Is Dimension Pro a stand-alone application?

ORIGINAL: b rock
Sony Vegas 6 or better; hosting Dimension Pro.

ORIGINAL: BTQ1

I am completely ignorant of music creation software, but I'm making an effort to educate myself and understand it.
I write and produce commercials for radio and audio for TV voice overs and would like to get into creating custom music beds for my commercials.
I was perusing the Cakewalk website when I came across information on Dimension.

What I'd like to have is a program that contains the raw elements of music and will allow me to combine those elements into complete music beds.
Dimension appears to have this capability but my vast lack of knowledge on the subject of music creation means that I don't have the vocabulary to ask the right questions on what would be appropriate TO ask, if you follow my drift.
All the information I find on music creation software assumes at least a working knowledge of the basics, which I lack.

Since using AA1.5 as a host is iffy at best it looks as though an option would be to purchase Cakewalk and use it as my host app, yes?

ORIGINAL: SuperGreenX

[What do you mean by raw elements of music? Like, how raw? Writing your own tunes as in creating all the notes and rhythms? Or laying down a bunch of premade audio loops together to make something? If the former, then you need a sequencer host first. Something like P5 or Sonar will do the trick. Dimension is just an instrument you can add to the sequencers.

ORIGINAL: b rock

Why would getting Sony Vegas 6 or better be inappropriate? If it works, then for me it's an option.

I think that Will was just trying to protect your wallet a little. As for myself, I suggested Vegas because of the extensive audio implementation, and the fact that version 6 signaled support for VST(i)/DX(i) support. I figured if you were making some jack on commercials, then this really wasn't such a big hit; provided it were the right tool for you.

I don't work with Vegas daily; I have more of a passing working knowledge of it from previous versions. Now, Dimension Pro: that's another story. Just get that; it could be just perfect for what you want to accomplish.
As for Vegas: Let me see if I can con my Multimedia Specialist into dropping in. She can give you all the specifics.

The latter, as in taking premade audio to make something... My primary goal is to create custom music beds that I can import into Audition. That's it, really.

ORIGINAL: lawapa

I have Vegas, Sonar 5 PE, P5-2, And Dimension Pro. If you want to do custom music beds for video I would tend to suggest S5 with a Dimension Pro buy as well. The midi implementation is better in S-5. And while you are new to this you did express an interest in this area, S-5 studio could be an app to grow with. While Dimension is the software synth TO HAVE IMHO. Having the resources to back up all aspects of music creation at your disposal is nice. I primarily use Vegas as my go to Video/audio app. But being able to use Loops and software synths and tie this altogether is major nice. Vegas can be pressed into service in this area but I'll assume since you don't have it you use different apps to sequence video. Home studio is smaller and has less resources but can be had so cheep and an upgrade path is available for all cakewalk products. As a working pro you will undoubtly chose based on need and total access to those tools you will find useful. I forgot to mention Vegas does have top of the line loop tools but Sonar has come a long way toward meating that need and then some to the point it's hard to compair. I started with Sonar and got Vegas to do video.

OK, here is my ignorance rearing its ugly head: what is a "software synth"? And how does Dimension Pro differ from Sonar 5? I was under the impression that DP was a newer version of Sonar, just a new re-badged "Sonar 6".