What's a good DAW to switch to from Cakewalk?

[Azura]

...
I'm aware that Reaper does do MIDI, but it just doesn't do it in an efficient manner.
...

Well, I guess that I won't be able to convince you that Reaper is efficient MIDI wise, as you won't be able to convince me that it isn't!
That's why we have many DAWs at our disposition and they are different from each other. And it's a good thing!
Have a nice day,
Marc

[harryupbabble]

Yes, Reaper makes simple stuff super complicated. My guess is that the developers have not taken users needs into consideration when they started to design their product or they might have had another user base in mind.

If I have my info correct, there are two developers in the REAPER team. The main guy is Justin Frankel.
He seems to be a musician too and not just a maker of DAW.

And so, if he is a musician too, then he has taken "at least one" musician's needs into consideration... his own. And he is a complicated guy? And so that is probably why REAPER seems complicated?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q2Cw7V-iyt8

But I have to state, subjectively, that the guys in Oasis are better musicians and songwriter (Noel Gallagher)but they are not busy maintaining a DAW?

And below is Liam Gallagher singing "I need to be myself, I can't be no one else." I can imagine Justin Frankel having that belief.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJKpUH2kJQg

[jancivil]

Ah, a good question. I really, really wanted to like Reaper, but I just keep going back to Sonar. I will need to demo other DAWs, but don't quite have the time... Quick question: do Cubase or Studio One allow multiple clip lanes in a track and automation curves + effects per clip? That was something very handy in Sonar, which was cut from newer versions, which I find a major drawback. I'm looking to replicate this workflow elsewhere...

In Cubase you create tracks from lanes for them to have their own 'identity'. The lanes begin as children to the parent track.

Conceptually as far as 'effects per clip', once the 'clips', known as events, are individuated in tracks there is a preference 'Automation Follows Events' so that should you move the event it carries all its automation. Splitting a compositing lane into events does not create an individuated automation lane through itself (although it would create nodes), there will be automation per the track applied to all its children before/unless you individuate lanes to tracks.

[schiing]

I reluctantly went from Sonar (25 years with Cakewalk) to Studio One Pro when Gibson decided to axe it - a little over a year ago, I guess? I've never looked back.

Super-stable. Most operations are instantly recognizable for a longtime Sonar user. For my part, I've never missed anything about Sonar (well, one: the random function on vsti's - I had to learn actual synth programming ) and most importantly: My workflow became sooo much faster with Studio One, basically from day 1 - so many timesavers. I didn't realize just how bloated and heavyhanded Sonar had become over the years - my only regret now is not making the change years ago. So, yeah, Studio One gets a solid vote from me.

Best of luck with your search!

(My use: Not professionally, still a fairly advanced user. Mostly vst/i, a bit of sampling, usually lots of effects, occasionally recording vocals, bass, guitar, environmental sounds.)

[jclosed]

I was a long time Sonar user (from version 6.0), but even before Cakewalk went down I was already switching to a new DAW. I tried several DAW's (Studio 1, Ableton Live, Reaper, FL Studio, Bitwig , and so on), but finally settled at Cubase. There are a lot of reasons why I choose Cubase Pro, but my main reasons where as follows:

1. The Control Room... Really. This is one of the biggies for me. With the Control Room I can set up several profiles for separate outputs, without affecting the end result that goes to the file. For instance - I can put ARC 2 on my monitors, while at the same time using ToneBoosters Isone on my headphones. When outputting the result to a file I never have to remember to disable ARC or Isone, simply because they are on separate output channels.

2. MIDI. As far as I am concerned the MIDI implementation of Cubase Pro just fits my way of working. I tried Studio 1, but it is simply not up to par to Cubase. Add to that things like Chord Pads, Chord tracks (that work on audio also), Note expression, Chord assistant, Chord Editor, List editor, Logical Editor, Retrospective record and so on, then you probably understand why I like Cubase in that respect.

There are more factors that make me like Cubase, like the build-in Audio Warp Quantize, Channel strip, Audio alignment, VariAudio (soon to be extended with ARA), Score editor and Arranger track. For me Cubase is the "best of the bunch". This is, of course, a personal opinion.

That said - I used Ableton Live (and before that Cakewalk Project 5), next to Cubase as a alternative way to create music. I am now more inclined to drop Ableton Live for Bitwig now, simply because the last one fits more in my workflow.

So - After several years of using Sonar, my to-go DAW is without any doubt Cubase. Probably Bitwig will be my alternative/second DAW to use along Cubase. And that's about it...

[3ptguitarist]

I was a long time Sonar user (from version 6.0), but even before Cakewalk went down I was already switching to a new DAW. I tried several DAW's (Studio 1, Ableton Live, Reaper, FL Studio, Bitwig , and so on), but finally settled at Cubase. There are a lot of reasons why I choose Cubase Pro, but my main reasons where as follows:

1. The Control Room... Really. This is one of the biggies for me. With the Control Room I can set up several profiles for separate outputs, without affecting the end result that goes to the file. For instance - I can put ARC 2 on my monitors, while at the same time using ToneBoosters Isone on my headphones. When outputting the result to a file I never have to remember to disable ARC or Isone, simply because they are on separate output channels.

2. MIDI. As far as I am concerned the MIDI implementation of Cubase Pro just fits my way of working. I tried Studio 1, but it is simply not up to par to Cubase. Add to that things like Chord Pads, Chord tracks (that work on audio also), Note expression, Chord assistant, Chord Editor, List editor, Logical Editor, Retrospective record and so on, then you probably understand why I like Cubase in that respect.

There are more factors that make me like Cubase, like the build-in Audio Warp Quantize, Channel strip, Audio alignment, VariAudio (soon to be extended with ARA), Score editor and Arranger track. For me Cubase is the "best of the bunch". This is, of course, a personal opinion.

That said - I used Ableton Live (and before that Cakewalk Project 5), next to Cubase as a alternative way to create music. I am now more inclined to drop Ableton Live for Bitwig now, simply because the last one fits more in my workflow.

So - After several years of using Sonar, my to-go DAW is without any doubt Cubase. Probably Bitwig will be my alternative/second DAW to use along Cubase. And that's about it...

How do you like the included vst instruments and effects?

[JerGoertz]

Did Cubase finally get curved automation?

[Obsolete236871]

The effects in Cubase are solid, some are superb. I never really liked the sound library that was included in their Halion Sonic SE rompler. I honestly prefer using Sforzando with some good soundfonts / sfz libraries over the included sounds.

Cubase also lacked a comprehensive sampling instrument for the longest time, but the latest version has Sampler Track which seems to be everything one can wish for.

Padshop is great synth if you are into designing very unique sounds, while Retrologue can compete with most of the better virtual anlogue synths on the market. Even the older included synths still sound great.

There is also Groove Agent SE 5 which offers a variety of drum sounds. I cannot really say too much about it, since I still use an older version of Cubase and Groove Agent SE. I did not really like the old version too much, since it did not offer comprehensive features to load and edit my own drum samples. But this aspect might have improved ever since.

Then Cubase also offers many features for composition, which make it easy to compose great melodies and chords even if someone doesn't have a fully comprehensive understanding of music theory. There features can make a great difference and I think Cubase is number one in that regard compared with the other DAWs on the market.

The great thing about Cubase: you can download the trial version and see for yourself how everything works. I would definitely recommend that!

[Zombie Queen]

I took time testing Bitwig, Reaper and Studio One. Then in a desperate move I went to Bandlab and installed their current iteration of Sonar. Hell, that still a kick-ass DAW. Being free, it's a deal of the century. Looks, like I ain't switching.

I feel like the userbase and interest with cakewalk has gone downhill

I had the same impression. The good question, why is it so? Personal workflow preference aside, it is still on of the top DAWs available. So now it is free, why it's not booming in popularity?
I guess there's some psychological set of reasons. Old users are mostly pissed of the situation and just want out (I've been there). Beginners are possibly put off by the complexity. Then people who want top stuff, GAS chasers, simply won't consider because it's free and gained some bad rep during the clash, but mostly because it's free (read worthless). I don't know, guessing blindly. Maybe it just needs some time.

The real problem, which is probably something most people do not consider is that the future outlook is blurry. We don't know if Bandlab has means and plans to develop it further. Or will just stick with what it is and then dissolve it again. However, I have the feeling that it is going with Sonar for years, switching between very old and current Sonar, it looks like the core hasn't been touched for years, like there's maybe no one who knows what is in there anymore. Makes me wonder, have they lost the source code or something...

[BMoore]

Wasn't Cakewalk bought by some unknown company, made it free, made a download manager or something there about you had to install to get it, promised it to be the mother of all DAWs, and just withered away?

I wouldn't touch Cakewalk even with wags music.

[Hink]

I'm sick of you doing this, stop attacking wags behind his back...final warning

[BMoore]

"Don't push your music if you can't hack it". So brittle.

[chk071]

So, what about stability? That always was Cakewalk's achilles heel. Last time i tried Sonar (X1), the plugin scanner already crashed the DAW...

[Hink]

"Don't push your music if you can't hack it". So brittle.

wrong answer you can read this when you get back, it isn't about his music or him. It's about children starting crap for no reason which none of us need.

[THE INTRANCER]

So now it is free, why it's not booming in popularity?

It's down to users perception really...but here's mine.

Lack of consumer confidence in the product due to it's past history (the exodus in Dec 2017 didn't help) the so called 'Life Time Updates' people had paid for.... The product release state (it was pretty buggy...new users found out just how much, like myself and from those ex sonar users who knew even more that highlighted long standing bugs / issues they said were ignored on the forums. (The Cakewalk forum didn't accept new users until a new forum was setup recently thus users couldn't complain about issues, and some of those who did in years past were shunned I think). Future development and commitment by Bandlab is still to be proven, a relativity small company that most people around the world had never heard of, unlike that of big hardware companies like Korg or Yamaha for example, or dare I say it, Microsoft.