Sequencer question

[Orbit]

Hi All,

I was wondering how the sequencer on the 30x's compares with a dedicated program like Sonar Home Studio (which I recently purchased.)

Are most of you using the built in sequencer exclusively, or do you also use a software package?

thanks!

[Jane]

For any serious editing I use Cakewalk Home Studio (a precursor to Sonar). Its piano roll view I find much easier to use.

Jane

[wa7bqb]

I think you'll find that Sonar is a MUCH better solution to sequencing. The computer interface is more intuitive and logical than the Yamaha. Therefore, you will probably find that you can be much more productive using the features of Sonar.

For example, let's say you want to create a leadsheet from a favorite song of yours. If you can locate a wav or mp3 file of that song, import it into an audio track, then create a midi track and a minimum note size. Then phrase by phrase you can input notation closely coupled to that audio track. You can add lyrics and chord information and then print the results to card stock paper to make yourself a great fakebook! It's a great way to improve ear training for intervals, timing and duration.

The more you use it, the more familiar you become with Sonar, and therefore the more efficient. Soon you can crank out whole songs in a single day, using either an imported audio file or your own lyrics /chords, etc. Often you can use the output of Band In A Box for backing tracks, i f you like. "Often" means that Band In A Box is limited to 4-4 or 3-4 time signatures, and doesn't support complex signatures.

So far, I've found Sonar to be the best development program I've tried. Finale, Sibelius, PowerTracks and others are too difficult or too limited, by comparison (in my opinion, anyway).

-Dale-