Anybody using Sonar X2 with a touch screen?

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jjthomas
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2013/04/29 05:17:24 (permalink)

Anybody using Sonar X2 with a touch screen?

I was searching the forums for a good control surface like the Akai Professional APC40, when I ran into a post regarding touch screens.  It was a few months old and talked about Sonar X1.  I saw the video about Cakewalk's new touchscreen interface with Sonar X2 and was wondering, is anyone is using a touch screen?  And is so how to you like it?  Should I stay with the APC40 or get the touchscreen?  Both is not in my budget.
 
TIA.
 
-JJ
#1

8 Replies Related Threads

    keyzs
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    Re:Anybody using Sonar X2 with a touch screen? 2013/04/29 06:19:18 (permalink)
    touch screens, IMHO, is for info kiosks and GUI with large icons. for precision they will not be as accurate a mouse or even a pen with pad. 

    i have a touch screen monitor which i tried to use with Traktor DJ. it was fun at first but later it became a hassle as it took too much effort to use especially when aligning beat point. the finer points to tactile touch are still not there. 

    if used with Sonar, sliders (console view) many not be accurate to the X.X you may wish to achieve. however, scrolling may be done more efficiently with the flick of the wrist; similar to that of turning a page.

    i guess the play, pause and stop may be cool to use though... 


    Cheers!!!
    #2
    creynolds
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    Re:Anybody using Sonar X2 with a touch screen? 2013/04/29 06:26:25 (permalink)
    Hi JJ,

    I am using an Acer T232HL. That's a 23" multi-touch monitor. You have to run  Win8 for the multitouch to work and you must be using X2a or later to have X2 respond correctly. I have been using it for a few weeks and I have to say that I am not blown away. I actually considered sending the monitor back.
    Why?
    Even on this quite large monitor the faders in the console view are way too short. They are also too narrow for my pudgey fingers.
    There is a significant lag in the response to touch input. Its not the monitor as windows 8 apps are like lightning
    Your finger completely obscures the fader cap, so you cannot see when you reach the upper/lower limit.
    Ditto with the transport bar. Too small.
    You cannot use touch to edit clips either. There is a moment when you first touch a fader or control when the widget seems to decide whether or not it is the focus or not and can jump to a new setting.
    I have not spent that long yet trying everything out as I have been quite disappointed. I have 2 monitors already and to get the best out of the touchscreen I have turned them off! You only have touch on the touch monitor, so you are back to the mouse for the other screens. This feels odd and coupled with the limited touch facilities on offer in Sonar X2a it makes working this way feel disjointed.
    I know that this is only the beginning of multitouch support in X2 and apparently there is much more to come. But... unless there is a 'Touch GUI' option that at the very least makes the icons lager and some ability to switch into some kind of mouse mode for editing clips etc. Then this is not the way ahead.
    Some serious thought is needed on how this amazing feature can be utilised inventively, to the advantage of the user. At present its a tack on. Simply an adjunct to the existing functions.  For instance:
    A pop up 'touch jog and edit wheel (or two) is possible making editing fluid. Jog the in and out points of a clip or loop (as it plays!?) 
    A very simple screen containing multiple rows of faders and pan controls with offset caps or indicators so you can mix many tracks using multitouch. On my 23" monitor that would be just 2 rows of 12 -14 faders. But that's enough for my ten fingers.
    Whoops this has turned into a bit of a diatribe. I had great hopes for this but it is no way near yet. But there is a start.

    Rain Recording Nimbus. Sandybridge 2600k, 16gb Ram. Quadro FX 580, Roland Quad Capture. Avid Artist Mix and Transport. Loads of other cool stuff.
    #3
    keyzs
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    Re:Anybody using Sonar X2 with a touch screen? 2013/04/29 06:32:47 (permalink)
    Hi creynolds, 

    i too am on the Acer..... but its an older model... the Acer T230H...
    #4
    joeb1cannoli
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    Re:Anybody using Sonar X2 with a touch screen? 2013/04/29 08:12:19 (permalink)
      I have the Acer T232HL also and my experience is the exact opposite of creynolds.( I do have skinny fingers though)
      I absolutely love it. Probably more for track view, navigating and zooming than for console view.
      I previously used my Axiom 49 faders and transport . The touchscreen IMO blows it away. 
       

    http://soundcloud.com/joe-b-10
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    #5
    mmorgan
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    Re:Anybody using Sonar X2 with a touch screen? 2013/04/29 08:16:17 (permalink)
    Regarding the APC40 I believe that is hardwired into Ableton Live (i.e. there is some kind of software/hardware handshake). I've read that it can be used with other DAWs but there are definitely limitations. I have the APC and only use it with Live (where it works great).

    I do not have a touch screen - but I would like one.

    Regards,


    Mike

    Win8(64), Sonar X3e(64) w/ RME Fireface UFX.
    #6
    gswitz
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    Re:Anybody using Sonar X2 with a touch screen? 2013/04/29 09:12:04 (permalink)
    i like mine. i have been having fun with it. i am still more efficient with the mouse, but there are multi point things i can do with touch that i cant do with the mouse. plus it is fun and creative.

    StudioCat > I use Windows 10 and Sonar Platinum. I have a touch screen.
    I make some videos. This one shows how to do a physical loopback on the RME UCX to get many more equalizer nodes.
    #7
    jjthomas
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    Re:Anybody using Sonar X2 with a touch screen? 2013/04/29 09:46:39 (permalink)
    mmorgan

    Regarding the APC40 I believe that is hardwired into Ableton Live...
    Ouch.  I was planning on using it with Sonar, FL Studio and some DJ software.   I'll dig further into that and see what I can find out.
     
    Creynolds.  Lots on information.  :) I already have two monitors and I was thinking of making the touch screen a 3rd monitor.  I do not have a steady hand, so I may totally confuse windows with my twitchy jesters.
     
    -JJ
     
     
    #8
    creynolds
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    Re:Anybody using Sonar X2 with a touch screen? 2013/06/09 18:24:51 (permalink)
    I am playing around with Emulator Pro. http://www.smithsonmartin.com/software/
    It is easy to use and I have already made up a simple mixer with the demo version. I cant imagine how Cakewalk can avoid having to make a dedicated touchscreen enabled layout.  The current GUI is way too titchy and detailed for finger control. You have to appreciate the differences that touch makes. THE BIGGIE!! your fingers obscure the graphics underneath, a mouse pointer does not. 

    Rain Recording Nimbus. Sandybridge 2600k, 16gb Ram. Quadro FX 580, Roland Quad Capture. Avid Artist Mix and Transport. Loads of other cool stuff.
    #9
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