It seems that there are so many things on the motif line geared toward using it with Cubase on the DAW. However I am a long time Sonar user, so I wanted to ask if others have made the switch to using Cubase from Sonar (for similar reasons - ie better integration with the hardware) and how the transition went?

Thanks

Just out of interest, what things do you know integrate better with Cubase than with other DAWs? 

Motif keyboards work wonderfully with a wide range of the most popular DAWs.  I may or may not know the answer to the question I asked you, but it’s you that matters, not me, so something in particular must have been tugging at you to switch?

In my experience, ditching a long term, well loved and well used tool for something else is always a really bad move unless you absolutely have to.  When I say unless you absolutely have to, what I mean is when something as serious as a developer will no longer be making a product from next week and an impending operating system update will not be compatible with it as it is.

(even then I’d try to find a way with sticking with what I had)

So with that in mind, do you think the integration with Motif that you expect to get with Cubase is worth more than all that you currently do on Sonar?

Well I did say seems as I have only recently got the motif board (well a moxf really but essentially the same) - and it just seems looking at the documentation that the VST editor setup for one, the fact that Cubase can open an .all file and motif song files...and just an overall sense that the two MAY work together more smoothly, without so many hoops to get through...just look at the VST setup steps (and even then it is not full integrated) with Sonar, compared to Cubase. Cubase even has auto setups designed to work seamlessly with the Quick Setups on the motif.

I too am loathe to drop such a comfortable system, but needs must if necessary…

joden1,

Here’s my perspective. I own the XF and own both the included Cubase AI and Ableton Live.

I have tried Cubase and really don’t like it.

I use Live even though the integration with the XF is nowhere near as good as with Cubase...I can’t even use the XF editor because Live does not support VST3 (Sonar does).  Remote Control with Live is not as fully featured as with Cubase, but it has enough features that it is still very useful.

But that’s just me…

If you already own and like Sonar, then stick with it. It will host the editor just fine and the MOXF has a Remote Control template for Sonar.

Your MOXF came with Cubase AI. You can always install it and see what you think yourself.

thx mbf...yeah I have already installed AI but after running it a couple of times, it led me to ask this here, as I wondered if others thought the learning curve justified it.

joden1 - 25 August 2015 02:31 PM

thx mbf...yeah I have already installed AI but after running it a couple of times, it led me to ask this here, as I wondered if others thought the learning curve justified it.

Completely agree with Philwoodmusic and meatballfulton - stay with Sonar. 

The only thing I think you really lose in terms of remote control is the use of the second bank of knobs...so what?

joden1,

Will switching over make your music better?

philwoodmusic - 25 August 2015 07:35 PM

joden1,

Will switching over make your music better?

Good one.

Everyone thinks that their DAW is “the only one to use”.
Fact is, they really all do the same thing..produce and
record music.

Not really the point of the OT though was it!...it was NEVER about making music better, rather it was asking if it would make the process of using the motif with a DAW more streamlined and efficient.

But thanks for the input.

I think it’s the best question that you can possibly ask yourself and I mean that very sincerely.

If you’re a technologist or a collector and acquiring gear and software is your thing, then that’s great, my question might not apply to you.

None of the Motif / Cubase integration will make my music any better, simply because it’s not much better than anything else and there are other ways of editing and recording a Motif.

thanks again, but, and sorry, it is nothing to do with the quality of the music, never was. I was simply asking those who may have used Sonar, and used Cubase which DOES integrate more tightly with the motif (clearly evident from both the manuals and the tutorials.) gave the most efficient, purely from an operational p.o.v. workflow.

That’s it :)

I’d say you are unlikely to hear from anyone who ditched a well used tool for something new.

Most people who regularly use a DAW of any kind and with any kind of seriousness, usually have a rather tribal relationship with it. 

Commonly but not exclusively, Cubase users have historically used other Steinberg products and it seems to work that way for the variety of DAWs.

If you are loath to change, then I’d say that’s a good indicator in itself.

yep, agreed :)