Sonar, composition, and things like tuplets?

Ok, first I'll say, I'm new to sonar and that I maybe I'm missing something in the program. I finally got things set up and working properly and I began my first project. I mainly use the staff view to began a project and map out ideas. Here are some of my questions:

1. What's with triplets? Sonar seems to not understand. That is, if I wish to only enter the last 2 notes of a triplet, leaving the first triplet note as a rest, sonar gets ignores it as a triplet and makes the notation very weird. Definitely not something I could print and give to a musician.

2. Does it end with triplets?  There are no other tuplets I can use? I can't see how that's possible for a music notation program.

3. Can I not chose which enharmonics I want to use? or how to notate my score. Sonar uses tie notes for everything. It's very ugly.

Also, I'm using sonar studio, if that makes a difference.

Yeah, that's what I'm going to do. I can't find anything in sonar about this. Thanks

Sonar is an audio production program first and foremost. It provides minimal level of notation, enough for a rough lead sheet to be handed to a rock band member. It was never intended for anything more advanced than that, apparently, and for over a decade, at least, it hasn't changed. Cakewalk doesn't appear too interested in investing much effort into upgrading the Staff View, but they did send out an extensive survey a year ago or so, so who knows? Some of us have expectations for Sonar 9, but we aren't holding our breath.

For any notational needs as "advanced" as yours (I say that poking fun at Sonar, not you), you'll need a program focused on quality notation such as Sibelius or Finale, as has been mentioned above. Both companies have entry level programs in the $100 range or you can move up to their topline versions for several times that amount.

You might try exploring the piano roll view. I routinely use 1/4, 1/8 and 1/16 note triplets with no problems.

Ok, granted I should have done my homework before buying sonar. But in it's ad campaign, it did toot itself as
being made for composers.

Yeah, well the majority of so-called "composers" today don't even know how to read notation. They take audio loops and glue them together, put a "vocal" on top of it and call it a day.

If you are a "real" composer, meaning you actually put notes on a staff, then get Finale, Sibelius or Notion and get on with it. If you don't have a big budget, get Finale Printmusic. It has a lot of advanced features for about $100.

The staff view in Cakewalk is good for taking a MIDI file or track and editing it and fixing note or timing errors.

One of my top ten rules in life is "All advertising is lies." Go with that and it will serve you well.

As a guy who prefers to work in music notation I don't feel you wasted your money on Sonar.  I really wish Sonar would upgrade notation,  but on the other hand,  you can not get Sibelius or Finale to sound anywhere near as good.  So as someone mentioned earlier,  do your score in a notation program then import a midi file or recreate your composition in Sonar.

This is an interesting thread. I see people talking about "real composer" or "wanabees" etc. That's been my big beef lately. There are few "real composers" out there anymore anyway. Go to a movie and listen to what the music is doing. Unless it's John Williams or someone as good as he is, it's just not that great.

What I mean is this. Listen to what Williams does. There is motion all over the orchestration. The lower instruments have moving lines different than the higher instruments and everything in between has their own motion. His stuff is interesting. Then there are movies where they have nice melodies but the music or their ability to make it, is just plain LAME! All they have with the melody is chordal accompaniment. Here and there that's fine but the whole way through?

So, where are the "real composers" anymore?

Sorry for getting off topic here but this thread kept bothering me. Why would anyone want to mess with stupid little lines on a PRV instead of just putting in the notes? I gotta hand it to you folks that do though. It is far more time consuming.

Guitarpima


This is an interesting thread. I see people talking about "real composer" or "wanabees" etc. That's been my big beef lately. There are few "real composers" out there anymore anyway. Go to a movie and listen to what the music is doing. Unless it's John Williams or someone as good as he is, it's just not that great.

What I mean is this. Listen to what Williams does. There is motion all over the orchestration. The lower instruments have moving lines different than the higher instruments and everything in between has their own motion. His stuff is interesting. Then there are movies where they have nice melodies but the music or their ability to make it, is just plain LAME! All they have with the melody is chordal accompaniment. Here and there that's fine but the whole way through?

So, where are the "real composers" anymore?

Sorry for getting off topic here but this thread kept bothering me. Why would anyone want to mess with stupid little lines on a PRV instead of just putting in the notes? I gotta hand it to you folks that do though. It is far more time consuming.
 
 
 
 
Not to hi-jack the thread any further...the real composers are there.  I see and meet them all the time.  USC and Berkeley are spitting them out every year. In fact there might be too many.  It is the market place that is cause of the trouble.  The over niched, disposable,  give it to me now for less than it's worth,  market place.
 
It warms my heart to have threads where people want more notation features.  Working with a score is the only way to get a great piece of music for a large ensemble.   And the next "John Williams" is there.... just waiting for an opportunity.   As I have said, I have meet many talented composers.   Not so many film producers.

I'm the op. Interesting points from all you guys. I wouldnt expect sonar to invest in a notation program that would rival that of a finale but, all divisions of music including tuplets should be part of it. Expression, legato, pizzicato, etc. can be handled through the right plug-ins, no? I can write parts for instruments by looking at the parts it will juxtapose with, and for me, I can do this quickly and keep the creative process flowing. What I think would be ultimate, would be to enter music in notation form and then be able to alter it "post notation". Even if the symbols were ornamental (crescendo, palm mute, whatever) the data could be manipulated to taste and the notation could be "locked in" and ignored by any manipulation when a user chose to. It's not just about being able to print music, I've spent a lot of time studying music and instruments, and when I look at notated music, the "next idea" is always possible. I know most people don't work this way but, it would be nice to have a little advancement in this department.