I just bought Sonar X3 Producer off steam maybe a month ago. Was looking for a DAW to start learning with. The price on steam was too good to pass for a 'top of the line' daw. I'm still learning how to use it in its entirety. Cutting up vocals, messing around with loops on the matrix grid, mixing, etc. The tutorials are my next immediate project.
 
Above being said, I'm still in my "i'm never going to understand this" phase. The upgrade seems well priced and affordable and I do enjoy shiny new toys to play with. Would it be reasonable for someone who barely dipped his toe into the world of producing to even consider this upgrade? Or should I stick it out with what I have to learn the basics?
 
One more question. So far this forum has been my source of trying to make sense of all the jargon and how to work advanced techniques. What are some good resources that you guys learned from. I don't really have a formal teacher. Not even an informal teacher.
 
Is there an order of priority when it comes to learning how to be an efficient producer?

I'm still learning this myself, but my opinion is for the price of the upgrade you can't go wrong, especially with all that comes with it.

Genius Animus
I just bought Sonar X3 Producer off steam maybe a month ago. Was looking for a DAW to start learning with. The price on steam was too good to pass for a 'top of the line' daw. I'm still learning how to use it in its entirety. Cutting up vocals, messing around with loops on the matrix grid, mixing, etc. The tutorials are my next immediate project.
 
Above being said, I'm still in my "i'm never going to understand this" phase. The upgrade seems well priced and affordable and I do enjoy shiny new toys to play with. Would it be reasonable for someone who barely dipped his toe into the world of producing to even consider this upgrade? Or should I stick it out with what I have to learn the basics?
 
One more question. So far this forum has been my source of trying to make sense of all the jargon and how to work advanced techniques. What are some good resources that you guys learned from. I don't really have a formal teacher. Not even an informal teacher.
 
Is there an order of priority when it comes to learning how to be an efficient producer?

One nice thing about upgrading is the veterans are also learning too. In a way there is more for a long time user to have to understand when upgrading. What will be the impact on my well established work flow with new features and additions? Plus its easier to help others with it because its current and something many are studying.
 
Besides what is the point of learning the old version or if way behind a really obsolete version? 
   

One good reason to upgrade is that there will be probably less bugs in the long run.

Genius Animus
I just bought Sonar X3 Producer off steam maybe a month ago.

You might inquire whether or not you get the upgrade for no cost since you bought it so recently.

What are some good resources that you guys learned from

 
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Mixing-Audio-2e-Roey-Izhaki/dp/0240522222/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1423048792&sr=8-1&keywords=mixing+audio
 
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Mixing-Secrets-Small-Studio-Senior/dp/0240815807/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1423048812&sr=8-1&keywords=mixing+secrets
 
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Mastering-Audio-Science-Bob-Katz/dp/0240808371/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1423048834&sr=8-2&keywords=mastering
 
 

There are plenty of additions and enhancements well worth the current $149 upgrade if you go from Producer to Platinum.    The difference is that "soon" it will cost $199 for the same upgrade when the special offer price expires.
That on it's own should be enough of an excuse reason to upgrade now.
 
To learn Sonar just ask as much as you want here. That's what this forum is for.
To learn general production/mixing, ask in the Techniques forum.  Also check out the many tutorial videos available, both for Sonar and general production techniques.

Stick with the tutorials as they'll give you the basic understanding of how Sonar works and give you an overall idea of what's involved in music production.

Cakewalk have Cake TV http://www.cakewalk.com/CakeTV
and Cakewalk university http://www.cakewalk.com/CakeTV/SONAR-University

Spend some time exploring the Cakewalk website it's a very large repository of information and links to external information not Sonar specific.

Go to iZotope.com and get the iZotope Mixing guide. It's very much an industry standard primer. Even if you don't have their software the material is generally applicable no matter the software used. There's aguide on mastering as well as you'll see on the page when you get there.
https://www.izotope.com/e...port-resources/guides/

 
There are hours and hours of Sonar-specific videos in the cakewalk store.
 
Then there's groove3.com for videos on production.
 
Might be money better spent than an upgrade.
 
And treat your room !
 

I guess you will not need to upgrade earlier than in a year, by then you will probably know little more than half of Sonar features. You need to consider that the price may go up though.