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I'm still using Producer 8.5....


Dreamer

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Hi Dreamer,

I would think you don't HAVE to use Cakewalk by Bandlab.

Just remember that Cakewalk has moved on (and how), so in order to have issues corrected, you'll need the most current version.

And who knows? Those issues might have already been addressed in CWBL (Cakewalk by Bandlab).. 😀

I'll admit, there is a bit of a learning curve from Sonar 8.5, but I'd say it would be worth it.

 

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Hi Dreamer,

Welcome to the forum.  I also advocate for making the jump to the new Cakewalk.   In addition to fixing past issues (as mentioned by arlen2133),  the new platform and supported OS are going to be the starting point for future improvements, accessories. 

Another reason - yes, it's free - but. besides that, there are tons of opportunity to exercise your creativity. 

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Hey thanks guys! It's only that there was a wealth of knowledge and pretty much a majority had moved on from Sonar Producer 8.5 anyway. I'm not knocking this new thing-a-ma-jig. Technology moves on for the newer generation. In my case, I don't need the latest bells and whistles or going online, (I'm not keen on that).  I'm already comfortable with what I do and what I have.  It's a tool, (albeit older), but it still works! Hopefully most of those cats will join as I did. Honestly I dont know why they just couldn't of merged the old site with the new. But no sense on beating a dead horse.

Edited by Dreamer
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I still have 8.5 Studio and Producer on my system. In case I need to go back. I have CbB set up to work exactly like 8.5, basically like the old traditional DAWs, before Cakewalk came up with that Skylab interface. But it works better. Once I got some keyboard shortcuts set up, it is very fluid. Also much easier to configure. As well as a less cluttered interface. The learning curve for me was minimal, as I had demoed the later versions so many times. If you have Producer, you will be able to use all the plugins that came with it. The colors are really beautiful too. Very aesthetic. You owe it to yourself to give it a try.

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Hi

There is NO online thingy. Once it's installed it's CW period. I still Use Sonar Platinum-last version 99% of the time.

But I have been fooling with CWbyBL a little bit everyday. There really is NO down side, considering it's free, based off the last Platinum version and has been getting improvements for quite a while now.

I still have 8.5 producer , but it's not installed. 

Good Luck whatever you decide to do.

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17 hours ago, Dreamer said:

Do I have to use that online BandBlah thing? My stuff works great with minor things due to lack of knowledge. Still using Producer 8.5 though...

"Online BandBlah thing"? 

If you are referring to BandLab's online social music creation platform, you do realize that BandLab version is an optional online community feature that is completely separate?     For example, this is not the Cakewalk DAW: > https://www.bandlab.com/

Cakewalk by Bandlab,  is actually just an updated version of Sonar found here: > https://www.bandlab.com/products/cakewalk

Cakewalk by BandLab is a DAW that runs locally on your PC and has the core features of Sonar Platinum, plus all the updates added last year.

But if you were referring to the online BandLab Assistant to get the software download.  Yes you will have to use that to download Cakewalk.  It works sort of like Cakewalk Command Center did for the Sonar Platinum installers. But once you have Cakewalk by BandLab  (CbB) installed on your PC you don't have to go online unless you want to.

Edited by abacab
Edited for clarity...
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Yeah...wanted to try it. But it's only for 64 bit machines. I have on my WIN7 machine the 32 bit version installed. I do have both versions but I have a lot of stuff  I like that is not supported on 64 bit platforms. That's why I use the 32 bit.

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It's sort of like being a Classic car owner. They have to sort any issue they have out for them selves as you certainly can't expect to take a 56 Chevy back to a GM dealer for a tune up and expect them to have the correct parts! What's a carburetor buddy, doesn't come up on the computer?    

I still have 8.5  ( 64 bit) installed, haven't opened it but it's still there. I think I installed it to get True Piano's and the guitar tuner. 

You could do this. Keep using your old version on the old computer, but then have a second set up, up to date, and start messing with it. Eventually you'll get over the culture shock and all will be better. It just takes time to adjust. I still like using Word 2008 and hate the newer versions. But at work I've had to adjust and now it' doesn't matter I use both the old version and the new one. And the other day I went to do something on the old version and found out the new version does work better.. 

I stayed with 8.5 up until X3e came out and I was offered an upgrade cheap.  At first I hated it and stayed with 8.5. But after a few months I took a shine to it and have never gone backwards since.  For me it's the big improvements in the PVR a place I spend a lot of time. 

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4 hours ago, Dreamer said:

Do I have to use that online BandBlah thing?

No.

I must admit to surprise that with access to the old forum and its many posts explaining it, there are still some who don't understand that Cakewalk is a standalone program, just as Sonar always was.

Sonar had integration with various online platforms, Cakewalk by BandLab added integration with BandLab. You may use these features or not.

The features for using it with BandLab are, not surprisingly, becoming richer.

Just as with Sonar of old, there is a small app that downloads and activates the software. Since you already have a BandLab account, all you need to do is download and install the app from the BandLab site and it can download and install Cakewalk.

It works great. Better than Sonar. Enjoy!

BTW, mdiemer, you've mentioned before that you've set CbB up just like 8.5. Have you ever posted the recipe for doing that? If you were so inclined, that might be a great kindness for the people who really love their 8.5 and are apprehensive about upgrading.

Edited by Starship Krupa
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5 hours ago, Dreamer said:

 In my case, I don't need the latest bells and whistles or going online, (I'm not keen on that).  I'm already comfortable with what I do and what I have.  It's a tool, (albeit older), but it still works!

I have a Telecaster that's 53 years old. I can still get strings for it, or replacement pickups. I can adjust the truss rod and yeah, the frets show some wear, but it's still a kick-ass guitar. There's nothing wrong with old stuff that works.

OTOH I also have a 2018 Gibson HP guitar with a titanium bridge, the G Force tuning that I find a tremendous time-saver, weight relief, push-pull controls with different tonal options, and a scarf with a deep cut. I don't need the extra bells and whistles; I probably could have played the Telecaster forever. But man, that HP...  :)

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1 hour ago, Starship Krupa said:

 

BTW, mdiemer, you've mentioned before that you've set CbB up just like 8.5. Have you ever posted the recipe for doing that? If you were so inclined, that might be a great kindness for the people who really love their 8.5 and are apprehensive about upgrading.

The recipe is just that I keep it in track view, with the clips pane extended all the way.  No other views to complicate things and create clutter. Then I have the views I use (staff, event and mixer) undocked, and I opened them and position them over the clips pane where I want them. I pull them up with keyboard shortcuts as needed, then x out of them. Very simple. It just looks like 8.5, but with nicer colors and less clutter. The skylight interface is what kept me from upgrading all these years. I never knew you could just ignore it and set it up to look and work like 8.5. 

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You do have to use that online bandlab thing if you want to run the latest cakewalk because that's how you download and authorize it.

That being said I think we are safe to assume that you're good to run your 8.5 for decades on if it suits your needs well. It's major advantage is that you will be able to install and authorize it offline each and every time you would need or want, unlike the new online bandlab thing that needs to be re-authorized online every 6 months or so.

Mind you that there's another bandlab's online thingy, an online daw that is something different from cakewalk, and I suppose abacab was trying to point it out, but I had to re-read his post couple times myself to get his point :D

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7 hours ago, Craig Anderton said:

I have a Telecaster that's 53 years old............There's nothing wrong with old stuff that works.....  :)

LOL. 1974 Fender Jazz, (OEM), 1968 Ampeg ABB-1....other cats drool when they see my axes...and the sound....amazing! New stuff is cool, but there's something about a well beaten classic that stands on it's own even by modern standards. Audiophiles rave about turntables,  analog sound....and there's a whole following of old technology fanatics.  There's a reason why these tools are still out there.

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I've still got Sonar 5 running on an old Intel Atom based 1U racked MicroServer. I used it alongside a Yamaha 01X for live recording / band jamming sessions.

I don't get to do much recording with it anymore, but it still runs just as solid as it ever did, and its perfect for that purpose... mind you, my laptop would be my preference nowadays.

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You know, the (non) jump from 8.5 to X was something kind of epiphanic to me. The learning curve was high, and time consuming, so, I asked myself "Do I really need to jump to the latest? Why?" and found that sonar 8.5 did everything I needed, and it still does it. Newer plugins still work (save for VST3), and Windows still supports it. So, I guess that I'll make the jump whenever one of these things happes: Windows breaks 8.5 compatibility somehow, or, newer versions of my everyday plugins lose compatibility with Sonar 8.5.

Going always for the latest can be really distracting and time consuming. I prefer to spend that (sadly little) time actually making music

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