DAWs?
- Thread starter ThePIGI King
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Moongrum
Well-Known Member
Free updates for life is a great value proposition as well
AwakenTheSkies
Life is like a box of chocolates
What version of Mixbus are you using? Are you programming lots of MIDI? I remember in 5 32C it was so far behind any modern DAW I'd ever seen... Like REAPER at least you can drag and drop lots of stuff, there was piano roll, drum editor..
It's not as fast and comfy as Cubase or Studio One but still way ahead of Mixbus v5 in terms of comfort...IMO. Mixbus was a modern software that felt ancient for me.
The only cool thing in Mixbus is that it was emulating the 32c console and some of the included plugins. But even then, it you have modern Cubase you also have the mixing board view with the channel strips, it's really cool especially with dual monitors. So the real question is...Is the sound character of Mixbus worth the discomfort of using it? In my opinion no.
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TedEH
Cromulent
Is Reaper really all that hard for people to follow? I know I'm biased because I'm used to it but.... it's reasonably intuitive, I would think, as long as you're not coming from an existing workflow and expecting it to exactly mirror something else you're already used to.
If you want unintuitive - try using non-linear interactive music software, like what you'd use to make video games. That stuff's whack sometimes, if your whole understanding of music production and mixing is linear tracks and bespoke faders.
I'd be curious if people here ever mess around with stuff like PureData.
If you want unintuitive - try using non-linear interactive music software, like what you'd use to make video games. That stuff's whack sometimes, if your whole understanding of music production and mixing is linear tracks and bespoke faders.
I'd be curious if people here ever mess around with stuff like PureData.
gabito
Stay at home musician
They all do similar things, albeit sometimes in different ways. Just pick one and start recording.
If you don't know how to do something, just ask. And, like with any other software tool, if there is no community to help you... maybe try another one.
If you don't know how to do something, just ask. And, like with any other software tool, if there is no community to help you... maybe try another one.
Only thing with FL Studio is I don't know of a single metal engineer who uses it. Even a lot of EDM and Hip Hop guys I know have moved to Ableton (which I wouldn't recommend for recording rock/metal stuff, but for the more electronic genres nothing comes close to the functionality in my experience).
TheBloodstained
Casual music entusiast
I've tried a couple in my search for a good setup. When I started recording myself way back I didn't even use a proper DAW, but just some random standard Windows recording software and a REALLY bad microphone. Needless to say it didn't sound good, but ultimately it was the starting point of where I am today.
I think the first real music software/DAW I tried was an earlier version of Propellerhead Reason, back before it has proper support for recording instruments. From there I went to Fruity Loops for a while (again, an earlier version). THEN I gave Reaper a go, and I think I actually stuck with that for a while, but I was never really satisfied with the workflow or results I got from it.
Then I switched platform from Windows to Mac, which made me try Propellerhead Reason 10, which I used for a couple of years. My sound improved massively in those years, and it was easy for me to make synth/ambience and arrangements because of my experience with a previous version of Reason. I still have this license today.
Ultimately I found the workflow of Reason 10 to be a massive hindrance to any serious mix/master setups, because it ultimately is build with a focus on a more electronic/modular synth workflow focus. This made me try GarageBand for a while, which honestly is a great way to make quick demo tracks. Because of GarageBand I ultimately landed on Logic Pro X not that long ago, and I've honestly never been happier with my workflow, sound and general setup.
There's stuff I like and stuff I hate from each DAW I've tried. I miss some of the editing things and built in synth instruments from Reason when using Logic, but I love Logics workflow in terms of making tracks and busses for mixing. Also, Logic has a lot of good standard plugins for mixing and mastering, which I think some of the others lacked (or halfway did automatically for you).
I tried a demo of Studio One on my dads computer once and decided then and there that it wasn't the DAW for me.
I hated it
I think the first real music software/DAW I tried was an earlier version of Propellerhead Reason, back before it has proper support for recording instruments. From there I went to Fruity Loops for a while (again, an earlier version). THEN I gave Reaper a go, and I think I actually stuck with that for a while, but I was never really satisfied with the workflow or results I got from it.
Then I switched platform from Windows to Mac, which made me try Propellerhead Reason 10, which I used for a couple of years. My sound improved massively in those years, and it was easy for me to make synth/ambience and arrangements because of my experience with a previous version of Reason. I still have this license today.
Ultimately I found the workflow of Reason 10 to be a massive hindrance to any serious mix/master setups, because it ultimately is build with a focus on a more electronic/modular synth workflow focus. This made me try GarageBand for a while, which honestly is a great way to make quick demo tracks. Because of GarageBand I ultimately landed on Logic Pro X not that long ago, and I've honestly never been happier with my workflow, sound and general setup.
There's stuff I like and stuff I hate from each DAW I've tried. I miss some of the editing things and built in synth instruments from Reason when using Logic, but I love Logics workflow in terms of making tracks and busses for mixing. Also, Logic has a lot of good standard plugins for mixing and mastering, which I think some of the others lacked (or halfway did automatically for you).
I tried a demo of Studio One on my dads computer once and decided then and there that it wasn't the DAW for me.
I hated it
There's stuff I like and stuff I hate from each DAW I've tried. I miss some of the editing things and built in synth instruments from Reason when using Logic, but I love Logics workflow in terms of making tracks and busses for mixing. Also, Logic has a lot of good standard plugins for mixing and mastering, which I think some of the others lacked (or halfway did automatically for you).
I tried a demo of Studio One on my dads computer once and decided then and there that it wasn't the DAW for me.
I hated it
Ironically, I found Logic to have the best workflow and stock features of any DAW but my Mac crapped the bed and I swore off buying another one. When I went back to Windows, I ended up liking Studio One the best of what's available.
EDIT: Correction, I like pre-facelift Cubase the most but Studio One gets the nod for new releases.
HanSwolo
SS.org Regular
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I know I'm reaching here but Mick Gordon is a well-known user.
TheBloodstained
Casual music entusiast
In the end it's all about personal preference. I've stuck with what gave me the best user experienced based on my type of workflow. What works for me doesn't necessarily work for anyone else. One of my close friends loves and uses Studio One, and then there's my brother who have been using Ableton Live for a good while now. Never got to try Ableton even though my Focusrite Scarlett came with a demo of it.
Currently running a M1 Pro MacBook Pro as my main platform, and I plan on sticking with Logic now, and I'm plenty happy with that.
But he didn't use FL Studio for Doom, I thought I saw in the videos he made he was using Ableton.
TedEH
Cromulent
There's no reason a person couldn't be using two of them. I thought FL was more about creation than mixing, so I could see someone authoring tracks in FL, then moving to something else for mix/master.
nightflameauto
Well-Known Member
I couldn't get a damned thing done in Reaper aside from arming tracks and recording. MIDI was a shit-show of impossible, and I finally gave up completely when I stumbled over something usable.What???
I'm on version 9 of 32c right now, but have traveled through seven, and eight.
I feel like Mixbus is kinda like Linux (which I've used Mixbus on for a few years). Some folks tried it when it was still a shit-show, and that reputation stays with it.
On the other hand, you say the software feels ancient to you, and I'm pretty ancient myself. So maybe it's just a meeting of like-objects in the digital realm for me.
Moongrum
Well-Known Member
I'm the same, I couldn't get anything done in Reaper.
I was able to make shitty music in minutes with Ableton and Garageband, with Reaper I had to google everything.
I have no interest in putting in effort to do simple things in a daw, I just want to have fun mindlessly making music as a hobby lol
AwakenTheSkies
Life is like a box of chocolates
Ohhh, well maybe it's gotten better? I remember I got pissed about it because Mixbus as weird as it was, and on top of that they were charging like 80-90€ for a yearly upgrade. It's on version 9,5 now right? It's been a while since the last release right? They teamed up with SSL if I remember correctly, who knows what will happen?
I use Linux a lot just for IT studying reasons, configuring servers and services, machine administration, and using the terminal for basically everything. The basic Server install doesn't even have a GUI or a desktop, it's just a terminal.
So I know Linux, I just don't understand why anyone would want it to use at home? Or the new rising trend, which is Linux gaming? Why do they want to make their life harder on purpose?? 
nightflameauto
Well-Known Member
I got into Linux in the nineties. It's more comfortable to me than Windows for most uses, though I do keep Windows around for certain programs. I'm used to being lectured for being a backwards idiot because of it.Ohhh, well maybe it's gotten better? I remember I got pissed about it because Mixbus as weird as it was, and on top of that they were charging like 80-90€ for a yearly upgrade. It's on version 9,5 now right? It's been a while since the last release right? They teamed up with SSL if I remember correctly, who knows what will happen?
I use Linux a lot just for IT studying reasons, configuring servers and services, machine administration, and using the terminal for basically everything. The basic Server install doesn't even have a GUI or a desktop, it's just a terminal.
I also prefer Emacs over Vi, so I get double-nut-punted for it by the other Linux weirdos.
hensh!n
SS.org Regular
I can second this. I got my start in the early 00's on FL Studio. Transitioning to Logic was difficult. For composing piano and drums, FL Studio was always the most intuitive even after learning how to accomplish the same in Logic. When inspiration strikes, you don't want to be fighting against your DAW.
Drew
Forum MVP
I think MIDI is one of the things where maybe you start to see bigger differences between DAWs. I don't think Reaper is particularly bad for MIDI, but there are definitely FAR more MIDI-friendly options out there. And, it's worth noting that I both don't do much with MIDI besides drum programming, and first tarted using MIDI in Reaper. 95%+ of my work is in .wav audio.
Drew
Forum MVP
WAY back in the day, late 90s and very early 00s, I'd use FL Studio to create percussion loops, often by loading outside samples, and then import them into... Sonic Foundry ACID for actual tracking. With my laptop of the day, and the fact that ACID was really more focused on loop-based audio, I tended to create a lot of loops for rhythm parts and whatnot and then record leads in 30 second snippets because that's about the most my laptop would be stable with.
Technology has come a LONG way since then.
