Easy to use software sequencer with real time recording?

[Aros]

My first synth was a Juno 6, this was followed by a CZ101 and a Sz1 sequencer that would record in real time.
It was very basic but also very easy to use.
Synthony Music's Synth & Midi Museum

I now travel a lot and am learning to do everything on my laptop and want an equally easy to use software sequencer that records in real time. I won't be manually keying much in at all. One that is preferably standalone as well as vst.

Digital recording is all new to me. I get on with Audacity but find Reaper very complex just to give you an idea of where I'm at.

 

[YanKleber]

Reaper is not very complex at all. Just take your time to learn it and you will be rewarded later.
You can download its manual for free here: REAPER | User Guide

On a side note, seems to me that if you are thinking Reaper complex is most probably because you are lacking of some tracking (recording) background. Unfortunately there is not how to move on without a minimum of knowledge if you really want to proceed with digital recording as all software available lay on the very same concepts. Don't try to learn/understand everything at once though. I agree that the screen of a DAW may be intimidating for whose never played with them before due to the lots of places where you can click. Forget all the bells and whistles for now and just start by focusing on tracking (track recording).

A good reading (although not free) and that can give you a good basement is this book:

Home Recording for Musicians for Dummies (For Dummies (Lifestyles Paperback)): Jeff Strong: 0785555105485: Amazon.com: Books

Also, I have found these two videos in YT that may help you some:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AdO2YvzKLm0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g95r6Z7t2C4

Good luck!

 

[Aros]

Thank you for the encouragement and time spent posting I do appreciate it.

However, with all due respect you are telling me where I could be at instead of accepting how I find things and suggesting a standalone sequencer I could try.

I can assure you that I do find Reaper complex. I have spent countless hours over the last year reading up on it, watching vidoes and trying things out.

All I've ended up using it for is auditioning vst effects in real time a) because Audacity can't do that and b) I don't like using the Reaper interface.

I had about 100 tracks worth of self composed and played recordings and mixes back in the 80's using analogue Portastudios and hardware. I found that easy, and more recenty recording with Audacity is easy but that aside I'm finding it a slog adapting to a pc based approach. Music literate doesn't necessarily equate to pc literate.

Having said that some softs are more intuitive and well laid out than others.

So if anyone can recommend an easy to use real time software sequencer I'd appreciate it?

 

[YanKleber]

I started to play recording on 80s too using a Tascam Porta One (4-track cassette) and then just got disconnected from this world. When I came back a couple decades after, it was a digital world driven by DAW (Reaper similar software). What I mean is that it will be hard to find something too much different from this nowadays. But seriously, when I faced those new softwares it didn't take me more than a couple days messing with it (and without any literature) to figure out the basics. I can tell you that it is pretty easy, specially if all that you want to do is to record a few tracks. It is just a matter of set up your hardware correctly (audio interface or soundcard) that I presume you already did since you got Audacity working. Other than that is just to click on the record button and play your tune!

You said you don't like Reaper interface, but what exactly you don't like on it? Basically it mimics a record mixer just like any other DAW. If you don't like it, well, then you cannot think about ANY other DAW (Cubase, Protools, etc) since all of them have the same style.

Also you said that you have used Audacity with some success. Well, Audacity interface is not too much different from Reaper and others (unless by the fact that it is very ugly), but the concept is the same. I am really lost here.

About the complexity of DAW (and Reaper is one of the more simple of them -- I have played with Cubase, NTrack, Samplitude and others) it depends on what you are going to do with it. I repeat, for simple recording -- and that's what you said you wanted to do -- there is not any complexity. Unless, of course you are talking about a different software called Reaper that I don't know. The Reaper I mean is this: REAPER | Audio Production Without Limits

To use these programs is as simple as the good old school: you hook the cable, press rec and you are gone. So I really cannot see where is this complexity.

Anyway, if you REALLY cannot go for this way then I'm afraid that computer recording is not for you. In this case I would suggest that you think about to get one of these:

Tascam DP 008EX Digital Portastudio 8 Track Portable Recorder 043774024995 | eBay

This is a modern version of old portastudios and probably you will feel more comfortable using one of them.

Good luck!