Which software best suits simple playback recording?

B

BoatyMcBoatface

New member
Hello, I am just getting started with a simple recording set up, mainly for the ability to playback guitar for the purpose of writing lead lines/ melodies for vocals etc.. So at this stage I'm not looking to do much mastering, just raw playback and ability to layer the recordings is all I need. Are any of the software brands ideal for this and simple to use?? I was going to go with Reaper bc it seems to have good reviews but it might be more complex than I need it to be . I am just using a vocal mic and am going to download bias fx for guitar until I get another mic at least. Any suggestions are appreciated, thanks!
 
I would go ahead with Reaper and just learn what you need to know to do the job at hand. Pretty much all DAWs are going to have a minimum of complexity to accommodate a range of users. There's lots of help here to get you going.
 
Okay that makes sense, thank you! And I also wanted to ask before I go ahead- I read somewhere that Reaper is file sharing software- is this significant at all?? For instance does this mean that other users would have access to my recordings and files or does it mean something else when referring to DAW's ?? I just would like to keep my recordings to myself at least until they are complete!
 
I doubt Reaper shares anything without your knowledge or consent. It might keep track of errors or other anonymous usage data for software development purposes, but even then there's likely a permission option you have to agree to first.
 
Okay awesome thanks man :) Apparently I'm more paranoid than I thought lol
One other thing if you happen to see this, the audio interface I bought has a code for me to use Cubase LE- would you use this before you'd use Reaper?? Or pretty well the same thing??
 
I'd say install Cubase and try it. There are workflow and style differences between DAWs that can make a difference in your comfort level and productivity. Some do neat tricks others don't, and sometimes you'll find one of those tricks to be an indispensable part of your work. Or you'll find one DAW to be just too different from the way you think.

Reaper is pretty conventional in most ways, though the "folders" concept is a bit different from what I'm used to. I haven't really gotten too deep into Reaper so I'm not sure how I'd like using folders. Vegas Pro is the best fit for me, perhaps because it's also a video editor, and because I've been using some variation on it for almost two decades. Pro Tools has the advantage of being fairly universal among pro users, but that's less the case lately as other DAWs gain popularity. I've had to become proficient in Pro Tools to work in my friend's studio. I used to hate it, but it improved a lot between 7.4 and 11. There are still things that bug me, but I have to admit that it has surpassed even my favorite DAW in a few ways.
 
I almost always tell folks to download the 30 day trial of MAGIX Samplitude Pro X3 because you can find the M.O. of certain DAWs will 'click' and others are a constant pain.

If you like Samplitude but can't afford it there is a basic, 8 track version, Samplitude Pro X Silver that would I am sure serve you well for quite some time.

Dave.
 
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