Hi its me
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Sonar - Professional Applications (no X1 gripes pls)
Hi All - I'm hoping to get some feedback about who uses Sonar PE (pick your version) for professional/commercial applications. If so, in what capacity? I know Pro-tools is considered the "industry standard", but would love to hear about how Sonar is working out for folks in a professional environment.
Thanks,
Matt
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eternal85
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Re:Sonar - Professional Applications (no X1 gripes pls)
2011/03/22 12:58:51
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The guy who did the music for Call of Duty:Black Ops used SONAR X1 ... I'd say that is pretty professional, considering it is now considered the best selling game of all time
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Anderton
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Re:Sonar - Professional Applications (no X1 gripes pls)
2011/03/22 13:20:10
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I use it a lot for audio-for-video. The acidization, REX file import, and DSP stretching make it really easy to have music fit to picture. I import the video into Sonar, then lay in the music and/or narration behind it.
All my commercial sample libraries have also been developed on Sonar, and I prep all files for my Ableton Live-based live performance act in Sonar prior to importing them into Live.
I switched to Sonar from another program back in Version 1 because at the time, it was the only program that handled looping, MIDI, and serious hard disk recording. Every other program did 2 out of those 3, and I've just kept with it ever since.
Another reason why I use Sonar is that it has been remarkably trouble-free for me...I feel bad for the people posting here with issues. I think a lot of my "good luck" is due to using computers integrated specifically for audio (PC Audio Labs and ADK). They cost more than an "Office Depot" computer, but the amount of time I save by not having to troubleshoot more than makes up for the cost difference.
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eternal85
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Re:Sonar - Professional Applications (no X1 gripes pls)
2011/03/22 13:28:58
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On the flip side of the coin, my DAW also doubles as my gaming machine/internet machine and I have had ZERO trouble with X1 ... so I always find it hard to fathome these horror stories
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skullsession
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Re:Sonar - Professional Applications (no X1 gripes pls)
2011/03/22 14:02:46
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I have been using Sonar for about a decade to make money as a commercial recording studio in the Houston area. It's not my full-time job...but I do keep very busy as a second job.
I know there are others in the forums who do the same thing in other towns.
Right...ProTools was/is the "standard". But a lot of engineers/producers will tell you that they only use ProTools because it's so prolific, but that they prefer to use something like Logic, Cubase, Nuendo, etc. I know of several who only use PT to track, because that's what they have at the studio....by "studio" I mean, the building with the console and all the great sounding rooms.
After tracking, they import into their DAW of choice for mixing, etc.
I run up against PT studios all the time here. I've taken plenty of clients from them based completely on sound. These were people who were perfectly fine paying more...and did for a while...until they heard what I'm doing with Sonar.
If I had to put a number on it, I guess I lose less than 5% of the customers who contact me when they find out I don't use PT. People are sophistocated enough, it seems, these days to not be too worried about it. They're more worried about:
1: What does your past work sound like?
2: What will it cost?
3: When can I get in?
I'm not ashamed to say I'm a Sonar user when people ask. The proof is in the pudding....and I think the pudding is in my MP3 player on my website.
HOOK: Skullsessions.com / Darwins God Album "Without a doubt I would have far greater listening and aural skills than most of the forum members here. Not all but many I am sure....I have done more listening than most people." - Jeff Evans on how awesome Jeff Evans is.
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Geo524
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Re:Sonar - Professional Applications (no X1 gripes pls)
2011/03/22 14:17:39
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Semi-Pro user here. I use Sonar to record all our production music. Certainly not setting the world on fire with sales but have sold a good amount of songs for small projects. Happy to report that Kraft Food Corp recently used one of our songs for their employee excellency ceremony awards. Sonar sounds great and hasn't failed me yet.
Win 10 x 64; CbB; SPlat; MixCraft 8 Pro; AMD FX4130, 3.8 GHz; DDR3 32 GB Ram; Focusrite Scarlett 18i20; SSD 1TB, 2 x 1TB and 1 x 640 GB HDD; Mackie HR624 Monitors, KRK G2 Rockit 5's, Dual HP S2331 23" MonitorsMusic and SFX http://www.radiosparx.com/georgeandmarguerite
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LHousehold
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Re:Sonar - Professional Applications (no X1 gripes pls)
2011/03/22 14:36:51
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Windows 7 64 bit Cakewalk Sonar X2 Producer Cakewalk A-500PRO MIDI controller
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lavoll
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Re:Sonar - Professional Applications (no X1 gripes pls)
2011/03/22 14:50:36
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i just scored a season of a kids tv show (that has been sold to over 140 countries, yay) in sonar 8.5
next I will be writing the music for a roadshow / musical version of the show, but ... I bought a new computer to only have X1 on, but that plan failed quickly.. if X1b works I will continue working in it, but for now I use Nuendo.
sonar x1b, win 7, 12gig ram, 6gb ssd, i7 Hexa Processor i7-970, lynx aurora
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chuckebaby
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Re:Sonar - Professional Applications (no X1 gripes pls)
2011/03/22 14:57:14
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lavoll
i just scored a season of a kids tv show (that has been sold to over 140 countries, yay) in sonar 8.5
next I will be writing the music for a roadshow / musical version of the show, but ... I bought a new computer to only have X1 on, but that plan failed quickly.. if X1b works I will continue working in it, but for now I use Nuendo.
lavoll youve been waiting and making statements for a while now about x1..you havent downloaded the patch yet??
Windows 8.1 X64 Sonar Platinum x64 Custom built: Asrock z97 1150 - Intel I7 4790k - 16GB corsair DDR3 1600 - PNY SSD 220GBFocusrite Saffire 18I8 - Mackie Control
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chuckebaby
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Re:Sonar - Professional Applications (no X1 gripes pls)
2011/03/22 15:00:53
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pro tools??? i dont know about that..where you reading that??...lol..x1 is been auesome beyond belief for me..and i havent even installed the x1b patch yet..its been downloaded on my computer for 24 hours now..ill wait to run it when something happens and i feel like it might help.
Windows 8.1 X64 Sonar Platinum x64 Custom built: Asrock z97 1150 - Intel I7 4790k - 16GB corsair DDR3 1600 - PNY SSD 220GBFocusrite Saffire 18I8 - Mackie Control
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BentRabbit
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Re:Sonar - Professional Applications (no X1 gripes pls)
2011/03/22 15:30:45
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I record drum tracks for folks who need em worldwide, as well as provide Foley and Sound FX work for independent films and local theaters.
Seamless transition with current projects from 8.5x to X1 and new projects are going well also, using X1a exclusively.
X1b is downloaded and I expect to get it installed on my system tonight.... Can't wait to not have to anticipate the occasional random metronome kicking in... lol ;)
My system also is dedicated solely to audio... No Internet, network or gaming... I have an Internet capable laptop sitting next to my console and a couple of 8 gig usb thumbdrives if/when things need to be installed/updated.
:)
Sonar Platinum (64) Win 10 Pro (64) - 16 Gigs Ram - i7 Quad Core Steinberg UR824 / M-Audio Octane / Focusrite OctoPre Adam A7/Yamaha NS10
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Cattapan
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Re:Sonar - Professional Applications (no X1 gripes pls)
2011/03/22 15:49:38
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Anderton
I use it a lot for audio-for-video... I import the video into Sonar, then lay in the music and/or narration behind it.
Same here. I do mostly TV & Film scoring, and the occasional voice over or audio post project (details on my website, linked below). I started a new 5.1 surround TV project on X1b yesterday, and everything is working as expected.
George Cattapan Productions STUDIO:MSI Z77A-GD65 MB, i7 2600K, 32GB RAM, 2x ATI 5450 Video, 8x SATA Drives, RME FF UFX, Digimax FS, Lavry AD10 & DA10, UAD-2 Quad, UAD-2 Duo, 2x UM3G MIDI, MCU & 2 XT's, SONAR X2a , Windows 7 x64 LAPTOP:Dell Studio 17, i7620m, 8GB RAM, 2x SATA Drives, Line 6 UX2 & Roland Quad Capture, UAD-2 Solo Laptop, Korg nanoKontrol 2, Akai LPK25, SONAR X2a, Windows 7 x64
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lavoll
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Re:Sonar - Professional Applications (no X1 gripes pls)
2011/03/22 15:56:03
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chuckebaby
lavoll
i just scored a season of a kids tv show (that has been sold to over 140 countries, yay) in sonar 8.5
next I will be writing the music for a roadshow / musical version of the show, but ... I bought a new computer to only have X1 on, but that plan failed quickly.. if X1b works I will continue working in it, but for now I use Nuendo.
lavoll youve been waiting and making statements for a while now about x1..you havent downloaded the patch yet??
yes, i realize my contribution to this forum has been rather monotonous lately, I apologize for that :) I started the patch download earlier today but it wasn't done when it was time go go home. And tomorrow I'm away from the studio recording.. hmm.. it wont be until thursday before I can test X1b. Hopefully all will be well and I will once again be a warrior for good and justice and shout from the mountains about the wonderful world of sonar :) I really really want to test mixing a major project using the the pro-channel as the main tool, I like the concept (and sound) of it a lot. But when that is said, Sonar is just a program, if it is not working I have no "loyalty" to it at all. The music I am making is the only priority, and when one way isn't working, I use another one :)
sonar x1b, win 7, 12gig ram, 6gb ssd, i7 Hexa Processor i7-970, lynx aurora
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Hi its me
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Re:Sonar - Professional Applications (no X1 gripes pls)
2011/03/22 17:57:49
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Nice - Thanks everyone, and congrats on making something you love (i assume) a viable source of income! It's nice to get this feedback first hand. I'm gearing up to take the leap, and begin doing this professionally, though I have SO MUCH to learn. Considering the time I've taken to learn Sonar (and I am using X1B64 now and am reasonably happy) I want to be sure I'm putting the time and energy into something that has the potential to pay off. I agree w/ skullsession, it ultimately comes down to the end product. I may, however, learn or become PT certified....couldn't hurt from a practical, or marketability standpoint, to be competent on 2 platforms.
Thanks again, all!
M
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Hi its me
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Re:Sonar - Professional Applications (no X1 gripes pls)
2011/03/22 22:56:57
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Dude- Just checked out your stuff... very impressed! Very Pro. Whats your background in recording/producing?
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A1MixMan
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Re:Sonar - Professional Applications (no X1 gripes pls)
2011/03/22 22:59:19
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I asked this question in my X1 user Poll. Here's the results of that question:
Why do you own X1?
Professional Reasons 66
Hobby Reasons 66
Semi-Professional Reasons 83
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BretB
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Re:Sonar - Professional Applications (no X1 gripes pls)
2011/03/22 23:07:38
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Javoll, Out of curiosity just listened to your stuff too. Amazing good!
Sonar Platinum - A&H ZED R16 - KRK VXT4's - Yamaha DTXpress IV & Gretsch Catalina Maple kits "Music is what feelings sound like" https://soundcloud.com/bret575b
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chuckebaby
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Re:Sonar - Professional Applications (no X1 gripes pls)
2011/03/22 23:32:02
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lavoll
chuckebaby
lavoll
i just scored a season of a kids tv show (that has been sold to over 140 countries, yay) in sonar 8.5
next I will be writing the music for a roadshow / musical version of the show, but ... I bought a new computer to only have X1 on, but that plan failed quickly.. if X1b works I will continue working in it, but for now I use Nuendo.
lavoll youve been waiting and making statements for a while now about x1..you havent downloaded the patch yet??
yes, i realize my contribution to this forum has been rather monotonous lately, I apologize for that :) I started the patch download earlier today but it wasn't done when it was time go go home. And tomorrow I'm away from the studio recording.. hmm.. it wont be until thursday before I can test X1b. Hopefully all will be well and I will once again be a warrior for good and justice and shout from the mountains about the wonderful world of sonar :)
I really really want to test mixing a major project using the the pro-channel as the main tool, I like the concept (and sound) of it a lot.
But when that is said, Sonar is just a program, if it is not working I have no "loyalty" to it at all. The music I am making is the only priority, and when one way isn't working, I use another one :)
fair enough..i hope all works out foryou...my best to you.
Windows 8.1 X64 Sonar Platinum x64 Custom built: Asrock z97 1150 - Intel I7 4790k - 16GB corsair DDR3 1600 - PNY SSD 220GBFocusrite Saffire 18I8 - Mackie Control
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HumbleNoise
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Re:Sonar - Professional Applications (no X1 gripes pls)
2011/03/23 00:00:52
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lavoll, I've had your music playing for a half an hour and didn't even notice it was there - and that's a really good thing. Soothing and very pleasant.
Humbly Yours Larry Sonar X2 x64 MAudio 2496 Yamaha MG 12/4 Roland XV-88 Intel MB with Q6600 and 4 GB Ram NVidia 9800 GTX Windows 7 x64 Home Premium
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Anderton
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Re:Sonar - Professional Applications (no X1 gripes pls)
2011/03/23 04:21:50
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Did my first complete X1b project tonight: A YouTube demo of M-Audio's Venom synth, which I did as part of my Pro Review on Harmony Central. All the audio was done in Sonar X1b 64-bit, it took about 2 hours including editing down about a half hour of audio to about seven and a half minutes. No crashes, nothing weird, everything worked as expected. The video was done in Sony Vegas 64-bit, and took about 3 hours. It also worked as expected. Overall, I found working with X1b totally straightforward. As a bonus, the VS-700C works with Vegas in Mackie compatibility mode - nice!
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BlixYZ
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Re:Sonar - Professional Applications (no X1 gripes pls)
2011/03/23 20:32:24
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This has been a great thread to read. I am in a similar situation with Skullsession.
I am a full time music teacher and recording studio owner. I probably do 20 hours per week in my studio which is in a seperate building on my property (multi-use zoning).
It is a modest studio in every way. The entire space is 30' X 16'. I have a live room, vocal booth, amp enclosure, and control room (and powder room :).
All rooms are professionally wired and are run to a patch bay. I have a decent mic collection and some nice rack gear, but NOTHING that is considered "top shelf" like a Neumann U87 or LA2A or anything. I spent most of my money on "infrastructure" like the hvac system and the wiring, construction, etc. Over time, I will get some top shelf gear!!!
Sonar is the center of my studio. I have been using it since cakewalk pro audio 8.
Like Skullsession, I have had NO issues with people wanting to use protools. I even bought and learned it so i could collab with other studios and or finish projects people started somewhere else. That has yet to EVER happen. (oh well, at least i learned protools)
My clients are routinely amazed at what I can do with Sonar. ALL my clients are repeat clients. As Skullsessions said (my credo) the proof is in the pudding! The common joke in my studio is- when a client starts to ask, "Can you..." I interrupt and quietly say, "yes.".
I stopped advertising a long time ago because I can barely see all my clients already. I have recently begun a search for a local engineer who can start taking some of the work. Anybody in the Philly area listenin?
here is my website with some recent clients and some old favorite mixes too.
myspace.com/blixyz
I haven;t spent much time on my website because I'm too busy. I am sad to see myspace decline because it was an ideal studio webpage. most of my clients had pages and posted their music there. For the last few years, it's been word of mouth for me. Summertime I do 30 - 40 hrs per week.
Not sure if it's appropriate to list my pricing...
Good luck to you. Go for it!
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bitman
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Re:Sonar - Professional Applications (no X1 gripes pls)
2011/03/23 23:12:49
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We lean on Sonar PE 8.5.3 here at Makin' Tracks Recording pretty hard.
Works like a champ - no troubles really time after time after time.
Why they felt they needed to re-imagine it is beyond me.
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Hi its me
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Re:Sonar - Professional Applications (no X1 gripes pls)
2011/03/24 00:54:44
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Wow! So I've spent some time listening to work that's been linked to this page, and I'm overwhelmed the amount of talent represented in this thread alone! It's both inspiring and humbling. Everything from heavy to ambient to jazz/blues and country..very diverse example of people's work.
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vintagevibe
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Re:Sonar - Professional Applications (no X1 gripes pls)
2011/03/24 01:47:44
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Anderton
I use it a lot for audio-for-video. The acidization, REX file import, and DSP stretching make it really easy to have music fit to picture. I import the video into Sonar, then lay in the music and/or narration behind it.
All my commercial sample libraries have also been developed on Sonar, and I prep all files for my Ableton Live-based live performance act in Sonar prior to importing them into Live.
I switched to Sonar from another program back in Version 1 because at the time, it was the only program that handled looping, MIDI, and serious hard disk recording. Every other program did 2 out of those 3, and I've just kept with it ever since.
Another reason why I use Sonar is that it has been remarkably trouble-free for me...I feel bad for the people posting here with issues. I think a lot of my "good luck" is due to using computers integrated specifically for audio (PC Audio Labs and ADK). They cost more than an "Office Depot" computer, but the amount of time I save by not having to troubleshoot more than makes up for the cost difference.
Do you ever use notation?
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SH
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Re:Sonar - Professional Applications (no X1 gripes pls)
2011/03/24 15:45:44
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... I know of several who only use PT to track, because that's what they have at the studio.... Same here. I was hired as a freelancer to record a VO at a small (PT) studio. Took the tracks home to edit on Sonar (8.5 at the time) and they were very happy with the results. I have a copy of PT at home and NEVER use it.
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kgarello
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Re:Sonar - Professional Applications (no X1 gripes pls)
2011/03/24 15:55:50
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Craig,
You didn't do a pro-review on X1 yet did you?
Your pro reviews on 7 got me over the learning curve a couple of years ago. Would like to see the some workflow tips on X1.
Much appreciation,
Ken
Sonar 8.3 PE Echo Layla 24 X 2 Fostex PM0.5/sub Mackie Onyx 1640
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shawn@trustmedia.tv
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Re:Sonar - Professional Applications (no X1 gripes pls)
2011/03/24 16:47:43
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I have been making music for film/video for 20 years, check out my online store: http://www.soundtraxxmusic.com/ Many happy clients all around the globe. SONAR ROCKS!
Studio SONAR X3. Axiom 25 midi controller, DUNE 2, Producer Content, Good Times, Bandlab Mojo 
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Jimmy Landry [Cakewalk]
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Re:Sonar - Professional Applications (no X1 gripes pls)
2011/03/30 11:19:25
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I am psyched to see so many people making some coin on the side using X1 in professional environments. The music links here on this thread are killer.
I do work on the side for extra money as well, and I got a call from a music supervisor last Friday to write 4 short rock songs for ESPN on last minutes notice. I got them done, submitted them and just got the call that they were all accepted. I'm pretty psyched. I don't think I would have been able to pound these out with my Pro Tools HD rig (older: PT 7.2) that sits next to my SONAR X1(b) rig with the nature of this assignment. I had to play/sing everything, so the track templates and effects chains worked in my favor on this one because I basically had to use the same setup for all 4 songs.
Anyway, I will post the songs when they are cleared (I might be able to post a project file for download too) and kudos to all the people working hard at music here on this thread. (and ups to "Hi its me" for sparking a cool positive thread.)
Jimmy
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Kroneborge
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Re:Sonar - Professional Applications (no X1 gripes pls)
2011/03/30 11:39:04
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@ Op
Is your name a reference to a Sienfield episode by any chance?
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