Is Sonar X1 really being developed for "loopers"??

 If Sonar is being developed for loopers I have not heard about that. It seems to be developed with loopers in mind though.

 I like the way X-1 handles loops. With the ability to play both acid and Rex or even make your own loops. I like the workflow when I decide to use a loop. The matrix view is cool and looks very "Ableton" to me.

 I see this trend continuing while Cakewalk develops the more linear recording functions.

 One way to look at a loop is that it isn't much different from a verse/chorus/break. Those things repeat in most music nowadays and have for years. Using the looping capabilities to build major portions of a song are another way to do that.

 I owned Acid Pro and it is a little easier to use than X-1 IMO when working with loops.I haven't upgraded that program in awhile but have seriously considered upgrading it. I jumped off the Sony bandwagon when they were so slow in getting a decent working copy to work going from Windows Xp to Vista/win7.  I had recently upgraded at the time and it would not run on my software so I dumped it and used Sonar instead.  People were as upset with sony at the time as some here are about X-1. I think Sony finally got it together now,only after loosing some of my business.

 I have been known to use both loops and linear recording. I like loops for getting a structure down.The one problem I have when using a loop in X1 is that I can't just drop it on a timeline and have the loop snap to it. I'm sure its probably a simple setting that I'm missing. Usually when I drag a loop it ends up a few tick too far one way or the other and I need to slide the loop to get it where I want it.

 

IMHO, Sonar is developed to attract new buyers and assure income through it's yearly upgrade through a crop of new features. That's the only sense of direction I can see. 

Loopers and DJs and such - whether we like it or not - represent a large segment of the potential buyers. Which is why I guess Cakewalk felt that, for example, implementing a Step Sequencer had priority over fixing the gaping audio engine or adding audio editing tools or improving notation. 

In the end, this leaves them having to answer to users from all horizons, all pulling in a different direction, while trying to attract yet more users. 

IMHO, Sonar is developed to attract new buyers and assure income through it's yearly upgrade through a crop of new features. That's the only sense of direction I can see.

That's about as "dead on" as you can get.  If an improvement doesn't rate a bullet point on the ad, it doesn't get done.  That's why no feature ever gets polished. IMHO.

Even though I mainly do electronic type music, most of the loops I use are drum loops just because it can be so hard to get different loops to go together.  Then again, I can spend hours going through presets as well.

That aside, I think for the largest section of producers (those that just want a good song, and don't care how it was built) it's crucial to have both looping, and linear funcationality.

Also, IMO gapless audio is crucial for looping as well.  Probably even more so than for people that can actually play.

mgh,

it is kinda like a hoola-hoop, mixed with a poodle skirt.  musicians wear them to relax.