Pro tools v.s Other software

Re-tox_stl

New member
So i am currently in the market for my first legitimate recording setup, and i was looking at a pack that includes an mbox 2 mini and pro tools Le. I know that pro tools is "THE" program when it comes to recording. But just before i dedicate myself to it, are there any other programs that you find "better" than it? All i plan on currently doing is recording acoustic guitars and hand drums, and maybe here and there some techno'ish stuff. I have done my fair share of research and think this is the best choice for my purposes, but if not please let me know

Much love, Drew.
 
Pro tools is the LAST program I'd recommend for someone just getting started.
You are limited in what hardware you can use. I hate that.

I'd go with reaper. It's free to try and only around $50 to register. You can use any interface you want (I've heard that the mbox series kinda sucks) A line 6 UX2 might be a good bet for what you are trying to do and it's $80 cheaper.

I love reaper. I used Sonar and Cubase in the past. I tried reaper just to check it out and after just a few hours with it I imported all my Sonar projects and haven't used sonar since.
 
So i am currently in the market for my first legitimate recording setup, and i was looking at a pack that includes an mbox 2 mini and pro tools Le. I know that pro tools is "THE" program when it comes to recording. But just before i dedicate myself to it, are there any other programs that you find "better" than it? All i plan on currently doing is recording acoustic guitars and hand drums, and maybe here and there some techno'ish stuff. I have done my fair share of research and think this is the best choice for my purposes, but if not please let me know

Much love, Drew.

These are responses I gave in this thread

The RTAS engine is awful. If you're running a large session, using a lot of plugins, Pro Tools will max out the processing quicker than Cubase (VST)

I agree, the instruments in Logic are excellent.

Also, you're limited to Digi Hardware if you go with Pro Tools. If it's LE, and you're
going for the usual MBox route, the MBox isn't the best. Unbalanced outputs,
a high pitched noise coming from the monitor outputs which can only be
fixed by spending an extra $30 (roughly) on a top-of-the-range USB cable,
etc. etc. There are much better interface options when it comes to
bang-for-your-buck out there that you can use with software like Cubase,
because they aren't restricted to the manufacturers interfaces.

Pro Tools can also be very buggy. I'm not sure if Cubase is any better but I
can tell you from using Pro Tools alot that it will cause headaches. If I had
the choice I'd go with Cubase. But I've done courses in Pro Tools, I bought
it, and I'm looking for work in the industry so Cubase isn't as much of an
option for me.

Basically, unless you're looking to work in a studio, don't go with Pro Tools. If you're just doing home recording stuff, go with Logic (mac only - great bundled instruments), Cubase, Reaper (gets great reviews here, and it's free to try - as the full program - and if you buy it it's only $60 or something). You should take the money you were going to spend on Pro Tools and get a non-digi audio interface for the same price. Chances are, it'll be a better interface than the Mbox2/Mbox2 mini, and it'll come with software such as cubase.

And this is coming from someone who has done 3 Pro Tools exams (2 more to go), and works with it daily.
 
To add to what has been said

PRO TOOLS HD is "THE" software at many studios and that is arguably true. However that is "Real" Pro Tools. Entry level price of around $7000 and requires special DSP processors (PCI Cards etc) to run plus a good deal of Digidesign hardware to run.

PRO TOOLS LE is not "THE" software at all. it is a highly stripped down version that does not have anywhere near all of the features of real Pro Tools, has limitations on track counts and of course ties you to the mBox gear.

If you already have decided an mBox is what you need then that tie to digi/mBox hardware may not be a big deal to start with but can become an issue later on if you want to expand your hardware selection and find yourself limited to what Pro Tools will allow you to run

So just be aware Pro Tools LE is not the same animal as "Pro Tools" in much the same way that a basic mini is not the same as a BMW 9 series even though they both have the same parent company.
 
Aye, forgot to mention about the whole Pro Tools|HD thing.

PT|HD kicks serious ass. The TDM mixer is extremely good. But PT LE or M-Powered don't have that, and they don't have a lot of other really useful features that HD has.

I love PT for editing. Once you learn the ins and outs of it, it's the man for the task! But overall, LE just don't cut it for the price.
 
I also hate protools. Limiting what hardware I can use is a deal breaker and bad buisness. Watch the statistics on the DAWs out there and what people are choosing and pro-tools is going the way of the Dodo. They actually stop supporting products way too early in the life cycle. There are tons of perfectly good interfaces that are now boat anchors because pro-tools doesn't support them anymore!

That's my rant.

Here's a thought for you. Sounds like you are looking for an interface as well as software. Most interfaces will come with some sort of DAW software, so include that in your choice.

M-audio comes with pro-tools le
Presonus hardware will come with Studio 1 (very nice new DAW)
Many others will come with Sonar LE, Cubase LE, or Ableton LE just to name a few. And all of those DAWs besides pro-tools will work with any interface.

So start reading forums and reviews, gonna be a long night.
Good Luck with the studio and home recording. You'll be back !!
 
Are you on a PC or a Mac? If a Mac, use the Garage Band that comes with it and just get an inexpensive USB 2.0 or Firewire interface and that will give you a good start.

I personally love Pro Tools as a program and I have had most of the interfaces that come with LE. I like the original Mbox most of all. I was not wild about the preamps in the Mbox Mini or the Digi 002 Rack that I owned. They were okay, but unless you really want Pro Tools, I would look someplace besides the current Mbox series.

Right now I have sold all of my gear and downgraded to an M-Audio Fast Track Mk II, which is USB 2.0. I think I paid $129. It comes bundled with Pro Tools Essential, which is a really poor man's version of Pro Tools with just the very basic functionality. But this rig works great for a singer/songwriter laying down 1 track at a time against a click. The Fast Track works with other software too.

Other software I have worked with and liked includes n-Track, Audacity (free!) and Cakewalk's Music Creator and Home Studio series.

Get hold of as many demos as you can and see which one just feels right for you.

bilco
 
Get hold of as many demos as you can and see which one just feels right for you.

This is some of the best advice you will find on the boards. This is one of those instances where there are a number of viable options, and personal preference will tell you ultimately which is the "right choice" for you.

I try to take a similar approach with all my gear. If i can get my hands on a preamp, mic, etc whether i borrow it from someone, or buy it with the intent to return or re-sell it if i don't like it, then that will give me a better feel for whether it is what i'm looking for or not.
 
Find the right interface. One that meets all of your needs and is in your budget. Buy it.

Download trial DAW's and try them out with your interface. Be sure to download Reaper because it's free and gets great reviews.
 
I dont hate PT itself, what I hate is the price of the hardware. A rack 003 costs well over a grand! An mbox is 350?! Presonus and MOTU both make comparable (if not superior) interfaces for 1/2 the price.. Digi inflates their prices due to the fact that "PT is the industry standard". I'm a Cubase user because the last couple interfaces I bought came with it, and it works great - zero problems.. I dont think any one DAW is any easier to learn than another, they're similar, and there's gonna be a learning curve no matter what you pick.
 
So i am currently in the market for my first legitimate recording setup, and i was looking at a pack that includes an mbox 2 mini and pro tools Le. I know that pro tools is "THE" program when it comes to recording. But just before i dedicate myself to it, are there any other programs that you find "better" than it? All i plan on currently doing is recording acoustic guitars and hand drums, and maybe here and there some techno'ish stuff. I have done my fair share of research and think this is the best choice for my purposes, but if not please let me know

Much love, Drew.

Hi Drew,

There's nothing wrong in using Pro Tools LE (or M-powered).

These days most music programs - DAW's - are more than good enough for most use, and if you - as you say, have done your fair share of research and think this is the best choice for your purposes, - then I suggest you go for this.

One man's gold is another man's trash, so I wouldn't worry if someone is 'talking it down', that would probably have happened if you had asked about another main software too...

:D
 
Before I took early retirement I used to do this professionally and had to use Protools at work. I knew it well and could certainly do my job with it but never, ever came to like it very much.

At home I chose to use Cool Edit Pro (now Audition) and greatly preferred that interface--I think I was much more productive in my home environment than when being paid!

(It should be noted that I have very little use for MIDI--but if I did, Audition would be a poor choice.)

Anyway, the key advice you've had above is to find a software package that suits your way of working--and everyone is different in this regards. There have been lots of good packages listed and a good many let you do a full featured free trial. Have a go with as many as you can and see what works for you.

Bob
 
So i am currently in the market for my first legitimate recording setup, and i was looking at a pack that includes an mbox 2 mini and pro tools Le. I know that pro tools is "THE" program when it comes to recording. But just before i dedicate myself to it, are there any other programs that you find "better" than it? All i plan on currently doing is recording acoustic guitars and hand drums, and maybe here and there some techno'ish stuff. I have done my fair share of research and think this is the best choice for my purposes, but if not please let me know

Much love, Drew.

Pro tools is the best software for recording purpose.You can use any other version of pro tools or you can use digidesign with pro tools LE.Digidesign split their products into two classes. The more expensive HD systems are expandable systems up to simultaneously recording 192 tracks of 24bit/192kHz audio. Because of their own DSP hardware this happens without stressing the computer.It offers variety of interfaces and control surfaces.
 
I'll just come out and say it: Pro Tools sucks.

Yes, it's powerful, but so is lots of other software. Yes a lot of studios use it, but that's changing.

What I hate about it is that it seems to have been developed by software guys who never used a mixing board and don't have the first clue about simple things like having actual numbers on level meters and making the solo work like it does on every mixing board on the planet (which do not simply mute the channels not soloed). Try soloing a reverb return.

I don't know why people like the editing. I find it clunky compared to Sony Vegas. It always seems that it takes five steps to do something that Vegas will do in one or two. Some processes that I use often are destructive in PT but non-destructive in Vegas. PT's effects settings aren't included in the undo list, which is just plain stupid.

Plugins seem to bog down PT faster than other DAWs, especially third-party effects.

There are one or two things I like about PT, but overall I get more done in less time in Sony Vegas.

Although my experience is based on PT7.4LE I have been looking for anything that suggests the above fatal flaws don't apply to all versions. So far as I can tell all versions are the same in the above ways.
 
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I don;t think i ever even tried ProTools - I have used

Audacity
Reaper
Sonar LE
Cubase LE

and I think one more... Anyway I stuck with Cubase LE4 - works easiest for me and never had a recording issue yet - simultaneously recording 12+ tracks and mixing 16 or more

of course i have a smoking quad-core HO with like 4 gigs of ram so that probably helps a lot :)
 
It's all down to personal preference.

I have learnt to love it.

I wouldn't take all the marketing hype about it being 'industry standard' because it really doesn't matter unless you have use for it in that way. . . which I personally do. I think its great for working with audio, but a bit dopey when it comes to MIDI. . . True RTAS isn't the best platform and it does eat up CPU, that said I am yet to run out of resources doing a project. If I could afford it I would be running a Pro Tools- Cubase system.

I think, if your starting out you should get something simple and cheap. Have an experience using every DAW you can and get which ever one you like the most. They all in essence do the same thing, asthetics are important.
 
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