Newbie agonising over choice of Sonar X1 Production or C****e 6 advice please

Why not try the X1 demo and see how well you like it?

Then see if Cubase has a demo and try that.

Pick what feels right for you.

Good luck.

best regards,
mike

Without spending some quality time with each app, it's going to be hard to make a solid choice.
Folks will give you opinions both ways (Cubase and Sonar).
Both apps are very capable.
Consider spending some time watching "demos" on YouTube.  Not the same as actually using each app, but you'd at least get some idea of how things work.
 
No matter which you choose, you'll find yourself wanting features from the other...  

Rograt

Looking at your requirements below.

1.  I like Session Drummer - good built in drum patterns that can be edited in many ways.  Also upgradable sounds and patterns.  I also like Ezdrummer.

2.  I find it pretty easy for most things.  Plus the tutorials you can watch on Support or buy are great for learning the basics and more.

3.  This one may not be so easy and depends upon your skills.  You can stretch and chop and change but I find getting the take right is the most important.  Creating layers is easy and then you can do 5 takes if you want and combine which may help with errors.

4.  I have a pod but record it into the system via audio cables.  I have done it via USB.  One thing with mine was that it sometimes messes up my audio drivers but I have been told it is because I am using the wrong drivers!

5.  There are the amp sims in CW but you can use many of the plug ins to adapt your sounds.

6.  In X1 Producer you get more sounds than you'll ever need I promise!

K

1. Biggest requirement - A built in drum pattern library/editor. Sonar fits (I think) with Session drummer. As far as I know Cubase comes with Groove Agent One which doesn't have a pattern tool so I would likely get Groove Agent 3? I presume GA3 might save me a lot of work?
2. Needs to have an easy to use user interface. Cubase seems a bit intimidating with all those random windows.
3. Need to easily adjust for poor timing in my playing. It may be flashy but listening back makes me cringe sometimes.
4. For recording guitar as well as a mic I have a POD HD500 which would be nice if it just linked digitally straight into the DAW through USB.
5. Would also like a VST equivalent. CW has Amp rack with a nice selection of amps. Guitar Rig LE software in CW is so limited that I would have to buy the upgrade.
6. I will need some non-guitar sounds and don't want to have to buy VST instruments unless absolutely necessary.

I don't know much about Cubase but I will say that the tools you get with X1 Producer will get you pretty close to where you want to be. Session Drummer is a pretty decent drum package with some nice bundled sounds. Step sequencer a good pattern editor.
 
With GR4 LE you can always upgrade to the essential edition if you can't run to the full package. Also check out Amplitube 3 which gives you the option to but individual amps, stomps and cabinets as you go.  There is also some good free stuff - Checkout ACME Bar Gig for example.
 
 
Audiosnap is there to adjust timing, most of my stuff is midi with in the box VSTis so I have never used it so I will leave others to comment.

Yeah that was meant with a bit of wry humor. I hope what ever platform you choose you enjoy the process.

Isn't Pro Tools 32 bit only (I know it would work anyway)?
I am also a Roland fan having bought tons of gear over the years (starting with a Jet Pahser in the 70's!).

Ok the question that is being asked is not being answered, ok you have had 4 posts so I am going to have to take you at your word and you are not a stoodge.

What is your main thing???  Are you into midi? are you going to just record?  What sort of midi are you going to use if you are going down that track??

Here is my advice, if you are a hiphop or dance music producer, then (I don't have X1, I have stayed with 8.5) then X1(once again I am not endorsing it) will do the job and do it well.  Sonar Producer comes with a plethora of tools and you can if you know how make great music without having to add to it.

If you are a classical sort of mididiot then Cubase all the way, better midi, way better midi, you can edit individual notes so it can simulate classical instruments better (ok have not tested this, yet!!)

If just plain mixing is your groove, then once again I suggest Sonar, although I have heard some good things about Studio one.  From what I understand Studio One is Sonar but a couple of notches ahead, it has tape varispeed and VST3 (once again I have not tested this and only going on what I have read)  I haven't tested the midi capabilities of Studio One, so I can't really recomend it.

In conclusion, what is it you really want to do????  Ask this question and the answer shall present itself.  Fell free to ask me any questions???

Peace Ben 

I have both installed. Cubase 6 are the best Cubase version so far. Try work in Cubase 6 a couple of hours and then go back and try out SONAR X1 with Panup Dark Side of SONAR skin..


If you are like me, working with large project more then 100 tracks you will  notice a huge difference in both graphic, more defined in SONAR X1 and how great Pro Channel sounds compare to Cubase EQ.
No Icons in MIXER view get you confused during mixing in Cubase? Change the COLOR easy are also demanding task in Cubase.
Still just change the Arrange background to black are impossible task in Cubase, Everything goes black or GREY or BLUE that's your only choice?
 
 
 
EQ, MIXING and Plugins
No icons make you dizzy finding your track in Console View and arrangement view in Cubase? What is what? 
Of course you can always use 3 part plugins for EQ, but please tell me one that's better then SONAR Pro Channel "Pure EQ" with "Gloss filter" activated? I have alot of 3part plugins, closets EQ are NOMAD FACTORY plugins BLUE TUBE Series, still not better sounding as SONAR Pro Channel Pure. 

Addition the include channel compressor's with LOW CPU are great too..

76= UAD1176LN/SE 

4K= SSL 4000 Bus Compressor 


I think SONAR 4K sounds better then the real SSL Compressor.
I think SONAR PRO CHANNEL beat SSL own NATIVE DUENDE plugins of SSL 4000, sometimes even hardware itself. 

SONAR Pro Channel 76, the new IK Multimedias Black 76 sounds better then Pro Channel and best 3part plugins I have heard so far of 1176 but it will take more CPU. A lot more then Pro Channel.  
UAD or Waves plugins of 1176 and SSL 4000 are not better then SONAR Pro Channels or SSL NATIVE DUENDE plugins.




The include Tube Emulator in Pro channel sounds great too. Mimic the classic sound of 12AX7 Tube. Not so much to say about it. It sounds warm analog and great!

 
Cubase has non include EQ or Comp or Tube that are in this class. So you get  World Cass include plugins in PRO CHANNEL if you use SONAR X1 VS Cubase 6.






 

BenMMusTech


Ok the question that is being asked is not being answered, ok you have had 4 posts so I am going to have to take you at your word and you are not a stoodge.

What is your main thing???  Are you into midi? are you going to just record?  What sort of midi are you going to use if you are going down that track??

Here is my advice, if you are a hiphop or dance music producer, then (I don't have X1, I have stayed with 8.5) then X1(once again I am not endorsing it) will do the job and do it well.  Sonar Producer comes with a plethora of tools and you can if you know how make great music without having to add to it.

If you are a classical sort of mididiot then Cubase all the way, better midi, way better midi, you can edit individual notes so it can simulate classical instruments better (ok have not tested this, yet!!)

If just plain mixing is your groove, then once again I suggest Sonar, although I have heard some good things about Studio one.  From what I understand Studio One is Sonar but a couple of notches ahead, it has tape varispeed and VST3 (once again I have not tested this and only going on what I have read)  I haven't tested the midi capabilities of Studio One, so I can't really recomend it.

In conclusion, what is it you really want to do????  Ask this question and the answer shall present itself.  Fell free to ask me any questions???

Peace Ben 

Hi Ben
 
No I'm not a stooge. You ask some interesting questions though.
 
I am a guitarist playing rock, blues and fusion. I'm certainly not into MIDI :)
 
My recordings will have relatively few tracks and consist mainly of a number of guitars, bass and drums. Some background synths occasionally but I don't intend to play anything other than chords on keyboards and I will tend to sims of old rock keyboards (Hammonds, Rhodes etc).
 
It certainly sounds like the Producer package has a great set of bundled intruments so unless people say they are rubbish, I doubt that I would need anything else.
 
That sounds simple enough but I am also a bit of an audiophile so although track count will be low I am looking for pristine quality with realism without buying further plug ins.
 
Freddie H I think you are confirming all of the good things I have heard about Pro Channel and I have heard some impressive demos, even at low bit rates.
 
Thanks guys - as you say it's up to me to check the alternatives out!