Project 5: Opinions?

[ElectricPuppy]

I've got Sonar, but I can't seem to work in a linear style, and I've been eyeing Live. But, since I'm already familiar with Cakewalk's ways and interface style, and since Live is significantly more money, I thought I'd try Project 5.

 

I downloaded the demo and tried it out... Well. I think this might be exactly what I was looking for. I like the groove matrix, and I like how quickly you can create patterns on the fly. I haven't tried Live's demo yet, but since Project 5 is cheaper and I already "know" Cakewalk's stuff, I'm leaning in that direction.

 

Now, the questions:

 

1) Has anyone used Project 5 and Live? Which do you prefer, and why? I'd still be willing to try Live if someone can point out major advantages of Live over P5 to overcome the price difference.

 

2) Previously I shied away from P5 because I thought it wouldn't work with external MIDI synths. It looks like v2.5 removes this limitation, but I haven't tried it myself. Can someone confirm that they're using P5 successfully with external synths?

 

3) Contrary to my hardwarian nature, I'm intrigued by Rapture, particularly since they're offering a deal on it bundled with P5 right now. Anyone have opinions on Rapture?

 

Thanks.

[Rabid]

I'll make a few comments.

 

Live and Project5 have a different flow.

Live is better for playing live and it is fun to groove with a controller in Live.

Live has some "logical arps" that are nice.

Project5 is nice for building styles with groups of patterns.

Project5 has better included instruments and as you said, you get a good deal on other Cakewalk stuff.

The Project5 Instruments will work in Sonar. If you build a song in Project5 and need to go into linear mode to finalize the mix it will be an easier step to move the song from Project5 to Sonar.

It seems like more people use Live and it is easier to find tutorials and controller mappings for Live.

Live uses online registration/validation and limits you to two installs. I have it on my two laptops.

Project5 requires that you register and get a code but does not lock you into limited installs. I have it on 3 PC's and a laptop, plus my PC at the office.

Live works on Windows or Mac. Project5 is Windows only.

[ElectricPuppy]

Thanks for that, Rabid, that's some good info.

 

Since you use both, do you find you prefer one over the other, or do you find that it depends on the "mode" you happen to find yourself in at the moment?

[Rabid]

It really depends on my mood and where I plan to go with a song. Live is good to entertain an audience or hash out a quick arrangement. If I am working on something that I know will eventually be moved to a real DAW for linear finalization then I prefer Project5.

 

I'm old school and I like to change things up alot throughout a song. That is when I like to move to a linear DAW and start changing up MIDI notes or adjusting controllers to make each loop a bit different than the last. That is the hard part for Live. You can go into a linear mode but it is much easier to do this part in something like Sonar.

[Rabid]

One thing to consider, if you get the Project5/Rapture deal and later decide you want to move to Live, you will have severial instruments from Project5 that you can use in Live. You will also be able to use the MIDI patterns or audio loops you create in Project5 in Live.

 

It is better to go from Project5 to Live than from Live to Project5.

[ElectricPuppy]

More good data, thanks Rabid. I have the Producer edition of Sonar, so I've already got a number of instruments, most have gone unloved, though. I like your idea of converting to linear and switching things up a bit. I always thought the purely pattern-driven songs tend to be too sterile. My intention is to use P5 mainly as a sketchpad.