Project5 Lives On ... Maybe In BandLab?

Edit: (old title) Project5 Lives On ... Maybe In Bitwig?
 
Disclaimer: I am not encouraging anyone to go out and get another new DAW.  I like Sonar :-) 
 
But, I just wanted to point out some similarities here, and also to ponder why Cakewalk can't incorporate this feature into Sonar? It was originally good enough for P5, and apparently now good enough for Bitwig ...
 
I recently got curious enough about Bitwig to see what all the fuss was about, via YouTube. Apparently some ex-Ableton guys started their own DAW project a while back.  I have an old version of Ableton Live, so my first impression is that they started with that design, and added a few new ideas from scratch.  The whole idea behind the vertical Live session tracks and scenes, and horizontal arrange view, had never really clicked for me.
 
But, Wow!!! While watching this Bitwig demo, at about 3:25 minutes in, I got a huge P5 flashback! 
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RGeFBNXojHw
 
If you have P5 installed, and watch this YouTube clip side by side, you can see that Bitwig has a very similar layout to P5 (for Track Pane, Arrange Pane, and Groove Matrix).  The Bitwig Arrange view even slides over to reveal their Scene view (ala P5 Groove Matrix). While Bitwig is in this mode, their Scene view is now horizontally aligned with the tracks in the Arrange Pane.  Seem familiar?
 
This is another YouTube clip by the same guys as above, but goes deeper into the arrangement mode. You can skip to about 3:55 minutes to where they begin discussing the horizontal arranger view.  New feature, ha! ROFL!!!
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JXYwIkSstis

mumpcake
It does look a lot like P5.  I have been on the fence for a while.

I think P5 still works well enough for me that I will probably resist the urge to jump the fence, for a new scratchpad.
 
I guess my point is that if Bitwig can do it, why can't Cakewalk update the Sonar Matrix to be more like this?  They had the template first, obviously a different take on Live's Session View ...

I'd have to say Craig's "Hmmmm" gave me a surprise. I still use and love Project5.
 
Sonars going into a whole new ecosystem in the Mac world. If they finally brought the Matrix View and Step Sequencer/Editor up to the level of Project5 functionality, they might turn a few more heads. 
 
Currently no Mac user using Sonar for the first time is going to be very impressed with Sonar for non linear playing without some major work here.  
 
Could Project5 live on....... Maybe in Sonar, Finally?
 
 
 
 
 

For those of you still looking for a replacement for Project 5, Mixcraft 8 may be an option.  It has a very similar layout and workflow to P5.
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w-0grIYiIOE
 
http://www.acoustica.com/mixcraft/v7/help/performance-panel-topics.htm
 
http://www.acoustica.com/mixcraft/
 
 
 

kb420
For those of you still looking for a replacement for Project 5, Mixcraft 8 may be an option.  It has a very similar layout and workflow to P5.
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w-0grIYiIOE
 
http://www.acoustica.com/mixcraft/v7/help/performance-panel-topics.htm
 
http://www.acoustica.com/mixcraft/

That looks like everything you can do now with Sonar Matrix View.  Except have the matrix line up beside the track view.
 
Since Platinum 2016.11, you can even drag a highlighted section of a clip from track view (say just a couple of bars from a long clip, no splitting required) into a cell in the matrix.
http://www.cakewalk.com/Documentation?product=SONAR&language=3&help=NewFeatures.006.html
 
You still cannot record directly into the Sonar matrix, as far as I can tell. 
 
I hope they keep improving the matrix in Sonar.  It's very usable at this point.  Maybe not enough for live performance, but as a composition tool, it's cool!

My hope is that Cakewalk integrates the Matrix further into the Sonar trackview, or at least allows that option. 
 
I was just curious about Bitwig, because it was started by former Ableton devs.  While watching a video about Bitwig that demonstrated a GUI improvement over Live, I noticed the resemblance to the GUI in P5.  Mixcraft seems to have that as well.

kennywtelejazz
 
Mixcraft 8 certainly looks Great
 
Over here I'm on Mixcraft 7 Pro . Love it ....Mixcraft fills a really nice spot for me ...
Like P 5 , every time I start something in Mixcraft , I always get something done
 
I'm probably gonna upgrade to Mixcraft 8 sometime in the next week or two ...
 
all the best,
Kenny

This part sounds really interesting ...
 
"Mixcraft 8 is packed with high-end features including live performance panel recording"
 
"Record loops directly to Performance Panel grid locations for instant creation of layered live loop performances."
 
Could be a deal maker, because that is something that still cannot be done in Sonar Matrix view.
 
Maybe worth a look at the 14 day free trial.  http://www.acoustica.com/mixcraft/download.php
 
The Studio version sells for $89, without the extra plugins.

abacab

kennywtelejazz
 
Mixcraft 8 certainly looks Great
 
Over here I'm on Mixcraft 7 Pro . Love it ....Mixcraft fills a really nice spot for me ...
Like P 5 , every time I start something in Mixcraft , I always get something done
 
I'm probably gonna upgrade to Mixcraft 8 sometime in the next week or two ...
 
all the best,
Kenny

This part sounds really interesting ...
 
"Mixcraft 8 is packed with high-end features including live performance panel recording"
 
"Record loops directly to Performance Panel grid locations for instant creation of layered live loop performances."
 
Could be a deal maker, because that is something that still cannot be done in Sonar Matrix view.
 
Maybe worth a look at the 14 day free trial.  http://www.acoustica.com/mixcraft/download.php
 
The Studio version sells for $89, without the extra plugins.

Hey abacab ,
 
You are preaching to the choir  ...
I love Mixcraft 7 Pro and I have every intention of getting Mixcraft 8 Pro....my cost to upgrade will only be $39 .00..
 
Yes, the ability to record while in the performance panel does seem like a must have new feature . I'm looking forward to checking that out after I upgrade ...I have used that feature in Abelton Live 9 intro over here and it is very sweet ...
Also there are a few other features I'm interested in ....
 

BobF
I loaded up the trial and immediately noticed the lack of FaderPort support.  A quick search on their forum shows requests for FP support back to version 6 (maybe further).  The FP works soooo well for me with SONAR and Reaper, I can't imagine not being able to use it.
 
Other than that, it does look nice and performs well ... so far.  I haven't checked out the "Performance" mode yet though.
 
At $180 for the big version compared to $300 for the big S One 3, I'm pretty sure I would go S1-3 IF I was in the market for another DAW, which I'm not, and IF a trial of S1-3 was successful.
 
What I really want is P5V3x64
 
The Stones said it really well ...

Hi Bob ,
 
Oh Yeah , P5V3x 64 ....I like the way you think I wish we could get what we want in this case ....
 
Unless Acoustica changed something from 7 to 8 , I think the only thing the performance panel is missing is the ability to do a proper midi preview ...
This has been the one thing that I have found to be a weakness in the program from the point of view as a long time P 5 user ...2005 / 2006 ...
I have yet to figure out a way to do midi preview in Mixcraft 7 Pro . I do not know if this has been addressed in Mixcraft 8 or not ..still using 7 ...
In SONAR , you just load up a soft synth and direct the midi playing VIA the synth to sound in the preview bus ...
In P5 , you just highlight the track with the soft synth loaded and just go nuts in the browser ...
That type of midi preview feature does not appear to be active in Mixcraft 7 ...
What that means is I have no way of previewing any of my loop loft midi drum loops in real time with the project as it plays ...this turns out to be a lot of extra work
 
Yeah I do understand what you mean about not wanting to do another DAW ..
In my case this works out great because Mixcrafts workflow is close enough to what I was used to in P5 ...
It's 64 bit and in some ways I consider this program to be a version of the poor mans Abelton Live ...
I have Live intro and I do like it , yet for me to upgrade to standard I'm looking at Three Hundred ...or mid two's during a  sale ....
I picked up Mixcraft 7 Pro during the August Sale for $54 dollars ..to get Mixcraft 8 Pro it's only gonna run me $39 dollars more ...
Those type of numbers I'm totally cool with and I happen to like the program a lot ....
Since Mixcraft 8 just came out , it may be a while before they do a sale like that ...who knows they might ...
 
Any way I honestly do enjoy doing music in Mixcraft .
I use it just like I used to use P5 as a quick scratch pad ...I always get something done fast even if it's only just an idea
 
all the best,
 
Kenny
 
 

Project 5 was my pride and joy at one time.  I could create songs on the Fly while being in an airport with a 25 key M-Audio midi-man.

I've asked for following the time line - great help. 

abacab

AT
I've asked for following the time line - great help. 

For what to follow?

Yes, exactly

The matrix to follow and match the timeline, like in Bitwig. 
 
Unfortunately, I can't seem to copy anything from within the post today.

AT
The matrix to follow and match the timeline, like in Bitwig. 
 
Unfortunately, I can't seem to copy anything from within the post today.

Yup, the Matrix GUI needs better integration (grid rows layed out horizontally beside the tracks view), but functionally it seems to follow ok.