Newbie Pre-Purchase T2 queries

[21tones]

I'm brand new to computer recording and finalising my choice of sequencer, after looking at demo versions. I'm pretty convinced about T2 (Sonar 4 SE is my other consideration), but wanted to check with you experienced users.
My overriding concern is ease of use which is where T2 would seem to win hands down. I'm a guitarist who would be inputting guitars and vocals in audio, and everything else in midi, via a keyboard controller. I don't play keyboards so this will be a slow and mistake ridden process!
Recent comments on the forum suggested the midi editor isn't that good, especially for drum parts. Would SonarSE be better for midi editing? What other (relative) weaknesses might T2 have?
I know you Tracktioneers are fans but I would find open answers really helpful

thanks

[Lunch Money]

I'm exactly like you. A guitarist who will also lay down vocal tracks, and then use a MIDI keyboard for entering other parts.

Even in Tracktion 1, the MIDI was well up to what I needed it for, which was moving notes around, deleting duff notes, changing the length of notes, and occasional quantizing. Tracktion 2 adds to that capability with much easier velocity editing and CC function editing.

SonarSE probably (I don't know for sure) has more MIDI features in terms of numbers on a list, but I highly doubt that it'd have any features that you'd miss or need. You'd also have to contend with the DX-VST wrapper for loading VST plug-ins, which is problematic at times.

Greg

[Graeme]

Tracktion is certainly the tops when it come to ease of use and not having the technology get in your way (and I say this as both a CuBase and Sonar user) but it's midi editing is not as comprehensive as some other applications (no event list editor, for example).

However, there are plenty of cheap (even free) alternatives which you could use when the odd occasion requires it. You certainly wouldn't need both T2 and Sonar - that would amount to overkill. If I were you, I'd start with T2 and see how far you get. You may find you have no need for more extensive midi editing, in which case you're home and dry .

[Paresh]

You can create backing tracke with Jammer or Band in a Box & import to T2.

[Yurty]

Don't forget all the included plugs in the bundle. Best deal around at the moment IMHO

[.jon]

Recent comments on the forum suggested the midi editor isn't that good, especially for drum parts. Would SonarSE be better for midi editing? What other (relative) weaknesses might T2 have?

There is now step-time input in the MIDI editor, I made drum tracks in Tracktion actually for the second time, after years of using eXT for the task. The new midi editor feels better and IMO has all necessary functions, and those missing extra functions that Cubase, Logic & Sonar feature have more meaning when using external hardware synths.

I'd recommend Tracktion for anyone, but especially for recording musicians like you. (as opposed to sequencing musicians) Easy of use is something that has huge value to me, even after years of computer music making.

[cbit]

What other (relative) weaknesses might T2 have?

Very poor integrated timestretch, generally considered unuseable except as an effect.

The tracktion implementation of groove quantize is unweildy imo.

I would advise new users to hold off buying it until the rendering engine is fixed (but it's likely that it will be soon, we all hope ).

Lack of some handy audioclip handling functions acessable from the arrange window (eg. make real copy, reverse): but i don't know if that would be important for you.

[jalapeno]

I'd agree with the comments here, but add that I came to Traction from Sonar - it was simply too complex for what I wanted to do. Too many pop-up windows and the like.

You can do tricky things in T, but the main difference is that you don't have to.

[hexman]

I too came from Sonar to Tracktion. Sonar never did it for me. Every time I got creative I would spend WAY too much time digging through all the menus etc to just get to whatI can do in Trackion in minutes.

I never use half of what was in sonar - and it just sucked my creativity.

Tracktion **feels** creative. It **looks** creative. Sonar feels like Im using Excel or Word. This may not be a biggie for some but for me it really makes a difference.

Plus I like the fact that its cross platform Win/Mac (just in case )

[jalapeno]

I too came from Sonar to Tracktion. Sonar never did it for me. Every time I got creative I would spend WAY too much time digging through all the menus etc to just get to whatI can do in Trackion in minutes.

I never use half of what was in sonar - and it just sucked my creativity.

Tracktion **feels** creative. It **looks** creative. Sonar feels like Im using Excel or Word. This may not be a biggie for some but for me it really makes a difference.

That's it exactly !

[DHR53]

I'm curious... Everyone seems to complain about the timestretching? Do you mean dragging an audio clip with the option key... which works quite well for me, if you don't try and stretch too far, that is! So are you referring to pitching up and down with clips?? I guess I use more midi than audio, but I've always been able to use loops fine...

[AndrewSimon]

I'm brand new to computer recording and finalising my choice of sequencer, after looking at demo versions. I'm pretty convinced about T2 (Sonar 4 SE is my other consideration), but wanted to check with you experienced users.
My overriding concern is ease of use which is where T2 would seem to win hands down. I'm a guitarist who would be inputting guitars and vocals in audio, and everything else in midi, via a keyboard controller. I don't play keyboards so this will be a slow and mistake ridden process!
Recent comments on the forum suggested the midi editor isn't that good, especially for drum parts. Would SonarSE be better for midi editing? What other (relative) weaknesses might T2 have?
I know you Tracktioneers are fans but I would find open answers really helpful

thanks

I am a guitar player who doesn't play keyboards but there is a faster way:
http://www.andras-shimon.com/MUSIC/PianoVid.WMV

[cbit]

Everyone seems to complain about the timestretching? Do you mean dragging an audio clip with the option key

.. yes, if you've set the 'stretch' drop down to anything other than 'no time stretching' beforehand.

[DHR53]

But option drag works fine! ...so what's the problem? I've never even used the other methods...

[semiquaver]

people are complaining about the audio quality of the stretching. if you like it then no worries.