I get everything very close where I want it in Sonar X3. I often need help with eq,reverb,warmth,etc. But I'm usually pretty happy with panning, delay, Highlights & Hooks (with increased volumes. Then I hit a brick wall. No one in Boulder/Denver, Co. uses Sonar. I'll ask at a studio if I can bring in my laptop through their stuff and get help with the above mentioned. "Not"... So I go through the "ABSOLUTE" brain damage of exporting each dry track to a separate wav so they can put it in their (so called perfect program) and piss me off. It then takes hours upon hours  just to get back to my base line (if they listen to me). Then they mix some fangdangled up idea, that I'm sure is ok, but not what I have in mind. Even if its close, I can't come home and tweak it to my liking because it now not Sonar and no producer can read my mind on highlighting volumes and such, and I have to drive my Sonar for hours and listen to on different device to get there. So 3 questions...
  - Am I expecting too much? Is it politically incorrect to be 80% where you want to be?  and ask for help to finish?
  - Is there any known "professional" studios in Boulder/Denver that use Sonar. (not a home based hobbiest)
  - If not, Would it be more reasonable to ask if there is any "professional" producer in the "World" that uses Sonar that I can mix with via the cloud. 
 
I am about $1000 into my current project, and am further away from the finish line than when I started with my own mix. Sorry to express my frustration, but I am frustrated. 

The last 20% is always the last 200%
It's not unusual for producers to pass projects along to other producers at this point, at least it was when there was a real music industry..

You are right no producer can read your mind, it's a question of how grand your expectations are, how well you comminicate and how much time you and he have got. Most people don't get 100% what they want and have to compromise, simply because one cannot achieve perfection, everybodies idea of perfection is different, and perfection takes too long to do!!

I would say if you are mixing with somebody best be in the same room when it happens...

Skarda,
Nice to know someone else local is using Sonar.
I PM'ed you with a recommendation for a local guy in Broomfield.
 

Thanks

If you're paying that much I'm sure there are plenty of pros here who'd take the gig and work with you to get that last 20% sorted out how you like.
 
Just save the project using Per Project folders and send that via a file sharing site like Dropbox. I would recommend Danny Danzi. He's got his own way of doing things but he's also the type of dude who'd want things to be how you want. He'd probably also teach you how to get your projects to 90% or more on your own for the next time.
 
And it's not just him. There are plenty of other great Sonar based producers around here (or ones who at least have it installed on one of their systems). Just go through the Songs forum and you'll hear some REALLY amazing stuff.
 
Maybe post a thread stating you are looking for a pro in the Techniques or Songs forum areas of the site (saying that you'll pay). Ask for some examples of mixes and provide an example/details of your songs and how you want them to sound, budget, etc. I'm sure you'll find a good match.
 
I've been involved in two full on, brick and mortar studio albums WAY before I got into recording myself (and various pre prod demos). Even though my bandmates and I had some level of input on the mix I don't like the sound of either (and now that I know more myself can hear EXACTLY what went wrong/what I would have done differently).
 
Restricting yourself to local setups when there is a whole world of engineers out there just limits your options.
 
That said, maybe microapp's friend is the answer. It is certainly nice to be able to plop yourself right in the room with the dial twister so you can listen as things happen.
 
Cheers.

As a producer and studio owner...

Not much of a studio if they can't/won't interface your computer... I can understand if they don't know your software, but that's another issue...

In my experiences, a producer usually needs to listen to the musicians though the decisions might not seem to reflect such.

As a few of the responses here mention. There are a number of very good producers you can contact here in the forum and either via Dropbox or mail, they can work with your project. Of course, if you use non-bundled extras with Sonar, some things can be a bit of an issue, they can usually be easily resolved.

You might contact some of us and see if we might be able to help you...

You may actually want to contact Keni himself if he's accepting clients. He's experienced and skilled.
 
I'd offer my services but I'm just a newbie hack compared to others... nor am I set up for true fine polish mixing.

Thanks for the mention Beepster...

If it's much, I'm always open to new projects! ;-)

...and I'll bet that with all the hard work and learning you've been putting in, you'd probably get some good mixes yourself, eh?

Skarda? If you're interested in talking, PM me here and we can chat...

Keni
Thanks for the mention Beepster...

If it's much, I'm always open to new projects! ;-)

...and I'll bet that with all the hard work and learning you've been putting in, you'd probably get some good mixes yourself, eh?

Skarda? If you're interested in talking, PM me here and we can chat...

I think I need another year to get where I want which is "high quality demo" production. Then probably another 5 years of building experience on that foundation (and getting my gear/listening environment issues sort) until I could start thinking about actual industry quality releases.
 
I'd like to think I have good taste though and a knack for understanding what artists are going for. Hopefully that works in my favor. Maybe an independent "boutique" style creative producer.
 
I do not delude myself though. This is the type of skillset that probably takes 20 years to really get good at and I got a really late start.
 
Keeps me busy though and at least I can get my own wacky stuff out of my brain/onto tape. I used to DREAM of having that ability when I was a teenage whipperfart.
 
;-)
 
PS: I'd be absolutely NOWHERE without the help I get around here... or at least way further behind. At minimum just hanging around here has sped up my learning curve at a 2:1 ratio. Likely way more.

I totally agree with the advice given so far. If you go with someone "here", you would probably learn a lot in the process.
Best of luck.
 
@ Beepster PS: I'd be absolutely NOWHERE without the help I get around here... or at least way further behind. At minimum just hanging around here has sped up my learning curve at a 2:1 ratio. Likely way more. 
 
Could not agree more