I've been using Home Studio 2004 for 9 years. Sometimes it won't re-record a track, and yesterday a volume envelope I added to a clip wouldn't change the volume. I'm running Windows 7.
 
I'm wondering if I need something new and better--maybe something that works better on Windows 7. My recording needs are simple: I lay down midi tracks I play from a keyboard. No plugins, effects, or instruments. I edit these tracks in Staff View.
 
So I was thinking I don't need something complicated. Maybe I don't even need another version of Home Studio, just to keep thing simple. But all over the internet, people are complaining about the new interface of Music Creator 6.  They say it's more complicated than previous versions of Music Creator and harder to use, with more steps involved per task in Staff View.
 
Would it be better to obtain a copy of Music Creator 5 than 6?  I hope I'm not starting a war.

I'd go with MC6. 

The complaints are because it is more like X1 than MC in the way it looks and operates and they are likely used to the older look & feel. 

Since you are coming from HS2004 either will look and operate different than what you currently know so....since you have to learn it anyway, go with the newest one. 


I have MC4, MC5 & MC6 as well as X1essential.  6 and X1e look and act very much the same. I was a bit frustrated at first with X1 since all the features were in different places but they are all there. Once you know, it becomes second nature. While I might not agree with all of the baker's decisions, it still works just fine..... and now that I'm used to it, and know where things are "hidden" my work flow is just as efficient as before. 

Don't be afraid of MC6. It's a good DAW for the price and the stuff that comes bundled with it is amazing. 

+1 to what Guitarhacker said.

I have both MC5 LE and MC6 on my laptop now.   The interfaces are quite different, and MC6 took awhile to learn.   But once I learned MC6, I like it better....  

I don't think you can buy MC5 anymore, so...