Reaper vs Audacity -- real noob question

paddedcell

paddedcell

Doggy Claws
I wasn't sure if I should post such a simple question in the computer recording section, since I'm not really using a computer to record, per se.

I track on a 2488, and I really use Audacity for editing purposes only. It's a tad clunky (or I am), but it's far better than trying to edit in the 2488, which is obviously designed to raise one's blood pressure and to encourage the creative use of questionable vocabulary (not to mention eyestrain). My question is: Is Reaper a better vehicle for editing than Audacity? I haven't used it, so I haven't a clue about how "intuitive" it might be. I can continue to learn to use Audacity, but if Reaper ultimately offers better options, my time might be better spent learning that program.

What do you think?
 
Reaper is a fully functional multi-track DAW program. Audacity is an audio editor.

If you want to mix actual music and master it to stereo, you use Reaper, and the various zillions of VST plug ins that it both has and that you can add later to achieve that end. If you want to edit a completed stereo sound file, say, Audacity has its uses. Mixing isn't one of them. It's possible, it's just hard, and why bother? That's not what it's for....

Select the right tool for the job you're trying to do.... it depends what you mean by "editing" really.
 
Yup. Audacity was originally a 2-track audio editor and they tacked on some multi-track capabilities.

Reaper is far more. The great thing is you can try it out yourself before you buy the measly $60 license;
the 'demo' is FULLY functional and they trust you to do the right thing after you've played with it for a month or so.
Give it a try...
 
Plus, you can dump your tracks onto the computer and then mix and add, take away, etc. Much easier. I think the 2488 is a great recording device, but let's face it, there is only so much room they have to work with the sources.

I am looking at getting something similar, but for recording only. It seems like a nice machine.
 
OK, I'm getting the sense that Reaper is "the whole deal"; essentially, that it can do the kind of editing that Audacity does, but it's really capable of much more (like mastering and such, which someone mentioned). I haven't ever worked with a computer-based recording system, but perhaps Reaper is a good way to learn something about it. . .?

I'm still very attached to "hands-on" equipment like the 2488, but maybe I should spend some time looking further than that (and further than just cutting up songs on a computer:)
 
I spent 10 years driving a Yamaha AW4416, which was about as good as standalone recorders ever got, track count aside.... and I recently changed to a PC based system, running Reaper, and ever since I've thought "Why did I wait so long!???"
 
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