Unsure if I should get Sonar Platinum

I have a Maschine Studio controller running Maschine 2.2, NI Audio 6 interface, and would like to use it within a DAW.. I have a old version of Sonar 3 Producer and noticed I can upgrade to the new one for a great price.
 
Heres my worries.. I was in Guitar Center yesterday and salesmen there said Cakewalk buggy and considered to be a mid-level program compared to Ableton and ProSonus.. Im not in the position to say I agree with that statement given all I've ever used was Sonar BUT if I'm going to spend money, I want to do so on the right program. I want a program that offers great MIDI capabilities/features . I'm also looking at getting a MIDI keyboard to use with a DAW and would like feedback on whats best to use with Sonar should I go that route.
 
With that said, Im not trying to be a big producer, in fact it's been 7 years since I've dabbled with a DAW/music..

There are demos available for both Studio One and Ableton Live. Live is a very different program compared to SONAR, I use it for live performance and use SONAR in the studio. Studio One is a well-crafted program but I find SONAR far more versatile. I don't think the Studio One designers would disagree with that, they targeted Studio One very specifically. However its CD assembly page is really good. I use it instead of CD Architect.
 
As to the Guitar Center guy...I'd bet he hasn't used SONAR or if he has, it was a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away. SONAR is far from a mid-level program. Even the least expensive version has very impressive technology.

thanks for the info guys.. sounds like Sonar is way to go.. for $199 for producer as upgrade is reasonable. The guy at Guitar Center said BitWig, Presonus, and Ableton were the 3 he would recommend.. he demoed Ableton for me, but it seemed quite nice but its a arm and a leg
 
as for system specs
i7-3.4 ghz, 3rd gen..
16 GB Ram
256 SSD
2 TB 7200 RPM drive
Nvidia GT 670 2 GB
 
I'm using two M-Audio Studiophile BX5's for monitors
I have a Ronald Fantom XG synth but it so bulky, id rather not use as midi keyboard controller thus, wanting a smaller controller.
 

mettelus
Pretty much all DAWs have the same core capabilities and vary in functionality and workflow. Specific questions will yield better answers/advice, since simply throwing out a brand name and asking what people think will pull the full gambit (in any industry).
 
A good start would be to ask you what genre of music are you looking to record? How are you "foreseeing" your workflow?

Good point and I'll try to explain as best I can..

I started out on Sonar 2 and then 3.. I would say I knew enough to make simple songs using various basic effects and with so editing knowledge.. I made several songs and a couple turned out decent but compared to you guys I'm sure you'd rip me a new one.. With that said my genre I like is soft rock, techno, house..

So my workflow idea is to use my Maschine Studio to lay out my drum tracks via VST on Sonar.. I would then like to layer the tracks using a combo of instruments from Maschine and avilabke virtual instruments from Sonar.. For techno and house I plan to use voice samples.. Either sliced up or whole..

I will purchase a MIDI keyboard to handle most melodic parts and doing some real time effects alterations while recording.. I'm thinking Axiom or a AKAI MPK249

I want to try to keep most everything on a MIDI level with straight audio coming from vocals I record or from sampled wavs..

As a long term goal, I would love to be produced but would also love to compete in music contests.

lastly I want a DAW that is expandable and will be around a long time.. I don't want to have to get a 4 year sound engineering degree to figure out how to use a DAW. I'm sure video tutorials could be my best friend or a good book

All I can add really is the fact that I wasn't sure about upgrading. Now I'm positive I'm glad I did.

PH68
If you are a pro musician going in and out of pro studios you'll probably just end up with a Mac & Pro Tools... simply because that's all you're likely to see being used.

 
Not necessarily. I tracked all the classical recordings I engineered or produced in a Pro Tools studio, then immediately took the WAV files and brought them into SONAR for mixing/editing. This is not common, but it's not as rare as you might think...I know quite a few engineers who move files out of PT into their "usual" DAW.
 

If you're a Mac user then you won't be using Sonar/Cakewalk.

 
I have a few friends who consider a Mac running Bootcamp as "the best Windows machine" and several of them use SONAR. Again, not common, but it happens.
 

If you're undecided just download the various trial versions of all the major players.
I did many years ago and went with Sonar.

I agree strongly about trial versions. They make it easy to see if you have "chemistry" with a particular program,

Semi_Perfect
I don't want to have to get a 4 year sound engineering degree to figure out how to use a DAW.

 
Don't forget the Windows and computer technician degrees.  It's amazing how many hours can fly by fiddling with computer related issues that have nothing to do with music.  Sound engineering and computer science are very much a part of using a DAW, at least until you reach some stable state of experience and operation.  And even then you're still at risk from OS changes and updates to your DAW software.