One DAW to rule them all---your suggestions please

gfsark · #1 10-23-2016, 05:18 PM

I'm working on setting up a home recording studio starting with creating a good acoustic environment. I am also shopping DAW's and enjoy obsessing about the tech details about software that I hardly know how to use. I used Mixcraft for a couple of years, and at my recording class we use Pro Tools (of course).

What will I be recording? For starters, myself as singer and acoustic guitar player. Then within a year, will expand into a trio (think Peter, Paul and Mary).

Budget? $800 more or less (not too constrained here). I suspect that most commercial DAWs can do what I need, but I don't want to end up getting frustrated and shopping for something else because I went too cheap or ignored so really useful feature that the more professional programs support.

Most Desired Features: Ease of use & availability of instructional material/training videos/tech support/forums.

MAC or PC: You tell me. I have to buy a new computer. Prefer desktop PC, but perhaps a MAC is in my future.

Thanks for your thoughts! ---geoffrey

sdelsolray · #2 10-23-2016, 05:57 PM

Once you get into how a particular DAW works, it won't matter because that is the DAW you will use into the future. For what you want to do, any of them will be just fine.

buzzardwhiskey · #3 10-23-2016, 08:02 PM

Though I've only used three DAWs, my sense is that no one has come up with a product that is clearly ahead in ease of use or any other measure but one... tutorials and online videos/training. Reaper's videos are the best.

http://www.reaper.fm/videos.php

Rudy4 · #4 10-23-2016, 08:36 PM

Reaper. As a DAW it can be overwhelming because of it's versatility and the shear number of ways the screen can be configured. But there's an easy answer for that.

Set up a simple template for basic recording and go on from there as your needs progress.

DupleMeter · #5 10-23-2016, 09:07 PM

I really like Digital Performer. I started all analog, moved to tape based digital (ADAT, DTRS) then moved to Pro Tool TDM. Finally landed on DP as my preferred DAW.

If you write/compose it has some great features that no other DAW has for piecing together parts to make the complete song happen (called Chunks & Song respectively).

Most of the DAWs offer a trial. See which one works for you. Each one approaches things a little differently and it's likely that one will feel "right" to the way you approach things.

runamuck · #6 10-23-2016, 11:04 PM

I've used Cubase for the last 10 years. It will do EVERYTHING.

But if I were to start again knowing what I know now, I'd start with
Reaper. It's one of the most, if not the most, efficient DAWS out there.
It's also inexpensive and you can set it up to be just as simple or as complex as you'd like. But with any DAW, you're going to be spending all your leisure time learning it for awhile.

Come back when you're ready and ask about plugins. I have some strong opinions having used or tried most of them.

Jim

KevWind · #7 10-24-2016, 05:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gfsark

I'm working on setting up a home recording studio starting with creating a good acoustic environment. I am also shopping DAW's and enjoy obsessing about the tech details about software that I hardly know how to use. I used Mixcraft for a couple of years, and at my recording class we use Pro Tools (of course).

What will I be recording? For starters, myself as singer and acoustic guitar player. Then within a year, will expand into a trio (think Peter, Paul and Mary).

Budget? $800 more or less (not too constrained here). I suspect that most commercial DAWs can do what I need, but I don't want to end up getting frustrated and shopping for something else because I went too cheap or ignored so really useful feature that the more professional programs support.

Most Desired Features: Ease of use & availability of instructional material/training videos/tech support/forums.

MAC or PC: You tell me. I have to buy a new computer. Prefer desktop PC, but perhaps a MAC is in my future.

Thanks for your thoughts! ---geoffrey

Well of course there is no one DAW to rule them all.. Like cars and guitars there are preferences and personal suitability.
I have tried 4 different DAWs my preference in order are #1 Pro Tools, #2 Studio One 3 , #3 Reason and #4 Reaper.

Mbroady · #8 10-24-2016, 06:11 AM

All Daws do the same thing and all companies offer several levels of ability.
The more capabilities the bigger the learning curve, especially if you are starting from scratch. The good news is, most companies have a YouTube presence that will walk you through the basics, all the way up to the more complicated procedures

The difference between most are the user interface. Most companies offer a free trail version (30 days). So once you have your hardware set up you can download a couple off daws and take them for a spin.

I'm a fan of Sonar (cakewalk) but it does not have the most intuitive interface.

Here is on link that comes up when I Google "easiest to use Daw"

https://music.tutsplus.com/articles/...s--audio-11773

KevWind · #9 10-24-2016, 06:31 AM

As far as computer that to is another one up for grabs based on preference . If you "prefer a PC " then it would seem that would be the way to go. Particularly if your new computer is going to be a dedicated Home Studio machine. If for no other reason than you can order one with a high level of tech specs and no other software other than the OS and the DAW.
While I prefer Mac you pay for a lot of other software you most likely will not use in a dedicated music machine.

Just like if you already have experience with PT from your recording class, it would seem a logical choice, (depending on amount of experience and how well you got along with PT)

Unfortunately recommending a DAW is kinda like recommending underwear. One size does not fit all, and if it were so stretchy it actually does, the comfort level will vary wildly..While all DAW's basically do the same thing, they do so in a wide variety of methods and workflow, and until one tries it on for size, you will never know how it feels.

paulp1960 · #10 10-24-2016, 12:17 PM

I used Sonar for years.

Nowadays I use Logic Pro X. For $199 it is amazing value. And with the Apple license model you can install on any Apple computer once you have bought it.

I was having a lot of problems with my Windows machines fighting pops and clicks and latency issues and having to disable the wifi card to stop the audio clicks. Then I did an experiment and installed OS-X Yosemite onto 2 of my PCs.
All my problems disappeared. That was just a Hackintosh experiment and now I use a genuine s/h Apple computer. Happy days.

Wengr · #11 10-24-2016, 03:38 PM

As already stated, they will all do a good job for what you require, so the difference is workflow and gui preference. The demos can help provided you can get a handle on them during the window.
I've been on Samplitude forever with no major complaints.
If I had to start again now, I would decide if I favor PC or Mac, and then probably favor the dominant players in that market in order to assure future support.

Northward · #12 10-24-2016, 09:09 PM

As far as bang for buck and smooth sailing goes, I'd say nothing beats Apples Logic X. That software is 'sponsored' to sell machines and use to cost many times what it now goes for. A massive compete package. With a nice drum feature.

If you have objections on living on Apples 'closed farm', I believe Presonus Studio One is an elegant DAW with a very easy UI and some nice creative tools. IMO you need to buy some extra plugins. But you will anyway ;-)

Speaking about purely playing around with ideas and melodies, Ableton Live is great for this. But I wouldn't want it as a recording DAW alone. (Though able enough)

+1 for test driving demo's and then decide.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Fairlight · #13 10-25-2016, 07:34 AM

It was recommended to me long ago to go Mac with Cubase (one of only two "DAWs" on the market at the time for the Mac--Opcode Vision was the other) and I've never regretted the decision. Steinberg has a long and deep history with all aspects of computer recording. And Apple OS and recording? Industry standard.

That said, looking at your post, you really don't need much to record a guitar and 3 vocals. You don't mention if you want to record live or do overdubs. All DAWs on the market will do that. Do you have an iPad? Most of the bigger DAW companies (including Cubase) have apps that run basic versions of their software with a very intuitive interface that would allow you to do what you want without the complication or learning curve of a bigger system. Beware too that jumping in with a big recording system with limited experience can be a real creativity killer as you will spend way more time troubleshooting that than actually making music.

As a start, perhaps invest in good mics, pre's and and audio interface that would suit your group and learn to capture a good, clean sound first in an app or outboard recorder. You'll then have the basics down to build on later as your needs grow.

Woodstock School Of Music · #14 10-25-2016, 07:56 AM

I would recommend Reaper on a PC if you're just looking to record some basic tracks and you don't need all the fluff.

gfsark · #15 10-25-2016, 08:25 AM

Fairlight, yes I do have an iPad Pro, and downloading a version of a DAW to the iPad hadn't really occurred to me. Great idea. I'll see what's available. I'm confused about how you hook up your mics/preamp to the iPad's one and only lightning port. Guess that problem has an easy solution, but I don't know what it is right now.

Also, dman and others are right, its easy to be overwhelmed, like I am currently with Pro-Tools at the recording class. For now, I'm mostly interested in recording. Perhaps a little overdubbing. A drum track and a bass track. Harmonies. Nothing major. I have no use for 5,000 different instruments, and 100 different amplifiers, and bunches of virtual synthesizers and zero interest in electronic music creation. Not going to do much, if any, live recording. Don't need 'all that fluff.'

Thanks for your comments!