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Which one works better with BIAB and RealBand: Sonar or Cubase. I'm looking to add one or the other. Which one would be easier to learn. I have only used PowerTrack and RealBand so far. Thanks.
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Hi rstill48, as far as which one works best with BiaB the answer is it’s a tie! You will have to copy BiaB’s midi and wav files into either Sonar or Cubase. You should download both demos and decide which one fits you best.
Personally I use Sonar. I have used Cakewalk’s DAWs so long that I’m very comfortable with it, so comfortable that I don’t use the free RealBand. I have looked at RealBand and it looks like it can do a lot of what my Sonar can do, just in a slightly different manor. That is only because of my familiarity with Sonar.
My question to you is why not use RealBand? What doesn’t it do that you want it to do? Just curious. Just be sure that either Sonar or Cubase does do want you want it to do.
I arrived early to a restaurant.
The manager asks, "do you mind waiting a bit?"
I said no.
"Good", he said. "Take these drinks to table 3"
64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
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MarioD,
Thanks for the reply. I was hoping to learn a little more about processing and production, mixing and mastering. Wanted to learn more about VST. Wanted to learn what others are using, just to keep up. Question: How do you enter chord symbols into Cubase or Sonar from a tune done in RealBand. On playback, can you see the chords whizzing by like BIAB or RealBand? Thanks..
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You really don’t need to buy anything to learn about those topics. Just use google. There is a ton of information out there and it’s all free. After doing some research you can always ask questions here. Speaking of questions did you know that you can ask google a question? For instance you could ask “what is the difference between mixing and mastering musical songs” or “what does a compressor effect do” (do not use the quotes). You may have to dig but you will come up with your answer.
Forget what others are using and use what is best for you. As I have stated I use Sonar, but it is version 5.2PE. The current version is 8.5PE so my version is about 4 years old but it does everything I need it to do. My advice would be to pick one sequencer and learn how to use it. Try the demos as well as RealBand and pick the one that is most comfortable FOR YOU.
If you want the chord symbols to scroll by in Sonar you have to type them in. I very rarely do that. I just print out either a chord sheet or lead sheet with the chords from BiaB.
An afterthought: I don’t know what you know or don’t know about sequencing but I’m guessing based on your questions that you are a beginner; if I’m wrong I apologize. If you are just starting out I would concentrate on RealBand. It will do what you want/need it to do I’m sure. Listen to some of the very professional sounding music that has been produced with RealBand in these forums. Also I believe it has the easiest transition path from BiaB.
Good luck – I hope this helped.
I arrived early to a restaurant.
The manager asks, "do you mind waiting a bit?"
I said no.
"Good", he said. "Take these drinks to table 3"
64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
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RealBand
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MarioD,
I've been using RealBand since it came out. I like it. I used PT before that. I find RealBand to be very unstable. I have had no success using ASIO drivers with it. What I thought about doing is combining some RealTracks with MIDI stuff in Cubase, SONAR or something else. Hoping to use ASIO to have more inputs and outputs, and record voice and guitar to go along with the backing tracks. Realband crashes everytime I switch to ASIO, and I constantly get "access violation" errors. So, I'm hoping a new DAW will give me more choices.
Thanks for your help in all of this.
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Quote:
Which one works better with BIAB and RealBand: Sonar or Cubase. I'm looking to add one or the other. Which one would be easier to learn. I have only used PowerTrack and RealBand so far. Thanks.
I started out using Sonar as my sequencer, but more and more I use RealBand. It's more convenient to use a sequencer that natively understands the BIAB format. RB comes with BIAB and has the same basic feature set as both Sonar and Cubase, so you will be spending money...(a LOT of money.. those programs are not cheap) for very little extra capability. Most people who use a different sequencer have been using that sequencer for years, and they are comfortable with it.
If I didn't already own Sonar, I would certainly not go buy it now. Why are you considering this? Is there something you want to do that RealBand is unable to do?
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rstill48,
You first need to learn what ASIO is for. My guess is you don't. Once you figure this out you'll realize that you can do everything in RB at this point.
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Quote:
I was hoping to learn a little more about processing and production, mixing and mastering. Wanted to learn more about VST. Wanted to learn what others are using, just to keep up.
You can do all those things in Real Band. Before spending more money, consider learning to do those things with the software you already have. You can't buy expertise. No matter which software you use, you have to learn how to use its features. IMHO, it is a better use of your software cash to stay updated on one great software package than to try maintaining several products that do almost the same thing.
Quote:
On playback, can you see the chords whizzing by like BIAB or RealBand? Thanks..
Once you leave the PGMusic paradigm, you won't see the chords anymore. That's a PGMusic convention, part of what makes this software so user-friendly and IMHO, superior to all the other music-making software out there.
Quote:
How do you enter chord symbols into Cubase or Sonar from a tune done in RealBand.
you should ask for help with Sonar or Cubase on the Sonar or Cubase forums. PGMusic does not support those products.
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Quote:
rstill48,
You first need to learn what ASIO is for. My guess is you don't. Once you figure this out you'll realize that you can do everything in RB at this point.
Nice. Very helpful post. Glad to know I'm an idiot and you are so smart. Makes being on the forum much more fun, don't you think? You must be a joy to work with!
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Sorry just trying to get you to dig this out. It tends to stick better and is more satisfying. You really only need ASIO if your trying to play a soft synth with a MIDI controller.
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rstill48: Silvertones (John) didn't call you an idiot. He just felt you weren't clear on what ASIO does for you. You wrote: Quote:
Hoping to use ASIO to have more inputs and outputs, and record voice and guitar to go along with the backing tracks.
ASIO does not give you more inputs and outputs; it is merely an audio driver for existing inputs/outputs that provides a lower level of latency than going through the normal Windows driver model. It's success depends on your computer, the sound card in use, and other factors.
Lots of folks on the forum here successfully record voice and guitar over backing tracks without ever touching ASIO drivers.
At least, that's the way I read the post.
John Laptop-HP Omen I7 Win11Pro 32GB 12TB SSD Desktop-ASUS-I7 Win10Pro 32GB 12TB SATA BB2026/UMC204HD&404HD/Casios/Cakewalk/Reaper/Studio One/Notion/Dorico/Noteworthy/NI/Halion/IK http://www.sus4chord.com (under rehosting/construction)
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I would also suggest using RB and PT rather than the large investment for Sonar or Cubase. These do a lot for me. I use ASIO on Rb and it works good these days.
If you are dead set on adding another Program to the tool bag i would suggest trying Multitrackstudio from Bremmer's audio. It is solid and powerful and allows drop and drag flawlessly.
HP Win 11 12 gig ram, Mac mini Sonoma with 16 gig of ram, BiaB/RB 2026, Reaper 7, Harrison Mixbus 11 , Presonus Audiobox USB96
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Well, if someone is using one of the E-MU soundcards, use of MME/WDM will only yield one stereo pair of inputs and outputs fregardless of how many physical inputs and outputs are on the card.
"E-MU ASIO" drivers, on the other hand, will allow them to use as many physical inputs and outputs as the particular card has on it, the lowest number available being 4 for the E-MU 0404 series.
The 1616 works the same way, only one stereo pair when using Windows Sound, boo.
Don't know why, but that's the way E-MU designed the things to work.
There may be other brands of soundcards that do that, dunno.
--Mac
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Yes Mac that's true my Creative A2ZSNB is that way however with the KX drivers I get full access to all 4 pairs using WDM.
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But isn't that because the manufacturer chose not to incorporate it into the MME/WDM driver? In other words, they could have provided access to the other ports to choose from, but instead chose not to with MME/WDM, but did include with ASIO.
John Laptop-HP Omen I7 Win11Pro 32GB 12TB SSD Desktop-ASUS-I7 Win10Pro 32GB 12TB SATA BB2026/UMC204HD&404HD/Casios/Cakewalk/Reaper/Studio One/Notion/Dorico/Noteworthy/NI/Halion/IK http://www.sus4chord.com (under rehosting/construction)
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Quote:
But isn't that because the manufacturer chose not to incorporate it into the MME/WDM driver? In other words, they could have provided access to the other ports to choose from, but instead chose not to with MME/WDM, but did include with ASIO.
I get the picture that, in the case of the E-MU soundcards, something about their hardware implementation prevented them from implementing multiple-channel support for the WDM drivers.
At one point, several years ago, the development team used to post on the unofficial E-MU forum and at least two of them said that they were looking into the problem. Then, it -- and the developers themselves -- simply disappeared. Now we have but one E-MU representative left still actively posting there.
So I don't think it was exactly a situation where the manufacturer "chose" to have it work that way, more like they were "stuck" with it being that way for reasons unknown to those of us outside that inner circle of knowledge.
--Mac
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Consider Reaper. You can dl and try it before you pay. I used it before I got asio issues worked out with my emu. Unless they've changed, it's fully functional with only a nag screen.
Also you might consider CakeWalk Music Creator which will do what you want for less money than Sonar. Has less features but includes a decent sounding soft synth for about $40.
Sonar LE and Cubase LE are bundled with some equipment. Both came with my emu. Functional but not as many features as the full programs and doesn't include the soft synth you get in Music Creator.
If you can - try before you decide. Some programs feel more comfortable to people than others.
It's so frustrating to have asio issues.
Good luck.
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Mac,
Can't be the hardware in my opinion as my Creative A2ZSNB can't use more then one pair with WDM with there drivers however with KX I can. A side note is that Sonar calls there drivers WDM/KS and multiple pairs do show up with the Creative drivers. I guess WDM kernel streaming is some sort of cross between WDM & ASIO.
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Quote:
Nice. Very helpful post. Glad to know I'm an idiot and you are so smart. Makes being on the forum much more fun, don't you think? You must be a joy to work with!
Man, some people are just so sensitive...
Rstill48, you let John's pretty benign post blow you out of this thread? It's April 3rd already. Come on back, nobody's going to bite you  Seriously.
Bob
Biab/RB latest build, Win 11 Pro, Ryzen 5 5600 G, 512 Gig SSD, 16 Gigs Ram, Steinberg UR22 MkII, Roland Sonic Cell, Kurzweil PC3, Hammond SK1, Korg PA3XPro, Garritan JABB, Hypercanvas, Sampletank 3, more.
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One more reason to add Sonar or Cubase to your suite of tools. It makes your studio look professional. It also may be the DAW that is used at your local college. If you want to build a studio that is accepted by your neighbors you will need to have and be able to use to some functionality a 'Pro DAW'. Now that doesn't mean biab and real band is junk just that it isn't widely accepted as pro stuff. I have had to get a pro tools le set up so I can take music tech courses at the local community college. Sp far, I wouldn't recommend to anyone. I have tried playing with Reaper and don't see why all the excitement. I liked powertracks pro and still like biab and real band. Now I just have to figure out how to use all of the neat features in both.
Dell 610 dual Monitor, win 7-10, Sonar Plat, ProTools 10 & 11, Reaper 4, BIAB/real Band 2022, Easy Drummer, Superior Drummer, Kontact Essentials, Personnel Orchestra, Korg Legacy Analog & Digital
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