Whats a great DAW software for recording?

best daw software for recording?

  • Sonar

    Votes: 75 14.0%

  • cubase

    Votes: 99 18.5%

  • acid

    Votes: 9 1.7%

  • adobe

    Votes: 20 3.7%

  • pro tools (m-audio)

    Votes: 67 12.5%

  • nuendo

    Votes: 15 2.8%

  • logic

    Votes: 77 14.4%

  • other (please specify)

    Votes: 173 32.3%
  • Total voters
    535
Ableton all the way. Once you get used to it, it becomes invisible. You just do what you want without noticing any DAW in the process.

That said, it's a pity those giant, analog boards are becoming obsolete. I would gladly pay through the nose one day to get one, but first I would need to convince myself that I really need it. And since I can just as well mix everything with the mouse...
 
This is ridiculous. If there really was a "best" DAW, we would all be using it. Instead we push the particular DAW that WE use and claiming it is the best simply because we use it. We don't provide technical data to support our choice because we haven't checked every other DAW on the market to see if they also have the same features.

Better to read expert reviews to determine if it does what you want, pick one you can afford and learn how to use it.
 
FlexNation said:
I'm very new to the world of home recording but I'm interested in learning more about it. I've used GB when recording scratch tracks of riff ideas and has seen Cubase being used once or twice when recording multiple tracks during live shows and practice sessions on a laptop. I'm considering PT because I hear it's the industry standard for DAW software but I've also heard great things about Logic Pro and think it may be easier to learn since I've use GB from time to time. I'm interested to hear any ones thoughts about either. I'm also interested in hearing any advise or comments about audio interfaces. I've just purchase a M-Audio Fast Tack that I'm playing around with. I would be interested to knowing what thoughts anyone has about multichannel audio interfaces and which brands and models you'd recommend.
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First, I would say, don't buy something ONLY on the strength that you've been told it's "Industry Standard". This is a very wide term and should be taken with a large pinch of salt. The most basic description of a DAW can be summed up as being merely a landing and connecting space for sound files and VST plugins. Then it has a range of virtual input/output paths to your hardware and various routing possibilities within. Then it has to be a stable piece of software, with efficient memory use. Most, if not all of the mid-priced DAWs out there should fit this criteria, to a greater or lesser degree.

The most probable reason for anything to be termed 'Industry Standard' is the fact it's used in the industry. A LOT of things are used in industry - and when things DO get widely used, there comes a dependance on compatibility by it's users. Professionals want to be able to work together without such issues getting in the way. When someone has been trained from the start, exposed to a certain 'standard' of software, it's generally what they'll use at home and also recommend to beginners. You might find with Pro Tools, you're paying for features and options you may never use. On the other hand, many professional musicans have been known to use Reason, Logic, Garageband and FL Studio for putting tracks together initially in their own time. For instance, Mike Oldfield uses Fruity Loops (for establishing the basics).

So my advice is to start out with something virtually free, such as Reaper and decide then what you want out of a DAW, based on your experience.

Also you can download demo versions of all the major mid-priced DAWs so you can try them. I personally recommend FL Studio because it's chocked full of VST instruments and effects - but again, try before you buy.

Basically, I think, if you don't know why you want to use something, other than it's 'Industry Standard' label, then you are not ready to buy anything yet. Do some research and download some demos to 'try before you buy'. Look for something that suits YOU, not something to impress your mates with.
 
moresound said:
But still for the money - Why wouldn't one want to go with Reaper?
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Because it can sometimes be unstable? I've had it crash on me more times than I'd like to say. And I didn't really like the sound quality of the plugins that come with it. I think it's a good solution but I also think you get what you pay for.
 
logic pro 9 is a good way to go if youbwant to spend some money on software. profecional results,
good user interfaces, you can write music there if u know how to read music, tons of info,digital instruments,loops and everything you need to create or record
music.
 
+ another 1 for Reaper, have got cubase LE5 as well,came with my interface, it's good,i got on with it well, but something was calling from afar, & when i listened i heard the Reaper! & now i'm in LOVE.
 
If I provided all the reasons for using Sonar X1, there would be way too much to read. That amounts to the same as saying nothing at all but it provides as much information as the previous post.

Nutshelling it by saying it easily does everything is also a bit of a featureless blanket.

On the basis of a picture saying a thousand words, I hope I am not breaking any rules by offering a, by no means complete, glimpse of Sonar X1 and why I like it

Cakewalk Sonar X1 overview - YouTube
 
Mixcraft 6 is easy to use and you don't need to be a sound engineer to use it unlike Pro Tools and a lot of other programs out there. It's also reasonably inexpensive.
 
Guitar Hack said:
Mixcraft 6 is easy to use and you don't need to be a sound engineer to use it unlike Pro Tools and a lot of other programs out there. It's also reasonably inexpensive.
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Not sure I understand that statement. Any DAW is easy to use when you start using it. You click the record button and start playing. If you don't need to be a sound engineer to use it, does that mean it does all the recording, mixing and mastering for you? Any DAW that does that would not be reasonably inexpensive, it would be priceless.

At some point you have to mix the tracks you recorded. Do you have to be a sound engineer to do that? The more you know, the more options are available to you but it doesn't mean you need to know Sonar or Pro Tools inside out before you start recording. But if you choose to learn more about it, these DAWs give you the tools to apply that knowledge. I know Mixcraft does that too and you don't need to be a sound engineer. Use what you know how to use.
 
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Heh this is exactly how I feel there are so many DAW choices and every time I try to narrow it down I just end up with more to choose from.
 
Used to use Adobe Audition and recently made the upgrade to Pro Tools and wow did I notice a huge quality difference.
 
I honestly believe that any full version daw records just fine.

In fact I haven't found one that wouldn't get me from A to B just as well as the next.

It all comes down to your comfort in the workflow that goes along with the program.

If you really have given other DAWs enough time to get an impression, you will know that the only difference is the method in which you get from start to finish or what bell or whistle one has that the other doesn't.

I personally can't stand using pro tools more than I have to, I don't get why people like it so much.
 
Guitargodgt said:
I honestly believe that any full version daw records just fine.

In fact I haven't found one that wouldn't get me from A to B just as well as the next.

It all comes down to your comfort in the workflow that goes along with the program.

If you really have given other DAWs enough time to get an impression, you will know that the only difference is the method in which you get from start to finish or what bell or whistle one has that the other doesn't.

I personally can't stand using pro tools more than I have to, I don't get why people like it so much.
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About time someone stated the blatantly obvious. Everyone else is mistaken - what *I* use is the best...
 
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