I was a Digital Performer user because that is what they forced us to use in Music School. I was also a Logic User for several years, so I basically knew several "mac" programs very well. I then went to work for a film composer who is sponsored by Cakewalk. He showed me how he used the program, so I tried it and found it to be much faster for Film and TV work.

I have scored 9 features films using Sonar 5, and have a film opening nationwide July 27th, where the entire score was done using Sonar 5 and 6 PE. I think you have a great program.

I started with CEP 2.1 and moved to all the upgrades thru Adobe Audition 2.0. I've been pretty satisfied with AA as far as Audio but along the way I began to need midi support so I purchased MC3 to fill that gap, hoping AA would at some point add midi support along with VSTi support. Recently I purchased Sonar 6PE partly for the above reasons to have what I need in one integrated app, but the most important reason was after the release of AA 2.0 and the total lack of support in fixing fairly major issues with the software in over a year without so much as a "were working on it" I decided I'd waited long enough and went with Sonar.

Other major reasons I went with Sonar were:

Downloadable fully functional demo, I may well have gone with Sonar from the start had this been available when I was evaluating CEP, and other DAW software.
At least from the outside looking in, developers who are more in touch with their users and better support of the products.
No Ilok/PACE
More flexible routing
Better performance with same track/effect count than AA
More features to grow with as I need them. I don't use virtual syth's etc. at this point, but I didn't use midi either when I started, so it's nice to have support for virtual instruments etc. available.

Dan

I recently switched to Sonar from Cubase (longtime user). I bought Sonar 6 PE. The impetus for the switch was:

1.) I bought a custom built audio computer and was at a crossroads as to whether or not to upgrade to the new Cubase 4, due to increasing concerns about dongles degrading performance, stability issues etc etc.
2.) Steinberg's "customer service" (I use that term loosely) leaves something to be desired. I was increasingly unhappy with the direction the company was going in.
3.) Sonar's native VST support (a must have for me - wasn't keen on the whole wrapper thing in previous versions).
4.) Cakewalk's stellar support/updates/upgrade cycle.
5.) Attractive crossgrade offer.

As a longtime Cubase user, I wasn't happy about feeling the need to switch and learn a whole new host program, but for the most part, Sonar has been reasonably easy to get a handle on. Still can't work out why one can't just double click the name of the tracks and change them though. Inserting soft synths, freeze and adding effects is much less convoluted than in Cubase, but midi editing could stand some improvements, as has been enumerated countless times in this forum.

I switched from an Alesis MMT-8 to Cakewalk 4.0 for DOS. Does that count?

I switched 'cause I had a screamin' Tandy 8088 processor with 640k RAM & no hard drive (& no mouse!) that I just couldn't wait to use for sequencing. As much as I loved my MMT-8, cake 4.0 really kicked its butt. Been a user ever since, though years later, b4 Sonar came out I tried to switch to Cubase because I really wanted to be able to use soft synths. Problem was, I was so used to cake's method of madness that I just couldn't get used to Cubase. I found it to be quite user hostile (though I have to wonder if someone reared on Cubase would find Sonar to be just as foreign). Fortunately for me, about the time I resigned myself to giving up on Cubase, Sonar came out. I've had no infidelity issues since, & now make my living with Sonar 6 PE.

Well sort of. Been using Amiga 1200 with Bars n Pipes Pro for donkey`s years & still do, in with a Fostex Standalone hard disk recorder.

Over the years I tried all the PC main contenders & it wasnt till Sonar 3 came out that I saw something approaching the ease of use of BPP.
I now have Producer 6, but STILL not converted to recording in the box. Mostly I use Sonar to master down to CD, which may seem like overkill, but I still don`t entirely trust my audio to a computer which runs anything produced by Microsoft.
Vista? Puh-LEEZ! Maybe if it ever gets to SP2 or 3.

This is all great to hear. Good feedback about what got you to switch, and good feedback about what we need to do to keep you happy. Please keep the "switched" stories coming.

I was using cubase for along time; but I did not feel comfortable in utilizing all its functions. everything felt so far away in terms of operation. I Must Admit.
I liked the piano roll and some features on their midi. Midi in Cakewalk seems to be a bit hit and miss or maybe i need to learn more on how midi functions are used in sonar. please enlighten us. lol

The route to Sonar was quite easy, although, using Cubase sx 1's Demo open my eyes to possiblities in computer music. I was updating my OS from 98se to XP and was looking for a sequencer that was going to improve audio recording. Yes Cubase was an option albeit a pricey one. although that did not affect my overall decision. What I became fed up with, was the limitation, a mix of my limitation and cubases flexibility. So I took the plunge based on the promise of a good pristine 24/192khz audio engine.

At that price, Sonar was sold to me, Learning curve has taken a while. But the power of Sonar seems limitless; so it inspires me to push the boundaries and it brings out the workaholic in me.

Some times looping can be in perfect timing sometimes not. maybe its me, or midi has a mind of its own. I feel I need more control in this department. I need 100% accuracy which equates to having a smooth working system. Oh yeah the audio engine is excellent. sound quality is very good too. You just want to do your best. I won't shoot Cubase down or any other sequencer, but what I will say, is that for me to give a product its dues is unusual for me. I doubted the upgrade path. Tech team has really been good and also the upgrade path along with my first song on my upgrade is a genius. Finally lol! just playing always room for improvement...for both of us but good work keep it up!

hi,
my name is Lou Pomanti, and i write music for TV and FILM, and am based in Toronto, Canada . I switched to Sonar6PE after being a Logic PC user for many years. I began on the Synclavier system in the early 80s, then started using Notator on the Atari. In the 90s i switched to Logic when they introduced it for the PC. So...when Apple bought Logic 4 or 5 years ago, i was stuck on Logic 5.5 for a long time. I kept putting off switching host sequencers because the thought of it terrified me, as using Logic5 had become 2nd nature for me ( I didn't have to learn an update for 5 years). The option of switching to the Mac platform was never really an option for me, as i've been a PC guy since the very early 80s. I spent a lot of time testing various versions of Cubase, but found the workflow SO difficult to get used to I started to check out Sonar. From the first, it had a familiar feeling to it, and was much simpler to use than Cubase. It's taken me a few months, but i now work exclusively in Sonar, and am loving every minute of it.
I'm currently scoring a labor-intensive CGI-animated show for Aardman, called Chop Socky Chooks. It has premiered in Canada, but doesn't air in the rest of the world (including US) till February. There's a lot of midi manipulation and editing involved, as there is a large synth-ork element to it. I find new features everyday that help me, and am really pleased with the Cakewalk Forums...they are great, and everyone has been a great help, especially Scott Garrigus!

www.loupomanti.com

ORIGINAL: LPMusic
(including US) till February. There's a lot of midi manipulation and editing involved, as there is a large synth-ork element to it. I find new features everyday that help me, and am really pleased with the Cakewalk Forums...they are great, and everyone has been a great help, especially Scott Garrigus!
www.loupomanti.com

Thanks, Lou! I hope that tutorial session we had over the phone helped as well.

As for my Cakewalk story... I started using Cakewalk software a long time ago, so I didn't really switch. When I moved from the Atari to the PC, I started using Cakewalk software. Geez... I'm getting old.

Scott

--
Scott R. Garrigus - Author of Cakewalk, Sound Forge 6, 7/8 and SONAR 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 Power books.
** Get Sonar 6 Power & Sound Forge 8 Power - Today! **
http://www.garrigus.com/

Publisher of DigiFreq. Win a free Absynth 3 or Kontakt 2 DVD Tutorial and learn cool music technology tips and techniques by getting a FREE subscription to DigiFreq... over 20,000 readers can't be wrong! Go to:
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Thats easy.

Going from quitbase to sonar 6 pe was a no brainier. 1. Surround sound capability's, 2. Didn't lock up 1/3 threw a track. 3. Cost of the cross grade. 4. This forum. 5. Ease of use. 6. Not leaving their customers stranded. 7. Honesty "will do what you say you will do and not with hold information". 8. Works great in vista.


Shall I go on or should I tell you what I really think!