Is DP for me?

[Aramis]

64 bit applications giving more headroom ?

Aramis

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Before you leave us, I would like to suggest something to you. Respectfully.

You've said that you are just starting out. But remember. Just because a DAW has "Top notch" quality plugs, and yadda, yadda, yadda, doesn't mean a thing as long as you don't learn how to properly use them.
Try not to get to caught up in that impressive but futile "tech talk" about headroom, some DAWs sounding better than other ones, etc.

For instance:

- It is a 64 bit application, compatible with Vista64 edition, which apparently gives massive headroom, more dynamic range, a better non digital sounding result and more processor efficiency

Do you know what all that REALLY means, and how that applies to you?
I can see 3 things wrong with the above statement.

Having said that, I think Sonar is a good choice anyway (other than the fact that you must use a PC), but if you don't mind that, you'll be happy, and hopefully be able to produce great sounding music.

Good luck.

[bayswater]

64 bit applications giving more headroom ?

I guess 700 db is not enough range. I'm biding my time and waiting for the 256 bit OS.

[FMiguelez]

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I think he is just worrying about details that, at this stage, are not important, and obviously, he has a lot of things confused and wrong. I hope he doesn't get too miss-lead

[chrispick]

He'll be cool. Sonar is a good app.

[Frodo]

Yeah-- he'll be fine. The whole 64-bit misunderstanding was quite common.

But-- Sonar is a 64-bit addressing DAW that he'll likely run in Vista-- a 64-bit OS. In some ways he's ahead of us! The important thing is that he has what he likes. There's no arguing with anyone's "WOW factor".

I believe he'll learn quickly because I admire the fact that he did a bit of homework on his own and made the best informed decision he could in such a short time-- and he was quite courteous!! He'll figure out the rest.

[billf]

I didn't want to work on a PC but nonetheless i took a look at Sonar7 and was blown away by what it has to offer and have decided to go with it.(I'm not looking forward to working with windows, not to mention that i'm computer illeterate),

...

i would like to explain why i have decided to go with Sonar.
- It is a 64 bit application, compatible with Vista64 edition, which apparently gives massive headroom, more dynamic range, a better non digital sounding result and more processor efficiency
- It comes with top notch 64bit phase linear mastering plugins

Just a question. If you are self-described as "computer illiterate" then why are you basing your decision on technical jargon? Do you have any idea what these terms mean or if they are meaningful from an audio production standpoint?

As for expense, Windows is a money pit, so tread carefully down that path.

Good luck.

[larryf]

Sonar (actually, its predecessor) was my very first music app. I bought Cakewalk Version 1.0 in 1990, and still have the 3.5" floppy disk with serial number 0012. There were only 11 braver souls than I.

(I've since re-upped several times to the newer, more advanced releases).

I think Sonar could make a novice/intermediate studio user happy and ecstatic with his music-making ability - it's a program designed exactly for that person!

[blue]

Just a question. If you are self-described as "computer illiterate" then why are you basing your decision on technical jargon?

I don't think this way of thinking is so uncommon. It's compensation for lack of knowledge and experience. The more you know, the more you know how to protect yourself from irrelevant details. It's much harder to decipher what you need when the world is so vast and unknown.

[Aramis]

The free vst vi's bring me to think he has made his choice on the PC side more than really the daw itself .
And I am a bit concern he has been more reading than listening to the daw themselves .
He said the LOGIC vi's were soso ? Hum!!!!

Aramis

Just a question. If you are self-described as "computer illiterate" then why are you basing your decision on technical jargon?

I don't think this way of thinking is so uncommon. It's compensation for lack of knowledge and experience. The more you know, the more you know how to protect yourself from irrelevant details. It's much harder to decipher what you need when the world is so vast and unknown.

[billf]

Just a question. If you are self-described as "computer illiterate" then why are you basing your decision on technical jargon?

I don't think this way of thinking is so uncommon. It's compensation for lack of knowledge and experience. The more you know, the more you know how to protect yourself from irrelevant details. It's much harder to decipher what you need when the world is so vast and unknown.

The blame lies with years of Microsoft marketing methinks.

I agree. But still if one is going to look for a DAW based on features, it seems like a big possible misstep to lead with a 64 bit OS and application as the first item on your list, and then admit you know little about computers. Fortunately Sonar is a good app, but Vista is a horror story of an OS. Hopefully the guy is able to get it running smoothly.

[Eleventh Hour Sound]

DP is for everyone!

[blue]

The blame lies with years of Microsoft marketing methinks.

But still if one is going to look for a DAW based on features, it seems like a big possible misstep to lead with a 64 bit OS and application as the first item on your list, and then admit you know little about computers.

No doubt. I think Aramis' point about VIs makes more sense than 64 bits of anything, but people without information (along with a proper dose of skepticism) will be more anxious about the things they can't grasp than the things they can. That might play into their purchasing decisions.

Either way, I'm sure the OP will be happy. Just got to get past Vista I guess.

[monkey man]

If that and MachV were included... oh man!

I don't see how that could possibly be done, from an economics point of view. But wow, that would truly be a game changer, and get motu out of the incremental war of attrition currently going on with the other name DAWs. Actually, for MOTU it's a war of attrition, for Apple it's the sheer joy of battle.

Larry, here's my thinking on this:

The VI market sports thousands of options for buyers, the DAW market only a handful.
If MOTU had 5% of the VI market, it'd be considered a good thing (it doesn't, from what I can tell).
Now, if it had 30 to 50 or more percent of the DAW market, it'd surely represent a huge increase in exposure and turnover.
After all, practically everyone purchasing a VI is going to need a DAW to run it in, no?

So, IMHO, including all its VIs in DP (even if it were marketed as a more expensive "pro" or "studio" version), would mean that MOTU would be sacrificing a small-player's position in order to gain serious notoriety (it'd trump the whole market, IMHO).
Further, there'd actually be no need to bow out of the VI market; they'd serve as good advertising as to what one could expect in DP itself.

Just MHO, of course, but this one's been brewing for years.
Heck, even the GUIs of these VIs have the "family look", meaning nothing would need to be changed to avoid the "afterthought-looking" tag.

I realise this seems radical, but on the plus side, the work's already been done that'd (IMHO) see MOTU crowned as the new DAW king.

[bjornln]

- It is a 64 bit application, compatible with Vista64 edition, which apparently gives massive headroom, more dynamic range, a better non digital sounding result and more processor efficiency

Soundmaster,



I think you got two concepts mixed up...
There is a 64-bit version of Vista. BUT that won't make a difference in sound quality. It's just a way that the programs deal with RAM (and how much it can deal with).
64-bit soundfile is not that you should be concerned with... as 32-bit is more than enough when it comes to resolution.
Also.... What kind of soundcard I/O are you gonna use ?
As far as I know 99,9% of all soundcards can only handle 24-bit resolution (or less). IF you can find a 32-bit soundcard (if there is one), I bet you can't afford it....


I bet if you stick around a bit longer, you will learn the biggest "Gotchas" and probably get a fair chance at a better first DAW than most of us did.
Ask around and learn... If you don't... this tend to be a rather expensive business to be in.


/B

[Larry Mal]

64 bit and so forth- but really, I'm sure Sonar is a wonderful program, but it would be worth anything to me to avoid having to use a PC. As far as I can tell, Mac is the way to go, it seems as if most professionals I know work on that platform, and they are looking more and more cutting edge all the time... Microsoft is looking very 20th century to me at the moment.

I mean, what are you going to do your music on, a freakin' Dell? It seems absurd.

And let's face it: one can't cling to Windows XP forever, and nobody is wanting to trust Vista... what a screw up on the part of Microsoft. And who would trust them to get it right with the next operating system? Who knows if computers will even be structured the same by then? It may be all server based, and you pick a field you want to work in (say audio), log in to that and work from there, like a pick and choose cable company of software suites that are not housed on your PC.

Or maybe by the time Microsoft has worked out the successor to Vista, we'll all have computers built into our oversized heads or something.

And I've got to say, I don't dislike Vista- I picked it out for my girlfriend's computer and I think it runs just fine, and it has some things that I would like to see in the Mac OS. But I don't think I would want to do audio on it- well, you couldn't, not this computer- but anyway, when one looks around at most people doing professional work in the fields of audio and video, it seems to be with Macintosh's. I'm sure there are many exceptions. That's my disclaimer. But still, I would want to go with what people who are making money with satisfying careers in the field I want to get into are using (I'm an audio production major at the moment).

So yeah, I was down for the debate on Logic vs. Digital Performer- I mean, those are two great programs- but Mac vs. PC? Come on.