The truth is, I cannot really give any input on how this program flows, and you must find the program that works the best for you. In the end, SONAR is a very comprehensive suite that one really cannot know from a review whether it suits them or not.
In the end, the only thing I can think of to take off that is that very potential lack of ease with which a person may use it. It has a comprehensive suite of virtual instruments, and its plug ins rival many commercial grade plug in suites. What ends up happening is that this program becomes the Logic of the PC, since SONAR only runs on Windows systems. In the end, many of the included plug ins to this program are far superior sounding to many of the included vst plug ins to any of the other digital audio workstations. It runs incredibly lightly, and does not attack my computer like certain programs like Steinberg's Cubase does. What is nice about SONAR though, is that it is incredibly comprehensive. It is honestly a complete toss up, whether these programs appeal to certain users.
I do admit I may have a slight bias, because I prefer more modern programs with a more flowy interface, rather than a giant smorgasbord of options all yelling at me and telling me to pick them. What is nice, however, is the fact that Cakewalk crammed so many things onto the main screen, that once everything is actually set up, the program can run extremely quickly and intuitively. Unfortunately, that flow in X1 is entirely worth it, because trying to use SONAR 8.5 Producer Edition is not exactly what one would call enjoyable if you have never tried a DAW before. It is immediately important to note that SONAR X1 is not actually different from this version, Cakewalk SONAR 8.5 producer edition, and therefore, it is especially important to note that this program simply flows differently than X1.
(they are probably there and I just don’t know how to use them yet … but the forums I read all said things like “the trial has crap sounds … get free VSTs”).Cakewalk's SONAR. Give me a drum kit or piano please! Some congas and a shaker … anything. It’s like they are punishing you for using the trial. Now to find some free VST synths because the ones in the Trial are … just horrible. Once I was switch to MME I was able to drop my latency back to 10ms.
This is great.Īdjusting my buffer to “Safe” made it better so I knew I was on the right track – but changing my driver from WDM to MME was the key (ASIO didn’t work – no sound … I’ll look into that some other time). Specifically to check “All Synth Audio Outputs: Stereo” and to map the outputs to the synth.īut still no sound – oh crap – it’s playing through the Photon and not my sound card! Awesome! I plugged in a set of head phones and I’m off. Time to try some random things and then hit the tubes looking for an answer. The signal indicator is peaking so I know I’m getting the input from the keyboard to the DAW. Oh! Forgot to add a synth (I came across this when doing “Tutorial 1” in the Sonar help file … yeah … I read it. I’m going to assume it’s in use by Windows and just move on … click “Use Anyway”Ĭreate a new project … delete all the audio tracks … add a MIDI track … hit a key.
I’m immediately greeted with the message that either the Photon is not supported or in use.
I plugged my Alesis Photon x25 into my Windows 7 laptop and then started Sonar 8. Sam McGuire, audio engineer, author and educator, explains Sonar using a variety of examples and real world work flows. Packaged with one of the largest set of features and tools in any audio application, it can be overwhelming to master.
Not even exaggerating – it was like a slightly off-beat metronome was overpowering what I was playing. Cakewalk SONAR 8 is an full featured Digital Audio Workstation that is on the cutting edge of audio production. The other is that when I finally hear those sounds they shouldn’t be punctuated with a loud (louder than the audio being played) click ever half second or so.
One of those things is that when I plug a keyboard into my computer and open Cakewalk Sonar (8 Producer Trial) I expect to hear sounds. I’m may not be the brightest bulb in the pack but I do know a couple-a-things about a buncha-stuff.