I currently use Cakewalk Guitar Tracks Pro 3, but I keep getting email ads from Cakewalk for Sonar 5. GTP3 is great for recording guitars, bass, vocals and cutting and pasting wave files like acid based loops, but I checked out the Sonar demonstation video and it provides some amazing features like MIDI, sequencing, various Roland based sounds, and even an application that can give complete and total control of recorded vocal tracks which can correct pitch issues, add vibrato, etc. in a way that does not change the tone of the vocal in any way.

V Vocal demo (http://www.cakewalk.com/Products/SONAR/V_Vocal_Walkthrough_.wmv)

Anyone have any experience with Sonar 5?

I use a different app in my studio, so my experience is lilmited with Sonar, but I have used other versions in the past and I can say it is a great app.
All the major audio software out there these days is extremely powerful, and comperable to one another..
It's pretty much down to what you are comfortable using and how you like to work.
If I were to ever stop using Samplitude, I would probably go to Sonar (unless I switched to a mac) But since I have been using samplitude for about 8 years or so I have a hard time leaving it behind.

If you can afford Sonar, go for it. But remember, it is only a tool.
It wont make you, your mixes, or your songs sound any better or worse than what you have now. It just gives you more options and makes certain things easier to do.

I will wait for the next sale maybe. But check out the software that comes with Sonar 5 nowadays. As indicated above, one thing it comes with is Roland® V-Vocal Variphrase™ vocal editing technology which as the video demonstrates, actually makes possible to manipulate the vocals, correct pitch issues, etc. to make them sound better than originally recorded. You and your singer may not need it, but I could use it. :p

Yeah, samplitude does that too. they call it 'elastic audio'
gotta use that sorta thing real carefuly though, cause it is easy to make a vocal sound artificial with stuff like that.

it is easy to make a vocal sound artificial with stuff like that.

Heh. as you could easily hear from that demonstration video! :P

I tried sonar 5 for a while, but it wasnt what I need, midi options are too limited. )I allso want to make techno and cakewalk is more for guitarists)
but for teh rest is a cool program. sound is good, and some very good plugins that I still use, in cubase.

I just bought Sonar 5 producer today.
I'll give ya the low-down after I use it for a while.

:nice: Were you able to upgrade from previous Cakewalk software product to get a discounted price?

A midi keyboard is necessary to exploit all those drum and synth programs, correct?

Nah, I didnt have any cakewalk products.
I coulda gotten a 'competative upgrade' for 399,
but I got the lady at GC to sell me the retail version of sonar for 435, and it was worth the extra 35 bucks to be able to buy it localy, and stick it on my GC card so I can pay it off without interest for the next 14 months if I feel like it.

As for a midi keyboard.. I have a midi controller/keyboard.. but you can go in and step sequence stuff by hand if you dont have a midi controller/keyboard.

on that tune I did a while ago with sampled drums (as opposed to me playing 'live') i did it all in the drum editor in samplitude.. sonar has a drum editor & piano roll too.

I mainly bought Sonar becuase of the play list feature.. so I can use it on my laptop live for playing to loops and synth stuff.

I also bought a nice RME firewire interface and I am actualy selling my old digital mixer.. it's on ebay if you want one. ;)

The firewire interface I can use live for our in-ear headphone mixes and sending the loops/synths to the house.
FUN!

Ok, so now that I have used Sonar 5 for a while, and used it on a couple little projects I can say that while it has some nice features, it's stability just plain sucks.
My old software, Samplitude, blows it out of the water.

I might find some uses for Sonar, but it certainly will not be my main audio app until it can approach Samplitude in terms of stability.
I did a 45 second xmas spot for a radio station here in chicago and this software could barely handle it.
It must have crashed 15 times on me while I was trying to mix it. I just about had a aneurism, I got so pissed off at it.

Man, I wish I could afford analog gear.

Could it be a hardware issue?

could be an issue between sonar and my audio interface.
I know it works well with samplitude, but not all software works as well with all hardware.

Im gonna try rebuilding my system and see if that fixes it.

did a 45 second xmas spot for a radio station here in chicago

dude! let's hear it.


pretty please:)

hmm.. I actualy dont have a copy of it right now. I'd have to go mix it down again.
It was just a quickie xmas tune we spit out for xrt's xmas show.. along the lines of "Hey this is celestial static, and you're listening to WXRT! Happy holidays, chicago!"

blah blah blah. I will see if I can run a mix off later on. assuming I can keep it from crashing long enough to get the mix run.