Version 7 is the brand new update to the Home Studio line and features a beautiful new user interface, synth track , assistant tools, Loop Explorer 2.0, Step Sequencer, and new instruments and effects.

Home Studio 7 is the perfect choice for a musician who wants an easy to use yet powerful recording solution for their PC. What does easy to use actually mean? The new user interface was designed for customers who do not want to have their recording software cluttered with every single option but prefer to have the most important controls right on the main screen. More like a portastudio than an extensive DAW, Home Studio provides the tools you need to get your inspiration into a finished song.

The synth track provides a streamlined approach to working with virtual instruments and takes the worry out of properly routing MIDI and Audio tracks. Patch your syth, click on the track and you are ready to go.

If you are just getting started with recording software you will appreciate the assistants and templates that guide you through the recoding process. You do not have to be a seasoned pro get have your music sound professional. Use the assistant tools and let Home Studio take care of the hard work while you focus on your music.

The new Loop Explorer allows quick audition of the 1 gigabytes worth of included audio and MIDI content. The audio and MIDI loops are auditioned in time to your song and can be added by a simple drag and drop. This is a perfect tool for building backing tracks.

Home Studio comes with four virtual instruments, which include DropZone sampler, Square 1 analog synth, Roland Groove synth (think classic 808 and 303 sounds) and the General MIDI compatible TTS-1. These are great sounding synths and provide the bread and butter sounds you will need in your recordings. In Home Studio XL you get even more including Dimesnion LE, a player only version of Dimension Pro and new to version 7 Studio Instruments.

Studio Instruments are four separate instruments Electric Piano, Strings, Electric Bass and Drums. Each instrument comes loaded with an easy to use interface, MIDI patterns and perfectly recorded samples. The concept behind Studio Instruments is the same as Home Studio, you do not need to be a pro to get high end results. If you want a great sounding drum line in your song, simply pick the style of music and pattern and you are all set. Just like Home Studio, Studio Instruments takes care of the hard work.

Home Studio XL also includes effects like the StudioDevil Guitar Amp simulator which provides various amp models and simulations. Now you do not have to buy new guitar amplifiers and pedals just to get a new tone, just use the StudioDevil.

Boost11 will let you master you mix like a professional. Although the controls look extremely simply the results speak for themselves. Boost11 first appeared in Home Studio 6 XL and has now made it to SONAR Producer because it is that good.

Finally, Home Studio XL also includes the Step Sequencer which allows you to build complex melodic patterns or drum line with simple mouse clicks. For modern music production styles like Hip-hop, techno and electronica the Step Sequencer is a must.

Home Studio XL comes with all of those extras for only $59 more. With support for 64 audio tracks, unlimited MIDI tracks, included audio effects and virtual instruments Home Studio is the best choice for anyone who wants professional performance without the professional price tag.

In addition to all the amazing features we have already covered both versions of Home Studio also support video files, so you can add a sound track to your favorite avi, mpeg or QuickTime movie. If you want to print out notation of your MIDI tracks you can do that too and even burn a CD or publish your finished song to the internet.

Below is a comparison chart outlining the major differences between the two versions of Home Studio.

Home Studio Home Studio XL Maximum Audio Tracks  64 64 Maximum MIDI Tracks  Unlimited Unlimited Reverb, chorus, flanger, compressor effects  Yes Yes Number of Included Virtual Instruments  4 9 Streamlined user interface  Yes Yes Assistant tools to get running quickly  Yes Yes Track Templates for quickly loading sounds  Yes Yes Loop Explorer for quick audio and MIDI loop audition Yes Yes Step Sequencer Yes Yes Studio Instruments - Drums Yes Studio Instruments - Bass Yes Studio Instruments - Strings Yes Studio Instruments – Electric Piano Yes Dimension LE Yes Garritan Pocket Orchestra – Orchestral lib. For Dim LE Yes Boost11 Peak Limiter Yes Step Sequencer Yes StudioDevil Guitar Amp Simulator Yes

SONAR Home Studio 7 XL includes everything in SONAR Home Studio 7 plus additional tools to take your productions to the next level. Record live instruments, vocals, or any audio source. Edit audio, MIDI, and notation. Add tracks using virtual instruments or audio and MIDI loops. Mix with high-quality audio effects. Share your music on the web or on CD. XL also features the Step Sequencer for building beats and synth lines, Studio Devil VGA+ Guitar Amp Simulator, Cakewalk Studio Instruments backing band, and Cakewalk Audio Creator LE. SONAR Home Studio 7 XL is the complete solution for creating and sharing your music.

• Step Sequencer — allows you to easily create beats, synth parts, and more.
• Studio Devil VGA+ — leave your amp at the practice space. Plug in your guitar or bass for direct recording and get amazing overdrive and distortion sounds.
• Studio Instruments — everything you need for your built-in backing band: Drums, Bass Guitar, Electric Piano, and a String Section
• Dimension LE — a special version of the acclaimed instrument, over 400 sounds including bass, organ, electric piano, cutting edge synths, grooves, Garritan Pocket Orchestra, and more.
• Boost 11 — get more volume and punch from your final mix with this easy-to-use limiter/maximizer.

System Requirements	Minimum	Recommended
Operating System*	Windows XP/Vista (32 bit)/ Mac OS X with Boot Camp
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Processor Speed	Intel Pentium 4 1.3 GHz,	Intel Pentium 4 2.8 GHz,
	AMD Athlon XP 1500+ or higher	AMD Athlon XP 2800+ or higher
RAM	512 MB	1 GB or higher
Graphics	1024 x 768, 16-bit color	1280 x 960, 24-bit color or higher
Hard Disk Space	100 MB program/application	4 GB
Hard Disc Type	Any	EIDE / Ultra DMA (7200 RPM) or SATA
MIDI Interface**	Windows-compatible
Audio Interface***	Windows-compatible
Media Drive****	DVD-ROM, DVD+/-R, or DVD +/- RW Drive
Webserver Access*****	None		Available web server space with FTP access privileges