Keni, you've got my compassion. Keep playing! You're a great talent!

Keni,
  You and I have complained a good bit (and rightfully so) about certain major aspects of X2. I'm with you in that I would certainly liked to have seen X2b, because it feels we paid $$ to buy X2 features we really couldn't use effectively, such as Take Lanes. I don't condone skipping town on a previous major release, because it does show a certain level of fan abandonment by Cakewalk. I also think $149 for the upgrade is questionably worth it. I am happier with X3 so far, since some of the issues I had with X2 are addressed, and perhaps maybe the update schedule will be better this go around.
 
If you can muster the cost of the upgrade, it may be worth it to kill your frustrations. I've seen some really weird GUI issues, and I still vomit when I see the cartoony default wave picture colors, but I'm stoked this will be much better now. Some of these issues have been worked out already for me.
 
Best wishes!!

jbow
Beep, I've seen at least one of the videos you are in 

O'rrrly? And where can we find such videos? 

jbow
I'll be 62 in January... I know what you mean about time... energy... everything hurts, hard to do what you used to to. I hope you turn a corner and find things better soon.Is there any way you can get out of CA where it is cheaper to live?I am still trying to learn, you are WAY ahead of me in the recording area. I keep looking for time to devote to it and am afraid that when I finally have time I will no longer be able or maybe wont care. I sometimes feel like, healthwise, if it does not hurt and works right... I wonder what is wrong with it.Keep on keeping on Keni. You are an inspiration to me. Julien

Hi Julien...

I'm sorry to hear that you too are going thru this same time period... I'm very pleased if my efforts help to spur you on but I guess I'm not doing good enough if you're not getting around to making music much...

Now that so many people live on into later years, we're barely scratching the surface of what issues come up for such people and how to create comfortable lives...

I think that after so many years supporting a company (probably near 20 years or more of using Cakewalk products), we "elders" should be given free updates! ;-)

I guess between the "fears" of aging and the unusual development cycles these last years.... (I was surprised at the release of 8.5 instead of 9) I've been thrown off balance... And with the drastic changes in my work and income these last years it raised the bar on my need for new Sonar releases... The un-satisfied feeling with the "delays" only to find out there is no relief for me with a new dose of Sonar has really felt like flowers on my grave... (Not being morbid I hope)...

I hold no animosity nor cast any blame on anyone inside Cakewalk or out... It's just my life and the path it's going down...

I spend such a large part of my time and thoughts on music, Sonar, and this forum that I felt like I'm talking with my family and posted some feelings and the likes that probably don't belong here... So I'm grateful to all who have responded in kindness and those who have allowed this chat to survive... You and the others have always been kind to me and I have always appreciated it...

I hope your pains and troubles (along with the many friends (even those who don't like/agree with me ;-)) are small, short, few, and quickly overcome...

Thu the darkness and still screaming about Lanes in X2, I have a few songs started towards my next album whether I finish it or not!

Here's hoping the great god of music throws some copyright fees my way (and that the government shutdown ends so that the copyright office opens again!)!

Keni

deswind
Hi Keni - I can tell you that fame is meaningless.  I do wish you success both in great health and prosperity.

I don't really seek fame... It's more a term that I use to describe my feeling of success...

After many decades helping others create their music in world class studios with added skills of so many specialists, it's been a long road of the self-made, wear-all-hats life I've lead for my own music... It would be nice to one day walk into one of those studios with an engineer of my own caliber so that I too could simply focus on the performance and creation of my art... I'll bet if I neede fewer hats for myself my guitar performance and such would be better for the added tine of focus... ;-)

Thanks for the wonderful wishes and taking the time for me...

Keni

Saxon1066
Keni, Think of all the truly great artists who never had a penny, and yet they still knew their art was worthwhile.  Watch Amadeus again!  Think of Poe.  You have a lot to be proud of with all those recordings--quality stuff.  I'm 52 and haven't released sheeitt, although I've been writing music for 34 years.  I'm a hack.  You're for real.  Sorry you're feeling down, but you shouldn't be!  You have lived for art.Ars longa est, vita brevis!

Thanks Saxon...

For all the kudos as well as good wishes...

You're not a hack because you've not done a lot... For many artists their brilliance lies in few works... The number does not establish the value!

Keni

62 was a breeze, talk to me when you're 63 
 
Regards,

Beepster
I achieved a small amount of fame (no fortune sadly) for a short while and I'll tell you this, Keni (and any others with pie in the sky hopes)... it tends to be far more bother than it is worth. Sometimes I miss all the attention and popularity but then I recall the constant demands on my time, always having to be "on" so as not to wreck the illusion of "coolness", the crazy people, hangers on and neer do wells and their seemingly ceaseless infighting and bickering (and of course looking to me for answers). Nope... I may return to that life again someday but it will be more out a sense of duty and finishing what I started but for now I'm enjoying the peace that being an absolute nobody can bring. You ain't missing much, Keni. Famous people are generally vapid, self centered back stabbers who will sell you out in an instant to serve their own interests. You gotta be very hard and very strong willed to survive that life for very long and when you get right down to it the money really isn't that good anyway. Only a very select few end up well off for their efforts and sacrifice. Being broke does indeed suck though but I'm guessing you can at least look forward to a LITTLE stability in a few years when you reach SS age. In the meantime perhaps try pushing your compositions in the film/television markets. A few well placed songs can generate a modest royalty revenue. I'm sure you've already thought of that but thought I'd mention it. Also there is always writing/teaching. I have some ideas in the works for some instructional books and perhaps some fiction and semi biographical non-fiction. You never know what people will buy and self publishing is pretty simple/affordable these days. I know a few people who've gone this route and they aren't nearly as interesting as I am... well used to be. lol Chin up, friend. 62 is still very young in today's world. Many more people are reaching their 80s and above even with severe health issues. That's an extra 20 years, man! Plenty of time to strike it rich/famous and find a nice crazy stripper wife to settle down with. ;-)

:-)

Thanks Beepster ...

I guess I must have said something regarding fame to bring so much focus on it...

I've worked with and for many big name producers and artists over the years... Always close to something breaking for me but never quite there...

The fame doesn't interest me and never really did... It's always been me chasing the dream of making music..

Tho I plan to continue making music until they pry the tools out of my dead hands, the thought of losing that ability is more devastating to me than anything else...

I'd love to sell some licensing... I di in the past... But the world has changed since then and I can't afford the current work model... It seems to include things such as paying for some services' submission packet, then usually paying for each submission... I can no longer even guess what my music is suitable for as I feel so alien.... ;-)

Lessons? Done that many times and even have a student/client kicking around with occasional need of my services... Not enough to support an amoeba!

Over the years I've tried everything I could and in some years I had a little success...

Social Security? That's a laugh for me... I've shown so little income during my life that even waiting for max benefits would only bring me on the order of $300/month.... And I don't know if I'll be around long enough to see that... Right now if I do early retirement I get a little over $200.... It feels like such a pittance I shudder at dealing with the beaurocracy so much for so little! ;-)

Many thanks again for all your thoughts and wishes...

Keni

Sorry if this was mentioned already, but I wonder how this type of management/strategy is going to change after the big Gibson-Tascam takeover is set into place.  At that point Cakewalk will be relegated to just Research and Development, while the folks at Gibson/Tascam will be making the decisions like whether to release a much needed update BEFORE releasing a new full version?

You know, I haven't really seen it hit that much in all the other "I want another X2 release" threads but think of the internal stress Cake and their employees were likely going through last year (with Roland relationship/support).   Given that tough environment, the history of updates before that, and now the promise of the new GibSonarAnderton relationship, I think the single update should probably be viewed as anomaly.  I expect Cake will return to being more responsive moving forward (as they've done the past few weeks since the AnderSonarSon announcement.