• SONAR
  • Should a Newbie Like Me Upgrade? (p.3)
2015/02/04 21:10:18
mudgel
If you're a noob maybe you don't need to upgrade, maybe the refinements and workflow enhancements since X3 are not so noticeable. But for the experienced or professional users the changes since X3 is significant.
2015/02/04 22:37:18
bluzdog
There are so many resources for learning Sonar for free: A lot of what is in these X2 videos still applies to X3 and Platinum https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TR1DLE2UIfM&list=PLKRYWdEpbc5PgUgvrNuSvVyfv5qkll0qj  This video shows what was new in X3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z3ncU8dSAy0 The new SWA Sonar 2015 New Features Video for sale in the Cake store covers the latest features. Take your time and try not to get overwhelmed. If you don't care to spend the money for another upgrade at this time you'll be more than fine with X3. X3 works great and has been super stable here.
If you're not ready for a set of monitors and decide to use cans I recommend getting a Focusrite VRM box. You can check it out here: http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/apr11/articles/focusrite-vrmbox.htm. A good reasonable set of cans: http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/ATHM50x?adpos=1o1&creative=55678058761&device=c&matchtype=&network=g&gclid=CIvokLbvycMCFYM8aQodShoA6Q They could be had much cheaper before they added the detachable cable and the X designation. You still might be able to find some. Good Luck.
 
Rocky
2015/02/04 23:44:26
Cactus Music
For me, I upgraded and I swear I hardly notice any change as I'm working. I have opened X3 a few time by mistake ( habit of the icon ) and it's all the same for what I'm doing. The changes are minor. I never had a "bug" in X3 so if they fixed something, heck if I would notice it. 
The main reason for the upgrade is to stay up to date overall and mostly if you like the new features and burnt offerings ( plug ins and VST's) 
 
Wait for your interface to arrive then your latency issues will go away. 
2015/02/05 09:24:17
dwardzala
Atsuko
Hi, Genius,
I'd suggest this free course at Coursera: https://www.coursera.org/course/musicproduction 
It started last monday but you can follow it easily.


+1 I am taking this course right now, although I have been in the hobby for 7 or 8 years (off and on).
2015/02/06 04:38:39
Genius Animus
My Scarlett 2i2 didnt work =[. Going to return it for a new one. Always waiting for a really good deal on the ATH m50s. My brother got a pair for 80 and I'm looking for around the same. The tutorials are a little bit difficult to understand and even more difficult to put into use at the moment, but its nice to have things in mind other than throwing reverb or phaser on everything i do haha.
 
Correct me if I am wrong, is gating panning a track from left to right in a sequence? I would like to do that with a few of my tracks and I'm trying to figure out if I have a plug in for it stock or a way to do it manually.
2015/02/06 05:22:22
GregGraves
Go to Staples, buy some stick on tabs.  Buy the Garrigus X3 Power book, read it, use the tabs to bookmark places you are going to want to refer back to.  The Cakewalk manual (pdf) is 2100 pages - it has a tutorial in it - print it - do it.
 
If you've got 30-40,000 dollars laying around, and you go to recording school, one of the exercises is mixing with headphones.  You can't do it.  Buy a self-powered speaker that is bi-amped.  Go to Recording Revolution website and find the review on cheap monitors.
 
Don't listen to folks telling you (at this stage of the game) to worry about your room acoustics.  There is no end to that trail short of hiring an acoustical architect and rebuilding.  If you are curious, download REW5.0 (its free) and analyze your room.  It will suck.  But it will not suck to the point of affecting what you are doing.  I've made decent recordings in the past holed up in a drum booth good enough to get me a record deal.
 
Recording is an art form.  Just like playing guitar or piano.  The more you learn the more you will realize you need to learn.  You will also realize that you are getting to create something that wasn't there before, and that is a good thing.
 
As to answer your post (should I upgrade?), isn't that a factor of your financial status?  You've got to get some speakers ($120), a descent microphone ($100), mixing board ($250), A/D audio interface ($80), and yes headphones (get Koss ProAAA for $80 or so on Amazon -- don't fall for the hype -- there is very good environmental reason to believe that hearing acuity of people living in 1975 is much better than today and that there's a reason these pro headphones have been around since then -- they sound good, they isolate, they withstand abuse ).  The guy who owned the studio I used to work at kept 10's of thousands of dollars in cash in his glove compartment.  If that is you, well, why ask the question?
 
2015/02/06 08:16:57
bluzdog
Genius Animus
My Scarlett 2i2 didnt work =[. Going to return it for a new one. Always waiting for a really good deal on the ATH m50s. My brother got a pair for 80 and I'm looking for around the same. The tutorials are a little bit difficult to understand and even more difficult to put into use at the moment, but its nice to have things in mind other than throwing reverb or phaser on everything i do haha.
 
Correct me if I am wrong, is gating panning a track from left to right in a sequence? I would like to do that with a few of my tracks and I'm trying to figure out if I have a plug in for it stock or a way to do it manually.


No, gating is completely different than panning. Panning has to do with left to right placement in the stereo field. Gating is a function that either allows the signal to pass through or cuts it off. Auto Pan can bounce a sound left to right in rhythmic patterns or you can create your own with automation. Sonar Power is a great resource as mentioned above.
 
Rocky 
2015/02/06 08:34:25
Paul P
GregGraves
Don't listen to folks telling you (at this stage of the game) to worry about your room acoustics.  There is no end to that trail short of hiring an acoustical architect and rebuilding.  If you are curious, download REW5.0 (its free) and analyze your room.  It will suck.  But it will not suck to the point of affecting what you are doing.  I've made decent recordings in the past holed up in a drum booth good enough to get me a record deal.



I would do it simply for the enjoyment of having great sound to listen to.  The benefits would far outweigh any new functions to Sonar since X3, especially for someone who hasn't yet master it.  For 150$ you could at least get rid of early reflections off the side walls and maybe the ceiling, without doing anything to the room itself, which may not be allowed in a place like an apartment.
 
A long time ago, my ear opener for treatment was suddenly hearing so clearly Sonny Rollins and Donald Byrd as two very separate instruments when they're playing in unison.  Before you couldn't tell there were two.  And this was in a pretty good room with at least a 9 foot ceiling, but no treatment.
 
2015/02/06 09:04:31
djjhart@aol.com
Cactus Music
For me, I upgraded and I swear I hardly notice any change as I'm working. I have opened X3 a few time by mistake ( habit of the icon ) and it's all the same for what I'm doing. The changes are minor. I never had a "bug" in X3 so if they fixed something, heck if I would notice it. 
The main reason for the upgrade is to stay up to date overall and mostly if you like the new features and burnt offerings ( plug ins and VST's) 
 
Wait for your interface to arrive then your latency issues will go away. 




 
+1000 ..I feel the same, For me the only difference x3 offers for me is better Midi . Ad2 works the same as AD1 , In fact I would of wanted the new PC Dave Bendeth plugins instead of same drum plugin. Voc sync cool i guess, amp sims enough already, I know Gibson owns CW .
 rematrix I'll probably will never use.. Mix recall will probably never use that too...Fx stacks . OK whats the big deal , just move the Arrows as mentioned above, Cleaner view YES i give it that!!
 So for me this upgrade in terms of value is less than stellar. For Others its a homerun..$150 for Midi functions its about what I paid for,  and the fact Im on the newest version make all the sense why I Upgraded, Am I happy with Platinum Yes and NO. 
 I sure hope the bakers fix bugs in a timely manner and just dont choose bugs that are just the highest priority and over look the little ones .Hope we all get the love.
 Has there been any Bug updates recently?
 just my 2 cents
 
 
2015/02/08 02:12:44
Genius Animus
Auto pan is what I wanted. I am trying to do a remix of Dr. Robotnik's boss theme and I think Autopan is just what I am looking for lol. Also mixing the vocals of Imagine Dragon's Radioactive and Evanescence's Bring Me To Life. I am super clumsy with the daw so progress is really slow, but it's all for the sake of progress!
 
As for the update, I will most likely purchase it at the end of this month. As much as I want monitors, I am in no position to invest in them. As per the limits of my environment. Mr. GG(GregGraves) mentioned Focusrite's VRM box and it really looks like an interesting set up. The cheap headphones (Koss ProAAA)  recommendation also might fit into my plans just right. Plus I'm a hipster at heart so wearing retro headphones fit my style (vanity<3)
 
So the set up so far looks like. Scarlett 2i2, Koss headphones, some cruddy desktop, akai mini 2.
 
 
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