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.

Part I Recent Reviews of Sequencers

Review of Pro Tools LE 8

Review of Cubase 5

Review of Sonar Review of Sonar 8.5 Producer (coming soon)

Review of Logic Studio/Pro 9

Review of the Ableton Live 3, 5 and 6

Review of Digital Performer 4 (Mac)

Part II Older Reviews

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 Cubase SX I (PC)

Review Of Cubase SX 3 (Mac and PC)

Review of Sonar 2

Review of Sonar 3

Review of the Ableton Live

Even Older

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

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 5.0
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

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.