Sonar 8 Wish List

Hey guys –

I know we’re all still getting our feet wet with Sonar 7, but since there is only a year to implement changes for the next version, I thought I’d throw out my hopes for Sonar 8 now. Since Sonar 7 was “the MIDI update,” I’m really hoping that Sonar 8 is the “Workflow update.” I honestly wouldn’t mind a new version without a single new synth or effect plugin. Sonar sounds great and is absolutely packed with synths and effects now. What it needs are some improvements to the GUI and workflow. I’m hoping Cakewalk will surprise us with some stuff I haven’t thought of, but here are six basic things I would love to see:

1. Cleaner / Simpler GUI - I would like a re-design of the GUI. The sound and features of Sonar are great, but the interface feels clunky and uninspiring sometimes. A little more "slightly 3-D" look to everything (including the clips in the clips pane) would also really help. I would love a single-screen interface with an optional mixer view, but I realize that's probably not coming, so I'd settle for a cleaner, less-cluttered look.

2. Improved Loop / Media Browser – While re-designing the GUI, I hope they implement a better system for browsing loops, samples, MIDI clips, etc.

3. Project Sections and Play Order Track – I want to be able to re-arrange a song without cutting and pasting! It would be great to be able to assign different sections of the song (chorus, verse, etc) to a “project section” and then re-arrange and save different versions of the song. Then, you should be able to “flatten” any version into the main version in the tracks pane.

4. Screensets (Custom Window Configurations or “Views”) – I would really like an update to the “layouts” feature, and be able to recall various window configurations at a single keystroke that included everything I saved: track heights, open plug-ins, transport position, etc. This would be a huge timesaver. If there is a way to do this I don’t know about – somebody let me know!

5. Improved Audio Stretching and Pitch Shifting – I hope they will incorporate a better time/pitch-shifting algorithm directly into the program, or at least improve Audiosnap. Something along the lines of the new Audio Stretch feature of Pro Tools 7.4.

6. Groove Matrix - Can we get a simple version of Project 5’s Groove Matrix in Sonar? Even if it was implemented as a plug-in or something, it would be great to be able to work that way when you wanted to.

Well, that’s it! I’ve already put in my official feature requests for this stuff, but if any of you would also like any of this, please put in a request as well. Peace!

-Frets