Cakewalk lives.
BandLab Technologies today announced the acquisition of assets and intellectual property of Cakewalk Inc. from Gibson Brands.
Bandlab Technologies is a Singapore-based collective of global music brand, including the BandLab online music platform; Rolling Stone magazine; and Asian online music gear retailer Swee Lee.
“We are very excited to be bringing Cakewalk Inc’s products into the BandLab Technologies stable,” says Meng Ru Kuok, CEO of BandLab Technologies. “The teams at both Gibson and BandLab felt that Cakewalk’s products deserved a new home, where development could continue.”
The deal includes only the transfer of Cakewalk Inc.’s assets and intellectual property. Plans for the future of the Cakewalk brand or products are to be announced. See the Bandlab site for more info.
That gives a glimmer of hope that some of those sloppy apps get some love.
I hope this means Sonar will return. It was a great product that Gibson squandered.
lol I remember when I had to use an MPU-401. Been using Cakewalk since. Glad to see it escape the total mess of a company called Gibson.
On the other hand, perhaps this means that BandLab will just try to fold the various Cakewalk technology into their own online DAW– kind of like how Apple acquired Camel’s Alchemy. Not quite the same as having the software freely available a la carte.
A lot of us have held out of transitioning to Pro Tools 12 or any of the other available DAWs and the associated headaches. Haven’t missed a beat. Good to know that there may still be an extended life in an excellent program after a botched surgery by Gibson
Well at least it can’t possibly get worse…
Or can it?
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As an aside, I had no idea whatsoever that the excellent Rolling Stone magazine, home of Matt Taibbi’s excellent work dismantling the corrupt world of global finance, was owned by a Singapore based DAW company I never heard of.
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“The deal includes only the transfer of Cakewalk Inc.’s assets and intellectual property”
Isn’t that all there is? Gibson already dumped all the employees when they acquired them, I think.
Actually Gibson did not, and the top developers have been hired now for the new company. Bandlabs owner has also stated in Cakewalks user forum that Sonar users will receive a free crossgrade to the new flagship product.
Apparently Meng not only owns Rolling Stone and a DAW company, but also the largest Asian musical instruments manufacturer. In other words, it looks like a high tech Asian version of Gibson.
Z3ta 2 is actually one of my favorite plugins and I use it constantly. Glad to see it has another shot at a long life.
If only we could go back 20-25 years and rescue Opcode and Oberheim from Gibson’s apathetic neglect.