Having moved on from the Mackie HDR24/96 i have to wonder did i make a mistake? This seems nuts to say. I suppose it is all in what you do. Now being in the 21st century and hard disk recorders are more for the field then in the studio, i have kinda bounced around . . . litterly ( no pun intended or is it?) to find the right DAW for me. Everyone works different.
This review and suggestions are from my own experience and doesn’t’ include the no hands on for protools, sonar, neuendo or cubase. why? because i am not spending money on DAWS i don’t use. I am sure they can be fine too, but perhaps this review of what i have noticed can help you decide what you like or don’t like.
I haved used these softwares in tracking sessions, mixing sessions, creative creation sessions and quick recording to remember. some DAWS are better for the creative process then others, as other are better for those doing tracking or mixing. But all do some of the jobs. really if you have a mac Logic isn’t a bad choice only if you are seeking a all in one box for $500. it has it all. though glitchy in not show stopper ways, but annoying, it has a score ability for your tunes to be printed out (no more finale). Logic also can do tabliture. I have had a long history of using this software from way back before it was even avaliable on pc . . it was on atari. Even though the program goes way back, it was because it when mac only i trashed it and moved on. but since i have become a mac person, i tried it again. it is the least of the stable of the three, but still is very good.
click on the pics to see what i broke down the things i felt were not always stated in the ad’s for the programs and stood out for my experiences. you can save those pics as well.
Happy DAW hunting.
Tags: ableton, apple, audio, DAW, emulation, mix, plug in, propellerhead, record, recording, softsynth, software, synth
June 1, 2010 at 8:44 am |
now many months later and updates to Ableton, Logic, and Record, i would say all have become very stable. all have their strong points which i will say in brief here:
Logic Studio is by far the best buy for a multitrack production style recorder and Midi sequencer. Still the most versatile with Midi. If you like to play external Midi gear and DON’T just play 1/4 note or 1/8 NON swing, then get Logic! it blows away the competition in control of midi. the recording aspects are amazing. the clarity is great as well!
my second favorite is ableton. though in tandem with Logic this DAW has great LIVE use for post performance style play along with music creation tools in its scene use. the engine is amazingly clear and has unique taste with its effects. use 24 bit and you will find it quite professional in sound. ease of use is better then Logic but fails in comparison to midi quantization of notes. too robotic. stick to Logic for realistic reproduction of your performances in Midi. But for pure getting some theories of arrangements this software is amazing. along with the very easy to use effects and eq. Best for DJ and Rappers, it can do it all.
Last but Not Least is Propellerheads Record. the new update is on its way but for me it will not jump up to number 2. traditional reason interface, the sound of the engine is very unique compared to the others. clarity is decent and has a kind of garageband feel to it, though more stable and useable. the tuner feature is nice along with the use of the reason engine for all of it. but again, for midi it is kinda limited in humanization. Logic again rules here. Though it is a pretty interface and easy to use, it is good fro the price. again Logic if you have an apple is amazing for the price.
the key to your choice is quality and ease of use. how much time to do you have to learn? hardest to learn is Logic because of options. easiest to use is Record. Most flexible for all worlds? i would say Ableton. Ableton is rock solid and very tasty in how it handles commands and audio. once you get the idea of the interface and concept of flow, this program will speed up your creative ventures. by far the best balance of musician and producer. best creative software.
hope this update helps!