Cakewalk (sequencer)

{{Short description|Music sequencer software}} {{One source|date=September 2011}} {{Infobox software | name = Cakewalk | screenshot = Cakewalk 5 DOS fair use.png | caption = Version 5.0 for MS-DOS | developer = Twelve Tone Systems | released = {{Start date and age|1987}} | latest_release_version = 9.03 | operating_system = [[Windows]], [[MS-DOS]] | genre = Host/[[Music sequencer]] | license = [[Proprietary software|Proprietary]] | website = {{URL|cakewalk.com}} }}

'''Cakewalk''' is a [[Music sequencer|sequencer]] first developed by Twelve Tone Systems (the company later known as [[Cakewalk (company)|Cakewalk, Inc.]]).

Originally for [[MS-DOS]], starting with version Cakewalk 1.0 in 1987,<ref>[http://createdigitalmusic.com/2007/11/12/interview-cakewalk-founder-greg-hendershott-20-years-on/ Interview with founder and CEO Greg Hendershott, 20 years on], 12 November 2007, at ''Create Digital Music'' blog.</ref> and, beginning in 1991, for [[Windows 3.0]]. Until version 4.0 it required an [[MPU-401]] [[MIDI]] interface card operating in intelligent mode, while 4.0 and later versions relied on the dumb [[Universal asynchronous receiver/transmitter|UART]] mode only.

Cakewalk was delivered in two versions, Cakewalk Pro and Cakewalk Express. The latter was a lite version limited to 25 tracks and 1 MIDI output port. The Express version was sometimes bundled with hardware such as a sound card. Cakewalk was a purely MIDI based [[music sequencer|sequencer]]: Although it could trigger [[WAV]] files at certain points, more comprehensive audio support was not incorporated until the advent of Cakewalk Pro Audio when true support for digitized audio was added.

[[File:Cakewalk Professional 1.0 for DOS advertisement.jpg|thumb|Cakewalk Professional 1.0 for MS-DOS]]

== Features == The last version of the product featured a [[piano roll]] editor, support for limited [[music notation]] and a built-in [[scripting language]] called '''CAL''' (Cakewalk Application Language).<ref>[http://www.cakewalk.com/DevXchange/CAL.asp Cakewalk DevXchange] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090707221235/http://www.cakewalk.com/DevXchange/CAL.asp |date=2009-07-07 }} - CAL</ref> Cakewalk was a predecessor of [[Cakewalk Sonar|SONAR]] which had nearly all of the same features, including support for CAL, and was the only major DAW on the market supporting a scripting language.

Cakewalk had [[piano roll]] and CAL support since the Windows 16-bit Version 3.01. <gallery> Image:Cakewalk 3.01 staff views WAV.gif|Cakewalk 3.01 showing limited WAV file support. Image:Cakewalk3-display.gif|Cakewalk 3.01 showing Piano Roll, Staff and CAL windows. </gallery>

== See also == * [[Cakewalk (company)]] * [[List of music software]] * [[Cakewalk Sonar]] * [[Cakewalk by BandLab]]

== References == {{reflist}}

==Further reading== *{{cite magazine|title=Cakewalk Pro Audio V6|magazine=Future Music|issue=60|issn=0967-0378|oclc=1032779031}}

==External links== *[https://www.bandlab.com/products/cakewalk Official website] *[http://www.cakewalkforum.com Cakewalk Forum - independent forums for Cakewalk users] *[https://web.archive.org/web/20150608204334/http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/1997_articles/aug97/cakewalk6.html Sound On Sound review of Cakewalk Pro Audio 6] (archive.org) *[https://web.archive.org/web/20150607011849/http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/sep98/articles/cakewalk_v7.html Sound On Sound review of Cakewalk Pro Audio 7] (archive.org)

[[Category:Digital audio workstation software]] [[Category:Audio editors]] [[Category:Software synthesizers]]