You can get a free Addictive Keys piano if you buy a Focusrite interface, or UVI Model D if you buy a PreSonus interface. Bundled instruments and synths in a low-end DAW are not a selling point to someone who wants to get into this seriously. Pianissimo really isn't sounding much better- if at all - than the free Acoustic Grand Piano you get in SampleTank CS (or dirt cheap AIR Mini Grand). another reason why I would favor Cakewalk, especially for a beginner/upstart. There is a reason why Cakewalk is seeing a lot more coverage, and increasing amounts of coverage, on YouTube - while there is very little available for MixCraft. MixCraft is great, and absent the 'free Sonar Platinum' I would totally agree with you but it is not a better DAW and it makes little sense to buy into it given the current choices (and their price points). Cakewalk is the more comprehensive offering, when you factor in the base DAW - unless you want to edit video in your DAW - and more powerful for MIDI composition. You're still going to want to get better plugins, soft synths and/or virtual instruments if you go with MixCraft.

Click to expand.Unless you have a preconceived preference, MixCraft is really a waste of money when its Windows-only and you can get Cakewalk which I don't even use (Cubase Pro, here).

Reaper vs mixcraft