What features do you never use?

Video View
Staff View
Tab View
Matrix
External Inserts
Navigation Strip
Anything that you click on with a cursor if there's a way of doing it with a keyboard/CS

Staff View
lyric View
Matrix
External Inserts
Navigation Strip
TTS-1
Beatscape
Dreamstation
Session Drummer (tried it - didn't like it as much as Battery)
Surround Sound
ACT - although I might try to hook up my BCR2000 - not tried but does aj's utility work in x64 or would the changes in X1 require a full rewrite? - not used it since Sonar7
Publisher
Rapture LE












I have used Video view a couple of times but not being able to see every frame makes it pretty useless (matching up a snare hit is tricky - and only having a single video track makes video editing a non starter) so I mainly use Ulead VideoStudio Pro X2 for that.

Console View
Matrix View
Surround Sound
Navigation View
Dreamstation
Navigator
Channel Strip track inspector thingie (which I'm apparently going to have to use if I upgrade to X1 cos they've lost buttons off the TV headers)
ACT (I've tried but it's just not quite there for me, if I could disable it from twidling track items and just limit it to plugs I'd be very happy)
Audiosnap (not for want of trying but it was allways a bit dickie and then they hid all the options that seemed to be relevant to the things I wanted to do and I've not relearned it yet)
That terrible saturation plugin, I try it every now and again because people here sing it's praises but IMO it's junk
Staff view
Lyrics view
Big Time
Video

If ACT and Audiosnap were tweaked out and considered I would definitely use the a lot more, the other stuff I just generally don't have a need for.

Child

one man's ceiling.

Jonbouy


I'd pretty much concur there, Dave.

Except perhaps for TTS-1 which I use for prototyping even if it never makes it to the end of a project...

Interesting thread topic, Mod Bod, and based on the responses, it looks like your list is fairly typical.

I've pulled out Jonbouy's reply about TTS-1 because I use this GM synth the same way.  That synth is extremely light weight on power, and is a handy place-holder early on in a project.  I routinely start a new piece using the TTS-1 default piano.  Then as things develop, I start swapping sounds out for the real deals.  But it should also be noted that there are actually some perfectly more-than-acceptable instruments in that humble little package.

I'm surprised ACT comes up several times on this thread.  I thought more people were using it.  Now that I have the A-800Pro, I'm really happy to have hardware control now.  I've also added my Korg Nano unit which wasn't in use, adding even more control, and it's working great.

Video, as most long-time Sonar users know, isn't very advanced in its implementation, but I use it a lot and it works fine for my purposes.

The Step Sequencer is on my "don't use" list - It's redundant when we have the much more flexible PRV.

I've toyed with the Arpeggiator, and it's fun, but not useful for the music I write.

Matrix - fun to toy with, but not applicable to my music.

Navigation Strip - Never have understood why that's needed.  It just takes up screen space and doesn't help me navigate any better than I do.  I use a lot of Markers for jumping around in a project, and that negates the need for this thing.

Rapture and all of the sound-the-same analog synths - I poke at them once in awhile, but have used the Cakewalk synths so rarely that I may as well say they're not useful to me.

Staff View and Lyric View - I think if more people looked into those, they could find them more useful than they imagine.  You don't need to be able to read music to easily type your lyrics in Staff, each syllable married to a note in a dummy melody track, then your Lyric View is ready to go, complete with "bouncing ball" kind of action with the syllables being highlighted as the project plays.  It's a useful way to have words displayed instead of having pieces of paper stuck up wherever you can in your set up.

So, it's true for me too, that there's really a lot in Sonar (of all flavors) that I never use, and don't need to use.

Randy B.

Publisher - Horrible.  It sounded like a possible cool feature, but the results just aren't usable.  It's a waste.

External Inserts I would use if I had an interface with more than one set of stereo channels, seems like it could be very useful for bringing in a hardware compressor, for instance.

Here's my response, with the proviso I am stll on 8.5.3
 
 
Video View     -  No, because I don't work with Video, its possible that my change in future. 
Matrix View  - I dont think I will ever find a use for it.
Beatscape  - Don't even have it  installed
Surround Sound - No use to me at the moment
Navigation view (Defender view)  - Don't even know what it is!!
Step Sequencer  - Never used it in anger yet, but I have played around with it. There is a small chance I may use it one day but I agree with Randy that PRV is far more flexable (as is the regular step time input)
Dreamstation synth - Does not work in 64 bit. Never used it anyway.
Session Drummer - any version - I would go to Superior Drummer, EZ Drummer, Steven Slate Drums or KitCore first. Session drummer is pretty good but I have better options.
TTS-1 Synth   - That I do use, mostly for sketching out but It good for what it is.
Arpeggiator - Played around with it, I had hopes for the guitar patterns but its unlikley I will ever use it in anger. Its one of those things that can provide a quick rush of instant gratification followed by the sad realisation that its not really satisfying in the long run.
Publisher - No
External Inserts - No
 
ACT - Not yet but I have recently acquired an A-Pro 800 and I will eventually.
 
Other things I don't use,
 
Drop Zone
Rapture and Z3ta - I love Pentagon however.
REX files (RPX)
Audio Snap
V-Vocal
 
Edit-
SFZ and SFZ+. I use to use them but with Kontakt, Indepencence Pro and Dimension Pro there is now no need.
 
Another Edit.
 
Cyclone.

ACT
Arpeggiator
Beatscape  - buggy toy, no thanks
CD Burner - no CD Text, no ISRC codes
Cyclone
Dreamstation
Loop view
Lyrics view
Matrix View - don't need until it becomes more versatile
Pentagon
Publisher - does anybody use this?
RXP
SFZ
Staff View
Surround bus
TTS-1 Synth
Video View - too limited; I use another program for video
V-Vocal pitch to MIDI - does it work?
Track Layer solo/mute
CAL language
File / Print
Import Audio CD
Import Video
Navigator
Surround panner
Insert Bank/Patch change
Insert series of controllers
Process / Remove DC Offset
Process / Fit Improvisation
Set Default Groove Clip Pitch
Set Measure Beat At Now - problematic
Window pulldown menu

Most of the things on people's list I don't use either.  However, I don't want them gone.  Once in a while, I'm in the mood to experiment, and I want the option of using some of these features.  For example, I didn't think the step sequencer would be very useful, but I grew up on the Roland 808 drum machine, and the sequencing is very familiar to me.  I have found it to be a quick and handy way to program certain drum beats and rolls.  I can easily adjust the volume levels of the individual beats as quickly as the PRV.  I have asked for a matrix like function for years to be able to experiment with alternate arrangements, but I've only used the matrix once, and it didn't perform flawlessly.  Some of the older synths still have their uses even if they aren't supported anymore.  It's interesting to see what people use and don't use, but I hope this doesn't lead to a movement to take features out of Sonar just because a handful of forum members don't use these features.  Better to make them work as advertised.
Regards,
Lynn

For me, I don't need the following:

Matrix View
Beatscape
Dreamstation synth
Many other older included synths, or LE version
Arpeggiator
Publisher
External Inserts
Notation
Lyrics
V-Vocal (Not a bad product, but I have Melodyne)
Guitar Rig - any version

Here's what I do use regularly

Track view  (including Inspector)
Console view (less and less though)
Synth Rack
Browser
Session Drummer (I usually use Reason Drums, however I do keep this around for some things)
Step Sequencer (I grew up on the old Roland drum machines - so this is a keeper to me. Combine this with the TR707,909 and 808 from Session drummer and I'm back in the 80's - LOL!)
ACT
Big Time
Pro Channel
Sonitus Effects
LP Effects (EQ and MultiBand)

Things I don't use at this time (or often) but glad it's there.
TTS-1 (I don't use if for final mixes, but it's low resource makes it great for sketchpad work)
PRV
Surround
Dim Pro
Video
Boost 11

If it isn't mentioned in any of the above lists - it could easily fall into the "I don't need it" pile.

Staff View and Lyric View - I think if more people looked into those, they could find them more useful than they imagine.  You don't need to be able to read music to easily type your lyrics in Staff, each syllable married to a note in a dummy melody track, then your Lyric View is ready to go, complete with "bouncing ball" kind of action with the syllables being highlighted as the project plays.  It's a useful way to have words displayed instead of having pieces of paper stuck up wherever you can in your set up.

I use these to jot down what I just played. Cause whenever I come back to the piece, I will have forgotten.

In agreement on most for me..

Video View _ Never use dont score
Matrix View _ Never use
Beatscape _ Never Use, wish I could delete
Surround Sound _Never
Navigation view (Defender view) No clue what that is. so NO dont use
Step Sequencer  _***** Useful sometimes for me...
Dreamstation synth _ Its still In there?
Session Drummer - any version _ Maschine Handles all my drum needs
TTS-1 Synth  _ Never since vers 6
  
EDIT:  Some responses have reminded me of some others.
 
Arpeggiator _ Not friendly looking dont use..
Publisher _ Never used ever
External Inserts _ Never used ever
ACT  _ Its always a hit or miss , Learned to not use it just cause it temper mental 
Guitar Rig or any other Amp Simulator._ Never Use 

I will add to the list:

Midi Efxs

Screensets

Drop Zone

cyclone

Rex player

Staff view

Rapture Le

Audio Snap Not till X1b: its Broke :(

 As Im adding to this list It seems very much like we all agree on most of the same features.  As some of these features are very useful to some and some really can't live without them , such as staff view , surround sound ect, I do see ACT coming up alot, perhaps CW should really investigate as to why so many dont use ACT , It really is a great concept .

 

 

  

ModmanQ6

So does anyone use a feature others have listed as useless?

External Insert. 

If I may reply here, I don't have X1 yet (the window is closing on going to go get it), but I wonder how many of us thought we'd used ALL the features of this program (or any DAW in general)?

I only ask this because I've been reading about how CD sales are dropping with the music not being good being the biggest issue, but how many of us get a full CD just to listen to a couple of songs? Yet, the flip-side of that is, how often do the songs you don't like after a few plays start to grow on you?

As some have said, Pro + Studio (even Essential for that matter) has features they'll never use. However, given my initial decision to get Studio, but go for Pro instead: I considered this factor:

I used the idea of getting the whole package ignoring what I didn't want vs. getting everything I want separately.

While Pro costs $430 (incl. tax), I did some calculating. Seeing that I like using midi (softsynths), I tallied the cost for Studio with DP and TP (the whole box). Those two instruments alone (five because TP has four modules - though it's ONE instrument), getting both separately costs more than the main app itself, ($380) So, I may as well get Studio + the instruments in one package (Pro) even if I never use Pro-Channel or the like; however, I MIGHT like it then use it like there's no tomorrow.

Don't get me wrong, sometimes it is the lesser of two evils to get things separately; however, it's better to have something and NOT use it then to not have it, wanting it or worse needing it; yet when you can have it, but simply ignore it. With the full CD example, isn't it easier to skip the songs you don't wanna hear rather than getting a whole or a vast majority of a CD in singles? If you have to have everything (parts) because you're devoted is one thing, but why not get the whole package because you can be as picky as you wish)

Having said this, I'm not knocking this thread, because I'm sure they'll be features I will rarely use if ever; yet, it doesn't mean I won't dabble with them.

Audiosnap
video view, because it isn't deep enough...bought Pinnacle Studio instead
sequencer... too much work...would rather just play something
Track inspector
beat scape or station or whatever it is.
session drummer

Dave, what's the point of the thread? Just curiosity? Good topic, for whatever reason. Too bad the forum doesn't support polling, so the data might really be meaningful.

I'd bet that there is no one who uses all the features, and that includes all the power users and graybeards, the beta testers, and even Cakewalk staff. I'd also bet that most users don't even know what features they're not using, because they don't even know they're in there!

I think the best use of everyone's personal list is for each of us to ask ourselves why we don't use those features. You may find that you don't have a good answer for everything on the list, so maybe you should make a point of investigating those further.

Best feature I never knew I was missing out on until I tried it: Dimension Pro.

Some major features I don't use (just the ones I know about!):

- track inspector
- console view
- matrix view
- most bundled synths
- surround features
- video
- staff view
- lyrics
- web publishing
- CD burning
- ACT
- V-Vocal pitch-to-MIDI
- bundled mastering plugins
- transient shaper
- instrument tracks
- MIDI snap to scale
- quantizing
- play lists
- arpeggiator
- automation recording
- loop construction, beatscape, groove clips, ACIDized or REX files
- media browser
- track EQ

I would not, however, lobby for any of these to be removed from the program.