Best software for multitrack recording and loops?

[gordholio]

I hope someone here can help me out with suggestions for the appropriate software for my needs.

This is what I want to do:

1) Record up to six simultaneous channels of our garage-based rock and roll band.

2) Apply DX or VST effects such as compression, reverb, etc., etc.

3) Add prerecorded loops and/or cool sounds that I've recorded.

3) Mixdown and eventually burn an independent CD.

4) I do not foresee needing MIDI, nor do I have the time to learn all about it.

I have been using ntrack to this point for our "live" recording, but I recently had a chance to play with "Screenblast ACID Deluxe", a simplified version of Sonic Foundry's ACID Pro. I absolutely love the way the program allows me to "paint" loops onto the screen. I just really liked the interface far more than that of ntrack. Unfortunately, this version of ACID records just two simultaneous tracks.

I'd like to find one program that permits simultaneous multitrack recording, AND allows me to insert loops in a similar "painting" manner to that of ACID, AND supports DX/VST effects AND will take me through to the point where I burn the CD (I'll probably use Nero for that, although integrated CD burning would be great too.)

From what I've read in my many searches, ACID Pro might be the program. Are its audio recoding capabilities up to the task? If not, perhaps Cakewalk Sonar 2.1 would do the trick (although I know this isn't a Cakewalk forum). I definitely don't want something that's going to take me a million years to learn, as I spend most of my waking hours working at my "real" job. :-)

Thanks very much in advance.

gordo

[drstawl]

>Are its audio recoding capabilities up to the task

No- you have to complement it with Vegas to do what you want.

Acid will only record two tracks at a time.

But Sound Forge 6 comes with Vegas LE for free!

[monty]

It's a way of life.

[kormaniac]

Well, Vegas won't let you 'paint' the loops as you described, however, Acid music isn't as expensive as acid pro, and it does exactly what you want to do. But, you still need the multi-track recorder. Perhaps you can still use your n-track for recording and then use acid music for all the loop stuff and then bring your mixed acid wav file into n-tracks. I use vegas audio and record 8 simultaneous tracks...but I also use acid all the time to create cool background sounds...funky extra rhythms...or dark soundscape intros. I love using the two programs in tandem. It would be nice if Vegas incorporated the acid stuff...but as of now...they are separate.