I considered Cubase when Gibson screwed over all the Cakewalk users (and yes, that's what happened ). Cubase had the deepest MIDI integration, and much of what I do is done in MIDI more than with audio files.

I didn't know Reaper could "import" Cakewalk files; I'll keep that in mind. Thanks!

And as far as the number of Cakewalk users is concerned, there are easily more of us than most people think...though, admittedly, a few less after Gibson's mess.

I haven't started to pay for Cakewalk's subscription yet, but if they offer Black Friday discounts or something, it might still come out to roughly the same amount of money each year as buying upgrades to Cubase's top-of-the-line version, which would be the only equivalent (that I've seen). Of course, Reaper is much cheaper, and if it works.... But, like you, I know that when I first opened it after installing it, I didn't feel interested or...well, anything. I just went back to Cakewalk Platinum (from 2017), which was still working fine in Windows 10.

Steve

I miss 8.5. Been a user since pro audio 9.

I did buy producer right before they pulled out the rug. I’m using current version now. I just want to write music, and tolerate it to avoid learning a new program. Lots of counterintuitive features, but I’m used to it enough and it’s stable on my rig

I'd really rather not have to learn a new DAW, either. That's also part of why I looked at Cubase. I had an "LE" version of it that came with my audio interface, and I tried it out a bit at the time. I could get audio and MIDI through it without having to read the manual, which was a plus.

The interface also came with a version of Ableton Live, and I never gelled with that app. I just couldn't do anything in it without having to read the manual. It's definitely geared toward a different (e.g., non-linear) way of making music. It's no better or worse than any other DAW, but I just never spent enough time with it to see if it could replace Cakewalk and the "linear" way I've done things for...well, 35 years now, I guess.

Steve

I do.

8.5 was the best version and the last professional version of that DAW. It was before Noel and company tried to crash it into the mountain by turning it into the "X" series and removing features and screwing everything up. Really, it's sad what they did to it after 8.5. I will credit BandLab for reversing a lot of what Noel screwed up though. They put a lot of work into it, to restore it to its former glory.

I used Sonar 8 forever, up until I upgraded to Windows 10 from XP. Now that computer won’t even boot anymore, it just cycles through a constant crash. I stuck with Sonar forever, even though everyone advised to switch to PT, but I’m against subscription-based software. The main thing I loved about Sonar was their commitment (back when) to working hand in glove with Universal Audio and their plug-ins. It was a great experience.

I chucked the whole mess. Got me a Mac Mini and downloaded LUNA. I’m never looking back!

I would use any of the Producer series I bought.

X1 a,b,c,d,Expanded,X2,X3 all on CD Rom.Just to over clarify (quite unnecessary but I just love tapping this phone touch screen with my forefinger NOT), especially as text is insanely considered talking for some decades now,no way, never, and not for me it ain't :Sorry again All.

My Dupytrens Contracture afflicted left hand forefinger (at least it is not my fretting hand - that only has also sadly self inflicted very arthritic knuckles,by using too heavy gauge at A440 Hz (mandatory work conditions) strings with a locking trem ) I personally was super late with computers in 2009 a cool Bass Guitar bloke gave me his Pent.III XP machine.I soon got a Dell XPS 2nd gen.i7,and a parts picked Desktop,ancient but still does 4 Screens 1 was a semi large 1080p TV,all in storage,and good enough.

After Craig Anderton - formerly of Guitar Player magazine,did the Big Book of Sonar,(still downloadable) I would also use Platinum or, if that is what Bandlab is? Once on, dare I say it ; if it looks like SONAR; once I can figure an Intel Ultra CPU laptop to also run Windows 7 64bit.

All of this once finally in a Real Single Person House again. I would certainly pickup that Gibson Les Paul Left Handed Studio (backwards volume/tone) and all- c'mon Gibson Left'ys are Vegan Bonobo Chimps too,instead of the Carnivore murdering Chimps (we all are related to as well) and get an Intel Ultra CPU Laptop (even with $1 AUD being only 62 or so US¢ ) once I can decipher whether said machine, can run SONAR with all the stuff I bought through Cakewalk online store, I'll be back (with a real RH squire Bass Guitar this time) in a fast Heartbeat.

I really liked Platinum with Melodyne being able to turn any audio into MIDI,old news I realise now,but it really is a great DAW. I bet it still is,even for an eventually rehoused (I cannot share unless better than good friends) as a 61 year old.

Something that seemed to happen overnight lol.