Keyboard magazine reviews Cakewalk Project5 Version 2 and gives it a big thumbs up. “P5-2 provides a toolset that’s optimized for recording loop-based music, but also allows it to serve as a live performance instrument.” They give a really good step-by-step description of remixing a track using the various features of Project5.

They like the fact that Project5 has a lot of instruments and filters: “One of P5’s selling points is the complement of software synths. These include the Psyn II subtractive synth, Velocity multilayer sample-based drum module, nPulse “analog” drum synthesizer, DS864 digital sampler, Cyclone DXi groove sampler, Roland GrooveSynth (general purpose sample playback), and the Dimension “sampling synthesizer.” The roster of signal processors includes Alias Factor lo-fi, phaser, compressor, high frequency exciter, modfilter, multivoice chorus/flanger, 2-band parametric EQ, spectral transformer, reverb, and tempo delay — all with automatable parameters.”

They also approve of the GrooveMatrix, which enables quick rearrangement of loops and samples in a track, and the Track Freeze feature, which greatly reduces CPU usage when you’re using all those fancy VST instruments.

Overall they really like this new version — they even award it a qualified “Key Buy”rating. They write: “P5’s second coming is a major update. There’s no question that incrementing the most significant digit is more than justified. It’s gotten smoother, more capable, more intuitive, and more exciting, thanks to new features like Dimension and the GrooveMatrix. … It deserves a Key Buy, but with a condition: This applies only if you make the pattern-based style of music for which P5-2 is intended.”

Buy Project5 at SameDayMusic.com