I would like to know which is better cakewalk or sonik synth 2. I'm looking for something that will allow me to create a song that sounds like country music from scratch. Something that has virtual instruments like guitar, banjo, drums, keyboard, etc. and you can create a song with those instruments from scratch. Maybe even also be able to add voice to the song to sing the lyrics you type in (preferably without an actual person singing them kind of like vocaloid or utua). I'm not sure either of these programs can do the singing part, so if not, which is better just for creating the music? I'd prefer something that has all the instruments with it and you don't have to purchase a bunch of plugins for each instrument. Like when you download the program it will already have guitar, drums, keyboard, banjo, etc. with it. I've never used any program like this before so I'm not familiar with what all either of these can do or what they come with. Or...can you use Sonik Synth with Cakewalk and if so, how do I do that? Thanks for any help given.

Cakewalk makes synths. What synth are you looking at?
It also makes a DAW which is Sonar. It comes with a number of synths...
https://www.cakewalk.com/Products/SONAR/Versions
 

Follow up.
Sonic synth works as a VST so should work inside Sonar, however Sonic synth is an old 32 bit plugin all so I'd avoid it myself (64 bit plugins more reliable, if they haven't developed 64 bit version yet it's unlikely to be supported further, looks like a legacy product).
http://www.ikmultimedia.c...pp=sonik-synth-2-specs

you may also want to check out "band in a box" which may get you there easiest? what you're asking is quite an ask, especially if you want to fake vocals and stringed instruments, and not have to learn about plugins ec
good luck!

Basically I'm looking for virtual instruments such as guitars, drums and keyboard. Also, maybe banjo and fiddle if I can get those. Something that's like Vocaloid that sings the lyrics would be helpful for me too since I don't sing and don't know anyone who does (and can't afford to pay someone to do the singing, especially since I'm just learning right now and not looking to do anything with the songs...just for personal use as I'm learning for now and will get more into something professional later, once I learn).
Do I just download the Cakewalk and the Sonik Synth 2 and then install both and they will work together? OR...how do I get them to work together? Sorry, just new to all of this. Thanks for the help.
I don't mind using plugins, I just can't afford to have to get the program and then have to pay separate for several plugins to get the instruments I would want/need. I will look at Band In A Box. What comes with the Band In A Box?

Band In A Box :- you can enter chords progression to the basic interface and you can select various styles (swing, country, rock, etc) and further select the instrumentation (drums, bass, piano, guitar) and some style with solo instruments (saxophone, fiddle, banjo? - not sure, but may have that too).
 
Band In A Box will basically generate the whole band's backing track for you.
 
Was experimenting with that once - the following was done with Band In A Box with Vocoloid "Miriam" .. except the saxophone part.
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mKHx__mIV2E

How did you get the vocaloid to work with Band In A Box?

Rebecca0630
How did you get the vocaloid to work with Band In A Box?

Not directly, and also depends which vocaloid version you may have.
 
I believed with the current vocaloid editor, you can import a backing track (first generated using Band in a box) into the vocaloid editor, which is the easiest method. After that you simply generate the finished vocaloid track and mix it with Sonar.
 
With earlier vocaloid editor that lacks the audio track, you will need to use 'rewire' to link Sonar / Vocaloid, so the start/stop bar movement can be synchronized together.
 
Back then, I was actually using Reaper instead of Sonar to do the rewire sync, as I can't get 64bit Sonar (the only version I installed) to sync with 32bit Vocaloid. Repear's rewire works with either 32 or 64 bits.

Using rewire for older vocaloid version is only necessary if you want to hear the music as you work on the vocaloid editor.
 
It is also possible to work without rewire, by setting the correct tempo to work on the vocaloid editor alone.
 
The last process is the same, by generating the vocaloid track and import to Sonar for mixing.