Hi Guys,
 
First off - love Sonar .. have been a Cakewalk user back to the early 90s.
 
Recently I started looking out for what I would call a stripped down, simple sequencer that loads vsti / vsts, record audio ( maybe ) & thats it - as a companion to Sonar. No extra bloat, just midi/audio tracks, vsti / vst capable, record audio .. thats it!
 
WHY? Sometimes i just want to quickly load a few vsti's and noodle with them on a few tracks QUICKLY. Sort of quick idea, storyboard, non production type stuff.
 
The best description here is I have my main car - SONAR with all the frills & extras, but I would also like a little runabout for short journeys :D Reaper seems to fill this gap slightly ( have trial version ), but I am sure their are others even lighter, faster ( Windows ).
 
Music Creator still has "extra's"??
 
Got me thinking that it would be nice if bundled with Sonar was SONAR STRIPPED DOWN / VERY BASIC that could be installed side by side? Call it Sonar Scratchboard :D Good idea, bad idea??



 
  
 
 

One already exists, Sonar Artist.

I had some vague idea in a similar fashion - suggested name Sonar Custom where you could buy up on features to what's in Platinum - but no bling-bling plugins and instruments.
 
I wouldn't mind pay $149 annually for that, and no extras whatsoever in plugins.
 
Otherwise Cakewalk has been very generous what's in Artist - really fine piece of software, and not seriously cut down like any other of the major daws.
 
You have to buy full version Cubase Pro to even get that stuff. At the time I was looking at Cubase, to get track templates, track lanes and midi list editor from Cubase Elements it was going all the way to Pro.

I don't think Artist is a cut down version in the sense the OP means.
I've often thought I'd also welcome a "scratchboard" version of SONAR. Something that would load minimum amount of stuff when launched.
But on second thought, would that be actually signifigantly lighter and faster? The heaviest and most complicated things in DAW use are CPU-heavy VSTi's and audio interface drivers. If your interface has good drivers and works swiftly, all you need to do is not to use the heavy "extras". AFAIK the heavy "extras" the OP possibly points to, i-e. sample libraries and some VST's and integrated stuff (Melodyne ARA, Channel Strips?) do not form any CPU load or memory strain if they are not used (??)
I don't know exactly how customizable the SONAR GUI is, but I think almost the same effect could be achieved by simply creating a "Scratchboard GUI" which would only include the transport bar and a half a dozen most important functions.

Something like this? (I've never tried it myself, so don't know if it's good)
http://www.multitrackstudio.com/
 
 
 
 

Don't really understand the need for it TBH. IF you have SONAR already, just use that - projects don't have to be complicated, you don't have to have multiple effects and busses or even have to look at the ProChannel. Set yourself up a simple template for your " scratchpad" ideas if that's what you want and you're there.
 
To use your car analogy.....you can still use the big car for short journeys and seeing as it's software and doesn't need fuel it won't cost any more and won't wear out if you put too many miles on it.

IPad version would be nice.

I bought Music Creator 7 when it first came out for about $20.00 with this same thing in mind. The $20.00 price isn't around anymore, but it does the job. The interface is familiar to me, and it works with  .cwp files. The only drawback was that it doesn't allow you to compensate for miscalculations in record latency like Sonar does.

Funny - I looked at Creator 7 yesterday.  The price?  $19.99

that used to be project5 imo