Subject:OT: Project 5 v2

Posted by: Rednroll

Date:4/20/2005 5:35:04 PM

Anyone see Cakewalk's latest Project 5 v2? I guess that demoed it at NAB. The thing is, they did the smart thing and didn't release it at that time, probably because it wasn't ready. Maybe Sony could take note of that for it's next Vegas release huh?

Anyways, I took a look at P5 v2 and I got excited for the first time in a long time when seeing a new software release. It looks to have a lot of everything I've been asking for in Acid. Acid loop support, Full midi sequencing features, VSTi's, audio recording, Rewire Host/Slave, Live input midi monitoring during playback and record, assignable FX knobs to midi controlers, and recording of those parameters, step recording, input quantize....etc..etc..etc.. Too bad, I couldn't get that and rewire it to Vegas.......I guess I'll have to look at Sonar too now.

Subject:RE: OT: Project 5 v2

Reply by: Zacchino

Date:4/21/2005 3:31:56 PM

Input Quantize... Mhhh, that's sweet (especially for lazy a** like I).

Subject:RE: OT: Project 5 v2

Reply by: Rednroll

Date:4/21/2005 5:24:28 PM

I just learned one of the drawbacks though, and that's if you use external midi gear like I do. P5 has no midi out capabilities. In other words you can't route a midi track to an external sound module or keyboard, etc. From what I understand P5 was designed as a Virtual Synth work station. So it's VSTi and DXi implementation is superior to Acid. It's midi sequencer is superior to Acid, but done all within the PC. There is a way, to get the midi tracks out a midi port to your external sound modules and that's through using a midi plugin which allows you to assign the midi port and midi track the midi data gets routed to. It's just not natively put into Project 5.

Subject:RE: OT: Project 5 v2

Reply by: randygo

Date:4/21/2005 5:48:36 PM

I've just been playing with the Project 5v2 demo.

It's pretty cool. It looks like they have taken the main features of Acid, Live, and some of the audio tracking features of Sonar.

Its pretty intuitive and there is a lot about the user interface that I like.

The audio tracking is pretty basic though. There are no event envelopes or crossfades. The automation feature I find difficult to use as well. The audio features of Sonar 4 are much more Vegas-like.

It is pretty limited in configuration options. For example, I could find no setting that would have the cursor return to the start position when play is stopped. There are also no markers and snapping is basic. No scroll-wheel zoom, but the zoom handle could be usable.

There is a track-folder like feature they call "Layers" which allow multiple tracks to be grouped under control of a master track. However, I think this is pretty basic too.

It does look like an excellent all-around composition and performance tool though, and I expect it could become a strong competitor to Acid.

Randy