This month’s release for SONAR Artist, Professional, and Platinum brings new features along with fixes & enhancements to many key elements of SONAR.
 
In SONAR 2017.09 we have added a dedicated button for duplicating tracks to make the tracking and mixing workflow even faster. Speaking of workflow, we have been working with Microsoft on support for the new Surface Dial. This is a perfect device for people who want the feel of a control surface without the wires. It's great on the go and requires no setup to have control Surface like support, so you can keep focused on your music.

New Features

New Duplicate Track Button
(Platinum, Professional, and Artist)
 
Duplicating a track is a widely used technique for mixing to create thick vocals when you add compression and chorus to the double. It is also very handy during recording when you are creating different parts using the same instrument or audio setup. In SONAR 2017.09 update we have added a dedicated button for this in the Track view to make it even faster. So you can focus on the music you are making instead of how you are getting there. To set how you want the button to behave you can right-click on the Duplicate button and pick the settings you prefer.
 
Microsoft Surface Dial Integration
(Platinum, Professional, and Artist)

Microsoft has released a new device for interacting with Windows 10 and it’s Apps. They call it the Surface Dial! It is apart of a new class of “Wheel” devices that are automatically configured for simple setup and powerful functionality. We are happy to announce that you can now use the new Surface Dial with SONAR along with any other Wheel device for Windows 10. All you need is a computer with Bluetooth support and you are ready. It features a built-in Smart Grid based Transport, Precision handling of controls in SONAR, and Project Zooming. It can also be configured by the user for a specific app to have a specific functionality from the Windows Wheel settings. The device can be used on the table as well as on the screen with supported devices such as Surface 5 & Surface Studio. Besides having dedicated functionality the Surface Dial also has custom hapic feedback configured specially for SONAR.
 
30th Anniversary Content
Cakewalk’s 30th Anniversary continues with more freebies! These 30 killer kick drums are designed for use in Drum Replacer or Session Drummer 3 as well as Rapture Pro. They include 15 kick drums for EDM and 15 more for hip-hop. 
Download the 30th Anniversary Drum Replacer Kicks
 
Tech+Music Issue 2017.09
This month's issue covers the latest SONAR 2017.09 updates (including Microsoft Dial support), reviews Big Fish Audio’s “Kandiland” sample library with 20 EDM construction kits, tells how to create MIDI guitar programs for the Zivix Jamstik, provides expert tips on mastering in the “You Mix, We Master” monthly feature, and describes the 30 free kick drums for EDM and hip-hop that are part of Cakewalk’s 30th Anniversary Celebration.
Read the 2017.09 issue of of Tech+Music

Fixes and Enhancements

Additional Fixes and Enhancements added after EA

• Duplicating Split Instrument Tracks is now possible! When you have the MIDI track and Audio track of a split pair both selected, clicking the Duplicate button will now create a new pair connected to a new synth instance. Duplicating a single MIDI or Audio track will continue to route to the same connected synth.
• Tap to set NowTime in the Track view now works properly with Touch
• Duplicated tracks with plug-ins set to use tempo sync now works as expected
• Duplicating tracks next to folders could occasionally result in the track being added to the folded unintentionally

 
Duplicate (Clone) Track

• All references to Clone Track have now been changed to Duplicate Track
• Duplicated simple instrument tracks will now create a new instance of the synth
• Duplicating instrument tracks previously caused issues in projects with folders
• Duplicated tracks with lanes did not indicate lanes until expanded
• Duplicated tracks previously did not match the original tracks height
• ProChannel enable Post FX Rack button is now copied when duplicating a track
• Track gain is now copied when duplicating a track
• Duplicating a track within a folder could create a new track outside of the folder
• Duplicated tracks now respect the “Follow Track Pan setting
• Duplicated Track now remember if the inline Piano Roll is selected
• Duplicated tracks previously did not set the Read Automation button state correctly

 
Start Screen

• Clicking the Discover tab banner previously opened the Start Screen in a browser
• Text for “Demo Projects” in the Start Screen is no longer cut off in some languages

 
Touch

• Using touch to navigate, it was possible to move the timeline before measure 1

 
Miscellaneous

• Track Control Manager previously listed Sends as AUX
• The Open File dialog did not display some Cakewalk file types when set to “All Cakewalk” Projects, Templates, and Bundles will now all display with this selected
• VST2 plug-ins without GUIs can now be scanned and loaded in SONAR 

Nais 
Downloading now.
All the best.

Merci, Pâtissiers! (Thank you, Bakers!)

Great news!

We are happy to announce that you can now use the new Surface Dial with SONAR along with any other Wheel device for Windows 10

Does this mean enhancements for devices like the Contour Design Shuttle?  Or is there a new class of Windows 10 wheel devices?

Nice! On vacation but can’t wait to get back and try!

Walt

Not all fixed though.
 
It says that they have fixed touch when touching the Time Ruler. In the past you could touch the Time Ruler and it would set now time at the point of touch. You could also drag your finger on the time ruler and select a part of a clip. Then those stopped working. Now they say they fixed it again but it is not working properly. Yes now you can again touch the Time Ruler to jump to now time but 8 our of 10 time is also selects the whole project when you touch the ruler. Selecting by dragging finger on the time ruler isn't working either.
 
I used these features every day now it is difficult to get used to not having them and reaching for the mouse.

BRuys

We are happy to announce that you can now use the new Surface Dial with SONAR along with any other Wheel device for Windows 10

Does this mean enhancements for devices like the Contour Design Shuttle?  Or is there a new class of Windows 10 wheel devices?

It's a new class of W10 device.
 

e-AudioProductions
Not all fixed though.
 
It says that they have fixed touch when touching the Time Ruler. In the past you could touch the Time Ruler and it would set now time at the point of touch. You could also drag your finger on the time ruler and select a part of a clip. Then those stopped working. Now they say they fixed it again but it is not working properly. Yes now you can again touch the Time Ruler to jump to now time but 8 our of 10 time is also selects the whole project when you touch the ruler. Selecting by dragging finger on the time ruler isn't working either.
 
I used these features every day now it is difficult to get used to not having them and reaching for the mouse.

We'll continue to look at it. We got that particular fix in at the end of yesterday. Touch is still going to be 'touched' and improved upon in the near future. 

e-AudioProductions 
It says that they have fixed touch when touching the Time Ruler.

Actually they said "Using touch to navigate, it was possible to move the timeline before measure 1." Was that not fixed? Seems to be fixed here, although I'm using an ancient Planar monitor that Alexander Graham Bell used to test out the touchtone phone...so anything's possible.
 
I'm glad to see additional fixes are planned, being able to move the now time with touch is important to me as well.

Anderton

e-AudioProductions 
It says that they have fixed touch when touching the Time Ruler.

Actually they said "Using touch to navigate, it was possible to move the timeline before measure 1." Was that not fixed? Seems to be fixed here, although I'm using an ancient Planar monitor that Alexander Graham Bell used to test out the touchtone phone...so anything's possible.
 
I'm glad to see additional fixes are planned, being able to move the now time with touch is important to me as well.

Under fixes and enhancements it says 

• Tap to set NowTime in the Track view now works properly with Touch

That doesn't work properly if you touch and then the whole project is selected. And then you need grab the mouse to unselect it. It just doen't work. It did work in the past then at some point it stopped. What I don't understand is why would they ruin a feature that worked well and people use it? 
 
In the past you could touch the Time Ruler and it would set now time at the point of touch. You could also drag your finger on the time ruler and select a part of a clip. Then those stopped working. Like I said before  - Yes now you can again touch the Time Ruler to jump to now time but 8 our of 10 times it also selects the whole project when you touch the ruler and you cant unselect unless you grab the mouse. Selecting a part was also good in the past by dragging finger on the time ruler but that isn't working either. You could drag select a part then touch the loop and it was great. 
 

Seth Kellogg [Cakewalk]

BRuys

We'll continue to look at it. We got that particular fix in at the end of yesterday. Touch is still going to be 'touched' and improved upon in the near future. 

It is not a fix though as it is not been fixed. You say it will be "touched improved" but it seems it is going the opposite way if things work and then they don't work anymore right?
 
Another thing that would be great is in the console view touching a track would also select it. That way you can have the inspector open showing the ProChannel and when you touch a track, that track would become the selected track and the inspector would jump focus on the selected track. Just like when you click on a track with the mouse. Or at least have a spot somewhere to touch a track in the console view to make it the selected track.
 
Hopefully it will be fixed in the next update. You get used to a workflow and suddenly it changes.. That is irritating.