Sequencers

[headquest]

Tracktion, because it's not listed!

Reason, because it's (still) not listed!

Actually I've cast my vote for TRACKTION because:

1. It's easy to set up and use "on the fly", e.g. for doing a quick recording of my keyboard students without crashing/getting bogged own. And simple enough that they get some idea of what I'm doing, hopefully sparking more interest

2. It is brilliant for my Music Technology classes, because its ease of use and intuitive design (to those more used to computers than they are to recording studios) means that students gain more in terms of developing their musical knowledge and understanding, rather than getting bogged down with features or lost in a maze of multiple windows.

3. As a musician (laptop based) I really appreciate having PDC and Freeze (instruments and effects)- which some much more expensive packages still don't have.

4. Workflow!!

5. Rock solid stability.

OK, its not perfect by any means, but I think the balance is in its favour big time.

I have also used most of those listed (either full products, or demos) and for anyone looking for advice, here's my tuppence worth:...

CUBASE SX used to be my main sequencer and has loads going for it. However I left it because:

1. The workflow was cumbersome
2. I found it uninsipring
3. It was over-complicated, and this made it less suitable imho in a teaching context
4. Stability issues
5. Unimpressive effects for a package this expensive.

I use full versions of:

LIVE

Which has loads going for it, works well via ReWire alongside another host, and it probably the best way to go right now if your miusic is loop based.

REASON

Has a basic/functional sequencer with a decent piano roll editor. Personally I don't like the way it handles automation, but I guess that's down to taste.

Many Reason users ReWire into a different host, and for my part I often do my sequencing in Live or Tracktion when putting together Reason tracks. This also opens the programme up for using VST effects, etc.

So although Reason gives you what you need (in a closed environment, standalone) I think it's actually best as a second sequencer. As such it will multiply what you can do by factor X - Reason is a powerful programme when fully integrated into hosts like Sonar, Cubase, Tracktion, Live, etc.

AUDITION

First and foremost an Audio Editor, but because it handles 128 tracks and acts as a ReWire host you can also use it as an audio sequencer... Also has great Acid-style looping tools with outstanding pitch/timestretching. Check out the 30-day demo from the Adobe website...

And I have previously worked with, or used demos of:

SONAR

Which is pretty awesome, and I shall be watching the imminent announcement of version 4 closely...

I especially like the MIDI editing, which is more advanced than in the other programmes mentioned (e.g. the Piano Roll is excellent, but you can also edit in Score or Event List)...

Also, Groove Clips which act much as in Acid or Audition...

And the Sonitus FX Suite - probably the best bundled effects on the PC platform.

On the downside, I think that some parts of the design betray the fact that Sonar has developed over several year... some things seem "tacked on" in the present version, rather than truly integrated. But perhaps that's just down to personal taste...

Also Sonar can get complex to use, so perhaps not best suited to beginners.

And VST instruments and effects are handled via a wrapper at present, which seems to cause problems for some...

FL STUDIO

Powerful stuff, again, and a great piano roll imho.

However, this programme works in a very different way to all the others, and I found it quite hard to work out even some of the basic functions. If you are coming from a more conventional sequencing environment, FL might take a bit of getting used to!

FL is highly recommended by many, but detractors point to the fact that its over complex in some way, and possibly best suited to Techno/Dance musicians.

I hope that this is of use to somebody, somewhere!! But always check out independant reviews, user forums and demo versions before buying any sequencer...

[jens]

Podium is still not listed...

[pHz]

stop moaning jens ...

slainte rob

[jens]

thanks, Rob

[7zark7]

My vote is for Orion Platinum.

It just feels like a studio. Coming from working with Alesis MMT-8 sequencers, Akai S-950 samplers, a couple of synths, and a Casio FZ-1, Orion was a natural transition for me.

Actually, after the hardware days I started early on with Cakewalk and then became infatuated with Acid. By the time virtual studios were coming out, I was obsessed with audio software. I tried a bunch of them. Orion just makes sense to me and it's workflow is excellent. Sounds great too!!!

-7zark7

[rsmus7]

voted Tracktion
use it now for a week and have already done more then 5 songs,
use it with Reason and energyXT.
changed from Cubase 5.1, after a heavy investigation from my side wich sequenzer suits my needs, now I say Tracktion is pretty nice, the "final mix" plug alone is worth the 80 bucks imo.
Maybe I change to Cubase 3 again if it is supporting my workflow and as easy as Tracktion. and a affordable upgrade offer.

[griels]

I voted for Logic 6, although I wouldn't buy it as I'm a skint PC user, and I like my projects to be crossplatform for portability. However, the advanced freezing capabilities are great and it seems to be rock solid.

In second place would be Cubase SX2, my sequencer of choice, because its crossplatform and I'm used to it! The MIDI manipulation and drum editing capabilities are extremely good, and it seems very stable to me. Has a freeze capability albeit very slow (although rumoured for SX3, coming soon).

In third place would be Sonar, although I wouldn't buy it as it's not crossplatform. Generally seems very stable and features full PDC. However, I find the way it handles VSTis (you have to open two tracks last I checked) annoying. And no freeze capability yet (although rumoured for Sonar 4, also coming soon).

The other hosts lack MIDI/drum editing features for me, with the possible exception of Podium, which I have yet to suss out. Tracktion would be in fourth place. Seems a very capable application, it's crossplatform, but it needs much better MIDI manipulation features. Same with Ableton Live, which could also use full PDC.

[wrench45us]

i can see how a poll like this might be some indication of what people use

but with so many choices to determine 'best' each voter would have to have some experience with each of the choices. i don't even think i've skimmed reviews in music magazines on all these.

and then given that there's an immediate impression and usefulness with a host sequencer and then the slower unfolding of advanced features, I'm pretty sure I don't have time to determine which of these choices is best

and by the time I did the choices will have changed, since Sonar 4 is being unveiled tomorrow and Tracktion 2 soon.

it would be better to provide a few facts about why a given host sequencer works well for as given use.

so for example ease of audio recording and advanced audio editing wouldn't mean much to me w/o any recording gear

to indicate one think Sonar and FLStudio have good to powerful piano roll editing means more to me, but then I happen to think their piano roll editing is awkward and slow compared to P-5, but at least then I have a frame of reference.

I learned a lot about Orion I didn't know from the softsynth workstation thread. I think I understand why people like it now.

from polls like this I hope for that kind of information.