Why Not ProTools?

Hey there
 
I am reading posts on multiple forums about switching to another DAW and nobody says- they will switch to ProTools. I was looking in to ProTools this spring when I built new Windows computer and needed new Audio Interface. Most of high end Pro level interfaces were for Mac or had ProTools HD compatibility. I was looking in to Antelope but their prices scared me away, and I went with MOTU Thunderbolt system. I use many hardware keyboards and needed MANY hardware inputs.
 
Because i was planning to use Sonar forever, I did not install any AU option for plugins. I have almost every software synth available on the Market. I need my DAW to have good 3rd party plugins implementation and good MIDI and Composer tools such as Step Sequencer, Piano Roll, Chords editor, Instrument tracks and so on.
 
Now that I need new DAW, I could give Protools a chance, but I dont have any AU installed. When i was installing my software synth and effects, I unchecked AU option every time. It would be impossible to reinstall everything as it took me 9 months to install everything- I am still installing some updates and libraries.
 
But my partner says- I should finally go "Pro" and get a real thing. I already paid for Cubase Pro- to me it is the best Pro that would work with VSTs and MIDI. Am I making mistake- should I go with ProTools instead? Why or why not? Thank you.  

Is you had a reason to use tools you'd already be using it.  It's the standard, but it's backward and ****ed.

Sonar Platinum and a decent laptop.  Good to go!
 
Pro Tools and a decent laptop: No money left, no free time.

Pro Tools
It's a dog's breakfast.
 
New marketing slogan for Avid right there!

MORE INPUT PLEASE.......This is dashed good info !!

I think its to each their own. I think as a Sonar user I like to think I am independent. I don't need anyones approval for a choice I make using my own money. If some one is happy with PT so be it. What I think there is far to much of is bashing the other guys choice because its not yours. I went through the DAW wars a long time ago. It is a futile time wasting exercise. If you can make good music using PT then you are doing the right thing.

I’ll be using PT more and more as it is part of my Slate Raven setup.

I would not normally take on PT but using it through Raven makes it a very accomplished piece of kit.

PT doesn’t natively have any touch yet with the touch overlay provided through the Raven software it’s entirely different.

ANY MORE PRO TOOLS VS SONAR COMMENTS ?

Pro tools is a great choice if you are planning on spending a lot of time in higher end studios that are mainstays for major label acts. The definition of pro is wider than it used to be. Many professionals use other DAWs besides pro tools, however, the bigger names often have tons invested into hardware specifically made to work with PT. Fortunately more and more high end hardware is compatible with other systems.

If you are doing most of your recording and mixing at home/yoir own studio and you are not running a studio geared towards major label acts as clients, your choice of DAW comes down personal preference. I always found Sonar to be several steps ahead of PT on features.

I have checked ProTools a few days, and for me it has a very bad workflow.
Some of my customer said, that they have to work with it - but they hate it.
I think ProTools is good when you have to record a band or orchester as engineer and mix it. But not for composing and creating own music.
Specially for our work Cubase seems to be the best. It has a very good clip management, batch naming of clips and batch export. Offline rendering and so on.
Everyone has different needs.

This is a bit of a weird one for me because I've only last week got Sonar Home Studio with Computer Music magazine. Pro Tools is my regular DAW. I have the vanilla version. While I claim to be no wizard with it, I'm still in the ironic position of knowing next to nothing about Sonar, on this Cakewalk forum, and quite a lot more about Pro Tools. For that reason, I can't really compare the virtues of Sonar with Pro Tools. What I will say is users who are used to one particular DAW often take time to get acclimatized to another - this often leads them to trashing the new DAW - because their mindset is used to their familiar method.
 
To me the best thing about Pro Tools is the workflow. For some reason people often think it's complicated. It's actually one of the most straight forward DAWs you'll find. It's like a visual linear tape recorder. It basically has two, or perhaps three (including the Midi Editor), main windows. The Edit Window (with tracks and playlist) and the Mix Window. The third would be the piano roll Midi Editor. However, you can also switch a midi track to Notes in the Edit Window to give a midi lane throughout the duration of the song (I like this feature typically for working with drum/percussion patterns, where small pattern changes are required on the fly).
 
My favourite recent feature has to be Commit. Apparently, Pro Tools lagged beyond with Freeze. Now it has Freeze and Commit real-time bouncing. I always choose Commit. It's so easy. For example, you have an Instrument Track ready for audio. Right-click, review the options, Okay, done! The midi is faithfully reproduced as an Audio Track, and the Instrument Track is disabled and hidden out of view.
 
I also suggest that even if Pro Tools isn't the best DAW - due to it's wide use by professionals - it may still be the best one to learn. As somebody indicated above, just knowing how to use Pro Tools opens up doors and makes it easier when taking your work to a pro studio that uses it.
 
Some negatives to bear in mind: 
 
It's expensive. Subscription model.
 
AAX plug-in format only. Although now widely used (I now only buy AAX compatible plug-ins). The way around this is to buy a bridge plug-in. I regularly use 64bit VSTs by using Blue Cat's PatchWork or MB-7 EQ. Both are very good for much more than VST hosting.
 
No vocal align or pitch editor like Melodyne. I've noticed with the better Sonar packages, you get these. An alternative is to buy Revoice Pro, which covers both, is very good, and works well in PT. Expensive though. Waves Tune is often on sale and is a good pitch editor for PT.
 
iLok. This can be annoying, if not working. I've never had much trouble with it. Has some advantages too: software serials on your iLok can be taken with you and used at your destination; you'll no longer need to worry about avoiding iLok software, such as Revoice Pro and several others - you may prefer to put them on your iLok!
 
I hope that helps in some way.

PT will be my next move when I make it.
 
 
 
 
 

you can have more than the fixed number of inputs just not record more simultaneously. Or go HD. That’s what I did.