I'm a huge fan of Mixcraft, and even run a YT channel called... Fans of Mixcraft. When it comes to being comprehensive and easy to use, its really second to none. Version 9 can get quirky when you push it hard, but they are getting that sorted out (its a tiny company). If you spring for the Pro version, the Pianissimo piano sounds great and is lightweight too.
Regardless of what DAW you choose, be sure to try a demo and run 20 or so instances of BBC to see how it behaves. I have an older i5-4570s machine 16gb/500ssd and Bitwig is the only DAW running a full set of BBC tracks reliably right now on my machine. Mixcraft and Reaper get a little quirky for me when the RAM starts filling up.
Here's an Orchestral track I did with the stock Mixcraft instruments...
Best,
Nathan
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).
You're still going to want to get better plugins, soft synths and/or virtual instruments if you go with MixCraft. 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.
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).
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... another reason why I would favor Cakewalk, especially for a beginner/upstart.
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). Bundled instruments and synths in a low-end DAW are not a selling point to someone who wants to get into this seriously.
You can get a free Addictive Keys piano if you buy a Focusrite interface, or UVI Model D if you buy a PreSonus interface. Pianissimo is literally ignorable, as both of those are better, and an interface with headphones is a better investment than paying for MixCraft Pro Studio over using Cakewalk by BandLab for free.
You can buy AIEP Complete for $80 and come out with better synths and instruments than MixCraft, and save money.
Get Cakewalk and use that money to buy whatever else he needs.
Not to mention the free options should always be de facto because who wants to spend money when they'd otherwise be fine with what they can have for nothing?
Cakewalk: Better resources, better third party/hardware support, etc.
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And if I'm going to be honest, some of those sounds sound synthesized, and barely better than what you'd get out of the included TTS-1 GM player in Cakewalk.