what up guys; well just before i take the jump and buy Sonar X2 in preference to Studio One 2 and Cubase 7, can you please tell me how hard the learning curve is. I don't give a **** about this and that and whatever feature 70% of users don't use 90% of the time, my main aim is simplicity. can you inform me if there is a whole lot of superfluous crap that simply gets in the road of the interface and bogs down the menus and makes things generally more difficult to get used to, or is Sonar X2 actually surprisingly straightforward after a minor learning curve. Thanks.

Unless you've used some sort of DAW software before you are in for a learning curve no matter what your choice. I personally  found SOnar relatively easy to learn but that was a long time ago now.

One thing is for sure, this forum is a great asset, for that reason alone I'd go with SOnar but I'm biased.

Why not download the trial and see what you think?

Totally agree with Karl. All Daws require a lot of learning. Sonar is in my view easier than others by a long shot. I have used many Sonar is just as deep or deeper but far more accessible.

I've been using Cakewalk sequencers since CWPA6 (maybe earlier, but I still have these floppies on the shelf!). I found the transition to the first version of Sonar to be difficult, and then it smoothed out for several versions, until Sonar 8 (again I think that's the one, it's been a while). 

I found the transition to X1 to be cumbersome. In contrast I find the transition to X2 to be almost non-existent. It isn't that they didn't make some significant work-flow changes, but rather that the changes seem to align well with the way I'd like to work. I also think they are getting really good at documenting the changes in their videos.

As Karl pointed out, if this is your first DAW platform you will have a lot to learn. If you are coming from DP or PT you'll also likely find the learning curve a bit steeper than if you were coming from Cubase or even Studio One.

Before I upgraded to X2 I did try both Cubase 7 and Studio One 2. Oddly enough, I ended up purchasing a license for Studio One - I like it, and while it won't replace Sonar for me, it is a nice supplement, providing me with an alternate approach when I need it. (FWIW, I still use both Sound Forge/CD Architect and Wavelab for audio editing and CD authoring. Two very different approaches, and sometimes you need that.)

To answer you last question, I'd suggest that it is a toss-up between Sonar and Studio One in terms of simplicity. I think they both have too many menus<G>! But on both cases the arrangement of commands make sense to me, so I really don't think one is easier than the other.

There are fully functioning trials for all three - might be worth a little woodshedding to help you figure out which one is the best fit.

Honestly, I'd say it's not surprisingly straightforward. Any of the FULL featured DAWs are a **** to learn (initially). I'm trying to think what would be the most straightforward- they way garageband is. What about Sonar's Music Creator? The cheapest version of Sonar- Essentials? I've never used it. Anyone?

I think essentials is just a cut down less featured version. The actual basic use will probably be more or less the same.

If the OP gets stuck the manual, this forum and other learning resources are readily available.

Sonar, I hate to say, is a bit of a bear to learn. Lots of weird menus with the same name strewn all over the place. Basic functions somewhat hidden. Tons of cool features but they tend to overshadow the simple stuff.

That said...

If you just want to do basic stuff work through the tuts in the user guide and pick up the soon to be released X2 Power and you'll be fine. It's just getting those fundamentals out of the way that's a bit of a pain but if you focus for a couple weeks you'll be up and running.

However I will say X2 is far more intuitive than X1 was... but that's just my opinion.

As has been mentioned already pretty much any DAW or any modern program in general has a learning curve so if you do choose something else it won't be much easier and you'll have less features for far more money. It's worth the extra effort. Put your head into, don't get frustrated and ask the forum for help when you need it.

Cheers.

I have experience with Logic, Pro Tools, Cubase, Reaper, and Sonar. People who say one is more "intuitive" than the others only say that because it's the one they know better- it's rubbish. godparticle is looking for a simpler, less feature-rich daw. Essentials may fit the bill for all I know. Even FL Pro is a tough nut to crack for a noob. The hardest part about Sonar is mastering all of the myriad of tools and functions it offers. It's like operating a 747 (without auto pilot). Any Essentials users out there want to chime in?

According to another post, godp has been using Mixcraft 6 Pro Studio, so he should be able to at least grasp the basic concepts using any other DAW. otoh, he'll have to unlearn certain ways of doing things that he's become used to. I agree that trying the demos is really the only way to know for sure. Everyone approaches things differently, and what seems intuitive to one person can seem like a nightmare to someone else.

I agree with the others. All DAWS will have a learning curve, however if you have used any DAW, then you are already furhter along than a true beginner. All DAWS do pretty much the same things, its just a question of how and where etc. That being said, There are TONS of resources for Sonar.  This forum is a HUGE help, however there is "Sonar University", and Groove3, this month they offerred unlimited access on Groove3.com, on all of their video tutorials which are far beyond any others have ever seen. There is also "Gettting started" video which I think came with Sonar, and several tutorials which also come with sonar. Plus tons of tutorials on youtube. I transitioned form Sonar 5 to Sonar X1d, then X2. Was quite suprised there was such a big difference between 5 to x1. I was up to speed in a few days, would have been the first day if I would have watched the getting started tutorial and the videos on Sonar University. They really would have reduced the pain and saved a few days. Very minor dif from x1 to x2. At first glance, it doesn't seem intuitive, but once you watch the videos and start working on a project, it really does become more intuitive quickly.
 
We get free content each month, On Groove3 I watched several tutorials, one specifically on iZotope Ozone 5, it was 3 hours long. The best mix I ever did was immediatley after that video. Also watched a mixing rock music tutorial, bfd explained, Sonar X1 explained. Just that alone, is huge.  We also get some special pricing on other software, TH2, Breverb, Izotope Ozone 5, Session Drummer expansion packs. (Session Drummer comes free with Sonar). And the plugins are IMO are fantastic.
 
Sorry wasn't trying to give you the sales pitch, I have a friend who is a pro tools guy. He had no idea of the community Sonar has and the perks we get.