What can Pro Tools do that Sonar can't?

For those who come after me, this is a humorous retort and not signifant information.

Just wanted to save you the time I spent. (Which wasn't all that much)

ORIGINAL: Mod Bod

For those who come after me, this is a humorous retort and not signifant information.

Just wanted to save you the time I spent. (Which wasn't all that much)

Sorry,

The scrabble reply was awesome.

ORIGINAL: pharohoknaughty

Everyone knows that with ProTools you get chicks.

LOL ! That's just the sound of the hammer on your gun locking into place as you take aim at the computer.. or your head depending on how bad it gets.

ORIGINAL: ohhey

ORIGINAL: pharohoknaughty

Everyone knows that with ProTools you get chicks.

LOL ! That's just the sound of the hammer on your gun locking into place as you take aim at the computer.. or your head depending on how bad it gets.

That's "chicks" not "clicks".

First of all, Frank, your take is right-on-the-money IMO. If more *computer musicians* would spend their extra time and effort on writing a better song or mastering that guitar lick that's just beyond their ability, or whatever, they'd be further ahead... instead they ask "my music sucks, so what should I buy next?". Something about carts and horses, don't you think?

Of course, the foregoing commentary applies primarily to musicians who record, not non-musician recording engineer who work for clents to make a living.

Another thought... 'ProTools' encompasses many things to many people, everything from the full blown HD/Accel rig or ICON desk, to the other end of the spectrum with an M-Box running ProTools LE. The advantages of the high-end PT gear seem to me to be based in the hardware more than the software. Off-loading the processing can only be a good thing, since native processors still have some limits. But again, the point is if you're a guy recording his band in a garage, why would you need all that high-falootin' gear? On the other hand, if you're scoring Ron Howard's next film, maybe you do.

Both programs serve the same purpose.

However there are some things Sonar can do Pro Tools can't and vice versa but at the end of the day, they are both DAWs.

What can Pro Tools do that Sonar can't?

Put you in the poor house!!!!!!!!

I am not a Pro Tools user nor endorsee. But Pro Tools can actually do quite a bit that Sonar cant. Im afraid. Or not, actually because Im not actually afraid.
However...

Pro Tools is a complete DSP audio solution that can place no strain on the host CPU, its a real time mixing environment that can utilize BOTH host and TDM hardware at mimal latency. So you can record with FX in real time as if it was a giant mixing desk and tape machine with racks of effects all rolled into one with no latency.

Pro Tools NON TDM LE, etc etc. Is total crap. Dont use it, its not Pro Tools.

Pro Tools has a large (sorry extremely large) market share for a very good reason. It may not look so hot (to some) it may not have the workflow you require but it is an awesome complete tool. It also is great for creating beats and analysing beats and in this area also is better than Sonar, which is still uses an incomplete method for extracting timing. Yes guys it is actually incomplete. Trust me. Or dont, I dont mind, however I have exchange a few mails with Cakewalk about whats missing and they know about it.

If you have Pro Tools, you wont need a DSP solution, you dont need a mixing desk just Pre's and I/O, and you will no doubt be provided with first class ADDA.

If you have Sonar you will require a monitoring solutions, possibley a DSP platform depending on your choice of hardware, and you will have to spend some serios money to get world class I/O.

Its actually aguable which is cheaper. But Sonar is by a margin depending on your stance.

As to weather you can make better music? Thats got f-all to do with the platform. But if you run a commercial studio Pro Tools will earn you far more clients, on its own it can make the phone ring. To a degree.

Now, I know you guys are Sonar devotees and thats great, but objectivity doesnt require a great analytical mind, just a short observational skill and possibly many hours sat in front of all this stuff as a jobber like myself. Its not so much that Sonar is incomplete, its more like Pro Tools has been at it forever!

And remember, if you arent using TDM you arent using Pro Tools. In fact if I was them I would call it something else (or maybe not !?)_

im not one to be product loyal....a chevy or a ford will get me to town and back ...maybe not a crysler ....lets say that crysler is likeband-in-a-box...(tools>laughs>export laugh)....but anyways...how about this.... any native daw except protools... of coarse Sonar 5 or Nuendo or Sequioa or SX3
with this:
Apogee Converters Ad 8 channel deal
ADI or Avalon Preamps X2
some nice Digital in 192khz / 24 bit
Mackie Control
a Dual Opteron with 3 gigs or ram ...raid SATA2 500 gig redundant blah blah blah
you get the point.....and look at about $15k would be better than a pro tools HD rig.
and with the dual opteron or 64bit athlon you would have enough CPu headroom to compensate for a dSP card......

anyone have a rig like this?
just a thought.....I think there is always a way to do better or even best! at the same price.

thats what i would do....and you can interchange..not just for sonar but steinberg...whatever....

ORIGINAL: Spartan
hey guys i know that this may be off topic but since you are talking about different sofware and comparing them i thought that i would ask a question about samplitude, i've never used, it how good is it if it is good at all and how does it differ from sonar and pro tools? what can it do better than other software?

I don't know it as well as Iknow Sonar, but I can tell you that Samplitude is a top drawer product, complete DAW including recording, editing, mixing, mastering, CD and DVD authoring features.

For me, I'm not happy with how it handles automation of parameters for Direct X or even VST plugins ... unless it's changed radically recently, it's not as straightforward, simple and intuitive as Sonar in this respect. This issue is a dealbreaker for me. And then there's the question of that dongle...

But if you wish to know more ....
http://www.samplitude.com/de/sam.htm

There is a demo available, try it and see what you think. Me, I'm happy with Sonar still.

Best,
Geoff

ORIGINAL: kb420

What can Pro Tools do that Sonar can't?

Put you in the poor house!!!!!!!!

LOL.. that's why I call it Po'Tools .. or was that Po'Fools ?

A fully spec'd ProTools TDM studio is pretty damn good to work on in a studio when doing multitrack recordings of around 100 tracks maybe? I really don't mind using it for tracking and mixing. I don't, however, mind using Sonar for this either, although Sonar requires more of your computer to run because it hasnt got the hardware features of a PT TDM system. However, Sonar has much better features for creating music, running synths, MIDI etc. I can hook up a Sonar computer (my laptop with multichannel Audio interface for example) with synths and sequences take the differnt outputs and connect to different inputs in a PT studio where Drums and vocals and such are recorded as well. Then maybe take the guitars and vocals elsewhere or whatever. I see Sonar as more of a creative tool and PT as more of a recording sollution. In fact, all you need is Sonar and some plugs.

However, the new ProTools is supposed to have MIDI and all that pretty well laid out now so it should be interesting to see if it catches up to Sonar when it comes to scoring.

Marius

...although Sonar requires more of your computer to run because it hasnt got the hardware features of a PT TDM system.

Okay, okay, so if someone offered a dedicated "black box" on which you could offload a lot of Sonar processing, would you buy it? Would that make people happier? Would they shut t/f up?

And ya know... A famous professional golfer named Lee Trevino used to bet people he could beat them in golf playing with only a Dr. Pepper bottle. He won every time. Keep practicing...

Like I said. Pro Tools TDM is a real time DSP engine.

Native isnt. Not yet. They like you to think it is, but it isnt.

HOWEVER....if you bought Soundscape and combined it with a high end PC, added Beat Detector and a few other things to Sonar then it would be better.

ALSO HOWEVER...the native concept is FAR superiour to TDM as ultimately its scalable, sooner or later we will see the failing relevance of the TDM platform, unless they manage to continually convince the pro audio fraternity that ever more nutty sample rates are required. But I dont think this is gonna happen to be honest. Not at least more than once with a bit of an argument.

Cakewalk other than Steinberg are well placed to take advantage of this situation, because of their customer service relationships. Lets hope they continue to modernise the software, with an improved visual appeal and more than anything components like beat detective etc.

ORIGINAL: Dave Horch

...although Sonar requires more of your computer to run because it hasnt got the hardware features of a PT TDM system.

Okay, okay, so if someone offered a dedicated "black box" on which you could offload a lot of Sonar processing, would you buy it? Would that make people happier? Would they shut t/f up?

And ya know... A famous professional golfer named Lee Trevino used to bet people he could beat them in golf playing with only a Dr. Pepper bottle. He won every time. Keep practicing...

It doesn't need to be black, the TC Powercore or UAD-1 works in Sonar, don't they? I don't mind the native processing, really. And I think these little "black boxes" are on their way eventually, which can be used by everyone at any time on any DAW.

By the way, that golfer makes a good point. I would say that which DAW you choose to use these days, and even more so in the future, depends on ways of working and finances. the only thing that matters is that you can use your system and that it is the music and not the gear that speaks for you.