Cubase, Logic, Pro Tools, Sonar, DP, Live:
Which Sequencer
is Best?
By Tweak
Deciding on which sequencer is one of the most important decisions when putting together a computer based recording studio. I will give you as much detail as you can stand. If you follow "the Hand" at the bottom of the page you'll run through only the newest reviews. I've listed all of them on this page in case you want more background.
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Sonar  12-24-09 |
Part I Recent Reviews of Sequencers
Review of Sonar Review of Sonar 8.5 Producer (coming soon)
Review of the Ableton Live 3, 5 and 6
Part II Older Reviews
Review of Logic 6.3 (Mac)
Review of Logic Pro 6 (Mac)
Review of Logic Pro 7 (Mac)
Review Of Cubase SX 3 (Mac and PC)
Even Older
Screenshot Page
Some of these screenshots are large! Don't click them if you are on a modem. Some are jpg files at a 19" Monitor hi resolution
Cakewalk and Sonar Graphic User Interfaces
Screen from Sonar 8.5
Screenshot from Cakewalk pro Audio9
Screenshot from Sonar 1.31
Screenshot of Sonar 2.2
Screen from Sonar 3.0
Screen from Sonar 4.0 rewired to Project 5
As you see before version 3.0, Cakewalks look is "more basic" than the others. Yet it has essentially the same features. One advantage of this approach is that screens draw with far less CPU activity. This can make the program "snappier" Look at the big difference between Cakewalk and Sonar. Sonar is a tremendous improvement, and we have high hopes for Sonar 3.0. Review of Sonar3
Vintage Pic--Cakewalk Pro 4 (DOS!)
Steinberg Cubase VST and Cubase SX and Cubase 4 Graphic User Interfaces
Screenshot from VST 5.0click to enlarge
Screenshot from Cubase SX I
Cubase has a very rich look indeed. If we were choosing sequencers on looks alone it would have my vote. A cool display helps inspire the songwriter, and heck, its just plain fun to watch your creation dance on the screen. Cubase SX had a major overhaul of the GUI. As you see it's quite a bit different. Cubase 4 revised the scheme again.
Cubase has a very rich look indeed. If we were choosing sequencers on looks alone it would have my vote. A cool display helps inspire the songwriter, and heck, its just plain fun to watch your creation dance on the screen. Cubase SX had a major overhaul of the GUI. As you see it's quite a bit different. Cubase 4 revised the scheme again.
Screenshot from Cubase SX3
Screenshot of Cubase 4 AI
Screenshot of Cubase 5.1
Vintage Cubase Atari
Pro Tools 8 LE
Ableton Live V 6
Logic 1.5 to Logic 8.0 Graphic User Interfaces
Logic 1.5 (Atari)
Screen from Logic 3.5
Screenshot from Logic 4.7.2
Screenshot from Logic 5 PC
Screenshot from Logic 6
Screenshot from Logic 7
Logic takes a middle road approach in terms of graphics. While extremely artfully designed, the windows have a lighter, less 3d look compared to Cubase. As with Cakewalk, there is less work redrawing a Logic screen. The real cool thing about Logic is the ability to configure 90 screens like the one above and select them with a keystroke or two. Logic 5.0 was a major overhaul of the GUI, most notably to accommodate the new automation system. Logic 8 was a big overhaul to the GUI again.
Logic Studio-8
Vintage Notator (precursor to Logic)
MOTU Digital Performer 4.12
Get info on Digital Performer 4.5
