What daw is the quickest to learn, easiest to use?

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4140

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It seems like alot of daws claim to be intuitive and easy to learn.... Tracktion looks interesting. I cut my teeth on Adobe audition, which I like but it's kinda buggy, at least the version I have. I've been using reaper, which does alot but... Well, it does alot, more than I need. I like it but sometimes simple tasks are buried in menus and sub folders. Plus it took a while to learn. I was thinking about experimenting with another daw. I'm sure there's plenty of you who have tried nearly everything out there. I'm looking for something I can pick up quickly. I'm more of a musician than an engineer, I don't need control over every little parameter, I'm a fan of presets and one knob processing. Midi isn't really important to me either. Mainly just record and mix audio, sequencing and arranging clips, cutting, pasting, time stretch I use alot. Oh, and preferably inexpensive. For pc. What are your votes?
 
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" Easy to learn" Yes and, "Your shoes will be ready Thursday" and "The cheque is in the post"..."ULTRA low latency" For 30 quid?!"!

Sorry chap (chap'ess?) People lie. Perhaps THE easiest 'DAW' is Audacity but even that can be a bit of trial for the total newb to setup and is in any case not really suited to much in the way of song production. Then, it depends what one starts with. E.G...

I bought MAGIX Audio Studio Generation 6 (from W.H.Smiths of all places!) years ago for £9.99 and totally ignorant son and I managed to get it to work pretty well.

A few years later an magazine gave away Samplitude SE8 and we thought all our Christmas's had come at once! Very similar to A S G 6 but much more powerful and so we, son especially became pretty slick with it but only because we had done the bulk of the work with ASG6.

Some people say Reaper is 'easy'? I am not one of them! Got it, paid for but rarely use it, too entrenched in Sam you see. I also have Adobe Audition 1.5 and that is handy for some things. Had it a long time so I am familiar with its basics.

The bottom line is really, pick a DAW and Reaper is as good or better than most and then COMMIT a serious amount of time to learning it. Most interfaces come with a 'light' version of a famous DAW but unless that is Cubase I would not suggest you stick with it (Studio One seems ok, not tried it)

Sorry, no DAW free lunch!

Dave.
 
The trouble with "simplest to learn" is that a User Interface that one person loves can not make sense to another person. Since most of the major DAW suppliers allow you to download a free trial, I'd try a few and see what feels comfortable to you.

The other thing is that you're finding Adobe Audition "kinda buggy". I've been using Audition since it was Cool Edit and generally find it rock solid. What version do you have?

Bob
 
I think this is going to be subjective for a few reasons.

(1) It could depend on what specific function(s) you're wanting to use, because a given DAW may excel at one thing but suck at another, so a DAW that's "easiest" with respect to one function might not be "easiest" with respect to another function.

(2) It could depend on what you're already used to, if anything. Anything that's similar in appearance and procedure-- i.e., the UI in general-- to what you're already experienced with is going to be quicker and easier for you to use.

(3) On the other hand, just because something looks and operates totally different than what you're already used to doesn't mean it might not be better and easier once you've gotten past the learning curve.

As far as suggestions, each of us can merely tell you what we like and prefer, but that won't mean that your experience will match ours.

Personally, I prefer Acoustica Mixcraft for most things that I use a DAW for, which in my case are primarily playing virtual instruments with my MIDI keyboards and sequencing to them (that is, I don't do a lot of actual recording). I'm not saying it's the best for those things, but it's quicker and easier for me to set up splits and layers in Mixcraft than in any of my other DAWs. Mixcraft also lets me use both 32-bit and 64-bit plugins without having to install and set up a third-party "bridge" utility, so that's another big plus. On the other hand, Mixcraft doesn't do SysEx, so I have to use other DAWs for that-- usually Cubase-- or else use a special MIDI plugin with Mixcraft, such as the one from Cockos (ReaControlMIDI).
 
Great thoughts above and I can add ...it IS a COMITTMANT. There a several trial versions and some are full use versions. I've tried Reaper as a trial a few months ago but after more than a decade of Cubase it still had to be my choice. My tracks are audio...not many MIDI or VSTs. Frankly, a great studio reel to reel might actually had done a great job for me so review the types of uses and add that into the mix for your decision
 
4140 said:
It seems like alot of daws claim to be intuitive and easy to learn.... . I've been using reaper, which does alot but... Well, it does alot, more than I need. I like it but sometimes simple tasks are buried in menus and sub folders. ...
Click to expand...
So, I'm not a Reaper user, and can't comment on it specifically, but our individual preferences are often based on the workflow we developed early on in this odyssey, and, frankly, over time I've discovered that some of the ways I was doing something was actually not the best way, and certainly not the most common way to get to the end result. So, if you're finding that what you see as a simple task is not simple in a DAW, then it's either the wrong DAW, or maybe your workflow isn't really optimized - certainly it's not for that DAW!

So, the first thing you need to do is commit (as already mentioned) to spend some time with just one DAW, IMO, and really develop a workflow. Participate in an active forum that has a lot of users and search for answers and ask as many dumb questions as necessary to understand how most users are efficiently getting their recording and mixing done with that DAW. You may find out that what seemed buried was that way because nobody else does it that way, or they do it so infrequently because there's actually a better way (my guess).

In the end, I really don't think it matters, so long as you are willing to spend the time learning how to get from A to B in the DAW of your choice. They all work. The only reason to choose is because of cost and support, and Reaper probably has a pretty good score on both of those counts.

I have to ask why you use time stretch "alot?" And, I'd suggest you wean yourself off of presets. You can use them at the start if you take the time to pick apart what they are doing, and then start using your ears. Unless they're in a 3rd party plugin, they tend to not translate well. (Frankly, I don't understand, anymore, how EQ presets can be used at all, and find compression presets kind of humorous. I think there are probably a few hundred just on the built in plugins in Logic - is that really simpler than just learning how to listen?)
 
Good info here. Makes sense. I suppose the time it would take to learn another daw could be spend writing a song with what I have already. After all, I have already invested time in reaper. So far, I've been composing and arranging in audition because it's easy and I'm used to it. I mainly use time stretching as an effect, to get a slow, dirty sound from a run if the mill break beat, stuff like that, but yeah, also for correcting my timing when nessisary. Reaper is used for the mixing process, just because I've had Adobe freeze several times but that was version 2, maybe the new ones are better. It's mainly a workflow thing for me. But yeah, unless a daw is created especially for me, there's no way around learning, trial and error, etc. Tempting tho.... When a daw comes out and claims to be sooooo easy to use...
 
Yeah, to be honest, I think the "easiest to use" DAW is going to be the one that you spend a bit of time with and customize (with key-commands, etc.) to your liking.

I've tried Cubase, Nuendo, and Audacity, and I ended up with Reaper. The reason? Its customization abilities. Just about any or all of those tasks (simple or not) that are buried in menus can be assigned a command key (of your choosing) with Reaper, and/or they can controlled with a MIDI controller.

I have a simple Alesis NanoKontrol --- the original one from several years ago --- which I got for $30 used on eBay. I'm a big time mouse-hater (I try to avoid it at all costs), so I sat down with Reaper and the NanoKontrol for a few hours each day one weekend and got everything set up for my needs. I assigned shortcut command keys, assigned functions to the NanoKontrol, etc. Pretty much the only time I touch the mouse now is if I need to edit/adjust a media item (add a fade, move a note, etc.), and even that could be done without the mouse in Reaper if you wanted to.

All of this is to say, I never have to dig through menus to find anything.

And, of course, you can save templates (track templates or entire project templates) that will load up with everything you need: tracks ready to go (armed for recording if you want) with effects added and tweaked the way you like, etc. You just load them up, save them with a new name, and you're off.

It really is a very powerful program if you take a little time to learn how to use it. IMHO, you would probably spend more time installing a new DAW and learning how to use it---no matte how easy it is to use---than you would customizing Reaper to suit your needs.

That's my .02 anyway. :)
 
You can customize menus in Reaper, too. In fact, its possible somebody else already made a custom menu layout that would work better for you. But in a lot of ways, it's like "some assembly required" and the instructions on how to build it to your needs are buried and not exactly super clear. It's also kind of "batteries not included" since it doesn't come with any ready to use MIDI instruments. But I've been DAWing since before anybody had used that word, and just in general am good at finding my way around Windows based software, and it really is the best I've ever used. If I actually took the time to do all that customization work...it might just end up too good. :)

Time stretching is super simple! Alt+Left drag near the right edge of the item. In most cases cutting and copying are better done by splitting and duplicating or looping. I never use the actual cut, copy, and paste commands from the Edit menu.

There is a giant pile of really good user-generated documentation online. The User Guide is great, but RTFM can be tedious. But the wealth of videos that we have is pretty amazing. Kind of just type into google what you want to do plus "in Reaper", filter for videos... There are quite a few people around this place that would be happy to help you answer clear and specific questions. We'll probably also argue for weeks over vague or poorly defined issues. So, ya know, whichever you prefer. The official cockos Reaper forum is deep and very helpful and generous.
 
keith.rogers said:
I have to ask why you use time stretch "alot?" And, I'd suggest you wean yourself off of presets.
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I know you weren't addressing me, but in my case time-stretching is a godsend, and I don't use presets-- if by that you mean cookie-cutter loops of drum rhythms, guitar licks, bass riffs, organ stabs, etc. I'm not even good enough to be called a half-decent keyboardist, so when I record myself playing anything I generally have to use cutting/splicing and/or time-stretching to put the notes in the general vicinity of where I wanted them to be. :)
 
SeaGtGruff said:
... when I record myself playing anything I generally have to use cutting/splicing and/or time-stretching to put the notes in the general vicinity of where I wanted them to be. :)
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I know this is a tangent, if not off topic, but I use a click for everything I do, even recording a scratch idea/track on the phone. It saves a tonne of time. And if I have tempo changes I want to solidify, I automate changes in the tempo, much like volume or pan. Then any percussion loop I might use follows right along (as well as the click, of course).
 
keith.rogers said:
I know this is a tangent, if not off topic, but I use a click for everything I do, even recording a scratch idea/track on the phone. It saves a tonne of time. And if I have tempo changes I want to solidify, I automate changes in the tempo, much like volume or pan. Then any percussion loop I might use follows right along (as well as the click, of course).
Click to expand...

That's a great idea, but I'm not talking about problems keeping tempo in my head. Rather, I mean problems playing on tempo without having to pause every now and then to make sure I'm about to play the right notes. No click track can help with that. :) Of course, if I'm recording MIDI then I don't care about boo-boos, because I can just fix them in the piano roll editor. But if I'm recording audio then I'd rather play the correct notes haltingly, and correct the timing via cutting-splicing or time-stretching, than play the wrong notes smoothly and have to try making another take.
 
Software is unlike any other product - it's suitability and appeal relies not on the quality but on how well it and the human user get on. For years I convinced myself paint shop pro was better than photoshop, because it it what I wanted, quickly with no bother - until I set aside the time to learn photoshop properly, and now I can see there really was no comparison. Software is user centric. If you learn a product, then you simply stick with it through the various incarnations, with the gentlest learning curve. All the ones I have tried actually do the job pretty well, but I like Cubase, and I don't like Logic or PT, despite having had with for short periods, but not spending enough time learning them. As to how quick we all learn? No idea? Depends on you?
 
Dave Matthews said:
Tripped over this last night. Samplitude Pro X Silver with a free permanent license.

Download Magix Samplitude Pro X Silver Full Version | Buzz99

Totally legit. It may not be your cup of tea, and it is 3 years old or so, but for free you can't lose.

Seems to run fine on Win 10 as well.
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Been suggesting that for years Dave! The downside is a maximum of 8 tracks (plus MIDI? ) but that is surely enough for the beginner?

Other useful features. Includes a very comprehensive formats converter and you can convert .wav to the highest MP3 format or smash it down to total grott as I do to attach science proggs and send to son in France. Also one of the few DAWs I have used where there is an easy way to 'parallel' the inputs and make a double mono recording from a single source.

Very useful shortcuts Dave if you have not yet found them? Put mouse arrow on track area, click 'y' and you get a connection info screen. hover over rec or play transport buttons, r/clk and you get a meter and/or input selection. The meter system is very versatile, drag an edge to resize. Note the wee value numbers in the meter?

How long have you had Sam Silver? See, you have to register it after 7 days. Quite painless but keep details handy. MAGIX are good but a bit time consuming to deal with!

Dave.
 
rob aylestone said:
For years I convinced myself paint shop pro was better than photoshop, because it it what I wanted, quickly with no bother - until I set aside the time to learn photoshop properly, and now I can see there really was no comparison.
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Corel PhotoPaint actually is better than than Photoshop. :)

Unfortunately when I "upgraded" to windows 8/64, I couldn't afford to also upgrade Corel. I get by with Gimp most of the time now, but I still boot back to XP sometimes...
 
ecc83 said:
Been suggesting that for years Dave! The downside is a maximum of 8 tracks (plus MIDI? ) but that is surely enough for the beginner?

Other useful features. Includes a very comprehensive formats converter and you can convert .wav to the highest MP3 format or smash it down to total grott as I do to attach science proggs and send to son in France. Also one of the few DAWs I have used where there is an easy way to 'parallel' the inputs and make a double mono recording from a single source.

Very useful shortcuts Dave if you have not yet found them? Put mouse arrow on track area, click 'y' and you get a connection info screen. hover over rec or play transport buttons, r/clk and you get a meter and/or input selection. The meter system is very versatile, drag an edge to resize. Note the wee value numbers in the meter?

How long have you had Sam Silver? See, you have to register it after 7 days. Quite painless but keep details handy. MAGIX are good but a bit time consuming to deal with!

Dave.
Click to expand...

Cool shortcuts, thanks! Only had silver for the few days before I posted this. Was using Magix Samplitude Music Studio which has a similar layout, and Reaper sometimes.
Agree about the time consumption. The help files can be confusing.
There is no magic "Easy to use for everyone" along with "cheap for everyone".
:D
 
once again you people always seem to ignore presonus. studio one is the easiest to use. simply drag and drop function is so smooth
 
GARAGEBAND - the easiest, most automated DAW I have used

4140 said:
It seems like alot of daws claim to be intuitive and easy to learn.... Tracktion looks interesting. I cut my teeth on Adobe audition, which I like but it's kinda buggy, at least the version I have. I've been using reaper, which does alot but... Well, it does alot, more than I need. I like it but sometimes simple tasks are buried in menus and sub folders. Plus it took a while to learn. I was thinking about experimenting with another daw. I'm sure there's plenty of you who have tried nearly everything out there. I'm looking for something I can pick up quickly. I'm more of a musician than an engineer, I don't need control over every little parameter, I'm a fan of presets and one knob processing. Midi isn't really important to me either. Mainly just record and mix audio, sequencing and arranging clips, cutting, pasting, time stretch I use alot. Oh, and preferably inexpensive. For pc. What are your votes?
Click to expand...

PC users rag on Apple users all the time. I use Garageband for loops, drums, background music for videos. Doesn’t get easier to use than GarageBand or better quality. Side by side, excluding massive effects plugins, you are going to be hard pressed to tell which DAW was used. I have taken classes/learned and owned many major DAWs; Logic Pro X (my present DAW of choice), Reaper, Studio 1, Cubase. I review recording equipment and as most equipment comes with a lite version of software, I have many on my shelves.

The good thing is that once you learn one, moving to another shouldn’t be as hard. Reaper can’t be beat for the price. But I’m with you, that it is very hard to use and adding and configuring is a massive pain. I thought Cubase was difficult as well. Studio 1 seemed to be a bit more user friendly than many others.
 
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