Galeon
IMHO, SONAR should follow a marketing strategy similiar to the one used for FL Studio:
1) Artist, Professional and Platinum should be sold exclusively with lifetime updates. Do you already own a version and want the better one? Simply pay the difference in price. No more problems/misunderstandings with the payment method.
2) In the lifetime updates should be included only the bug-fixes and the core enhancements while the future plugins (like the new L-Phase Series) should be sold separately: in this way Cakewalk could offset losses caused by the lifetime memberships.
3) Speaking about plugins already included: they're too many, expecially in Platinum. TTS-1, Cyclone, Dimension LE, Dimension Pro, DropZone, PSYN II, Rapture, Rapture LE, Rapture session, rgcAudio Square, Roland GrooveSynth, RXP, Lounge Lizard Session 4 and many more. Some of them I've never opened. IMHO, the only one that should be included is Rapture Session and the others sold separately, while the only third-party VSTs included could be Addictive Drums 2, Melodyne and TH3 (or Ozone 7 elements in partnership with Izotope): in this way Cakewalk could even reduce the price of SONAR.
4) The world is full of casual customers who only complain about the price or don't understand the membership method used by Cakewalk, just give a look at the SONAR discussions page on STEAM: with a slogan like "SONAR Platinum, only for 300$. Pay one time, keep it upgraded forever." sales would be guaranteed.

Respectively, I disagree on every point.
 
1)  FL isn't incentive enough to really push the development of the software.  It is clear that Sonar with their model is.  FL has honestly proven this with the updates they make.
 
2.  Those extra features are what drives the price differences between the versions.  And things like L-Phase are available as additional purchases today for the lower tier people.  They already have that business model.  
 
3.  A number I don't use either, but that is part of making the package well rounded for different types of users.  Most of those plugins do not cost Cake that much to provide at this point.  The ones you mentioned AD, Melodyne and TH3 actually do and are the ones that theoretically under your model should not be included since they require 3rd party licencing.  (Lounge Lizard and True Pianos and Overload are also 3rd party, but stripped down versions of the full blown product with discounts for upgrades) I'd argue these are some of the prime things people spring the extra cash on for the Plat version.  
 
4)  Cake had the pay one time keep it forever model for ~20 years.  Potential customers that can't read likely will struggle to use the software anyway.  Also the OP states they are only offering the "monthly" subscription straight from Cakewalk, if you go to a retailer, your option is the full boat pay up front version, you can go to a retailer site and see there is no confusion that if you pay that amount out of pocket, you own a license that doesn't expire right then and there. 
 
5)  If you want a stripped down version, just buy Artist and periodically opt back in when you need future state fix of compatibility.  I'm inferring from your post you are not a Lifetime Plat owner.  
 

groove

Brian Walton
To keep the pay model going I'm curious what is in the oven for new features, since the last 5 months have been pretty heavily focused on fixes and enhancements to existing sets.   I'd imagine the non-lifers that are forking out the money every month will want some sizzle on the steak to keep going.  
 

Not to thread-jack, but I am very happy that CW is focused more on bugfixes than ever-expanding features with new bugs of their own.  Given the number of voices that were asking for more stability and more focus on bugfixing than new features, I would hope that others are happy too.
 

I'm also very glad about focus on stability and bug fixes.  But I'm just being realistic that most users don't want to pay ~$200/ year for that alone.  Those of us that got on the lifetime plan, no problem, but those that are in the position to either continue to pay or not, I'm guessing they will want a combo of both fixes and new otherwise they will likely opt out and then jump back on when the fixes they actually run into are addressed.  

My first thought: I'm glad I took the "lifetime updates" offer when it was out there. 
 
There were so many who just wanted to point out all sorts of conspiracy theory about what Cakewalk wasn't going to do (i.e. no worthwhile updates, product cancellations, rebranding to get out of having to "pay out the updates"), or that the lifetime updates would always be available and it was a cash grab that would be extended over and over. 
 
At the time, I thought "I'm taking advantage of this", figuring that if Cakewalk kept offering lifetime upgrades forever, I'd still be winning over the previous purchasing model (monthly or yearly updates that ended at the end of their respective terms, so it would be about $199/year or so), but if they stopped, I'd definitely save a ton of money over the long haul.  So now I look at it over the 5 year plan.  If I got 50% off for each of the next 5 years at $250 each year, that would be $1,250 over the next 5 years.  I pay $0 (or $199 if you include my "investment" last year).  Lucky/fortunate me.
 
If they had not offered the lifetime upgrades, I may still be on X3.  I'm glad I happened to be paying attention when it was announced and offered.  And as a result, I've gotten at least a little more involved in my music hobby, my use of Sonar, and this forum.
 
I'm sorry for those that missed it.  I'm sorry for those who couldn't take advantage of it when it was available.

declan

Seth Kellogg [Cakewalk]

pwalpwal
how will this affect steam editions?

We'll have a small FAQ and Blog post tomorrow morning.
 

Has this been posted?  I haven't found it.

this?
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=834500302
 

I think it's kind of funny how everyone keeps coming out to say I'm glad I jumped on the lifetime deal as if they need validation of their decision. Two thing are certain: Cakewalk will change their pricing strategy again at some point - they have no idea what they want to do and have been changing every 6-12 months. The other thing is that the lifetime updates deal will be back at some point when they need more money, so no one missed out. The lifetime updates was just a money grab to fund the mac development which seems to have gone into vaporware and will ultimately fail for them as they cannot displace logic or the other daws out there. Only people here that will be getting it for free are interested - no money for Cakewalk in that.
 
I got tired of being jerked around by Cakewalk on the pricing strategies and thought they were really going to bring out some groundbreaking products last year after all the hype. Instead we got this overblown cash grab campaign. I decided to take my $199 and invest in FL Studio, actually paid less that this for the signature package with lifetime updates included. I have been using Sonar since 2010 and have seen very little in terms of updates to get excited about. I only upgraded to platinum because I wanted addictive drums and was a cheaper route than buying directly.
 
Sonar is now moved down to 4th on my list of favorite daws and find FLS is way faster to get ideas down and has more flexibility and core features to record, edit, and arrange audio and midi the way I want to work. So, now it is my primary daw and I'll keep Sonar just for my legacy projects. By the way, I do mostly rock and classical arrangements, not EDM as most people think FLS is only good at. Also note that FLS is family owned and not under some corporate umbrella, so there is more passion and the community interacts a lot more with the developers on the updates. Cakewalk seems to have become more disconnected internally since they came under Gibson which is very sad.
 
Another issue for me has been support. I had an issue a while back and emailed Cakewalk and got no response. I was able to figure it out on my own after some research. Then I got an email 4 weeks later asking if I still needed help. This is totally unacceptable. To folks that have not looked elsewhere and are happy with Sonar and the level of support, and it does everything you need, I have nothing but respect and wish you the best of luck. It is still a good daw as it stands.

Paul G

Alex Westner [Cakewalk]
We emailed all of our SONAR customers today, ...

I used to get these emails all the time but haven't for the last 6 - 8 months!  Is there a place to re-sign up?

FWIW I didn't get any email from Cakewalk.
 
I've gone from never getting email even after signing up multiple times,
To finally getting on the list,
To back to not receiving anything.
 

I think it's kind of funny how everyone keeps coming out to say I'm glad I jumped on the lifetime deal as if they need validation of their decision.

Seriously?  Of course I want validation for my decision!  How else do you gauge whether your decisions are good or not?  And the lifetime updates were not really barely more expensive that me "just" going to Platinum from X3 for a one year period - so hardly would count as a cash grab except possibly that they made the offer more attractive to me to jump rather than not move forward from X3 at all.  Either way, kind of a win-win for both me and Cakewalk, I think.
 
That is not to say that the pricing change is the ONLY validation.  It is not.  I am validated every time I get an update to the software.  And when my one year point comes around and I keep getting updates, that will be validation YET AGAIN.
 
What would you rather people say?  "I wish I hadn't jumped on the lifetime deal.  I sure wish I could be paying more".  Would that be some kind more reasonable statement to you?
 
pfffft...Sounds kind of more like you are trying to validate your purchase of Fruity Loops from here.
 
That said, I have a few open tickets with Cakewalk and I'm extremely disappointed in the lack of response I've gotten.  I opened these tickets last August and I cannot get any response. So, I'm sad that it APPEARS that the lifetime purchase is at the expense of responsive customer support.  THAT is totally unacceptable.
 

mettelus
Ironically, the only feature mentioned in the OP that didn't exist a year ago is lenses.

Anyone who wants to see the full roster of additions in the last year (e.g., comping improvements, Matrix view updates, MIDI note chase, onboard audio speed improvements, tempo extraction, Melodyne multitrack support, Console 1 support, Rapture/Z3TA+ improvements, plug-in load balancing,Tungsten theme,  theme editor, Melodyne 4.1, Quick Group insert FX and freeze, linear phase EQ and multiband compressor plug-ins, Smart Swipe, TH3, etc.) can check out the Rolling Updates page.
 

bsantini99
The lifetime updates deal will be back at some point when they need more money, so no one missed out.

 
Based on what I know (which I'm quite sure is more than you do), there are zero plans to resume lifetime updates. 
 

The lifetime updates was just a money grab to fund the mac development

 
That is incorrect, so please don't state it as a fact. I'll let someone from Cakewalk refute you if they want to, but I know the cost of bringing a Windows product to a Mac alpha, and it's not much. Remember, both platforms use Intel processors these days. It's not like the days of trying to port to a PPC processor.
 

Instead we got this overblown cash grab campaign.

 
One customer's "overblown cash grab" is another customer's cost-effective way to always stay updated with SONAR for an incredibly low price. 
 

Brando
I think it's kind of funny that people who have supposedly moved on to another DAW come back here to post during times of turmoil and change as if they need validation for their decision.

What's important to me is the music people make. I don't care what DAW they use, as long as their music has emotional impact that reaches my heart (or at least my brain).
 
I do notice that a lot of people who claim to have moved on, or diss SONAR for being inadequate for their needs, don't have links to their music. A cynic might say that's because their music isn't very good, so they're moving on because they blame their tools. I'd prefer to think it's more that they haven't found the perfect match yet for the way they create music. Just as no two DAWs are alike, no two creative processes are alike.
 
It's silly to diss any DAW because it satisfies the creative process of other people but not your own. 
 
As to the OP, I think the simplified structure is overdue. When it got to the point where you had to log in to your account to find out what your price would be, that's a warning sign that it was too complicated.
 
 

Off topic, but it bothers me to hear that you are using the forum, the bakery, steam and Facebook as conduits for customer interaction. I have no idea what avenue to follow when looking for information. I worry that the limited support resources are diluted and that there is a potential for inconsistent communication.
 
I don't use social media. Does that put me at a disadvantage when I'm trying to find out whats going on? I'm hearing that there is more interaction via Steam and Facebook.

I would have to agree with you Seth, different strokes and all that. Coming from a multi-generational family I have a father of 80 who edits guitar instruction books on his Mac, I am in the Windows camp biased towards forums and Facebook (through no fault of my own I must add :)) and my son is 24 and of the Steam/Reddit generation who thinks Facebook is for old people to share family photos.
All of us involved in music.
 
p.s. by old people I am talking anyone over 35!

welcome to my world Steve! Spitfire audio announce via Instagram, I am involved with another company who share betas via Facebook, album drops are now done surreptitiously via Reddit. I tend to use FB messenger and WhatsApp as a way to communicate with people across the globe rather than email. Collaborations are done via sftp due to security rather than links to download pages.
 
luckily I was microchipped at birth so I have access to every available communication channel!
:)

Hatstand
 
p.s. by old people I am talking anyone over 35!

Ouch, I guess I should go pick a plot out before people catch on to this.

Seth's comments were a real eye opener for me. I thought this was the center of the universe. Next, you'll be telling me the earth isn't flat. You crazy kids!