Jerry Gerber

Ah! Thanks Bristol and Colin. I missed that little check mark. Much better!

I just subscribed for a year for Sonar. I have no problem supporting a company that produces Cakewalk but PLEASE do something about the ridiculous lack of color options, especially on the track view where every track is the exact same color, other than the small vertical bar on the left side of the track. I don't understand how or why these color options would be downgraded instead of left alone? I see that the color options for audio tracks, midi tracks, etc are still present in Preferences-Customization-Color but they don't do anything! Am I missing something? I much prefer to look at Cakewalk by Bandlab, it's like looking at a beautiful, finished piece of software. With Sonar it looks like a beta version that isn't complete. I am just referring to colors, not the audio/midi/plugin part of the program. Jerry https://www.jerrygerber.com/ https://www.youtube.com/@astromusicvideo

I downloaded the evaluation copy of Sonar. I am not sure if this evaluation copy is the exact same as the free version. In the evaluation copy, there's a screen that makes me wait 15 seconds or so while it's counting down, and there's a banner across the screen, near the top that urges me to become a member. Does the free version also have these "features"? In other words, do I need to do anything to make the evaluation copy not have these irritating annoyances? I will probably subscribe even though I hate the subscription method because I want to support Bandlab for allowing me to use Cakewalk for free for these several years. However, there doesn't seem to be any features in the paid version that I use.

Please add the capacity to change the colors of the events in the Event List, as every other version of Sonar & Cakewalk has had. More color options in general would be a welcome addition, as in the tradition of all past versions of Sonar & Cakewalk. Please fix the bug in the Notation Editor where tied & dotted triplets do not display correctly. Thanks, Jerry

Good question. Does the new Sonar allow for color import as it allows for keybinding import?

I downloaded Sonar evaluation copy and see that many of the features I use are still there, except for the color options being quite limited. Changing the color of events in the Event List has always been very useful, now it's gone. I thought Sonar was going to add new features, not take away old ones! I also discovered that the bug that has been present in the Notation Editor, which is the inability to display dotted & tied triplets correctly has not be repaired. Finally, if I use Sonar Free for a while before subscribing, does this mean I have to see the membership information and evaluation countdown every time I load the app? I want to support Sonar by subscribing but so far it's a bit disappointing to see long-standing notation errors still unaddressed and fewer color options... Jerry https://www.jerrygerber.com https://www.youtube.com/@astromusicvideo

When considering to subscribe to Sonar, I discovered in the latest version that color options are much limited, for example changing the color of events in the event list seems to have disappeared. Also, in the notation editor, Sonar still does not display tied and dotted triplets correctly. As far as the colors, are these options going to be returned? As far as the notation editor, will this bug ever be addressed? Thanks, Jerry https://www.jerrygerber.com https://www.youtube.com/@astromusicvideo

Is it still possible to change the colors of PATCH events, CONTROLLER events, etc.. with the latest version of Sonar (2025.06)? Thanks, Jerry

Thanks everyone for replying. I still do not have an answer though; the closest answer is that I can use Cakewalk after August when the activation will no longer be supported. After that I can continue using it until "the activation period expires", but how do I find out when that happens? Jerry

Paying a subscription for software is like a toll or a tax. What if the software company doesn't release any new features or new bug fixes in a given month? We still pay again for that month. More likely, new features will be added that I'll never use. Having been a Cakewalk/Sonar customer for 34 years I have a pretty good idea of what capabilities of the software are necessary, which are very useful to me and which features I have no need for. Some software companies don't believe in "If it's not broken don't fix it" perspective. I avoid those companies. I guess if Cakewalk insists on a subscription-only model and stops me from using Cakewalk, I'll move back to Digital Performer. If they show some flexibility and offer both the subscription-based model and the purchase license model, I'll upgrade when I want to upgrade. I must have upgraded Sonar 10 times or more over the time I was using it. Either way, I can deal with it. https://www.jerrygerber.com https://youtube.com/@astromusicvideo

Thank you for sharing that information, but it has nothing to do with my question. I don't need new features and whatever bugs may exist in the current version of Cakewalk I'm using have no effect on my workflow.

This question has probably already been asked and answered but I can't find it when I search. I have no plans nor desire to move back to Sonar. Will I be notified when Cakewalk is not going to work on my computer, or will I just sit down to work one day and find it is no longer accessible? Thanks, Jerry https://www.jerrygerber.com https://www.youtube.com/@astromusicvideo

I use Cakewalk exclusively, I've been using it as my sequencer/DAW since 1991. I use Sibelius for scores/parts. I don't play any parts in. I used to do that when I was doing commercial scoring, but I've gotten very fast at using the mouse to enter parts and editing all the needed CCs that I don't bother playing them in. I still play piano though all the time!

Yes, all of the videos are here: https://www.youtube.com/@astromusicvideo

Thanks a lot Treesha! I am glad you enjoyed the music video. Jerry

Thanks Matthew!

Thanks Nigel! Glad you enjoyed it..

Thanks Martin, I'm glad you enjoyed the music video. I've been using the VSL Symphonic Cube for over a decade and will continue to use it until I die. It has so many great samples, quite a few that I haven't even explored deeply yet. I also use: VSL Appassionata Strings, VSL Solo Strings, Vienna Choir, Requiem Professional Choir and East West Choirs (with their word builder software) Jerry

Thanks Steve!

A new astro music video, #13 in an ongoing series.. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H0B5BNR7zuw Enjoy! Jerry

Thanks Martin!

Thank you for watching & listening Treesha.

An astrophotographic music video featuring the gorgeous astrophotography of Timothy Martin WATCH

I think Martin was right. I forgot to add the volume envelopes to the piece. The dynamics are better now..

Hi Martin, I am pretty sure the dynamics are right for the piece. I'll go back and take a listen to see if I really want to change anything. There are crescendos & decrescendos, I have no idea why you're not hearing them. The movement has a dynamic range of 8.03 dB, which is, I admit, a bit lower than many of my symphonic movements. When I listen to it at a moderately low level, it sounds fine but if i crank it up too loud, it does seem a little flat dynamically. When I master the entire symphony I'll mix this movement at a lower amplitude. The lack of dynamics in the score has nothing to do with the recording, which contains all the dynamics in the MIDI sequence. I don't put dynamics in the score (nobody wrote out dynamics until the 19th century) because there are no players. Same with string bowings and wind/brass breathing marks. If there were players I'd put them in. I know how to do that. But for digitally produced music they're redundant. I wrote a brief article about why I don't put these marks in the score, which irritates a lot of composers who write for live players, but I am not concerned with that tradition: https://www.jerrygerber.com/markings.htm Here's the waveform, you can see it has dynamic range: