New To X3. Is the SONAR X2 Power! Guidebook a good starting place?

I have used Sonar LE 8.5 in a limited capacity but just purchased Sonar X3 and really want to dive into it. I am wondering if the SONAR X2 Power! Guidebook is a good starting place for an education on X3. I am aware that the X3 Power! Guidebook is probably months away and did not want to wait for it.

Probably better off waiting and just getting a groove3 pass to watch the Eli Kransberg vids (or buy the X3 vid bundle for $20) for now. That'll get you started then you'll have Scott's book for more in depth study/reference when it comes out. Editing seems to have changed significantly in X3 which is obviously a major part of production. That's just a lowly Beeps opinion tho.

Scott's books are a good read, and it is very nice to have a whole book more or less organized for self-teaching and in a format that does not require an e-reader.
 
But Sonar is one of the rare exceptions in the modern world of software distribution that actually comes with a readable and amazingly complete user manual: SONAR_X3_Reference_Guide.pdf comes with the distributions or is available for download here:
http://www.cakewalk.com/Support/kb/reader.aspx/2007013322
 
The tutorials sections will get you up to speed in pretty much plain English. Then if you still need a translation, I would wait for the X3 Power to come out.

dubdisciple
 
 
I figured you had no control over the price.    It annoys me more that they price kindle and physical copy the same.

For some books they charge more.
 
As far as them jacking the price it's because they know it's the type of thing some people will absolutely pay for because they need it. Classic shenanigans for tech manuals.
 
I'd take it as a compliment, Scott. You've become such an authority the publishers/distributors have decided your readers are willing to be gouged. I just hope they're giving you a good cut.
 
I've been on a (renewed) Motorhead kick lately and just watched a vid of Lemmy telling his fans not to buy the new boxed set because the copyright holders (not the band) are charging SIX HUNDRED FREAKING DOLLARS for it!!!
 
Bean counters and suits, man. They've always been the bane of this industry. Sadly you can't get much done without them so I guess they serve their purpose... sometimes. Don't gotta like 'em though.

dubdisciple
Beep. you are hardly lowly.  You are an experienced user wit hlots of hands on experience with the actual product.  I find the opinion of "regular guys" who strugglejust like me  very valuable in evaluating a product.  Someone like bitflipper is a great source of info, but his technical experience probably means his workflow when approaching a new product is very different than my own.
 

Quite humbling my friend but I still feel like I'm just starting out here. I think I may give off a faulty impression because I've spent a lot of time making sure I knew where all (well... many... well the more important) buttons and doodads were. I still have not done anything substantial yet and it's kind of ticking me off BUT now, due to excellent instructional volumes (such as Mr. Garrigus'), the kind patience of forum users (such as yourself) and all that random/not so random poking around when I actually DO sit down in front of the DAW to do something holy smokes does it go a lot faster.
 
For example yesterday... I wanted to screw around with some beats on my padKontrol for my current adventure but I had not set the thing up in... oh probably a year. I had pretty much forgotten everything I had learned about setting it up within Sonar, setting up the tracks and just using the thing in general... not to mention I was using it with a totally new drum sampler (Addictive Drums) that I had never used before. Well it took me all of about 5-10 minutes to get the bugger mapped and running and set up EXACTLY how I wanted it. It took me like 3 weeks the first time. lol
 
Whatevs... that's boring but I guess the pint is I'm really glad I spent so much time figuring things out because it's  annoying as hell having to stop all the time and check the manual or bug you guys when I'm trying to do something. Much less stressful and more conducive to creativity.
 
Thanks ya'll. :-)

garrigus
Hey Beep... Wow! That's unbelievable. Yeah, unfortunately, I don't have any control on the price or how the book is sold. Although, the publisher doesn't control the price either, as far as I know. Retailers can set their own prices, which is why you'll find different prices at different bookstores.
 

I know, man. It's really sickening. He's basically telling people to fill out their collections piecemeal with the older releases which, although it's a LOT of stuff would still be way cheaper unless maybe you don't own any of their albums. I picked up their comp No Remorse a few years (well quite a few years now) back and it's really good. I think it all got remastered so it's nice and powerful. The boxed set will obviously have WAY more stuff and perhaps it got remastered too but when freaking Lemmy, the man, the guy who MADE that stuff, the guy who doesn't give frack is appealing to you not to gouge his fans so badly maybe, just maybe you should listen.
 
MH fans are a different breed and if the man speaks they are going to listen. Kind of shooting themselves in the foot there and they obviously don't know what kind of consumers they are dealing with.
 
Foolish bean counters. No beans for you!
 
As far as your stuff I wish you the best of luck with the new release. Perhaps it's time to start self publishing these books. You know you've got a loyal audience with the Cakesters so if you have the capital and the numbers work out the risk is minimized. Also I think now that X3 is proving successful and Gibson is in the mix the product itself may just start to absorb more market share. Strike while the iron is hot as they say.
 
I'm an old diy punk though so perhaps I'm not the best "businessman" to listen to. lol

Im new to Sonar X3 so I am interested in getting a book like this. So far I just know the basic plug in piano + mic and record, but I want to figure out how to use the features and virtual instruments because it takes me too long to learn and play everything note by note, and I have lots of songs I want to start producing properly.
 
Currently I'm playing around with and listening to all the pre installed loops and instruments while waiting for the last part to the studio upgrade to download.