New DAW user completely eliminated PT from its trial....

One at a time - wahoo!
 
I love stories with happy endings.
 
Bob Bone
 

This class is interesting, I actually enrolled in "Songwriting" as well, but end up sitting through an hour of "lecture" for 4 points to be made (big-time ugh).
 
The Intro to Music Production is actually a nice one, since it helps calibrate what I "think" I know a little better. I really wish there was some way to see statistics of who is taking it, because they are all over the world and literally hundreds in this class alone. The aspiring sound engineers and producers of tomorrow, with many wondering what path to take to get there.
 
I also parroted Bob in one post in there... "As dysfunctional as we can be at times, the CW community is still a family." I worry with some posts I see in there, since I see suggestions of "buy this, buy that" with nothing relating to "WHY" or "What happens if I buy and have issues???" No wonder people start out with high aspirations, get frustrated and stop :(

In just the past week, I have gained significantly more appreciation for "what I have." Just yesterday I read a post where someone was trying to use a lower version on Studio One but the title was simply "Support for 3rd party VSTi" Out of curiosity, I open that thread and saw someone reply "I use Studio One ... [yada, yada] ...VST2, and VST3 are not supported by your version"! Then another poster followed up with this link http://www.presonus.com/products/studio-one/explore/start-free-go-pro
 
Needless to say, this floored me, because I am (truly) clueless about other DAWs!! In trying to figure out options to help this person, I could not think of anything but to reply with:
 
"I had to check that link to believe what I just read. Every version of SONAR X3 is the same 64-bit audio engine (supports VST2, VST3, ARA integration), the only thing that separates the versions is the bundled "goodies." http://www.cakewalk.com/products/sonar/versions.aspx "
 
I think for me this experience has given me significantly more appreciation for what I have. Suddenly I understand a lot better what the Bakers have done (even with us throwing rocks at them), the product we have, and the incredible benefit of this forum so much more...
 
To put this in perspective... I really try to be objective at reading each person's situation in there and put it in context. I do not arbitrarily tout "X3" but situations like the above, where a person owns a product they cannot use, really got under my skin. I realize many come in here to bash SONAR and leave, but seeing the "pain and suffering" others experience trying to "come online" with other DAWs make me appreciate what Cakewalk has done for us (and what the member involvement in this forum does as well). It is not until I saw new users struggling to "do" that I realized what I (personally) have taken for granted.
 
[I apologize if this comes across as "fanboism"... but you can only appreciate a mansion by spending a week in the streets.]

I'm the one who bought X3 Basic version after not willing to buy an iLock device needed to get PT to play.  However, I did download the trial verion before settling on purchase of the X3 Basic.  I was impressed with the Audio Snap feature and the general ease with which to maneuver the features.  I also wanted to use Melodyne ... I didn't play with it while evaluating the Free Trial of X3 Producer.  I'm still not sure Melodyne is bundled with the X3 Producer Trial.  Anyway after learning too late that the X3 Basic does not come bundled with Melodyne Single Track (the name of which is still very confusing to me although I am beginning to understand the obtuse nature of Celemony's  questionable thought process) I upgraded to the Sonar X3 Studio version.  
 
Admittedly I am both new to Music Production and lazy when it comes understanding the jargon used in the profession. I did, however, have an epiphany that told me FX=EFFECTS.   Nevertheless maybe someone out there can tell me how  to get X3 Studio to seemlessly integrate Melodyne Essential so that it appears in under the tab called Options FX.  The only instruction I get from is if Melodyne is installed wrong, just simply re-install  the Sonar X3 Studio package.  It ain't that simple inasmuch as installation takes  a huge amount of time.     At least six times I've un-installed and re-installed the  Sonar X3 Studio package.  This after uninstalling everything having to do with Melodyne.    I still can not get Melodyne to be recognized as an ARA Plugin ( if that is the correct terminology).  It gets installed as a VST ... (VST3 I think it is).  I also saw Melodyne Single Track, not Melodyne Essential which is "bundled" with Sonar X3 Studio, listed under something called Re-Wired ... whatever that is.  
 
Anyway, the bottom line is, I need guidance and feel that  it is too long to wait for that which may be forthcoming from Cakewalk in two or three days! 
 
By the way, this forum may be one of Cakewalk's best attributes.   I am trying to muddle along and complete an assignment this week on DAWs as I take Berklee College of Music's  Introduction to Music Productiuon  through Coursera.  Just for kicks I thought I'd try and use a decent DAW instead of Audacity or one of the other freeware products.  All to say  I appreciate the sage advise and guidance from those who have been in the business. Just for the record I have no intention of getting into it myself!  My motivation is simply to keep learning new stuff. Music captures a good deal of my interests.  Hence the reason I am taking the course.  

 

mettelus
I think for me this experience has given me significantly more appreciation for what I have. Suddenly I understand a lot better what the Bakers have done (even with us throwing rocks at them), the product we have, and the incredible benefit of this forum so much more...
 
...I realize many come in here to bash SONAR and leave, but seeing the "pain and suffering" others experience trying to "come online" with other DAWs make me appreciate what Cakewalk has done for us (and what the member involvement in this forum does as well). It is not until I saw new users struggling to "do" that I realized what I (personally) have taken for granted.
 
[I apologize if this comes across as "fanboism"... but you can only appreciate a mansion by spending a week in the streets.]

Very well stated.
 
As I've said many times before, I can pilot a session with any pretty much any DAW, and I keep current with what they can do (I finally downloaded Logic Pro X last night). And as most of you know, I've been a vocal supporter of Sonar since long before the Gibson acquisition. At trade shows someone from Cakewalk would invariably say "thanks for your support," and my answer would always be "I like you guys and all that, but if something comes along that suits my needs better, I'll switch in a millisecond."
 
Now, let me make it clear that I respect other companies very much. They have dedicated people working on their programs too, they go through the same issues with trying to support whatever Microsoft and/or Apple keep throwing at them, they lose lots of bucks to software theft, and their forums are filled with people complaining their software "doesn't work" despite the fact that it's often, if not usually, pilot error. Producing a DAW is a difficult and complex task that few users truly understand or appreciate, and the various companies that work on helping us realize our musical dreams are to be commended for their efforts.
 
That said, it's 14 years later and I still haven't switched

http://blog.cakewalk.com/tag/ara-integration/

cpkoch
I'm the one who bought X3 Basic version after not willing to buy an iLock device needed to get PT to play....

Hey Conrad, to answer your question (in the other forum), YES, I am the very same person that was posting in the class... I must admit that I was not "expecting" you to buy X3, but wanted you to see what was available to you. You are indeed 100% correct in that the people who read and post here are trying to help others... and I will stand by my statement that this forum is a family... we will certainly make digs at one another, but no one here wants to see anyone else fail (by any means)...
 
The folks in this forum have humbled me, challenged me, and instructed me... but not once did they set me up for failure, and my epiphany was taking part in the "Introduction to Music Production" class. I have (very much so) taken for granted the help that has been offered me. Having not used other DAWs, I really did not understand what others are "going through," as it were, so (as I said in the class forum) this is my "moment of shame." (Nothing can humble me more than not realizing what this forum has done for me.)
 
I used to come in this forum often to get answers, and then leave... it was not until X3 that I felt any "competence" in giving back. All the "crap BS" aside... I think the CW forum is the most impressive group of folks I have ever been a part of, so I hope that I can (finally) carry my weight.

Anderton
That said, it's 14 years later and I still haven't switched

 
Hehe, I am closing in on 16 years... but I think that is the only thing that I can brag about!!!

JimmyBoy
 
ahhh I see now, you can use a normal instrument like a guitar, or even a flute, record some sounds to an audio track then drag it into a VST instrument's midi track; ARA converts it to midi... Is that right?

Yes, keep in mind that Essential is monophonic. To perform MIDI conversion on a polyphonic track would require Melodyne Editor. I believe this is demonstrated in the Melodyne Essential video on CakeTV.

By the way, can a choral arrangement be edited with Melodyne Essential in a monophonic (v polyphonic) manner?  I'm beginning to believe  Hopefully I am wrong) it can not since Essential does not incorporate the DNA.  Could it be that as I learn more about DAWs the pocketbook is savagely raped in many ways?

I assume I should load the X3 Studio Patch X3d.  Will that help prevent a recurring BSOD  issue from raising its ugly face?  

The music production course is awesome.  I have run into mettelus over there and can confirm what he says about how much you learn about other DAWs.  Many are complete beginners so they don't have years of bias and marketing hype.  Without years of PT indoctrination, telling someone they have to shell out 4050 just to use the trial sounds bizarre.
 
@mettelus  I think i may just audio the songwriting course.  His lectures come off as performance art even though he has some good info.  he just takes forever to get to it.

i meant to say "audit" and not "audio".