Cakewalk is adding new features to Guitar Tracks for Windows, an 8-track digital recorder optimized for guitarists.

Redesigned Interface Provides More Intuitive Multitrack Tape Deck Controls for Recording, Mixing and Editing

May 19, 2000 -- Cakewalk today announced Guitar Tracks 2, the latest edition of its popular eight-track digital audio recording and mixing software for Windows. Due to ship June 26, 2000, Guitar Tracks works with any electric guitar, as well as with any other instrument or microphone connected to a standard Windows sound card. It has an estimated retail price of $49.00 U.S.

With Guitar Tracks 2, the user interface has been completely redesigned to provide guitar players with a more intuitive "portable studio" recording and mixing experience. So now any guitar player, singer, or songwriter that has used a portable tape deck or cassette-based multitrack recorder can be up and recording with Guitar Tracks in minutes.

Beyond the redesigned recording and mixing console, Guitar Tracks 2 now integrates multitrack digital audio editing in a simplified, eight-track editing view for cutting, copying, and pasting audio sections quickly and efficiently. "We had tremendous success with the first release of Guitar Tracks," commented Michael Hoover, product manager for Cakewalk. "Our goal was to provide guitar players and songwriters with a simple, flexible tool for quickly recording, editing and mixing multiple tracks of digital audio on a PC. And with Guitar Tracks 2 we've taken this concept even further. Anyone who has ever recorded with a portable studio or multitrack tape deck will immediately know how to use Guitar Tracks."

New Feature Highlights for Guitar Tracks 2

• Redesigned stereo eight-track recording and real-time mixing console, providing guitar players with a more intuitive recording and songwriting experience;
• Integrated audio editing view for performing multitrack audio edits like cut, copy, paste; also provides volume and pan envelopes, audio scrubbing, and other tools;
• Master panel for easy access to global track operations, including Record, Play, Fast-Forward, Rewind, Loop Record/Playback, and Auto-Punch Record;
• Mini-Track Overview display provides scrolling window of all audio tracks while the user is working with real-time mixing controls;
• Enhanced Playback/Record track meters;
• Track Bounce command for combining any of the eight available audio tracks to free up new space; provides user with an unlimited number of virtual audio tracks for recording and playback;
• WavePipe(TM) audio processing technology for responsive, no-latency audio playback and mixing on standard Windows sound cards;
• New library of over 100 drum patterns for use with the included Drag-and-Drop Drummer Lite(TM) utility;
• Trial version of the industry-leading Fraunhofer MP3 encoder for Internet delivery; also exports to RealSystem G2 and Windows Media formats.

Like its predecessor, Guitar Tracks 2 plays back up to eight simultaneous tracks of digital audio, and allows users to mix tracks in real-time with up to eight simultaneous effects. Guitar Tracks also supports industry-standard DirectX audio plug-ins, for adding hundreds of available third-party effects as needed. Additional Guitar Tracks Features

• Works with any electric guitar, microphone or instrument connected to a standard Windows sound card;
• Records and plays back up to eight simultaneous stereo tracks of CD-quality digital audio;
• Real-time, non-destructive stereo effects including parametric and graphic EQ, chorus, reverb, delay, and flange;
• Includes AmpSim Lite DirectX plug-in for simulating vintage amplifier sound on digital audio tracks;
• Allows user to expand system with more DirectX plug-ins as needed (sold separately);
• Drag-and-drop editing of audio tracks;
• Allows user to tune up quickly with the built-in chromatic tuner;
• Provides audio mixdown to stereo WAV files for burning to audio CDs;
• Drag-and-Drop Drummer(TM) Lite for creating high-quality drum tracks quickly;
• SlowBlast(TM) utility for practicing guitar licks from any audio CD; allows user to loop and slow down music without changing the original pitch.

Pricing and Availability
Guitar Tracks 2 will be available June 26, 2000, and has an estimated retail price of $49.00 U.S. It includes a trial version of the industry-leading Fraunhofer MP3 encoder; users can purchase a full version of the professional Fraunhofer MP3 encoder for $25.00 on the Cakewalk Web site.

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