• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Pro Tools LE6,7 or Lotic Express 7

P

Peik

Dec 2, 2004
148
23
46
Sweden
#1
Hey All

Just bought a powerbook G4. I want to record on it. I have been recording with my PC and a "friends" copy of Cubase. But after my PC stopped working and I lost all the files I bought the Apple.

Question is, I want to set up something where I can record and make music in a small setting.
Nothing big, just for demos and music to go with small homerecordings and work presentations.

Now which is the best selution....
M-box incl. Pro tools LE 6.7....or Logic Express 7 with a firewire interface, like M-audio.

Things to consider...the price plays a part but as long as it is keeps with in the price range of the M-box plus minus 100 pounds, it is ok.

Is Firewire much better than the USB connection of the M-box?

Which platform is best for my needs? People say Pro tools is easy...and I am no technical studio wiz....but Logic Express 7 looks good too.

Plus I will probably need a MIDI I/O for the M-box.
I will typicaly be recording Bass, guitars and vocals, all drums, synths and piano sound will most likely be plugins soft synth and loops.


please give some imput to the two different solutions.

Thanks

Peik
 
#2
Frankly, for what you want to do, there's a 3rd solution that might work as well and would probably be easier to learn than either of the two you mentioned (well, certainly easier than Logic, in my experience):

The SPIKE interface from Mackie, which comes with Tracktion software. (Wait for Tracktion v2, though, which should come out any day now.)

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

Everybody has different tastes, but I've found Tracktion extremely easy to use.

There are also 4th, 5th, 6th, etc. solutions, but other people can fill you in on those. I just mention Tracktion because I own it. Hope this helps.
 
#3
If you have a G4 and iLife, you already have Garage Band which is there without spending a dime and it is fantastic for what you describe.

Firewire interface is the way to go..and a cheapie usb keyboard (m-audio). I bought Pro Tools and am just too stupid to get to grips with it.

all the best
t
 
#4
+1 for Garageband. It really is a kick ass program. you could spend the $300 for logic express on getting 3 jampacks($99 each from apple, though you can find them for $89 at iCompositions.com) for garageband, which would give you roughly 10,000 audio loops and 400 high quality virtual instruments. (I mean it, these are some of the best sounding midi synths I've ever heard)

Unless there is a specific function or tool you need that garageband doesn't have, I highly recommend you open it up and give it a shot, it's honestly an amazing piece of software, and it's already installed on your computer.

I would recommend logic otherwise, mainly because apple makes it(now, since they bought out emagic), so you get better integration and support than with protools, additionally logic doesn't force you to use specific hardware like protools does.

Definitely go for firewire if you can, I recommend m-audio firewire 410 or the presonus firebox for a cheap and simple firewire box. A step up from those would be the MOTU 828, M-audio firewire 1814 and the Presonus firepod. I believe edirol also has some firewire offerings.
 
#8
Here's my take on this. If you want to move to a more advanced program than Garageband then I would definitely recommend Pro Tools. I'll start first with dealing with your USB and Firewire question. While many people assume that just because it's firewire, it has to be better, this is infact a myth. USB is perfectly capable of handling the two in/out setup of an MBox. If you were to want to record 4-tracks simultaneously, then you would need to use firewire, but because the MBox only has two ins/outs, you will have absolutely no problem what so ever.

In addition, more studios use Pro Tools than Logic. The advantage of this then is that if you go with a Pro Tools setup, you'll be able to more easily bring tracks that you have recorded to a pro studio to have them mixed down.

The hardware is also designed to work perfectly with the software. This is of course due to Digi not allowing third party hardware compatability. But this does improve performance since all the audio goes straight from Pro Tools to the MBox and doesn't pass through Apple's Core Audio Driver.

So my vote is for Pro Tools.
 
#9
Hey Mr fortune cookie.

Thanks for the thoughts.
How about MIDI for pro tools? From the begining I was thinking M-box, but after searching about a little I noticed more people who said Logic was better for MIDI. I will be doing both audio and MIDI recordings. But does this mean that pro tools does not do MIDI, I think not. What is it people are refering to, when they say pro tools is not the best with MIDI. Also I notice that M-box has not got MIDI I/O, but I presume I will be able to hook up a standard MIDI box to the system.
Pro tools sound like the way to go, just want to know that I will be able to record other instrument via a MIDI keyboard, I am thinking strings and synths.

Hope to get a follow up

Peik
 
#10
Hey Peik,
To answer your questions, Pro Tools absolutely does MIDI, infact, they just added a bunch more MIDI tools in 6.7. I would def say that if you wanted the most advanced MIDI sequencer, then yea, Logic would be the way to go. But honestly, I do MIDI just fine in Pro Tools and I'm still usin 6.2, by choice of course. Just get a simple MIDI USB interface and you can do all the virtual instrumentation that you want. It works perfectly without a hitch.

If you have anymore questions, don't hesitate to ask. :cool:
 
#11
Hey Mr.fortune :cool:

Thanks for the tips. I thinks that was all the questions for now, I thinks you sold me on the M-box.

ahh. actually one last thing. This is not relevant right now, but in the future if I had a need to expand to be able to record a band live with simpe micing, would it be digi002 as the next step up? from what I understand pro tools will only work with digi hardware, so I can not buy a m-audio product and hook it up with the pro tools le system? or am I wrong.

Anyway thanks, is it ok to PM you if i have more questions or run into trouble?

Peik :hyper:
 
#12
Hey Peik,

Yes, the Digi 002 would be the next step up. Obviously you could get the rack mount version if you don't need the control surface addition. Also, so you know, with the 002, you can get something like a Presonus Digimax for example, and lightpipe in an extra 8 ins/outs allowing you to have 16 inputs into your Pro Tools session and allow you to use some third party hardware.
 
#14
if you knew what atrist were using logic, the choice would be a nobrainer. let the engineers worry about pro tools/check out all your favorite musicians running logic, not to mention 6 out of ten hits on the radio has logic paws on them/ it a breeze to use/and thats what makes the difference musiclly.
 
#15
I would chime in with a vote for Logic. Pro tools is a popular system in very high end studios, but its share is slipping as computers have now become powerful enough to do completely in software all the things Protools hardware designed for. In the high end home and project studios Logic is king and will remain so for some time thanks to their close tie in with Apple (who bought Emaigc a few years ago). Actually much of Garage Band's underlying code is ported from Logic, though on the surface the apps look entirely different.
 
#16
BassLiK said:
if you knew what atrist were using logic, the choice would be a nobrainer. let the engineers worry about pro tools/check out all your favorite musicians running logic, not to mention 6 out of ten hits on the radio has logic paws on them/ it a breeze to use/and thats what makes the difference musiclly.
Click to expand...

I have to say that that comment is like choosing an amp or a bass solely because your favorite player is using it. People even record in Sonar if you want to check out whose using that too. So what if some artist is using Logic. I'm not saying that Logic isn't a good system, but even the Pros that I know who use both say that for recording audio Pro Tools takes it hands down.
 
#19
Jean Baudin said:
If you buy M-Box you are "married" to protools. You can't use it with anything else.
Click to expand...

I hate to burst your bubble but that is incorrect. Digidesign also offers a core-audio driver so that the audio on the computer can be routed through the M-Box and that includes the ability to use the M-Box with Logic and Logic-Express.

As a further point, I have in fact done this myself.
 
#20
MrFortuneCookie said:
I hate to burst your bubble but that is incorrect. Digidesign also offers a core-audio driver so that the audio on the computer can be routed through the M-Box and that includes the ability to use the M-Box with Logic and Logic-Express.
Click to expand...

I wasn't aware of this. That's actually very cool and a major departure for Pro Tools. Looks like they are recognizing that thier edge in hardware has gotten eaten into by super powerful computers and good software. If this pattern continues up the line I hope we'll see less locking of hardware and software in their products.

I'd love to be able to add some of the higher end pro tools gear to my system as I scale up without having to ditch the software at its core.
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back