The core program is the same for all versions of Sonar - the differences lie in the bells and whistles. However, if you're focusing on synth work, etc, I would sink the money into NI Komplete and get a cheaper DAW. That'll give you more mileage in the short term and give you the enormous playground of Komplete to play around in, and that'll be way more fun than trying to learn everything about a DAW.
 
Yeah, forgot about the workstation - the DAW fills that job way better.  If you're playing ONLY piano, then get an 88-key hammered keyboard controller. Otherwise, get a 61-key semi-weighted controller and it'll be more flexible for playing organ, strings, synths, basslines, drums, as well as good for piano too - again, a lot of the stuff that's in Komplete.  And the NI plugs are way more user-friendly and usable than what comes with Sonar.
 
I used to look to Sonar for the plug-ins, then invested in Komplete, and then bumped down to the "Studio" version of Sonar. Only now I'm considering going back to Platinum for the lifetime updates (whatever that means, but at least good for a few years, I figure), and the added effect plug-ins, not so much the synths.

husker
Thank you.  I am in the US, so I'm not sure why the price difference.  I did open a pre-sales ticket on that.
 
That is a great idea on the Tascam, thank you.  Forgive my lack of knowledge, but how do I connect a keyboard workstation to that?  I see it has a Midi input (for the Midi out of the keyboard), but no RCA style input for the line outputs of the keyboard.

You'll need an interface that has old-school MIDI ports (like the Focusrite 2i4) to connect your workstation.
 
You can get cables that are RCA on one end and 1/4" TS on the other to plug in the audio from a hardware synth.

husker
 
A note on the interfaces. I posted a similar question on the Homerecording BBS, but got VERY confused on the answers. Both the FA-08 and MOX8 have built in audio interfaces. However, everyone seemed to think that buying an external interface (like the Komplete Audio) was better due to Latency. Is this true? I believe I could do basic recording (sounds from the keyboard) as well as Midi through the USB connection of the keyboard. Is latency an issue there? If I connect things that way, I plug the monitors (or headphones) directly into the keyboard. Can I hear the virtual instruments in this configuration?
 
If I have an AI, I assume I connect both the lineouts and midi out of the keyboard into the Audio interface, as well as the monitors. In this configuration, I assume there is no need for a USB connection to the computer? Also, in this configuration, you set up your DAW to use this interface, and not the Creative Z that I already have?

I can recall the learning process that I went through when I first set up my MIDI studio.  The signal routing and such was confusing at first.  In the old days you pretty much needed an external mixer to (a) provide decent pre-amps and (b) to connect all the line outs from the external synth hardware and such, and route them to your sound card.
 
But with today's sound interfaces, when they are hooked up to your PC and powered via USB, the PC becomes the mixer in a mixer-less configuration. Everything gets mixed "in the box", and you only need one set of speakers or studio monitors.  Actually, you could still use an external mixer, but the signal path and learning curve becomes more complex, and is not really necessary in a basic studio setup.
 
Since you mentioned the Komplete Audio 6, here is a diagram from NI that shows a basic setup:

A few things come to mind here.  The first is that the keyboard is shown using the MIDI cables run to the Audio 6.  This would be common for a pro keyboard, but many controllers also come with a USB connection and/or MIDI, so you can run straight to a PC USB port which will be running a USB-MIDI driver.  No audio is passed over the USB-MIDI connection, unlike the Audio 6 which sends both midi and audio as digital data over it's USB path.
 
All that being said, you voiced a desire earlier to be able to hear the internal sounds from your keyboard.  So your next decision is going to be where to route your audio line outs from the keyboard.  That is not shown in the diagram. The setup shown above will only let you hear the virtual instruments being played via MIDI control "in the box", over the monitors connected to the Audio 6.
 
There are a couple of options. 
 
One will require you to fire up that PC if you want to hear your keyboard sounds, and with the benefit of being able to record the audio line out from your keyboard when desired.  To do that simply to plug the line outs from your keyboard into the Audio 6. 
 
The playing without a PC option will probably require another set of speakers or amp connected directly to your keyboard line outs, with no recording option for the audio from your keyboard.  There are other options that could include an external mixer, but that is probably beyond the scope of this thread.
 
Best of luck to you and I wish you success!

Abacab (my fav Genesis song, BTW),
 
Thank you so much.  In that diagram, if I have the monitors or headphones plugged into the AI, and the line outs of the keyboard into the line ins of the AI, I don't understand why I would need to have the computer on to hear the keyboard sounds. 

husker
Abacab (my fav Genesis song, BTW)

Mine too :-)
 
I don't know the specifics on that NI interface, but it's very likely that the mixer software is part of the driver that runs on the PC.  It also seems to be completely USB bus powered.
 
Maybe somebody else here, or the sales team at NI, can clarify this for you. 
 
Here is a list of audio interfaces on the Cakewalk Knowledge Base:
http://www.cakewalk.com/S...n-Audio-Hardware-Guide
 
And there is at least one on that list that can function as a standalone mixer - no personal knowledge here, just what I read :-)
http://www.motu.com/products/motuaudio/audio-express
"Stand-alone operation — bring the Audio Express to your gig, with or without a computer. Just plug in the included power adapter and you are ready to go. Need to tweak the mix? Just turn the front-panel knobs."

husker
That is a great idea on the Tascam, thank you.  Forgive my lack of knowledge, but how do I connect a keyboard workstation to that?  I see it has a Midi input (for the Midi out of the keyboard), but no RCA style input for the line outputs of the keyboard.

If you really go MOX/FA way , lets make it clear - you do not need another audio interface. For other you can check either it has build-in interface (not all DPs have it). On the other hand, if the effective price is small (each interface comes with some "special editor" which in addition to some functionality gives discount for something bigger), it is a good addition (use with other computer/laptop for example, they have really good sound quality compare to "build in", even just to listen music).
 
So just for information: when on some music equipment you notice RCA or 3.5mm your are close to the "low end" (consumer). In that part of the world, you interconnect equipment with either TS/TRS (6.3mm) or XLR. XLR and TRS are balanced (3 wire), TS is unbalanced. All "serious" DP/workstations (MOX and FA inclusive) use TS/TRS, all Mics and some monitors use XLR. That is why all "serious" audio interfaces have TS/TRS/XLR inputs/outputs and do not bother about rca or 3.5mm, except as an "extra input for a phone", like on FA.
 
Important note: in ASIO (which you are going to use) mode you can use only ONE audio interface per time. In case you plan to extend your audio setup (since I have started with Sonar just for the same reason as you, I have "extened" with mic, e-guitar and e-drums...), think about spear in/outs. 2x2 is obviously not extendable. MOX is 4x2.

Bristol_Jonesey
On the other hand, if you take your time, work through the tutorials, watch instructional videos and read as many articles as you can, then no.
 

One day I plan to do just that.
 
Welcome to the forum husker. Some cool dudes and ladies here willing to help (as you've already witnessed).
 
Not much to add other than I'm still an IT guy (programming in PHP at 63.5 years old). I also made the full transition from tape (originally 8 track Tascam R2R, the 24 channels of ADAT) to DAW.
 
I own Studio One 3 Pro, Reaper and Harrison's MIxbus 32/32C.
 
SONAR Plat is the easiest to navigate IMO and as others have said, start out just learning to record, edit and mix. Since you're a keyboard player I would focus on MIDI in the following two ways.
 
1. As pure MIDI using a soft synth such as Dimension Pro or Rapture. Your keyboard should be able to drive those sounds. 
2. Then, learn the ins and outs (literally) of how to get the sounds out of your keybaord (assuming you decide on that route).
 
Then when you're ready to really go down the rabbit hole, get a copy of KOMPLETE Ultimate (10 is current but 11 will be out before we see 2017). Now we're talking lots and lots of samples of nearly everything you can think of. And the you'll be ready for the 3rd party add-on products for KONTAKT and be broke just like me .
 

azslow3
 



So just for information: when on some music equipment you notice RCA or 3.5mm your are close to the "low end" (consumer). In that part of the world, you interconnect equipment with either TS/TRS (6.3mm) or XLR. XLR and TRS are balanced (3 wire), TS is unbalanced. All "serious" DP/workstations (MOX and FA inclusive) use TS/TRS, all Mics and some monitors use XLR. That is why all "serious" audio interfaces have TS/TRS/XLR inputs/outputs and do not bother about rca or 3.5mm, except as an "extra input for a phone", like on FA.
 

 
Hmmm.  So both the FA and Mox8 have the 2x TS outputs.  How would that actually wire into an interface with an XLR/TRS input?  Is there a specific cable for that?  (For midi I understand the midi out keyboard to midi in audio interface input).
 
I do understand I don't technically "have" to have an interface.  However, someone kindly pointed out I could get the Tascam for basically nothing given the bundled Sonar with it + the upgrade price to SPLAT.  So, I am really thinking about that.
 
Again, I'm really sorry for all the very basic questions, you can tell I know very little.  But I like to learn.

The keyboard TS outputs plug into the input combo XLR/TS jacks on the focusrite.  Those cables use the standard 1/4" jacks. Get shielded cables if possible (not 2 wire ribbon).

husker
 
I do understand I don't technically "have" to have an interface. 
 

In order to play the virtual instruments that come with a DAW, or with addon packages like Komplete, you will definitely want an interface with low latency (near real-time) ASIO driver support. 
 
The latency, or lag (while the sound is buffered), with ordinary Windows sound drivers will make playing a virtual instrument via MIDI keyboard nearly impossible.  When you press a key, you really don't want to hear any delay before the instrument makes a sound.  Just like on a piano, you expect to hear the sound simultaneously.
 
In addition to a reasonably fast multi-core CPU with enough RAM, the audio drivers make all the difference in the world as far as DAWs are concerned.