Cubase, Logic, Live, 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 it as much detail as you can handle.  You can skip the first 3 pages and jump straight to the reviews, unless you really have to know everything. 

The Top Sequencers

Sonar    Cubase   Logic Pro   Digital Performer

Part I Comparisons over Time
1999-2007             
Page        1        2         3      

Part II  Reviews of Sequencers

• Review of Cubase SX I (PC)
  Review Of Cubase SX 3  (Mac and PC)

• Review of Sonar 2
  Review of Sonar 3
  Review of Sonar 4 and 5

• Review of the Ableton Live
  Review of the Ableton Live 3, 5 and 6

• Early History of Logic
• Review of Logic 5 (PC)
• Review of Logic 6.3 (Mac)
• Review of Logic Pro 6 (Mac)
• Review of Logic Pro 7  (Mac)
• Review of Logic Studio/Pro 8

• Review of Digital Performer 4 (Mac)

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

Screenshot from Cakewalk pro Audio9

Screenshot from Sonar 1.31

Screen from Sonar 3.0

Screen from Sonar 4.0

View a Sonar 5 screenshot on Cakewalk's site

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 5.0
click 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. 

Screenshot from Cubase SX3

Screenshot of Cubase 4 AI 

Get the lowdown on Cubase

Vintage Cubase Atari

Ableton Live V 6

Logic 4.7 to Logic 8.0 Graphic User Interfaces

Screenshot from Logic 4.7.2
 

Screenshots from Logic 6

Screenshots 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 

Check out more info and screens for Logic Pro 8

Vintage Notator (precursor to Logic)

MOTU Digital Performer 4.12

Get info on Digital Performer 4.5

I'm done with Reviews lets Go to the Next Class


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Logic, Cubase, Sonar and Performer: Which Sequencer is Best?
Review of Logic Studio
Review of Cubase SX
Review of Sonar
Ableton Live
Review of MOTU Digital Performer
Sequencer City!
Logic Pro 7
Clock Sync, SMPTE, MTC and MMC
Studio-Central Community :: View topic - Pro Tools LE Review
Pictures of Vintage MIDI Sequencers
Review of ACID
Review of Reason
Using Propellerheads Reason
Review of Garage Band
The History of Logic
How to Build a Cakewalk Instrument Definition

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