Mac users: Logic Pro or Reaper?
- Thread starter Delmont
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rob aylestone
Moderator
and of course Cubase too. The real question is not really to do with anything apart from if you like the feel - you cannot advise others with your own prejudices. I love Cubase (but also hate it sometimes) but like Photoshop, Premiere, Sound Forge, I'm comfy using them - I use Audition, and don't really like it much, despite it being capable. I don't use Black Magic resolve because I just don't like how it works - but loads would disagree. When you are comfy with software, you become quick and efficient. Reaper is very popular I'm told - I've never even bothered to try because I know I'll stick with Cubase, and that is how everyone views it I think. every Logic user could tell you all it's wonderful features that knock Reaper out the window - but unless those things you need, you won't know - and they won't know what you want?
I think you need to look at reaper. if you like the way it works, then stick with it and become expert - then you'll know what you must have for your individual needs.
I think you need to look at reaper. if you like the way it works, then stick with it and become expert - then you'll know what you must have for your individual needs.
I'm a folkie, so won't use many plug-ins or effects, and I'll never need synth or drums.
So tell me more about the intuitive part. And how Logic Pro compares to GarageBand.
Thanks!
CrowsofFritz
Flamingo!
If you’re not going to use many plugs and are just looking to lay tracks down, GarageBand may be sufficient for you.
So first up, if all you want to do is set up mics and DI boxes and record instruments and vocals and then mix them, then reaper is an excellent platform. Like it’s seriously good. Great editing capabilities, more than capable fx, super flexible routing, etc. If you are looking to produce your songs, it will not be your bottleneck. I honestly can’t recommend it enough.
That said, as a songwriter, I prefer logic. Personally, I think logic’s drummer is worth the price of admission alone. (I know you said you didn’t have use for drums.) But from a song writing perspective, logic instruments are invaluable for sketching out instrumentation and arrangement ideas. In that vein, the score editor is useful for creating lead sheets or full scores for session players so they know what you want or the general idea of what you’re looking for. On the mixing side, logics stock plug ins and fx are excellent and match eq is quite useful in identifying differences between your mix and what you are trying to achieve. And if you ever decide to use Drummer, software instruments, or loops, smart tempo is super cool. This is just the surface, granted, but as a songwriter rooted in acoustic blues, there are many capabilities I’ve never had an inkling to explore.
GB vs logic? GB is great for getting started or quick ideas. And if you have an iPhone or iPad, it’s great for getting down song ideas and then those projects load in logic. Speaking of which, without advanced features turned on, logic looks and feels a lot like garage band except with more features and a mixer. So if you’ve toyed around w/ GB and like it but wish it could more, logic would be exactly that.
That said, as a songwriter, I prefer logic. Personally, I think logic’s drummer is worth the price of admission alone. (I know you said you didn’t have use for drums.) But from a song writing perspective, logic instruments are invaluable for sketching out instrumentation and arrangement ideas. In that vein, the score editor is useful for creating lead sheets or full scores for session players so they know what you want or the general idea of what you’re looking for. On the mixing side, logics stock plug ins and fx are excellent and match eq is quite useful in identifying differences between your mix and what you are trying to achieve. And if you ever decide to use Drummer, software instruments, or loops, smart tempo is super cool. This is just the surface, granted, but as a songwriter rooted in acoustic blues, there are many capabilities I’ve never had an inkling to explore.
GB vs logic? GB is great for getting started or quick ideas. And if you have an iPhone or iPad, it’s great for getting down song ideas and then those projects load in logic. Speaking of which, without advanced features turned on, logic looks and feels a lot like garage band except with more features and a mixer. So if you’ve toyed around w/ GB and like it but wish it could more, logic would be exactly that.
Thanks, Lance!
As for working out arrangements and tab and whatnot, I just do that with pen and paper, and if I have instructions for other players, I just tell them. I'm not a professional musician.
One of my concerns about GarageBand is because of a review that I read that said it's sometimes unstable — tracks drop out during recording, that kind of thing.
My biggest concern about Reaper is how bad the manual is. I can't find the most basic things in it, and I don't have anyone to look over my shoulder and tell me what to do.
That's why I'm wondering about Logic Pro — it seems to be stable, and there are helpful books to go with it.
gecko zzed
Grumpy Mod
My first serious DAW was Logic, which I used until it was no longer supported on PC. I then switched to Reaper. Although I became quite fluent in Logic, I was never that comfortable with it. Switching to Reaper was like coming home. It did things the way my brain expected them to be done. Logic didn't do that.
However, two points spring to mind: the first is that my experience with Logic will have built a foundation which made Reaper easier to learn (and would have done so for any other DAW that I might have tried). The second is that I have to be wary of comparing early Logic with more recent Reaper, because Logic will have changed over that time.
However, two points spring to mind: the first is that my experience with Logic will have built a foundation which made Reaper easier to learn (and would have done so for any other DAW that I might have tried). The second is that I have to be wary of comparing early Logic with more recent Reaper, because Logic will have changed over that time.
jamesperrett
Active member
With Reaper you really need to keep an eye on their forum and spend a bit of time watching Kenny Gioia's videos and also John Tidey's Reaper Blog videos which are good at explaining things.
rob aylestone
Moderator
As I mentioned, I'm a Cubase user - so Logic always was a direct competitor, but I just discovered Garageband is on this Mac. I went to it new and without knowing anything about it, I don't like it - it's a tool that when I was a teacher, would have been great in class - it works at a sort of student perspective, lots of visuals - nice images of pianos etc and it let me enter a few MIDI notes. It is. however, functional, but not creative - it assumes so many things and doesn't seem to use musical common sense in terms of the user interface. Now clearly, it probably can do the useful things, but the whole impression is of an amateur beginners product with gizmos to cater for users with little or no musical knowledge. I could persevere, but I won't. I cannot imagine me using this just from the menus and available features. In most DAWs, there are hundreds of features users never use - but we all use different ones. GarageBand seems aimed firmly at casual use with few features for people who know what they want. even the help menus seem aimed at people with no knowledge. Features like 'learn to play' and 'lesson store' suggest it's not really aimed at people who can already play music.
That said - it loaded a MIDI file and it plays it on reasonable sounds. It does have a score editor but I had trouble putting in key sigs - but it's good for beginners. Would I even compare it to the basic stripped down cheap Cubase? No. I imagine the same applies to Logic. Cubase do pro, artist and elements versions, I guess logic does too?
That said - it loaded a MIDI file and it plays it on reasonable sounds. It does have a score editor but I had trouble putting in key sigs - but it's good for beginners. Would I even compare it to the basic stripped down cheap Cubase? No. I imagine the same applies to Logic. Cubase do pro, artist and elements versions, I guess logic does too?
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Yeah, I've been trying their forum, but I don't get many responses. Not helpful.
I'll check out Kenny and John.
Folkcafe
Active member
When I switched to the M1 Mac, I tried just about everything. I share your frustration with Reaper. Studio One seemed closest to what my old ProTools set up was like but ended up with Cubase, Ableton and ProTools. I use Ableton just as a fancy looper for when I want to just jam along alone. I got the ProTools subscription because of a special offer they sent. That got me a competitive upgrade for Cubase. Was a really strange route to take. I didn't bother to renew the ProTools subscription as I only used it a few times.
I did the 90 day demo for Logic. There were parts of it I liked a lot but I was in the middle of trying to wrap my head around Ableton which was a very foreign way of working for me.
You are likely to have learning curve issues with whatever you pick. What I did to get past this was to take a few courses at Udemy on Ableton and Cubase. If you did the 90 day demo for Logic and got in on one of the many $12.99 sales at Udemy for a basics class, you might find it less difficult getting up to speed.
So I'd watch a few workflow videos on some of these programs and then decide on a couple to demo that match your work flow. Then a structured class geared around the beginner user will get you up to speed quickly on all the basics.
I did the 90 day demo for Logic. There were parts of it I liked a lot but I was in the middle of trying to wrap my head around Ableton which was a very foreign way of working for me.
You are likely to have learning curve issues with whatever you pick. What I did to get past this was to take a few courses at Udemy on Ableton and Cubase. If you did the 90 day demo for Logic and got in on one of the many $12.99 sales at Udemy for a basics class, you might find it less difficult getting up to speed.
So I'd watch a few workflow videos on some of these programs and then decide on a couple to demo that match your work flow. Then a structured class geared around the beginner user will get you up to speed quickly on all the basics.
JamEZmusic
Active member
Reaper is a totally legit industry standard daw. If you already have it then stick with it.
I use Logic, perhaps I will never move away from it? If I was forced to for whatever reason, I would certainly try Reaper. I would only hope it had score editor and some basic flex/pitch functions. If so, I'll be set.
I use Logic, perhaps I will never move away from it? If I was forced to for whatever reason, I would certainly try Reaper. I would only hope it had score editor and some basic flex/pitch functions. If so, I'll be set.
Papanate
Well-known member
They are practically the same - GarageBand is even easier to use though.