When I first started with Cakewalk, years ago.....I mainly used it for midi, creating backing tracks. It was relatively easy and trouble free, but midi editing was still young, and not very good, and sound cards were at the beginning of their days, pretty basic. These days, even though I have Splat, crazy editing, and sounds that are better than the real thing, I only use it for AD2 and some simple synth/piano tracks. I'm not even sure about that anymore, getting into loops and Elastik 2 this last year. All audio for me now mostly. But I don't really have any issues with production or editing of midi, which probably reflects my simplistic use more than anything. So I feel for the mostly midi guys who are really into it. Everything I've read over the last year points to a lousy midi base, which is surprising because of the heritage. I guess it's the old code, but I know nothing of these things.
 
So, my question is - what do most people use instead of Sonar for midi ? What's the benchmark for the new owners to pursue? Cubase? The other question is, when will midi bite the dust? Why hasn't it already. Is this something the new owners would even want to pursue?
 
I come from an old morse code background. Professional marine radio officer, and technician. I knew morse code, 60k watt transmitters, and clunky old valve radio receivers, would die one day. Satellites and digital technology ensured I was correct. But I also thought, at least 20 years ago, that midi would die too, sooner rather than later. But it's still kicking. How much, and for how long, is what I'm curious about.
 
Should the owners make midi better in Sonar, or kill it off, leaving it for the DAWS that excel in that area, paving the way for better sample and loop control ?
 
Love to hear some thoughts.

MIDI rawks! May it live forever...

For anyone using the countless hardware synths on the market, MIDI support is essential.

For anyone using software synths, including those that come with Somar, MIDI support is essential.

A DAW that does not support MIDI instantly loses most electronic musiicians other than those who just chop up (if that) pre=recorded bought in loops.

In other words, a large part, probably the largest part, of the potential market.

MIDI is used in nearly every professionally recorded song, if only for the access to the VSTi they may be using.  Also, most bands that have keyboard players use MIDI for VSTi access...and get this...guess what controls the lights at any concert that has a fancy light show...yep...you guessed it....MIDI.

I would rank DAW midi support in this order:
 
1) Cubase
2) Sonar
3) Logic
4) everyone else
 
Cubase has some really advanced midi workflows, but with it comes the burden of a lot of legacy code and workflows. Sonar's midi is actually pretty darn good, but is lacking in a few areas, primarily in regards to how it handles midi routing and keyswitch articulations.
 
All of the other DAWs have decent midi capabilities. Reaper has come a long way in the last few years, as has Studio One. Both are missing some advanced midi editing capabilities, but make up for it in other areas.
 
Killing off midi support in a "workstation" DAW would seriously hinder it, IMO.
 
Regards,
Dan

I use midi drums recorded from a midi kit.
Midi keys and all kinds of sample libraries driven by an 88 key midi keyboard.
 
I won't do without midi.

I think it depends on MIDI activity.
For HW synth operations (SysEx banks, (N)RPN, drum maps, instrument definitions, etc) I guess Sonar is still up to the game (since nothing has changed there and it was good), with Cubase as an alternative.
For fast MIDI progressions building, Waveform has nice approach.
For script based processing of MIDI content, Reaper is hard to beat.
 
In general, Sonar has 2 weak points with MIDI: it does not support VST based MIDI processing (at least that is inconvenient and quite buggy) and has some unclear long standing bugs (skipped MIDI events, periodically strange MIDI timing).

Completely agree that dropping midi support now would seriously hinder it, but is it the future? Interesting to hear you put SONAR at number 2 Dan.
 
@midiboy. Guys like you I wanted to hear from. Thanks. But bear in mind, I'm really talking about midi editing here, and how much a DAW should pursue it as part of the package. If Sonar is the vehicle to take it on and own it, that's what I want to know. But I can assure you, plenty of pro music out there with zero midi used. Your being a bit dismissive perhaps or areas you don't relate to? Just like I don't really relate to EDM. VSTi's and lighting aside, why should Sonar pursue midi editing, when there are plenty of DAWS that do not ?

Another midi user here. I seldom use anything looped, except from some African/Asian/etc. percussion libraries in Kontakt.
 
While Cubase may do some midi things better than Sonar, there’s one thing important to me it seems to be missing and Sonar has: ability to use .grv groove quantize files.

As someone who uses several hardware synths and VSTis, I have to say that MIDI is a must. I would neither purchase nor recommend any DAW that lacked MIDI support.