Please help me select a DAW

Mdismuke

New member
Newbie here looking to get into home recording.
I've recently purchased my computer and interface.
Now I need to find a compatible DAW and I need your help.

My Computer
* MSI GS63 Stealth
* Windows 10 OS
* Intel Core i7 (8 gen)
* 16GB RAM
* Hard Drive: 256GB M.2 SSD with 1TB (SATA)
* Thunderbolt 3
* 64 Bit


My Interface
* Desktop 2x4
* Thunderbolt 3 powered
* UAD Plugins


The DAW has to be compatible with Windows 10, 64 bit, and have the ability to allow 3rd party UAD plugins.
I'm not sure if the Thunderbolt 3 is an issue or not but I read there were some compatibility issues with some DAWs on the UA website.

I was looking at Pro Tools and downloaded "Pro Tools First" (free version) just to get a feel for it but I never could get it working and later learned that it's 32 bit (not compatible) and won't allow 3rd party plugins. I'm not looking for anything "free". But I don't want to spend good money and later learn that it's not even compatible. Any help would b greatly appreciated!
 
I just bought the reaper license after trying it for a while, the decider was that I had a 15 song project to mix where the budget was running out so I did a deal that I would mix on Reaper and only charge an hour a song allowing for my learning curve. Works great. Originally I was only looking at Reaper for MIDI, still haven't even gone there yet.

Alan.
 
There's so many that you need to try them, like you did for PT. My vote goes to Cubase. Why? It's the one I have used for 25 years. Are other better? Maybe - I don't know because I am happy with the evolution of Cubase. It works for me. I cannot contemplate ever swapping and starting again.
 
There's so many that you need to try them, like you did for PT. My vote goes to Cubase. Why? It's the one I have used for 25 years. Are other better? Maybe - I don't know because I am happy with the evolution of Cubase. It works for me. I cannot contemplate ever swapping and starting again.

Yeah, it kind of what you like from the start that you get used to and stick with.

I worked with Protools early on in another studio. Hated it.

When I started my own home recording the interface came with Cubase LE4. I just went from there.

A DAW is a matter of personal choice and what it is you are recording or writing. Some are better at some things.
 
The one thing to watch out for is self-conviction based on the wrong information. They teach this in psychology classes. Let's say you need to edit some images. Photoshop is a clear market leader in professional image manipulation, and the price tag is set firmly at a business level. You can't afford it, but you can afford XXXX, which comes in much, much cheaper. It has lots of features, but nowhere near the zillions that Photoshop has. It doesn't, however, edit your pictures quite nicely so you convince yourself that it's nearly as good, easier to use, more friendly, offers simpler methods of manipulating the images. You convince yourself that the differences are really small, and you are happy and content. You recommend the product to friends as the best value for money. In fact, we do this with a certain piece of free audio DAW software. We do it with microphones all the time. We proclaim to all that will listen that you don't need a Neumann something far cheaper is nearly as good. A friend of mine for years recommended one brand of mics, that he just happened to have a connection with - job wise. He would tell anyone who listened that they were the best you could get, and were bla bla bla. Then he retired and started dealing with an even more up market company. Now he recommends these as the best you can buy, and ignores the fact the damn things are so expensive, few of us could consider them. A pair of mics, or a nice car........ hmmm tough choice. The reality is that only blind testing ever produces quantifiable and qualitative results. You can do it with mics, but you n' with software because to use it, you have to know what it is. I'm old enough to remember when pretty well it was Cubase on a PC and Logic on the Mac. Later in the 90s, Cakewalk appeared, followed by Fruity loops, Ableton and then loads more. Each one appeals to a different set of people, and depending on how far down the branch you are, reversing and taking another route is either impossible (because of file compatibility) or workload to get proficient enough to be productive. Back in the 90s I had a Soundscape system. It ran on Windows, but everything was different = mouse clicks, and really basic common Windows tasks worked differently, and I just could not get on with it at all.

The only sensible way to choose is to find a friend with one and try it, or download demos and cheap cut down versions - then spend serious time with them.
 
A HUGE thanks to all who replied.
And a special thanks to all who suggested Reaper!
I downloaded it last night, watched a few videos and (so far) it's exactly what I was looking for.
I love the simplicity and their tutorial videos are a tremendous help for someone like me, who's just starting out.

Thank you so much! :)
 
I would go for Ableton Live only because of how easy the interface is. I'm not sure about the compatibility of UAD plugins with a non-UAD audio interface, but I guess if you have the interface then it should work on any popular DAW.

I'm going to check out Reaper just out of curiosity.
 
I will second, third, forth etc, etc what others have said Reaper
Highly configurable, excellent support via forums really helpful bunch of people, and for the price it is worth every cent.

If you do go with Reaper make sure you look through (read: Watch) the Kenny Gioia's channel YouTube
Excellent videos and very easy to follow.
 
I will second, third, forth etc, etc what others have said Reaper
Highly configurable, excellent support via forums really helpful bunch of people, and for the price it is worth every cent.

If you do go with Reaper make sure you look through (read: Watch) the Kenny Gioia's channel YouTube
Excellent videos and very easy to follow.

The videos were one of the things that made me choose Reaper. They’re very well done for beginners (like me) and they are all done in sequence which is extremely helpful.

Other DAW’s I have tried were very complex and quite intimidating for beginners, were a pain in the ass to install, required other downloads (like iLoc) to function, used a large amount of computer space, didn’t support third party plugins, didn’t offer much as far as tutorials and/or proper technical support. Once I tried Reaper, it was really a no brainer.
 
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While you're checking out the others, may I suggest Multitrack Studio (MTS).

I came from an analogue background with tape recorders, tape decks, reel-to-reel, and found this very easy, comfortable, and familiar. It's all digital and therefore 1's and 0's. This has been rock solid for me for over 12 years, and all upgrades are free. Also, very responsive customer service.

MultitrackStudio - Audio/MIDI Multitrack Recording Software
 
Reaper works for me. I tried it for awhile and ended up buying it. Also, very easy to find any help online. I simply type reaper +"my problem" and tons of help always comes right up. It's well worth the price.
 
I’m a Pro Tools guy, use it everyday but, if I had to start right now from the very beginning, Reaper. This DAW is very affordable. Don’t let the price fool you, it’s full featured and will do everything you need from a DAW.
 
As others have mentioned above and to be honest reaper is powerful for the price and is one of my personal favorites. You can customize the layout and functionality of the software to suit your workflow. It is also a complete digital audio mastering suite while other competitors don't offer that much. On a side note if you plan to monitor your audio over headphones then definitely check this article
 
I love the simplicity

This is what I like about Reaper. It is scalable upwards, i.e. it is very simple to get started and achieve something, but as you become familiar with it you start to unpack more and more of its complexities.

I swapped to Reaper from Logic around 2011 and it was like a breath of fresh air.
 
Hi everybody! As someone may know, I'm a big fan of Cubase, so I'm a bit biased (just anyone else, in fact).
I wrote an article in which I explained the main reasons why Cubase can be an excellent choice for a beginner (Why Steinberg Cubase is an excellent choice for beginners who want to start producing music (and if you are a Pro, of course!) - Music Production with Cubase). Anyway, every professional DAW has its strengths and weaknesses. If you read my article and find that the reasons because of which I'd prefer Cubase are not of interest to you, maybe you should consider other DAWs. Some examples? Want to do live sets and music heavily based on loops? Take a look at Ableton Live. Want something powerful, but with a small money investment? Probably Reaper will be of interest. Don't work that much with MIDI and composing/arrangement functions, but mostly record and edit audio? Take a look at Pro Tools. There's not the best DAW for everybody, but probably there's the best DAW for you. For me, it is Cubase, without any doubt.
 
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