• SONAR
  • Tired of feeling like I have to make excuses for being a Sonar user... (p.11)
2017/03/07 15:08:56
joel77
PJH
 
...........
 
Since having the review go out I've received quite a number of emails from readers and the overwhelming question is:
"How did you manage to achieve this using SONAR???"
 
...........




It still amazes me how many people think a great production is about the tools we use, when it's been shown time after time that a talented musician/arranger/producer can accomplice amazing results using SM57s and Garageband!
 
It's not about your tools, it's about your talent. And you obviously have talent in spades!! Great job!! Love the song.
 
2017/03/07 17:11:47
Jim Roseberry
dwardzala
If they are a guitarist, just tell them that they should be playing a Fender or Gibson (whatever they're not playing) to be Pro and then walk away.  Or ask them how they play so well on a guitar that's not a Fender or Gibson.
 
its not the tool, its the carpenter!



 
I was thinking of the exact same analogy.
How can you play so well... with a guitar that's not a $5000+ Custom Shop model?
How can you play Fender, when John Suhr builds a better guitar?
 
For those who remember DAW software "back-in-the-day", cracked versions of Cubase were in heavy circulation.
On forums, you'd hear a lot of grumbling about how unstable Cubase VST was...
"Bug-infested pile of rubbish!"
Enough folks repeated this line... and it became "accepted truth".
Well... the legit copy of Cubase VST was not particularly unstable.
 
Just recently built a machine for Fred Coury (composer for TV/Film in LA - drummer for Cinderella).
When Fred is hired to compose, clients don't ask/care which tools are used to produce the music.
Fred is hired for his skills/results... not because he uses a particular software/tool.
 
If you like Sonar and it works well for you... then it's an effective tool.
 
If you admire a particular artist/musician, it *is* interesting to hear the details about what they're using... and how they create.  That's a completely different discussion.
 
 
 
2017/03/07 17:30:33
mettelus
Excellent point... Creativity is the choice/application of tools, not that any tool makes creativity just happen.

BTW, I hammer in screws to cut down on the tools required in my kitchen - screwdriver and screw puller in the same handle!
2017/03/07 18:08:15
PJH
joel77
PJH
 
...........
 
Since having the review go out I've received quite a number of emails from readers and the overwhelming question is:
"How did you manage to achieve this using SONAR???"
 
...........




It still amazes me how many people think a great production is about the tools we use, when it's been shown time after time that a talented musician/arranger/producer can accomplice amazing results using SM57s and Garageband!
 
It's not about your tools, it's about your talent. And you obviously have talent in spades!! Great job!! Love the song.
 


Thanks, Joel, 
 
Your comments are much appreciated. Glad you enjoyed the song.
 
Cheers
 
Peter.
2017/03/07 18:20:27
greg_moreira
joel77
 
 
It still amazes me how many people think a great production is about the tools we use, when it's been shown time after time that a talented musician/arranger/producer can accomplice amazing results using SM57s and Garageband!
 
It's not about your tools, it's about your talent. And you obviously have talent in spades!! Great job!! Love the song.
 




Most folks who inherently dont know any better think that great recordings are based on the "tools" available within the DAW.
 
In their minds...  One DAW comes with one set of tools.  Another DAW comes with another set of tools, which may or may not be a better set of tools than the first DAW.   
 
I bet most of us thought like this at one point or another.  When we first wanted to start recording things...  we figured the right DAW would provide everything needed for great sound.  Eventually we learned more about the importance of the signal chain, the smarts it takes to properly capture the sound, the smarts and practice it takes to get good at mixing, the techniques to employ to make mixes sound better....and we learned about plugins too.
 
we also learned that some of the plugins we really like are 3rd party and are available to practically anyone with any daw.
 
we probably didnt know all that to start, and we probably thought the DAW itself is more than what it actually is.....which is ultimately just a really convenient place to do all the things that ultimately matter more than the DAW itself.
 
 
 
 
 
 
2017/03/07 18:36:42
kennywtelejazz
Out of what some online polls have listed as the top 20 DAW's for 2016 / 2017 ....
I was surprised to find out that I have 12 of them ...I should feel great ..but I don't ....
What I have learned from the whole experience is one main reoccurring thought that I have had to confront and accept .
I found out that I was Jack of all of them DAW's and not a Master of even one of them  
Yeah OK , the truth hurts huh ? anyway I'm cool with it .
I'm over here busy working on it ....
 
Kenny
2017/03/07 19:13:52
greg_moreira
kennywtelejazz
Out of what some online polls have listed as the top 20 DAW's for 2016 / 2017 ....
I was surprised to find out that I have 12 of them ...I should feel great ..but I don't ....
What I have learned from the whole experience is one main reoccurring thought that I have had to confront and accept .
I found out that I was Jack of all of them DAW's and not a Master of even one of them  
Yeah OK , the truth hurts huh ? anyway I'm cool with it .
I'm over here busy working on it ....
 
Kenny


this is why I just stick with sonar.  My workflow is pretty ironed out.  I know what I like to do and I dont expect any substantial changes.  On a project by project basis, sure I might toss some elements of the workflow out.  And in the future I may stumble across some nice new things to add to my template.  But I cant think of anything that I really wish I could incorporate into my process that is simply impossible in sonar.  It does what I want.
 
  What I find is no matter what daw you give me....  Im simply going to try and replicate what already works for me.  Id just be recreating the same chain in all of them.
 
now usually i find myself stopping to think too much and banging my head against the wall trying to figure out how to do it with other DAW's.  Not because they arent good.  
 
But simply because I dont know them nearly as well.
 
And I dont see any point in trying to know them nearly as well when all the effort will simply be spent in trying to organize my workflow in the same fashion I already have going in sonar.
2017/03/08 16:41:57
kennywtelejazz
greg_moreira
kennywtelejazz
Out of what some online polls have listed as the top 20 DAW's for 2016 / 2017 ....
I was surprised to find out that I have 12 of them ...I should feel great ..but I don't ....
What I have learned from the whole experience is one main reoccurring thought that I have had to confront and accept .
I found out that I was Jack of all of them DAW's and not a Master of even one of them  
Yeah OK , the truth hurts huh ? anyway I'm cool with it .
I'm over here busy working on it ....
 
Kenny


this is why I just stick with sonar.  My workflow is pretty ironed out.  I know what I like to do and I dont expect any substantial changes.  On a project by project basis, sure I might toss some elements of the workflow out.  And in the future I may stumble across some nice new things to add to my template.  But I cant think of anything that I really wish I could incorporate into my process that is simply impossible in sonar.  It does what I want.
 
  What I find is no matter what daw you give me....  Im simply going to try and replicate what already works for me.  Id just be recreating the same chain in all of them.
 
now usually i find myself stopping to think too much and banging my head against the wall trying to figure out how to do it with other DAW's.  Not because they arent good.  
 
But simply because I dont know them nearly as well.
 
And I dont see any point in trying to know them nearly as well when all the effort will simply be spent in trying to organize my workflow in the same fashion I already have going in sonar.




Sure I understand exactly what you are saying . Your point of view makes perfect sense ...
Find a workflow that works for you while using SONAR and stick too it 
I happen to agree with you pretty much and in theory ,
SONAR does come with just about everything any professional producer / musician could possibly need up to a point 
 
You won't get an argument from me as far as how ahead of the curve SONAR is compared to much of the competition that's out there ... 
The thing is I'm also a firm believer in using what I do have to the best of my ability and then build it up from there ...
 
Regarding the time it takes to get good and the infinite amount hours of learning it takes to get fluent w a DAW such as SONAR or another top name  DAW  ....
I don't view it as any different than my journey playing the guitar ...there's always a lot to learn there too.
My running Joke is when SONAR 's learning curve starts kicking my butt to the point where I feel hopeless ,
I run to my guitar and just take out my frustrations there
I get frustrated a lot so here's what I'm working on now ....a SONAR song project that happens to be  a work in progress
https://soundcloud.com/guitarist-kenny-wilson/song-for-my-father
 
nice rapping w you
all the best,
 
Kenny
 
 
2017/03/08 17:05:02
listen
The end product/s speak for themselves...
2017/03/08 17:09:40
Sh03e
Recently i made this track with SONAR for a client https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y50qUTrHdUA she never was really interested on what DAW i chose to work with her, the thing that she really cared about is how i design the sounds and atmosphere she wanted in the song, so what it matters is the final product, SONAR let me compose, produce and design sounds in a very comfortable space, that's all i care about  

P.S. Maaan your song reaaally rocks i liked a lot keep going and don't pay attention to the SONAR haters
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