Host rumors.....

[AD80]

I heard Cubase SX3, a new ACID, Sonar 4, and a new Logic 7 are due to be released within the next 2 or 3 months. I hope T2 is up to the task! . Good luck Jules .

[jens]

you forgot to mention Samplitude 8 and even more importantly eXT 1.xx

[Kriminal]

I heard Cubase SX3......due to be released within the next 2 or 3 months

2ndQ 2005.

[AD80]

you forgot to mention Samplitude 8 and even more importantly eXT 1.xx

EXT is the dark horse in the race. Developers are lucky its meant to function with other hosts . Jorgen is a madman.

I got a lot of faith in Jules tho. Have fun creating your master piece .

[AD80]

I heard Cubase SX3......due to be released within the next 2 or 3 months

2ndQ 2005.

Thanks for the info. A couple of months seemed a little unlikely to me.

[christianmusicmaker]

I heard Cubase SX3, a new ACID, Sonar 4, and a new Logic 7 are due to be released within the next 2 or 3 months. I hope T2 is up to the task! . Good luck Jules .

I suppose Mackie could be playing a waiting game...release T2 now and it could be playing catch up for a year or so if the other big releases that arrive after T2, have features that T2 doesn't.

They may wait until after at least Samplitude 8 and Sonar 4 have come out then try and match some of the key features.Of course the danger of that is once people have upgraded and spent their money elsewhere it complicates the process for Mackie as far as getting new Tracktion users.

EXT I think is a bi weekly complication for Mackie with all the development there for just £30 for a copy Mackie have got to get the pricing right for T2.Too high and direct comparisons will be made with the best of out there whatever the features in T2 (this may not even matter if T2 really delivers) a slight increase should be fine I think.

It's easy to say that Trackiton is not in competition with the bigger boys but the thread Jules started about midi improvements showed that most people asked for advanced features that are usually found in the more expensive sequncers.So expectations for improvements are pretty high.

Will Jules release T2 with just a few midi improvements? Highly unlikely as he knows the advanced midi improvements are THE reason most people will upgrade...I even have a poll that proves this talk less of all the competition out there now.

It's strange in a way because as far as price is concerned Tracktion competes with packages like these...

Cakewalk Home Studio

Podium (...gathering a following)

EXT (Tracktion's biggest rival)?

Music Studio 2004 (Europe)


But also competes with other Sequencers in other areas like Cubase and Sonar.

Tracktion has a 32 bit export which even Sonar does not have yet.

I think Tracktion's workflow is considered by many users to be better than most other applications out there as well... (correct me if I am wrong)

Music Studio 2005 European version, will likely ship with the V.8 Samplitude engine and a revised version of both Logic lite and Samplitude Lite)

(Music Studio 2005) will ship before the end of the year it always ships between September and December and it costs exactly the same amount as Tracktion - £50.

From the Magix site...

MAGIX audio studio (Lite version of Samplitude)

Record

NEW! Freeze tracks and free up computer power
Tuner & IMPROVED! Audio metronome
Multi I/O, multi-track mixer for up to 64 stereo channels
Real-time effects: delay, parametric 4 band EQ, dynamics,
stereo enhancer, drawable FFT filter, graphic 10 band EQ,
multi-band compressor, vocoder, tube amp simulation
Edit

NEW! Vocoder with side chain input
IMPROVED! Transport control with snap, tempo & beat input
Non-destructive WAV and MP3 editing
Reverse, resampling, tempo and pitch adjustment
Drum loop function (dismantle single sounds)
Echo, surround & 3D room simulator
NEW! Variable track depths
Up to 100 undos/redos (undo history list)
NEW! Real-time vocoder - with 2nd input for carriers
NEW! Easy tempo adjustment of entire songs (including objects)
Master

NEW! Sound cloner preset
MAGIX MultiMax multi-band compressor
32 bit float support, 24 bit export
Master 10 band equalizer
Sound restoration: denoising, declipping, dehissing
Sound optimization: stereo enhancer, compressor, normalizer



MAGIX midi studio (Lite verrsion of Logic)

Arrange & Compose
4 stereo outputs
Sequencer with 2,000 MIDI tracks and 48 audio tracks
Groove quantization, song editing with 6 editors
Crossfades, precision video dubbing (AVI)
IMPROVED! Loop production set: royalty-free samples
Detailed note printouts with lyrics
Instruments & Plug-Ins

4 drum modules (rock, acoustic, techno, hip-hop)
6 virtual instruments for all types of sounds
Sample editor: time & pitch, groove machine, audio energizer
Auto/manual mixer (up to 48 effects inserts, 2 master inserts)
14 real-time effects: reverb, delay, distorter, chorus, filter,
pitchshifter, 15 band graphic EQ and much more
NEW! MAGIX Robota: virtual analog drum computer with step sequencer
NEW! SilverSynth & drum & bass machine
NEW! Batch processing, including master effects


Interfaces

[*] VST™, DirectX™ , ASIO Support
Music CD and project backup burning
IMPROVED! Audio CD import with pre-listen
Internet publishing (songs, data, photos, lyrics and much more)
Audio Email: send directly from the program
Synchronize with SMPTE, MTC, MC (master and slave)
Export streaming audio (WMA™, RealAudio™, QuickTime™)

Import / Export
MIDI standard formats (MID: GM, GS, XG), Sample formats (SF2, EXS)
WAV, WAV with Codec, NEW! OGG Vorbis and MP3
(MP3 Demo Encoder with 20 free runs)
Import von AIFF, AVI, MOV
IMPROVED! Extract and export video sound
Export in 24 bit WAV, Import 24 bit and 32 bit float WAVs
Export Streaming Audio (WMA™, RealAudio™, QuickTime™)

Content:

1 CD-ROM
1 Quick Start manual
1 electronic manual
1 Video Tutorial[/i]

I think Tracktion is better than all of them because it is far easier to get into and it is not a lite version of another product. Maybe that's why Tractkion, EXT e.t.c have such a following because you get many advanced features for less money.

I think the budget sequencer tag for Tracktion may slip... maybe the whole Sequencer landscape is changing as far less money will soon get you most, if not all the features of the big boys very soon.

I think Tracktion is not a budget sequencer but a fully featured Sequencer without limitations that is about to step back into the Sequencer market with a potential match winner...T2

What else will Sonar 4 and SX3 offer? Sonar will probably get surround and a new collection of 3rd party plugs.Cubase SX already has surround features and may simply be made more user friendly with a focus on better ergonomics.I really can't imagine what *new* list of 10 - 20 features they can add outside of making changes to what is already there and removing as many bugs as is possible. But then I am not a Cubase SX user but I have an old copy of Cubasis and have used SL2.

Just my thoughts...

[christianmusicmaker]

you forgot to mention Samplitude 8 and even more importantly eXT 1.xx

EXT is the dark horse in the race. Developers are lucky its meant to function with other hosts . Jorgen is a madman.

"Expand you host" hmmmm I think the EXT ad does suggest this and it clearly does just that, but Jorgen has been steadily adding features that are in direct competition with many other sequencer packages like Tracktion.

I think Jorgen is wisely avoiding direct comparisons with other standalone packages hence the marketing angle...but he is still adding more and more features that makes EXT possibly the best value for money Sequencer out there at £30.

Jorgen also has a master plan I'm sure.We can't even imagine where EXT will be feature wise by Christmas!

[TheWall]

TBH, I think only Acid is the true competitor for the same target group(presuming T2 will follow the same positioning, whereas most of other big names all failed ).

It cannot be done simply by stripping down some features then publish a "light" version, that's the mistake those big names have made, and continue to make. (So, strategically speaking, Cakewalk are doing the right thing by making P5/Kinetic)

It'll be very interesting to see how Mackie position T2.

[lowkey]

Its not as cosy as it used to be for the "Big 3". I'll be getting T2 no matter who Steinburg or Cakewalk get to pose by their box. Even if the magazines give them glowing "unbiased" reports Im going with T2 and EXT.

I dont have to pay through the nose to understand Im getting quality.

[christianmusicmaker]

I dont have to pay through the nose to understand Im getting quality.

Totally agree...I have seen so many tutorials and tips articles about Cubase SX over the years you would think it was the only Sequencer worth buying!

Constant references to Cubase SX, with pictures, features e.t.c in all manner of music magazines really make you wonder if they know of other less expensive sequencers on the market.Now Cubase seems overpriced,and needlessly complicated.

A typical listener will not be able to tell the difference between a Tracktion (£50) mix and a Cubase (£500) mix!

In the right hands there is very little you cannot do in Tracktion especially combining EXT.

I am really looking forward to the Cubase SX3 release because I would love to see what *new* features they can possibly add to it.

At least Samplitude 8 addresses many midi weaknesses, Sonar is the only one out of the big three that does not have surround (though few need it even now)so it will likely get that.

Live has added midi to audio features but Cubase SX3? I have even read that Steinberg remove faetures only to add them again as new features This is a great time for Tracktion 2 to arrive...the market seems ready for it.

[munchkin]

You forgot to mention Ableton Live 4. I think Live 4 will push the competition even further. I wouldn't be surprised if Sonar and Cubase incorporate some of the features of Live 4 in the future.

[jens]

It cannot be done simply by stripping down some features then publish a "light" version, that's the mistake those big names have made, and continue to make. So, strategically speaking, Cakewalk are doing the right thing

Oh yes, you are right - they haven't got any 'light'-versions of Sonar

[lalo]

I think Jorgen is wisely avoiding direct comparisons with other standalone packages hence the marketing angle...but he is still adding more and more features that makes EXT possibly the best value for money Sequencer out there at £30.

Jorgen also has a master plan I'm sure.We can't even imagine where EXT will be feature wise by Christmas!

Hi think that one of the strongest values of eXT are his live performance/composing and modular features..
they makes eXT a unique thing in the whole panorama..so sequencing is just one of the 1000 sides of eXT...so eXT is not in competition...no competitors in its specific area..it's the best...
and Tracktion is great too....
they will win both
love
lalo

[Yossarian]

You forgot to mention Ableton Live 4. I think Live 4 will push the competition even further. I wouldn't be surprised if Sonar and Cubase incorporate some of the features of Live 4 in the future.

This is my main wish for SX3. Key-assignable midi and audio clips would be great – I’ve been seriously considering Live 4 because of this feature (and the on-the-fly pitch/time editing) but I’ll probably hold off until SX3 is out.

/Yoss

[lowkey]

I can just imagine the blurb if one of the Big 3 release a Live feature...

"New live preformance features: Just press CTRL+ALT+p whilst closing and opening only thirty windows to access this intuitve interface. Never has it been so easy to preform Live!"