sonarman1

michael diemer
Why couldn't Bandlab simply allow new members here? Seems that would be the simplest solution.

My thoughts too. They can do some tweaks to this forum if required. 

they want users using their own systems, not some inherited thing

msmcleod

pwalpwal

msmcleod
 
This forum works pretty well for the most part IMHO.

except for no new users, no notifications, pretty much abandoned imo, you can see the big drop in posts...

Yeah, good point... though offline help and/or decent online help integration is really needed before this happens, else the forum will be flooded with newbie RTFM type questions.

Problem with that?  This forum is how I learned at least 90% of what I know about Cakewalk/Sonar.  The smaller manuals (start up guides) are useless and it takes forever to find something in the 500 page Reference guide.  I've found that most of the time it's quicker to just get on the forum and post my issue/question.  I usually get an answer within an hour.
 
FWIW-I'm also for leaving the forum as it is.  Just make it open to newbies and restore the email notifications.
 
JB

Johnbee58

msmcleod

pwalpwal

msmcleod
 
This forum works pretty well for the most part IMHO.

except for no new users, no notifications, pretty much abandoned imo, you can see the big drop in posts...

Yeah, good point... though offline help and/or decent online help integration is really needed before this happens, else the forum will be flooded with newbie RTFM type questions.

Problem with that?  This forum is how I learned at least 90% of what I know about Cakewalk/Sonar.  The smaller manuals (start up guides) are useless and it takes forever to find something in the 500 page Reference guide.  I've found that most of the time it's quicker to just get on the forum and post my issue/question.  I usually get an answer within an hour.
 
FWIW-I'm also for leaving the forum as it is.  Just make it open to newbies and restore the email notifications.
 
JB

I should have made more emphasis on help integration - i.e. context specific help. 
 
In Sonar, you could press F1 on any part of the program - even if you've selected a pop-up menu and not yet clicked it - and it would take you straight to the part of the help that deals with that function. That way you don't need to read through a 500 page reference guide.
 
I actually copied over my Sonar CHM files into my Cakewalk Core directory, as I use this all the time on areas I've become a bit rusty on. It maybe slightly out of date, but 99% of the time its close enough.
 
I don't mind answering newbie questions, but when the same ones keep cropping up, it's usually a sign that the information should be made more easily available.
 
Actually the BandLab produced CbB videos are really good, but their existence should be made more obvious - like maybe having a separate tab on the BandLab assistant with all the tutorial videos and links to the online help.
 
But even having a sticky thread with links to some popular YouTube tutorials would be helpful.
 
It's not just about answering newbie questions either: take a look at the feature requests thread, and about 50% of the requests are for features that already exist.
 

msmcleod
I should have made more emphasis on help integration - i.e. context specific help.

Like the Help Module?

scook

msmcleod
I should have made more emphasis on help integration - i.e. context specific help.

Like the Help Module?

To be honest, I find the help module little more than a glorified hint. It tells you what it is, but not the how or why's.
 
Actually, that's a bit harsh - it's a LOT better than a hint, but it's no substitute for a help file.
 
However the "Learn More" button isn't present for a lot of the entries, and the entries themselves are even missing on some e.g.: Select a clip, then menu select Edit->Copy for instance, and nothing appears.
 
Press F1, and I not only get more information but I've got links to Splitting/Combining Clips, Moving & Copying Clips, working with partial clips etc.
 
Anyhow, this is kind of OT - the point I was trying to make was that if help was more comprehensive and easier to get at, it might reduce the amount of RTFM type questions.
 
The annoying thing is, that the information IS there:
- the online help on Cakewalk's website covers everything in detail. It was just far easier to get to in Sonar.
- Both Cakewalk Inc and BandLab have produced pretty decent tutorial videos, but not everyone may be aware of their existence

I've always found it disappointing that there seems to be a scarcity of YouTube video tutorials on Sonar/CbB as compared to other DAWS.  You can find almost anything on Pro tools real easy.  If you go by what you find on YouTube, EVERYBODY uses Pro Tools! And after that is Ableton.  Do a search on Sonar or Cakewalk by Bandlab and you might get a small handful.  Very limited and there is a lot of repetition on those.  Sometimes it seems as if YouTubers just make videos to see themselves on YouTube.  If you're going to make a tutorial try to make ones on topics that haven't been covered yet. 
 
JB

Does this still work?
http://www.cakewalk.com/CakeTV
 

I don't think any reference manual is part of the Cakewalk by Bandlab download nor is it listed by the Bandlab Download Assistant as an add-on download.
 
I'm a little surprised at all the talk about a 500 page reference manual. Acrobat Reader indicates the Sonar Reference Manual pdf file I received with Sonar Home Studio is 2348 pages.

jimfogle
I don't think any reference manual is part of the Cakewalk by Bandlab download nor is it listed by the Bandlab Download Assistant as an add-on download.
 
I'm a little surprised at all the talk about a 500 page reference manual. Acrobat Reader indicates the Sonar Reference Manual pdf file I received with Sonar Home Studio is 2348 pages.

Mine has 2094!!

57Gregy
Does this still work?
http://www.cakewalk.com/CakeTV
 

Yeah.  Forgot about those.  But too big for the small details.  Most of my issue with Sonar/CbB were about small details.  The Reference Manual and the Cake U vids have the small details in them, but you have to dig deep to find them.
 
JB