X2b or X3?

I noticed this in the video introduction of Music Creator 6 Touch - see the yellow highlighted item on the right: 
 

 
I wonder if Cakewalk has the resources to be working on X3 and an X2b patch?
 
 

Why not? Since the release of X2, CW has worked on MC6 touch, CA2A, their synths and probably a few other things yet to be disclosed. When should the work start on the next release? I cannot tell much from that screen shot though.

I'm guessing they started on x3 as soon as x2 was released. That does not mean they stopped fixing bugs for x2. Cake is not just a couple of guys hanging out in the basement that con only focus on one thing at a time. I'm fairly sure there will be and x2b as well as an x3. There may also be an x2c and d. It is all possible. More will be revealed.

dimelives1


Would be nice to get an X2b update to address at least the further bugs and other issues that folks have brought up here, before rushing out the next X.

Yes +1
I know Noel mention he have found and added some service "fix" for MIDI recording and playing in SONAR X2. It should take care of midi latency issue not lining up midi data in the "clips" correctly after recording. Perhaps you all have notice that issue with midi not just on X2 but on Cubase platform as well before. This is a great enhancement!

dimelives1


Would be nice to get an X2b update to address at least the further bugs and other issues that folks have brought up here, before rushing out the next X.

+1 - there are some serious work flow issues that need to be resolved.

this.Question = (2b || !2b)

X2b

Regards,

I've always bought software and then used it for many years (like min. 5 or 6) before moving on to the next version, if ever.

I'm not prepared to pay Cakewalk $100 a year for it to fix bugs that shouldn't have been there in the first place.

It'd be like having to buy a service contract.

Jimbo 88


Hey! really really good catch.


I've heard X3 is going to overhaul STAFF VIEW and video playback making Sonar the most sought after DAW ever.

You're joking, right?

They are going to have an audio view that will be 10-40% better.

I was convinced there'd be an X2B released by now, but I'm now going the other way. I think they're skipping X2B all together at this point, which would be a shame.

I suspect with the recent re-assignments and firing(s) at Cakewalk, there's some kind of shift happening. Whether it will benefit end-users in the long run remains to be seen, but it doesn't look good so far.

Frankly, I wish I had stayed at Sonar 8.5, as the only good thing to come out of my upgrading to X2 is that it lead me purchasing a Studio One Pro license. While Studio One lacks some major features, and has some quirks with keyboard shortcuts and mouse modifiers, it's otherwise been an overwhelmingly positive experience for me. I'm actually making more music with it than I had been in Sonar. If Cakewalk can get back on what I perceive to be the right track, I'll be right there with them, rooting them on, but as it stands, I'm not optimistic.

Bristol_Jonesey


What's your perception of the "right track" then Funkybot?

Just curious to know where you feel the X series is lacking compared to 8.5

Off the top of my head...


Things they did poorly:


1. I think making the console GUI larger was a wrong-step direction. If you want to improve my workflow, find a way to show me more at once, not less. 

2. Removing the customization options: bad idea.


3. Take lanes: right idea, bad implementation. This clearly isn't finished, or it was poorly thought out (and I liked it at first).

4. The confusing Snap and event duration approach: bad idea.

5. Matrix View/Step Sequencer: does Sonar also need to be Fruity Loops AND Live? These just seemed like add-ons, and an afterthought, which made adding them a poor decision IMO. Either find a better way to do these more robustly, or leave them to other DAW's/plugins. 

6. General Rule: how much stuff has Cakewalk released over the years that had a version 2? Audio Snap, Step Sequencer, (what will almost certainly be) Take Lanes. Cakewalk should not release a feature until it's been fully realized. In software development, it's always cheaper to do something once, than to do it twice.

7. Audio Snap: how did they possible make it harder to use and even more confusing in version 2? Didn't think it was possible. Version 1 is a breeze by comparison.

8. No identify: I already mentioned Sonar trying to be like Live and Fruity Loops, let's not forget about the Studio One inspired UI changes.

Things they did well in X1/2:

1. Screensets
2. Browser (this is 90% good IMO, still some room for improvement
3. Smart tools
4. Getting more done in one window
5. Great PRV

Things they should have done but didn't

1. Fix long-standing bugs: there's no excuses for the "Disk May Be Full" error, or how often projects will fail to save and become corrupt.

2. Staff View: they should have at least left it alone. It's harder to use now. Before I'd enter a keyboard shortcut for duration and go at it. Now it's far more finicky.

3. Real Instrument Tracks: Sonar should really have real instrument tracks.

4. Real VST support: Sonar is still using a wrapper at it's core. VST support is not baked in. This is probably part of what makes Sonar so unstable, and why developers often dislike it as a DAW (as they have to work around Sonar specific "features")

5. Improved Audio Routing: really guys? I still can't route a VSTi output to an audio track input? I'm not even asking to send one track's audio output to multiple tracks audio-input (ok maybe I am).

6. Better plug-in navigation: Studio One and Logic allow users to navigate from effect to effect without having to close the current effect's GUI. This is a huge time-saver. Why it's not in Sonar is beyond me.

7. Not making things easier: if you need to explain it, you're doing it wrong. How many Snap settings posts have there been here? How many Audio Snap posts? How many menus and sub-menus does Sonar have? How many features make you go hmmm...

I could probably go on, but that's a list of things off the top of my head, and I have to run to work...

I think that's a very balanced and well put together post Funkybot.

I hope GP reads and learns from it... :-)

If there's one thing I hate, that's buying the latest version of software, and then 20 days later the new version suddenly comes out with no free upgrade to the latest version. Hmmm, that happened to me with MC6 this month.

I think software companies need to clearly show when a new release is coming out at the point of sale, so that customers don't get duped into buying an outdated product.

...will ship with a box of the finest Belgian chocolates

 
I think that's a fine idea.    

Funkybot

4. Real VST support: Sonar is still using a wrapper at it's core. VST support is not baked in. This is probably part of what makes Sonar so unstable, and why developers often dislike it as a DAW (as they have to work around Sonar specific "features")

What makes you think that?