do any pro use sonar in studio?

Every couple of months someone asks this question.

the answer is........ yes

Yes, many pros use Sonar. I have been a music business professional for 25 years. Pro Tools got a early lead in the large studios for two reasons, in my opinion: 1. Sonar (Cakewalk) began as a MIDI sequencer and Pro Tools got started first as a sound editor and then as a replacement for tape machines, so it was a bit out front in audio. The Beach Boys and Ricky Martin were early adopters that brought Pro Tools some fame. 2. There is something of a prejudice towards Macs and against PCs in some segments of the art/music world and Pro Tools got established as a Mac solution early on. My wife is a graphic artist and uses Macs. I find Macs annoying and expensive, so to each his own. The major DAWs are all capable of making world class recordings. Sonar has more features for the money than most and the support is better.

Don't forget the latest Call of Duty game was scored on X1. I believe Slipknot used Sonar on one or more of their albums. There are plenty more but that's all I can think of off the top of my head... But PH68 is right, you're unlikely to see it often in any given studio. I think it's all about habit. Pro tools got the market early, and it managed to hold it. Sonar is just as capable. The only difference with the big players in professional DAWs is the workflow. They can all do essentially the same thing. It's the engineer that's important.

Artist using X1.

This question is usually based on a very, very, very narrow definition of the word "pro"

Freddie H


Yes, I do!

As I was saying...

You can usually spot them because they are the ones that are not too quick to tell you they are.

Jonbouy, You said: "You can usually spot them because they are the ones that are not too quick to tell you they are." I understand what you mean, but it is quite normal for people to talk about what they do for a living, what they do as a side business, and what they do for a hobby. And this is a music forum. I may misunderstand, but you seem to imply that anyone who says he or she does any professional work is a poser. I hope you did not mean that. kc2ine asked a legitimate question. Pro Tools has a significant lead (but not monopoly) in large installations, although that may change. In mid-sized studios and project studios that do professional work, you will find all major DAWs represented. Professional work includes demos, local releases, major record projects, film, TV (network, cable, and local), national advertising, local ads, and a host of other things. I have worked on major records, regional hits, demos (singer, songwriter, band), cable TV shows, local ads, regional ads, theatrical projects, and other stuff. This includes roles as producer, engineer, writer, session player, and various combinations of those roles.

konradh


Jonbouy, You said: "You can usually spot them because they are the ones that are not too quick to tell you they are." I understand what you mean, but it is quite normal for people to talk about what they do for a living, what they do as a side business, and what they do for a hobby. And this is a music forum. I may misunderstand, but you seem to imply that anyone who says he or she does any professional work is a poser. I hope you did not mean that. kc2ine asked a legitimate question. Pro Tools has a significant lead (but not monopoly) in large installations, although that may change. In mid-sized studios and project studios that do professional work, you will find all major DAWs represented. Professional work includes demos, local releases, major record projects, film, TV (network, cable, and local), national advertising, local ads, and a host of other things. I have worked on major records, regional hits, demos (singer, songwriter, band), cable TV shows, local ads, regional ads, theatrical projects, and other stuff. This includes roles as producer, engineer, writer, session player, and various combinations of those roles.

I think this is a really relevant point. Often the idea of "pros" gets mixed up with the idea of "famous producers I've heard of". They're not really the same thing, though of course there is significant overlap.

konradh


Yes, many pros use Sonar. I have been a music business professional for 25 years. Pro Tools got a early lead in the large studios for two reasons, in my opinion: 1. Sonar (Cakewalk) began as a MIDI sequencer and Pro Tools got started first as a sound editor and then as a replacement for tape machines, so it was a bit out front in audio. The Beach Boys and Ricky Martin were early adopters that brought Pro Tools some fame. 2. There is something of a prejudice towards Macs and against PCs in some segments of the art/music world and Pro Tools got established as a Mac solution early on. My wife is a graphic artist and uses Macs. I find Macs annoying and expensive, so to each his own. The major DAWs are all capable of making world class recordings. Sonar has more features for the money than most and the support is better.

Thanks Konrad,
I agree with you as to MACs, now PC are same or more powerful then MACs. Apple is really annoying and overpriced,
actually I got macbook pro because almost every artist I've seen in music, graphics or photography were using macs.
Now I know it's kinda snobbery. I bought also iPad :( few weeks later I have returned both :) and for half the price got  
great pc laptop.


 

John


Artist using X1.

sorry but don't know any of them, heaven even heard...


Was hoping for artists like Chick Corea, Path Matheny etc :)

konradh


Jonbouy, You said: "You can usually spot them because they are the ones that are not too quick to tell you they are." I understand what you mean, but it is quite normal for people to talk about what they do for a living, what they do as a side business, and what they do for a hobby. And this is a music forum. I may misunderstand, but you seem to imply that anyone who says he or she does any professional work is a poser. I hope you did not mean that. kc2ine asked a legitimate question. Pro Tools has a significant lead (but not monopoly) in large installations, although that may change. In mid-sized studios and project studios that do professional work, you will find all major DAWs represented. Professional work includes demos, local releases, major record projects, film, TV (network, cable, and local), national advertising, local ads, and a host of other things. I have worked on major records, regional hits, demos (singer, songwriter, band), cable TV shows, local ads, regional ads, theatrical projects, and other stuff. This includes roles as producer, engineer, writer, session player, and various combinations of those roles.

Yes I was being a bit cynical albeit with my tongue firmly in my cheek.  i.e. I wasn't being that serious.  Although there was a chap on here recently that referred to himself as 'a major player in the industry' at every available opportunity...

I know plenty of successful and professional engineers, producers, musicians, arrangers and songwriters that frequent this board and it is often those who are less outspoken about their own achievements. That is more of what I was alluding to in my post.

Of course this is a good place to introduce yourself and your abilities to the many peers here and I wouldn't mean to discourage any of that, but there are a conspicuous amount of folk that would like to enjoy a greater reputation than perhaps they deserve, sadly.  It's an internet thing.

I'm quite sure too the question was posed seriously, as it frequently is, but I'm never sure you can derive too much meaning from the answers given.  People often cite Pro-Tools as being the studio industry standard and to a certain extent that is true, but that is not even comparing the version of PT that competes with Sonar's market it is the version that is linked with big $ worth of hardware too.

Another thing here that is also overlooked in a simplistic question like this is many of the contributers to projects will be producing printed stems from their own personal studios and it is these contributers that use the much wider range of creative tools (of which Sonar is a fantastic example) than the 'industry standard'.  So while a project may often end up being put together on PT in a big pro studio the sources will have come from many diverse tools of which Sonar will undoubtedly be among them.

So while so and so's major blockbuster track may have been done on such and such at thingamajigs studio, the song may well have been written, arranged and demo'd in Sonar and it may well feature some well-known players that made their final cut in Sonar also.

But who's counting?...

Hey Konrad you are OK in my book and in no way was my earlier post a swipe at you or any of the saner members here.

 

do any pro use sonar in studio?

 
 
CJ.
 
And what a studio
 
 

kc2ine


BTW so why those big studios go with all that trouble and costs related to dealing with MACs???  Is learning curve switching from Pro Tools to e.g. Sonar so big that it's not worthy?

Force of habit. Like being in the habit of thinking "pro" has anything to do with whether or not you recognize a performer's name.

I'm a hack; that is, I make boring music to order for commercial clients. You've never heard my name. I use Sonar, Reason/Record, and lots of other non-Mac software. Is that a "pro"? *shrug*

[edit] Past that, if you really want to know the answer to the questions you asked in the quote above, asking people in some Pro Tools-based studios would be the way to learn, wouldn't it? You aren't going to find out from people who don't work in studios of that kind.

Well, I use Sonar, and some other software incl PT9 and Soundforge, and I'm a pro. I have had success, incl some awards and some chart success, and some TV placements (in the USA even). I have always liked Sonar for the creative power of it, just like some other producers fall back on their DX7 or old guitar for comfort sake...

But I don't think I have EVER come across an interview in Sound On Sound where the featured engineer of the month uses Sonar. Not ONCE since I've started subscribing several years ago. SOMETIMES Logic, almost ALWAYS Protools. If someone knows of a REAL success story that uses Sonar, I would love to read the article - so please let me know. AFAIK, CW has never responded to users wanting to know who uses it - and don't tell me it's confidential. Why would it be?

As for "Artists that use Sonar"..., sorry, never heard of any of them, except some of the game composers. It's easy to shove a free hamper into someone's hand and make them pose for a press pic "so and so loves product X" and a big thumbs up. Means ZIP to anyone who has ever dealt with this kind of thing. 90% of the time, the artist goes straight home and laughs at the "sponsor", and gets back to work on their usual gear. Happens all the time.

It's really a moot point, because in the end if your work is good enough, it will be successful. The stuff that I had success with so far was mixed in Sonar, and also in Protools. And it was mastered in Soundforge, and also in SADie.

But I do tend to notice that the big studios go with stuff that is reliable and rock solid - because time is money, and an industry standard is an industry standard for a reason, normally hard-won.

Just my 11.3 cents worth :O)

http://cakewalk.com/Artist/About.aspx/ArtistoTrax

That is us.