Which DAW to use?

shaneblyth · Post by **shaneblyth** » Fri Oct 13, 2006 4:12 am

i have used Live Logic pro and express Digital performer and cubase
Reason and gargheband
I use Live mostly.. I too never liked Logic .. cubase was alot simpler to use in my opinion.. Digital Performer is good and if your mate has it then maybe you can ask to use it for a while.. I did this for a month.. it only has a CD key so is very transportable. In the end I stuck with Live as thats what suited me.. I probably would still use cubase (I used the free LE version on Mac and the full on a PC but now am Mac only) but for one thing the free version is still not universal Binary You can rewire Live into another daw if you so desire which is a big plus..
I personally would stick with Live but have a play with DP if your mate will let you..
It really depends on what you want to do doesnt it

Hardtoe · Post by **Hardtoe** » Fri Oct 13, 2006 4:27 am

Check out DSP Quattro for mastering - very affordable and straight froward - as for a sequencer/multitracker, I used to use Digital Performer, but it is too complex - Live is much better, so I would just stick with it - you really only need a stereo editor with Live (and not even that so much with the new render and freeze features)...

Live does it all better baby....

Ps (I do full on mixing and production for bands and like Live the best!!!)

Cheers

Orion

FreeTechniques · Post by **FreeTechniques** » Fri Oct 13, 2006 5:33 am

I used to use Protools with an MPC, and while that is definitely an extremely capable setup, I switched to Live about 4 or 5 months ago. I haven't opened Protools in over a month now, and I'm only really keeping at this point because of the compatibility for clients. Live (for me at least) has a much faster workflow, and is the ONLY music program i've used that is actually fun, which makes up for the very few things it may lack. I was getting bogged down with gear and bullshit problems before, and now I've been getting ALOT more music done (quitting my dead end job helped out quite a bit too ('

')).

I used Cubase for a very short while (I absolutely hated it) and I personally wouldn't recommend it, though of course some swear by it. I still like Protools alot, I think it's awesome software, but I don't like Digidesign's hardware choice (actually,
the lack thereof).

When I first started running Live, I was a bit concerned about how CPU intensive it was, but using the asskicking routing options for resampling combined with freeze and flatten, it's really not much of an issue.
I think the most demanding song I'm working on right now has 28 audio tracks running at 48khz 24bit off an external firewire drive, with around 20 plugs spread out over the audio tracks, plus 1 instance of Kontakt and 2 softsynths triggered from 4 or 5 midi tracks, and 3 aux sends ( a reverb, and two different delays).

This is all running off a Powerbook G4 1.5 ghz with 2gb of ram, through an old MOTU 828, OS 10.3.9, Live 6. It has been pretty fucking rock solid so far. At this large of a session my CPU is maxing around 75 percent, but once I freeze some tracks, resample, and just clean up a bit it will be fine.

I would imagine you would be doing QUITE WELL with a new Imac with 2gbs of ram, and you have a lot of interfaces to choose from (I'm not going to go there though).

FreeTechniques · Post by **FreeTechniques** » Fri Oct 13, 2006 5:34 am

I used to use Protools with an MPC, and while that is definitely an extremely capable setup, I switched to Live about 4 or 5 months ago. I haven't opened Protools in over a month now, and I'm only really keeping at this point because of the compatibility for clients. Live (for me at least) has a much faster workflow, and is the ONLY music program i've used that is actually fun, which makes up for the very few things it may lack. I was getting bogged down with gear and bullshit problems before, and now I've been getting ALOT more music done (quitting my dead end job helped out quite a bit too ('

')).

I used Cubase for a very short while (I absolutely hated it) and I personally wouldn't recommend it, though of course some swear by it. I still like Protools alot, I think it's awesome software, but I don't like Digidesign's hardware choice (actually,
the lack thereof).

When I first started running Live, I was a bit concerned about how CPU intensive it was, but using the asskicking routing options for resampling combined with freeze and flatten, it's really not much of an issue.
I think the most demanding song I'm working on right now has 28 audio tracks running at 48khz 24bit off an external firewire drive, with around 20 plugs spread out over the audio tracks, plus 1 instance of Kontakt and 2 softsynths triggered from 4 or 5 midi tracks, and 3 aux sends ( a reverb, and two different delays).

This is all running off a Powerbook G4 1.5 ghz with 2gb of ram, through an old MOTU 828, OS 10.3.9, Live 6. It has been pretty fucking rock solid so far. At this large of a session my CPU is maxing around 75 percent, but once I freeze some tracks, resample, and just clean up a bit it will be fine.

I would imagine you would be doing QUITE WELL with a new Imac with 2gbs of ram, and you have a lot of interfaces to choose from (I'm not going to go there though).

FreeTechniques · Post by **FreeTechniques** » Fri Oct 13, 2006 5:36 am

sorry about the double post, I'm an ass when it comes to this forum stuff!

System6music · Post by **System6music** » Fri Oct 13, 2006 5:36 am

no support for AU also. No thanks, vsts on pc, AU on mac for me

Machinesworking · Post by **Machinesworking** » Fri Oct 13, 2006 7:44 am

I run Live, Logic, and DP.

If you are just recording other people's music and making your own with no intention of playing live, then go with Digital Performer or Logic. Right now, I would say Digital Performer though, the tweaking afforded in the latest version loans itself to Industrial, it's cheaper and no dongle.

Live if you want to play live, the rest don't even come close. Live is still easier to figure out, but DP does have some advantages in the MIDI department, and it actually destructively edits your audio without workarounds.

Logic has the highest track counts with virtual instruments and FX, and if you are looking for a composing software, I would say Logic is probably the most ergonomic once you acclimate to it's workflow, and create your key commands etc. but the fact is most people find it difficult to grasp at first.
I personally am gravitating towards Digital Performer for surgical MIDI work and destructive editing, plus the integration with Live is better.

wilxon · Post by **wilxon** » Fri Oct 13, 2006 8:43 am

CWoodOne wrote:
wilxon wrote:I just got my copy of Cubase Studio 4,
i have only played aroud with it for 20 mins but so far i cant see a lot different to SL3.

The channel edit function is loads better though. More inserts and sends, and much easier to use the parametric EQ.

The new VSTi3's are cool, halion 1 and prologue (good for dirty bass sounds) and some of the new VSt 3 plugins are OK two.

Will probably say more after the weekend.

Not as a big improvement as LIVE is this year.

cheers, just needed to sound off a little.
Look what's NOT there... older VST's, older VI's, etc....

but the instrument tracks and presets are great

ah well, i haveall of the older ones, but they are a little overshadowed by the new ones.

I think at the moment that it was definatly worth the upgrade of £30.

You can work with loops now as well - i read quickly in the manual whilst flickin throughit.

even though you could before.

System6music · Post by **System6music** » Fri Oct 13, 2006 11:00 pm

Ok. Downloaded the demo and loaded some mp3s out of my itunes as tracks. sounded like garbage, but I could get 48 tracks going flawlessly. I couldn't get my CPU over 20%!

I am seriously thinking that live is going to be my main DAW.

What is it lacking that other music apps have? Alot of people have said editing, but for live/rock type bands how much editing will actually need to be done. punch in, punch out, duplicate tracks, ect....right?

thanks,

Stitches

p.s. I haven't even got into editing yet

and this was all done on a mac mini intel duo 1.66 with 512 RAM. internal 5400 HD. Internal sound card.

wilxon · Post by **wilxon** » Fri Oct 13, 2006 11:07 pm

The thing is that all of the DAWs lack something that the others have.

I was a strong cubase user, moved to Fruity Loops (for fun) and i am a big live user.

The biggest difference for me is how hey effect my attitude.

I am always happy when working in Live and Fruity,

I havnt touched Cubase for months, i have just bought cubase 4, and within an hour im in a bad mood wondering WHY DOESNT IT JUST WORK

speed of workflow is definatly my top feature in a program, for this point alone i think Live would be my reccommendation.

PLus - - - - if you can get a copy of live 5 before 31 october you can get a free upgrade to live 6.

wilxon · Post by **wilxon** » Fri Oct 13, 2006 11:09 pm

Why dont you try demo's of Sonar, Cubase, Logic and whatever else also.

wilxon · Post by **wilxon** » Fri Oct 13, 2006 11:12 pm

oh and one more thing,

You wont gat another company in the world where the staff are so dedicated to helping its users.

2nd to none. My signature is making a request to bring back the edit button, the reason you see threads like these here is because the Abletons might actually listen.

I wouldnt even bother trying this over in steinberg or native instruments.

paradiddle · Post by **paradiddle** » Sat Oct 14, 2006 1:30 am

I think you'll find that it is a multi-facet app. The live improv part, sound design, a multitrack, vst sequencing, effect box, a sampler.

The automation is so easy to tackle with.

System6music · Post by **System6music** » Sat Oct 14, 2006 2:04 am

Thanks all. I have got to say my biggest turn off of live is how freakin ugly it is. 2d knobs and sliders, blah!

It's been so easy to use, and I am liking it more every second.

The reason I don't get and try demos of others is because digital performer (my first real pick) offers no demo version. Logic pro offers no demo version. and cakewalk is a pc app, I run a mac......

I just might have to try cubase 4, but I hate the idea of having to use vsts in os x. Wheres the AU?!

thanks again.

Stitches

wilxon · Post by **wilxon** » Sat Oct 14, 2006 9:11 am

I think if i was running a mac i would choose logic over cubase.

Why dont you try cubase demo, and if you like it just choose logic.

I would choose live though. the 2d is all part of the fun.

Cubase designed VST, thats why you used to get Cubase VST, its their standard and everybody else uses that standard, and why you get it with cubase.

Logic designed AU, thats why you used to get Logic Audio Units, its their standard and everybody else also uses that standard, and why you get it with Logic. When EMagic was bought by Apple, AU then became a Mac standard.

I think it was discusting that emagic had such a loyal PC userbase, and when mac purchased e-magic the just cut them off with no further updates or versions.