Cakewalk Sonar 7 Producer Edition review

Sonar has received numerous enthusiastic Computer Shopper reviews, thanks to masses of sophisticated features that leave little to be desired. Even so, Cakewalk has managed to pack version 7 with a generous portion of exciting new tools.

No other general-purpose recording software can compete with Producer Edition's plug-in bundle, and version 7 expands the gap even further. High-quality EQ, multiband compression and limiter effects add up to an excellent mastering suite for adding extra oomph and sparkle to finished mixes, and they come in handy in a range of other circumstances. Existing compressor and gate effects now include side-chain inputs so the volume of one channel can fluctuate in response to the volume of another. This is something few recording packages offer (Steinberg has just introduced it in Cubase 4.1) and it's a valuable feature for all sorts of corrective and creative tricks. The virtual instrument plug-in collection covers everything from orchestral emulations to evolving synths and loop mangling.

We're disappointed that Cakewalk has done little to develop the interface. The Piano Roll MIDI editor has various workflow improvements, including a hugely configurable trio of editing tools, but the average user is unlikely to unleash its potential. Meanwhile, the deluge of buttons dotted around the interface is in need of simplification. Various other features would benefit from a little refinement and, on the whole, Sonar doesn't feel quite as polished as some of its rivals.

Ultimately, Sonar scores highly for ease of use and the quality of the results. The plug-in bundle alone is worth more than the £329 price. Sonar is ideal for musicians who want a sophisticated application that's packed with inspiring music-making toys, and are prepared to invest time to get the most from it.