flexible and intuitive multitrack piano view available, this feature provides the ability to display, select, and edit multiple MIDI tracks simultaneously through a "Piano Roll" interface. You have complete control over which tracks should be displayed, which tracks should be shown in front or behind others, and which tracks should be active for selection, editing, or playback;
• Style Enhancerä MIDI FX Plug-in uses performance modeling to give MIDI recordings a "human" feel. Provides performance models for over thirty types of instruments and styles, including guitar leads and strumming, slap and fretless bass lines, saxophone leads, horn sections, fiddles, flutes, and more; 

                                                      On-screen Cakewalk TECHniques Tutorials 
                                                      Over 30 demo files from Yes keyboardist Igor
                                                      Khoroshev, LA film scoring team Shawn Clement &
                                                      Sean Murray 
                                                      Virtual Piano on screen MIDI instrument 
                                                      Virtual Jukebox 
                                                      Creative Labs SoundFont Manager 
                                                      JAMMER Hit Session 
                                                      Drag and Drop Drummer 
                                                 VAMTECH Drumtrax drum files (used by Session
                                                      Drummer MIDI plug-in)

                                                      Sonic Implants SoundFont banks and MIDI files 
                                                      DNA groove files with audio files 
                                                 Drumtrax library of MIDI drum files 
                                                      Big Fish Audio stereo wave audio loops 
                                                      Oddball Film + Video AVI clips 
                                                      CINENET® AVI clips from QuickStock library 
                                                      CanvasMan 32 CE 
                                                      Cakewalk Audio Browser 
                                                      12 Advanced Cakewalk TECHniques Tutorials
 

Streamlined User Interface 

• Console Interface is completely updated for visual feedback during mixing;
• Enhanced Patch Browser gives instant searching and sorting for MIDI patches;
• Envelope Tooltips provide visual cues for level and pan settings; 
• Over thirty other usability enhancements, such as global mute/solo/record, access for commonly used functions from audio, track, and console views, drag and drop enhancements, MIDI channel and track selection, clip display options, tempo control, and MIDI and audio effects presets are featured.

Cakewalk Pro Audio 9 has a manufacturer suggested retail price (MSRP) of $429 US ($399 estimated street price) and will ship in early October 1999.

Customers who purchase Pro Audio 8 between September 1, 1999 and November 30, 1999, qualify for a free upgrade to Pro Audio 9. Interested customers can call 888-CAKEWALK for details. Other registered users can upgrade to Pro Audio 9 for as low as $79 US.

For more information on Cakewalk Pro Audio 9, visit Cakewalk at the 1999 AES Convention, Jacob Javits Convention Center, Booth # 680; call 888-CAKEWALK; or visit Cakewalk on the World Wide Web (www.cakewalk.com).