Best Recording/Software Technology for a Newbie

  • Thread starter Thread starter starblossom24
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RAMI said:
The problems you're having aren't REAPER problems.
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From one point of view - you're right.
But I didn't have these problems until I bought Reaper.
It's my first DAW. So it seems like figuring out how to do it in Reaper would be relevant.
So I'd be just as lost in any other product. That makes me feel better.

Drums aren't very important to me.

Just wanted to point out that easy peasy isn't always so for everyone.
 
Ronbert said:
From one point of view - you're right.
But I didn't have these problems until I bought Reaper.
It's my first DAW. So it seems like figuring out how to do it in Reaper would be relevant.
So I'd be just as lost in any other product. That makes me feel better.

Drums aren't very important to me.

Just wanted to point out that easy peasy isn't always so for everyone.
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Understandable. I'm a tech guy, so right off the bat it wasn't quite the challenge that it is for some. And I've been hammering away at DAWs for 13 years or so, so I've gotten comfortable in the process.

Add MIDI and virtual instruments to the equation, and things get complicated pretty quickly. But I have to say that Reaper makes it pretty easy (relatively speaking).

If you have questions about some specific virtual instruments and their use in Reaper or other software, feel free to ask any questions here in the Reaper, Computer Recording, or Newbies sections here. We can walk you through the process and get you making noise in a hurry.
 
RAMI said:
Not trying to diminish or mock what anyone said above, but for the life of me, I can't see how anyone can find REAPER difficult to use. I went from a TASCAM 2488 to REAPER, and the transition was beyond simple. It's basically a tape recorder on your computer if that's all you want it to be. Create a track, arm it and hit record. How can it be any simpler? There are probably still 100 things it can do that I haven't explored yet, but they don't get in the way of me doing what I want to do. Every couple of weeks I discover a new, simpler way to accomplish something that I've been doing differently.

Also, like Broken said, REAPPER isn't only good "for now", it's a completely functional and professional DAW that's as good as Pro-tools or anything else for recording.
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+1 - I did the same thing... went from standalone into Reaper, and while I had to ask the odd question, the basics were so, so, so easy to pick up. Previous recording experience helps there I guess though...
 
Armistice said:
Previous recording experience helps there I guess though...
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Absolutely. That's why I'm not really "arguing" or trying to convince Ronbert it should be easy. I realize everyone's experience is different, and some programs are just easier for some people to get their heads around than others, depending on a lot of variables. All I'm really trying to say is that, if you're having trouble with REAPER, you'll have trouble with pretty much anything else, in my opinion.
 
RAMI said:
All I'm really trying to say is that, if you're having trouble with REAPER, you'll have trouble with pretty much anything else, in my opinion.
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I concur. So the OP asked about easy to use stuff...... my experience has been "WHAT have I gotten myself into? And what language are you people speaking?"

If she's already hacking the registry of her PC she'll probably have an easier time of it.
 
Up until about eight months ago, I'd never managed to use a DAW. I had a copy of Cubase LE bundled with a guitar FX board that I could never get to work. I had a copy of cakewalk's "Sonar" that I tried for about three years on-and-off and never got further than creating a project until I sat down and fought my way through the tortuous process of actually getting a sound into it.

I tried Reaper and almost instantly I managed to start creating decent-sounding songs and mixes. It's intuitive, fully-functional and fully professional. In six months I've gone from nowhere to producing professional-sounding mixes with this program.
 
My first DAW was Logic (in about 1999). That was a real tough nut to crack, and I think it took me about two months to get it stable and to record some audio on it. After ten years of using it I became pretty fluent in it, but even so, I found it difficult. In about 2010 I started on Reaper. There were two reasons: Logic became Mac-only and there was no longer any PC support for it, and I was doing a collaborative project with a friend who was already using Reaper.

There were a few conceptual differences between Logic and Reaper, but once I unlearned old habits and learnt new ones, I found Reaper to be very easy to work with. I acknowledge that one person's 'intuitive' is another's poison, but Reaper did stuff the way I would expect it to be done.

I've now been using it for about five years, and I learn something new about it each time. Every now and again I come up against something, and I will go "I wonder f I can just do this", and sure enough, Reaper seems to know exactly what I want to do and how to do it.
 
This OP has posted the same initial post in 2 separate sections and hasn't returned to respond in either.
Suspicious much!
 
rayc said:
This OP has posted the same initial post in 2 separate sections and hasn't returned to respond in either.
Suspicious much!
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We shouldn't expect too much from someone called "starblossom".. :eek::)
 
Armistice said:
Yes, but you're just naturally gifted.... :laughings:
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OMG, is that how it came across? Sorry, everybody, what I MEANT was I'm now able to churn out fairly amateurish mixes after only six months on this awesome DAW. :D
 
Bubba po said:
OMG, is that how it came across? Sorry, everybody, what I MEANT was I'm now able to churn out fairly amateurish mixes after only six months on this awesome DAW. :D
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LOL - just yanking your chain bubba... I think I owed you one or two... :D
 
I've used several recording DAW's and standalone recorders. I love my Zoom R-16 and use it whenever I have to record something and not be concerned with configuration or being sure it will work on the spot. BUT mixing on stand alone recorders can be challenging. I will take The recordings from the R-16 and transfer to MACBOOK for editing into Reaper or GarageBand. Here are one of my recordings using the R-16 PEACEFUL EASY FEELIN - YouTube
I've done many comparisons at YouTube.com/deberney
You can probably get a used ZOOM on eBay cheap. It also has a basic Audio interface that works well.
I've used quite a bit recording equipment and software. CHEAP IS NOT ALWAYS GOOD. I find the less expensive Audio Interface units have latency/configuration problems like the lower end Presonus and Focusrite.
I just used a ZOOM TAC-2 $299 and for the money it was a very nice unit, easily configured, no latency issues, clean sound, portable.
If you own any MAC products you will have access to free GarageBand. I use GarageBand when I have to have midi instruments in the recording. Very automated, user friendly.
That said, Reaper is my DAW of choice. It can be as easy or complex as you need it to be and unlike most other DAWS, Reaper stores your individual .wav files while many of the others save them in their own format and make it very hard to import into anything else.
There is a wealth of information that can be had with a search on YouTube.com

I wouldn't wait a few years to record. Think of all the music you could be recording and all that you could be learning with the mixing aspect. I would get something from eBay that I could afford then upgrade when you can. There is an abundance of lower end stuff at a fraction of the new price.
REAPER is free to try and I think $60 to buy. It is a very powerful DAW with endless capabilities.
 
Give Mixcraft 7 a try! I've been using Mixcraft for years, starting with version 6, and have no plans, or need, to "upgrade" to another program. For what I do, it gets the job done, and it didn't take very long to learn. Their YouTube channel (acoustica222) has plenty of videos you can follow to learn the basics, and even though many are for earlier versions of the software, they are still applicable, as the user interface hasn't changed very much. I use it compose electronic music, using VST instruments and its MIDI sequencer, and also use it to record vocal, guitar, and bass tracks over drum tracks I've created, which I also make with the sequencer.

Check it out here: Mixcraft 7 - Recording Software | Pro Studio | Acoustica
 
I've also used several DAWs over the past 8 years or so but Reaper is the one I swear by now as opposed to swearing at my others! It does all the recording things and editing that all the others do but its the way reaper treats efx and midi that really set it apart from all the others. It treats everything as an efx. example: open a virtual instrument track from the Insert menu and all you have to do is drag and drop any virtual instrument into the fx box ( could be keys, synths, drums etc) then simply set the track for record output, assign your midi input Ie a real midi keyboard or the virtual one from the View drop down menu, hit record and play...or open the midi editor by double clicking on the track and use the "piano scroll" to "paint in" triggers for your virtual instrument. You want to add compression, delay, reverb and EQ? just drop them into the same "box" with the virtual instrument and adjust to taste...what could be easier. Making loops is so simple. create a measure or two of a drum track or any other instrument and then just grab the end with the automatic "hook" and pull it our for as many measures as you wish. Any of the other DAWs I've used make you go through all of these artificial barriers to get VI / midi to work while reaper treats everything the same. And just to clear a point you can down load and use the full version reaper with nothing disabled and as long as you want for free. They only ask if you intend to keep using it that you pay $60 for a personal/small business license and $250 for full blown studio pro work. Not to mention that included free up grades from when you start to the next full generation of the program. So if you come in on say Reaper 4.5 you get free upgrades until 5.5 and in my case I've received easily 50 or 60 free upgrades on my license and have not gotten near my renewal fee yet. Also Reaper instruction ... Download the free pfd manual..it has tons of tutorials not to mention all the free reaper tutorial videos on you tube or reaper wiki both pro and end user. I've never and I truly mean never had a product with as much support as reaper. It even has a downloadable quick start menu to get you up and running in minutes. As far as editing between the drop down menus and the tools bars plus being able to customize both to put functions in order to fit your style and work flow, reaper is the best deal on the planet for price, quality, the amount of efx and tools it comes with, compatibility with all the free vsti's and third party efx and it's damn near crash proof. I've introduced reaper to several of my friends that were using pro tools, samplitude, cubase etc and they are to a man all using reaper now..even a friend that was using a roland 24 channel all in one box (VS 2480) has gone the reaper/computer route a year ago and is still knocked out how easy it is to get and make great recordings over the results he had with the roland.
 
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