This explains a lot about Cakewalk/Sonar

[lingyai]

It does seem to be getting better. I went from Sonar X3e to Hopkinton and have stayed there as I've watched folks upgrade to Ipswitch, Ipswitch Patch, and now Jamaica Plains. Seems to be stabilising in fits and starts, I suppose two steps forward and one step back.

Re stability: Everything was pretty stable for me on Hopkinton maybe the first 50 hours of use; then it started getting progressively buggier / freezy / crashy until at around the 70 hour mark I was in despair, could barely work for 20 minutes before having to relaunch / reboot; and during the "up time" I was getting a lot of bizarre stuff, like automation envelopes and bus assignments randomly not doing what their settings indicated. Spent the better part of a Friday documenting for tech support so they could replicate. Example file, screenshots, the works. By the time I got it off to them it was the start of their weekend.

This gave me time to think a bit more. In the worst case I was ready to cut my losses in time invested in Sonar (5 projects started, + study), render what incomplete work I had, jump ship, and port the projects over to another DAW (what a slog) , probably to Studio One 3, and hope to find refuge there. Even downloaded the demo and had a play. (Nice!!!)

Then I remembered something often mentioned on the Sonar forum -- the "aud.ini" file, which as I understand it is like some kind of Sonar-specific registry-like file which, as registries do, gets crapped up sometimes. Renaming it so that on next launch Sonar automatically creates a new, clean version is often suggested as a first-line, basically side-effect free antibiotic for a host of Sonar ills.

I did it. Wow. In the maybe 30 project hours since then, I've had maybe 3 crashes /freezes. I can just work, work and work. Night and day. It's handling a lot (lots of audio tracks and automation, sort of complex routing and FX chains, 5 Kontakt multis, with between 1-4 libraries each) pretty admirably, I must say.

Ok, so I'm saving every two minutes and saving as a new version twice an hour as a precaution.

But I'm finding it viable -- enough that unless it goes seriously errant again, I'm investing more time learning it. It really is a deep, vastly-featured, in some ways very thoughtfully-designed DAW. The workflow is pretty good though less intuitively so at first than Studio One -- Sonar has a lot to learn, there are a lot of control + shift + right-click/drag while extending your left toes type of moves which you might not guess on your own, but once learned, can save loads of time..

Of course when some of its own bundled instruments don't work, that's obviously a strike against them. I however didn't buy it for the extras -- I have all the VSTis (mainly Kontakt) and FX I'll ever need, and in fact try to avoid DAW-proprietary plugs anyway, as you can paint yourself into a corner if you ever have to port a project to another host.

For me, the killer features apart from basic stability (touch wood) are the comping workflow, Melodyne integration (both superb, and IMHO better than in Studio One) and Mix Recall, which was the reason I went to Platinum, and which has not disappointed. A trump-card feature for me, really.

I'm definitely no fanboi; the program has annoyances and shortcomngs; but overall I am increasingly impressed. YMMV as always.

[Grizzellda]

This was a nice post lingyai - I think you are quite right about that "aud.ini" file...but I think you can just delete it actually, SONAR creates a new one every time it boots up, I think.

I'm thinking along the lines of getting a kind of SONAR specific workflow going...frequent saves, regularly deleting the "aud.ini" file, just really trying to keep a lean system. That is good practice for any DAW I suppose, but especially for SONAR!

[vintagevibe]

Here is a great example of the Sonar forum. A frustrated newbie makes a post and the "gang" immediately jumps in with derision and insults. Then they all wonder why he doesn't continue to post and insult him for that. If you don't worship Sonar you are, of course, a troll. This happens EVERY time a frustrated newbie posts. "You're with us or against us." Professional? No. It's just like a Soundblaster forum with teens and tweens. Nothing wrong with a forum for teens and tweens it just demonstrates my original statement that Sonar is not developed for or geared towards professionals. Kudos to their CEO for finally coming clean about that.

[chk071]

Here is a great example of the Sonar forum. A frustrated newbie makes a post and the "gang" immediately jumps in with derision and insults. Then they all wonder why he doesn't continue to post and insult him for that. If you don't worship Sonar you are, of course, a troll. This happens EVERY time a frustrated newbie posts. "You're with us or against us." Professional? No. It's just like a Soundblaster forum with teens and tweens. Nothing wrong with a forum for teens and tweens it just demonstrates my original statement that Sonar is not developed for or geared towards professionals. Kudos to their CEO for finally coming clean about that.

Hmm... i guess the truth is somewhere inbetween. I'm sure it's just like it is in most forums. Lots of haters, lots of fanboys, and not much inbetween. Don't think it's nearly as bad as you describe.

[flugel45]

... If you don't worship Sonar you are, of course, a troll. This happens EVERY time a frustrated newbie posts... .

B***s***t.

I see posts there everyday where people get all kinds of help.

You started this thread 15 pages ago, and just when you see that it's dying down, you post this. I'd say that explains a lot more about you than Cakewalk/Sonar.

Are there jerks on their forum? Sure - just like on every other forum. Helpful folks too -- just like on every other forum.

I know I'm going to regret this, but how about a link to the thread where the bad CW forumites are ganging up on this poor newb?

[vintagevibe]

... If you don't worship Sonar you are, of course, a troll. This happens EVERY time a frustrated newbie posts... .

B***s***t.

I see posts there everyday where people get all kinds of help.

You started this thread 15 pages ago, and just when you see that it's dying down, you post this. I'd say that explains a lot more about you than Cakewalk/Sonar.

Are there jerks on their forum? Sure - just like on every other forum. Helpful folks too -- just like on every other forum.

I know I'm going to regret this, but how about a link to the thread where the bad CW forumites are ganging up on this poor newb?

http://forum.cakewalk.com/Dont-Like-Son ... 10730.aspx

Yes there are people that help but the other half are as I described. I posted a great example of what I'm talking about. Attack me if you wish but I have a valid point and I will express it.

[chk071]

Where is the insulting? Reads like any other thread which would go the same way here on KVR. And righteously so, the OP didn't really describe well what his problem is. And i think the person who proposed that he should have demo'd it first before buying surely has a point, as has the person who wrote "I once had a horse and now I have a car. Where do I put the hay? Man I am confused.".

Really, think you're highly exaggerating.

[vintagevibe]

Here is a great example of the Sonar forum. A frustrated newbie makes a post and the "gang" immediately jumps in with derision and insults. Then they all wonder why he doesn't continue to post and insult him for that. If you don't worship Sonar you are, of course, a troll. This happens EVERY time a frustrated newbie posts. "You're with us or against us." Professional? No. It's just like a Soundblaster forum with teens and tweens. Nothing wrong with a forum for teens and tweens it just demonstrates my original statement that Sonar is not developed for or geared towards professionals. Kudos to their CEO for finally coming clean about that.

Hmm... i guess the truth is somewhere inbetween. I'm sure it's just like it is in most forums. Lots of haters, lots of fanboys, and not much inbetween. Don't think it's nearly as bad as you describe.

The Cubase forum is not like "most forums" as you describe. There you find professional interaction between people who need information. I have never seen anything different on that forum. Cakewalk used to be that way years ago but has devolved into what I describe. Of course not everyone acts like that but so many do that it taints the entire forum.

[chk071]

And i read here more than once that Steinberg censors their forum hard. That's why i think it's the same Thing everywhere. Didn't like what you read, or how the mods handled you or another person: You rate the forum bad. Liked what you read, and you or another person got handled well: You rate the forum good. I've seen a lot of companies' forums, and they really didn't differ much from each other.

[vintagevibe]

Where is the insulting? Reads like any other thread which would go the same way here on KVR. And righteously so, the OP didn't really describe well what his problem is. And i think the person who proposed that he should have demo'd it first before buying surely has a point, as has the person who wrote "I once had a horse and now I have a car. Where do I put the hay? Man I am confused.".

Really, think you're highly exaggerating.

"For some people , life will always be difficult. I find this to be outrageously funny. Sorry."

"Why did you buy the upgrade? Did you like the color of the box?"

"To the OP, of you dislike Sonar and want it to work in a certain way... Just disable JavaScript in your browser and watch out for aliens..."

"Sometimes I think when the OP only has one post starting threads like this, just delete Case closed.."


And it starts...they turn on each other...

=williamcopper]
I went and re-read post #2 by Beepster. Ok, no assigning trollship to the OP. But it was still subtlely pretty harsh. Sit on your fingers, Beep. And lest there be any doubt, I have rarely, maybe never, complained about personal attacks on me ... I don't even like to click on a button that innocuously says "SUBMIT". (edit) Evidence, if we needed any other, that in fact the Aliens have been here on earth and in power for a long time ... (end edit)

I have seen you constantly moan about how "mean" everyone is to you and anyone making the same type of ridiculous demands/complaints. You did it again here and you will no doubt continue doing it.

And if there was any mistake as to why I'M so mean to you it's because I am almost positive you are a long term user using an alternate handle just to stir up crap for teh lulz.

Same posting style. Same bullcrap. Same victim complex... blah freaking blah. I only point it out so others can see the pattern and make their own decisions as to what you are.

You can similarly use this post as PROOF that Beepster is mean... because I AM mean... but only to those who deserve it.

And WTF are you on about with the aliens crap?! lulz

The thing is this happens EVERY time a newbie doesn't act the way these people want them to. The Cakewalk forum used to be professional and with no censoring. I've even seen Craig Anderson essential calling a newbie stupid. These are people who have purchased the product and the company rep is insulting them.

[vintagevibe]

dupe

[vintagevibe]

dupe

[vintagevibe]

dupe

[chk071]

I don't know, i see nothing there which i haven't seen in the same form in any other forum too... i feel like the OP could have been more specific, and i also feel like he could have at least responded one time. Maybe i'm wrong. Maybe it depends on the view point. IDK.

[trimph1]

And i read here more than once that Steinberg censors their forum hard. That's why i think it's the same Thing everywhere. Didn't like what you read, or how the mods handled you or another person: You rate the forum bad. Liked what you read, and you or another person got handled well: You rate the forum good. I've seen a lot of companies' forums, and they really didn't differ much from each other.

Is Chris still doing the moderation there?