Hi all, I'm in the market for a new DAW and I'm looking seriously at Sonar. I'm coming from Ableton and the pricing structure has just gotten out of hand for a hobbyist like me. I don't believe in pirating so the lower price of even the platinum version of Sonar coupled with the rent to own option is very attractive. Anyway, I'm hoping someone can answer the following:

1) When using the rent to own option, does the computer have to be online at all times? I assume it would have to at least check in every 30 days or so to verify the account is current (which would be fine) but I don't leave mine connected unless I'm running installs, updates, etc. so an always connected requirement would be a deal breaker.

2) Am I required to download and install all content at one time or can I just start with the core program and add the instruments and 3rd party stuff at-will as I find a need for it?

3) I already own a lot of VSTi software, some of it quite expensive, that I'm not ready to abandon, so is there anything that is known not to play well or flat out refuses to work with Sonar? My main concerns are Izotope, IK and Waves products.

4) Is there an equivalent to Abletons freeze/flatten functionality where I can bounce a midi track to audio in place without recording it to another track?

5) For anyone else that has made the jump from Ableton, did you have a particularly hard time adapting and are there any caveats you wish you had known going into it? I should mention that I use Ableton as more of a traditional recording setup almost exclusively in arrangement mode so I'm not really concerned with loop handling or live performance but I do spend a lot of time programming drums and editing midi and I really like the intuitive editing of Abletons piano roll.

I think that's it for now. Thanks in advance for any and all comments.

Hi, and welcome to this forum.
1: It only needs to be online for authorization, and updates. Not sure if it has to go online monthly or not.
2: Install the core, and add as needed. I have a few items that I don't install / need on my laptop.
3: I use a lot of 3rd party plugins, alongside with the included plugins. I have plugins from the manufacturers you mentioned, and don't have any issues.
4: Yes. It is called freeze track, and works for both MIDI and audio.
5: This I have very little experience with, so others will hopefully chime in.
Hope it helps.
All the best.

Zargg
1: It only needs to be online for authorization, and updates. Not sure if it has to go online monthly or not.

There is no need to ever connect the DAW to the internet. There is a manual activation process but it does require some device connect to the internet to send activation requests and receive the tokens back from Cakewalk servers. The monthly payment plan requires monthly activation. It is easier if the DAW can periodically connect to the internet to activate and install updates.
 
Ease of use is a personal thing, try the demo.



 

Thank you! That was extremely quick and helpful.

scook

Zargg
1: It only needs to be online for authorization, and updates. Not sure if it has to go online monthly or not.

There is no need to ever connect the DAW to the internet. There is a manual activation process but it does require some device connect to the internet to send activation requests and receive the tokens back from Cakewalk servers. The monthly payment plan requires monthly activation. It is easier if the DAW can periodically connect to the internet to activate and install updates.
 
Ease of use is a personal thing, try the demo.



 

He was asking about the monthly option, hence my reply.
Forgot about the offline authorization, though.

1) No, because it's not really a "rent-to-own" scheme. More of a time-payment plan. You own what you've got at all times and are just making ongoing payments for updates. Many people keep their DAWs offline at all times, except to perform updates and installs.
 
2) You only have to install the core components initially and can add the rest later, or never.

3) Unless you have a plugin that's explicitly restricted to Ableton, all your existing VSTs and VSTi's will be compatible with SONAR. iZotope, IK and Waves are all very popular hereabouts.

4) Yes. It called "freeze". SONAR's had it since 2004, long before most other DAWs.

5) Never used Ableton, but I know some folks here prefer and continue to use it for MIDI sequencing. I couldn't tell you why, though. I also do a lot of drum programming and I find SONAR's PRV editing simple and convenient. That goes for complex orchestrations as well.
 

bitflipper
it's not really a "rent-to-own" scheme.

You are aware Cakewalk uses that phrase in the purchase options

Thanks to all for the quick and thorough answers. This seems to be a very active and supportive user group which is a big plus in and of itself.

If I go through downloading and installing the demo, do I have to do it all over again if I decide to purchase or do I simply authorize the demo? I'm not lazy, I just live in a rural area and I'm limited to very slow internet by today's standards.

You get the fun of downloading and installing a second time.

Yay for me.