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Recording software: which is the best one?

#21
I have Studio One also. Very nice software.

Like the others, I have it because I bought some Presonus hardware - FireStudio Project - and got a deal on it.

Otherwise, i strongly recommend Reaper. It has a tiny footprint and is very resource light, so it easily gives you plenty of power, even on older machines. For the price and features, it's hard to beat.
 
#22
Which one's the best? None of them

The truth is they all do the same thing more or less, but they all record audio and midi and let you edit and process your tracks.

For me I use ProTools simply because I'm jumping on the bandwagon of whats the most popular. Yup I admit it. There are a ton of books, DVD, and even college courses and various certificates available for ProTools. Even Guitar Center offers a free 4 day tutorial on it.

I figure if PT is being used not only for music but for handling audio for films such as Avatar, Star Wars, etc... it can't be all that bad. :smug:


I would recommend checking with your friends and if they use a particular DAW it might be worth looking into going that route as your two studios will be talking the same language and you'll have a built in help desk by being able to call your friend when somethiing goes screwy in your studio.

I've heard a bit about Reaper, but the most people can tell me is that its a free download, but I want to know what else am I downloading onto my computer? :eek:

In short, just get one and start recording. They are all VERY similar in capability and specs.

I hope this helps.
 
#23
I'm using Cubase AI5, which came with the Steinberg CI2 interface. Very straightforward and easy to use (I'm a former Mac/Garageband user and not in any way shape or form a technical person).
 
#25
Mitch_bassman said:
Cheers Guys. Yeah that is what I'll do. It's too hard trying to compare them all without actually trying them out. Just gonna get one and give it a whirl.
Click to expand...


I just bought a quad core Mac Mini and I'm going to go with Reaper. Why? Because it's inexpensive, has great support and if it turns out that I don't like it, I haven't spent a king's ransom. For $70, you'd be hard pressed to find a better application.
 
#27
I have used protools and reaper quite a bit. Reaper is much easier to learn. I have not gotten into midi with reaper at all yet, though.
Protools is more powerful as far as editing goes, but don't buy it unless you have the patience to sit and learn it.
 
#30
The new(ish) Sonar x2 is absolutely fantastic. I've used almost all of the software out there and it suits me best. ProTools is my least favorite, but most of the pro studios use it, so I'm locked in when I'm working. The best one for you may be something else, but in order to get there you should go check the out somewhere like Guitar Center (the one near me has quite a few loaded up in the studio room.)
 
#31
I use GarageBand. My interface came with the LE version of protools, and I've heard some pretty horrible things about the installing and using process, so I didn't even bother. My Mac had GB pre-installed, so I tried it. It's pretty much perfect for my purposes. I don't need a whole lot, but I'm thinking of getting something new when I upgrade my equipment. But that's a long ways off.......

But yeah, GarageBand for me.
 
#34
tkonbass said:
I use Reaper in my home studio and for the small price it's pretty complete. Unless you have a specific requirement that only one of the "big name" DAW's can satisfy then I would give Reaper a good look. You can try the full "un-crippled" version for 60 days (or longer) for free. But for 60 bucks it's pretty awesome.
Click to expand...

+ 1

You'd be surprised at just how much is supported and what you can do with Reaper. Especially for the inexperienced Gent on a budget...after having it for 2 years there is STILL things that I'm learning on it and utilizing to their full potential.
 
#35
For all the talk of how cheap Reaper is, no one ever seems to mention that Logic is only $90... Or was it $99? Either way, it's a very low cost option as well. It is slightly more than Reaper, but for the price you get way more in terms of built-in plugins, virtual instruments, loops, samples, etc. That said, the difference in workflow with Logic compared to a lot of other DAW's can be a deterrent.

As others have said; At the end of the day... Just use the one that makes the most sense to you.

EDIT: Hmmmm... Just looked at the App Store and Logic is listed for $149. Must have gone up since I bought my copy. That's still cheap, just not as cheap as I said previously.
 
#36
silky smoove said:
For all the talk of how cheap Reaper is, no one ever seems to mention that Logic is only $90... Or was it $99? Either way, it's a very low cost option as well. It is slightly more than Reaper, but for the price you get way more in terms of built-in plugins, virtual instruments, loops, samples, etc.
Click to expand...

There is no more Logic Express, from what I understand. Logic 9 Pro is $199, I believe.

In any case, Reaper isn't just good because it's cheap. It is a superior DAW from the engine to (IMO) the interface. It gets faster bug fixes and faster updates than the competition, and it is one of the most efficient engines I've seen.

But you are correct, if you're looking for a bundle that includes some rudimentary MIDI instrument plug-ins and loops, then you should look elsewhere (perhaps Logic or Sonar), because none of that stuff is included with Reaper. It does include some FX plug-ins, but not much else.

The good news is that the aftermarket plug-in industry is booming, and many are even available for free.
 
#37
Edited my post. Logic is now $149. Price increase since my purchase last year.

Ultimately I could never get along with Reaper despite several attempts. The workflow, the routing, the plugins. It all felt clunky to me and seemed to require many more clicks to how I would do something in Logic. Had I learned Reaper before Logic, I would likely feel the opposite was true. It's all about what works for your workflow.
 
#38
Yeaah, logic is not that good. In my opinion, and from experience all that it is really useful for us for making electronic music. It is good for that. I go to tafe and we have to use Logic and it really isn't that good for recording live music. Definitely does the job, but really complicated and annoying.
 
#40
silky smoove said:
Had I learned Reaper before Logic, I would likely feel the opposite was true. It's all about what works for your workflow.
Click to expand...

Exactly. I had Cubase, and Reaper when I was using a Windows computer primarily. I definitely preferred Reaper, although there were things you could do in Cubase that were not obvious to me in Reaper.

I moved to a Mac over a year ago, and also picked up a copy of Logic for an album I added bass tracks to, as the sessions were all done in Logic (the cost for Logic Pro at $199 was funded in part by my fee). While Logic has some nice loops and sounds, I find that Cubase, and especially Reaper just "work" for me better.

But in the end, they are all good pieces of software.
 

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