Sylvan
Cakewalk has plenty of pride in their craftsmanship. I don't agree with your feelings on that. In my opinion, SONAR excels as an audio and MIDI editor; a DAW which is what SONAR is. I realize that SONAR may not have some notation features that some other DAWS may have, but there are 3rd party products or there that specialize in that area. I know, SONAR can't be everything for everyone and it can't make everyone happy all the time. But all in all, it's quite a package with exceptional value. Maybe they will get around to notation later on. I hope they do for people like you. But for now, I am happy they are concentrating on the core of being a audio and MIDI recorder/editor/mixer.

+1 brother. My Mixer board, nor 8-Track would do notation either. I think that it's a specialty function better left to specialty packages.

It seems that this discussion basically breaks down into two opposite viewpoints that will probably never see eye to eye on the issue.
 
1. The users that compose music using MIDI as their main tool for recording/editing.
2. Those that view a DAW as a digital tape recorder/editor/mixer. 
 
Sonar rules!  Something for everybody, LOL! 
 
But the staff view is just as integral part of MIDI editing as the PRV is.  If it's broken, it should be fixed.  I think this discussion began regarding fixes, not feature requests!

cparmerlee

Kev999
...

...There should be no advantage or disadvantage to working in one or the other...

 
But there are advantages and disadvantages for each of them. That's why we should all be using both. As I pointed out earlier, PRV is better for detailed editing and workng on one instrument at a time while SV is better for showing you a broad perspective on the arrangement or for working on the interplay between different instruments.

I would like Staff View to be improved. :)
 
 

Tim Flannagin

Sylvan
Cakewalk has plenty of pride in their craftsmanship. I don't agree with your feelings on that. In my opinion, SONAR excels as an audio and MIDI editor; a DAW which is what SONAR is. I realize that SONAR may not have some notation features that some other DAWS may have, but there are 3rd party products or there that specialize in that area. I know, SONAR can't be everything for everyone and it can't make everyone happy all the time. But all in all, it's quite a package with exceptional value. Maybe they will get around to notation later on. I hope they do for people like you. But for now, I am happy they are concentrating on the core of being a audio and MIDI recorder/editor/mixer.

+1 brother. My Mixer board, nor 8-Track would [not?] do notation either. I think that it's a specialty function better left to specialty packages.

Did your mixer board and 8 track have two dozen midi controlled instruments built into it?

Just to forward main use for me - register songs - you need to send something like melody, lyrics and chords as a minimum. I also used to make print for a hired vocalist to prepare herself. And thinking anybody preparing for rehearsals with a band would be more efficient with notation of new songs.
 
So very convenient with integrated notation.
 
As long as I did 4/4 signature I thought Sonar was ok at least, but later started doing other triplet based signatures I ran into trouble.
 
So most serious flaw now in Sonar is lack of any tuplet handlings and pauses. Don't know if anything done as of two last years on that.
 
A range of external notations stuff:
http://www.toptenreviews.com/software/home/best-music-notation-software/
 
I tested 6 of those, that had some minimum reguirements. Some did not have asio support, which only on one computer I have. Others gave features for a more expensive version than the one in the charts, so you would end up paying over $200 for it actually. So lookout and test properly.
 
Built in notation in Reaper and Cubase Pro are more complete on essentials for me at least. And not needing advanced at all, really, with all fancy stuff that real notation for conductors or something needs. Bows and slurs and whatnot is not in my skillset.
 
But come on - 8th note triplets and you can't use Sonar staff view.....

Nate Silver of 538 has estimated the odds of Cakewalk  improving staff view at 35%. Keep in mind that he also predicted Hilary Clinton and John Ossoff would win, so the actual odds are probably lower.

lfm
 
A range of external notations stuff:
http://www.toptenreviews.com/software/home/best-music-notation-software/
 

 
This doesn't help with SONAR integration, but have you tried Notion?  Lead sheets are super quick with Notion.  It is rumored to be capable of doing quite detailed scores, but I personally have no idea.
 
Might be worth a try.

Notion is definitely worth a try, Bob. It's what I use and I have made very nice detailed scores of full orchestra works. Using Sonar for sound and notion for scores works great. Still, one software that does both equally well would be nice. Don't think we have that 
https://app.box.com/s/w46...mtrfthlrbw4138ytfalj9a

BobF

lfm
 
A range of external notations stuff:
http://www.toptenreviews.com/software/home/best-music-notation-software/
 

 
This doesn't help with SONAR integration, but have you tried Notion?  Lead sheets are super quick with Notion.  It is rumored to be capable of doing quite detailed scores, but I personally have no idea.
 
Might be worth a try.

Thanks, heard good things about it. But in the high range for just notation part.
 
What I did was - having an old Cubase Elements and a campaign on 30% upgrade to Pro - I went for it.
Cubase Pro has quite decent notation and this cost me just $100 more than Notion or other that fit with features.
 
Original idea was to record+mix in Sonar, and do notation in Cubase Pro. But swapped all the way.
And recently Steinberg sort of implying soon to drop Windows 7 when releasing Halion 6 - I asked if they could assure me supporting Windows 7 until MS drop it - but they could not comment on that. So need a backup.
 
So again - I went for Reaper 5.4 now trialing. So will see if notation is ok in Reaper or I will move with music xml to Cubase. Reaper now officially supported by Waves makes it a good candidate - and Tune plugin as well which is my favorite pitch corrector.
 
But keep an eye on Sonar always, I like it a lot.
Just not enough headroom for things I eventually will/might need and Cake is not interested in features requested at all. Notation being one part. VCAs another. Arranger track yet another top voted(at least two years ago).
 
Maybe the ripple editing now in Sonar is as good as Reaper regions(which is all transparent and fix/move tempo track as well). I like the Arranger track in Cubase and regions in Reaper is really good enough for the job(make a playlist of regions or just move a region as you please, done in two secs).