# Digital Audio Workstations, which one do you use?



## Kalmor (Mar 19, 2013)

A DAW is pretty much "the needed" piece of software a producer needs for audio editing, mixing and mastering amongst other things, but the trouble is that there are very many to choose from. So which do you pick? FL studio? Cubase? Sony Acid? Others? Which one do you use and why?

I personally as I'm on a budget, use one called Reaper. It's as cheap as chips compared to the £200-£300+ DAWs on the market but doesn't really come up short on features. It is compatible with the absolute vast majority of VST and VSTi plugins and is great value for money. The MIDI editing isn't as good as some other DAWs I've tried but you have to make some compromises if you go for the budget end of the scale. Personal/small buisiness and full commercial licences are availible.


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## Demensa (Mar 20, 2013)

FL Studio... 
Sorry to add to the stereotype of teenage kids who make mediocre songs on FL studio and call themselves composers.


But seriously, I use it mainly because it was the one I started out with and I never felt the need to get a different one.  The main appeal is that it is easy to use with very friendly user interfaces. 
It's great if you like to program everything like I do. 
I want to get Pro Tools though, if I ever get some decent recording equipment for my guitar.


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## Kio Maru (Mar 20, 2013)

I have tried them all.
FL Studio is definitely the best in my opinion. Cubase is very limited in what it can do at once, Ableton awkwardly puts most internal plugins to the bottom which can often confuse you what track you're dealing with, Reaper looks like a bloated multi-track interface to me and Pro Tools looks like it came from the Windows ME era. I sometimes wish I could change the theme of FL more consistently, its dark colors don't play well psychologically when making bright toned songs but I like how I can change the background to anything I want to suit the mood of what I'd be making. So I bought FL. FL also makes it flawless to make your own virtual synths, as well, the smart disable, live patterns mode and MIDI functions are also very useful, and the audio track recorder is very similar to a real multi-track and it's compact as it'll ever be needed.


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## Namba (Mar 20, 2013)

Adobe Soundbooth, but eventually I'll be switching to Sony Acid as I get more equipment. I've played around with it and it's incredibly user friendly and it's also very easy to cover fuck-ups.


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## Vukasin (Mar 21, 2013)

I've tried Ableton and didn't really like it. From there I moved to FL Studio and loved it. I used it for about a year until I really found my musical "niche" and FL Studio couldn't keep up.

Now I use Pro Tools 10. It's amazing when it comes to live recording and mixing/mastering. Plus I need it anyway since I'm going into audio engineering and most major recording studios use Pro Tools.


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## Demensa (Mar 21, 2013)

Kio Maru said:


> I sometimes wish I could change the theme of FL more consistently, its dark colors don't play well psychologically when making bright toned songs


I love the colour scheme of FL studio. 
Its dark tones shall never prevent me from making obnoxiously happy songs.

Also, altering patterns in real time is almost essential to the way I like to compose some of my songs; so it's good for that as well.



Vukasin said:


> I've tried Ableton and didn't really like it. From there I moved to FL Studio and loved it. I used it for about a year until I really found my musical "niche" and FL Studio couldn't keep up.
> 
> Now I use Pro Tools 10. It's amazing when it comes to live recording and mixing/mastering. Plus I need it anyway since I'm going into audio engineering and most major recording studios use Pro Tools.



Yeah, Pro Tools seems to be the standard nowadays with recording studios. My friend uses it and it seems great from what I can tell.


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## OldSchoolSkunk (Mar 21, 2013)

I use Reason 6.5  I like the graphical interface of the Rack.. its like  working with equipment you'd find in a real hardware based studio!  Also  its very modular where you connect virtual instruments and devices to  control different parameters of the devices or instruments thru classic  "CV" routing like earlier days of synths and sequencers.  They've added  Rack Extensions where Reason didn't support VST natively now Some VST  makers are porting them to "RE" to use in Reason without have to  "ReWire" to another DAW just to use them and there are new RE's that are  completley new Instruments and effects from New 3rd party Developers.   Whew.. so yeah and I love the mixer in Reason... based on a SSL 9000K  console.


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## Kio Maru (Mar 21, 2013)

Demensa said:


> I love the colour scheme of FL studio.
> Its dark tones shall never prevent me from making obnoxiously happy songs.
> 
> Also, altering patterns in real time is almost essential to the way I like to compose some of my songs; so it's good for that as well.
> ...



"obnoxiously happy songs"
I like songs to be different moods, it's also not good to look at when depressed, though neither is overly bright or basic colors, especially if they're distracting. But if you want to make a bright sounding strong it's psychologically idealistic to be looking at bright colors, not dark ones, mood in music reflects the impulses of the mind which associates a strength in the clarity of high frequencies with a raised happy tone of voice and pure major chords / octave harmonies that reflect the energy of happiness, happiness is generally associated with bright colors and it only makes sense for bright music to be paired with bright colors for maximum bright effect.

One thing I don't understand about those anti-FL is how some say it's too looped based, yet in the classical philosophy, consistent music is divided into measures, bars and notes, but you can record into it with linear method, and if you want to be super-traditional, there's always edison.


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## Demensa (Mar 22, 2013)

Kio Maru said:


> "obnoxiously happy songs"
> I like songs to be different moods, it's also not good to look at when depressed, though neither is overly bright or basic colors, especially if they're distracting. But if you want to make a bright sounding strong it's psychologically idealistic to be looking at bright colors, not dark ones, mood in music reflects the impulses of the mind which associates a strength in the clarity of high frequencies with a raised happy tone of voice and pure major chords / octave harmonies that reflect the energy of happiness, happiness is generally associated with bright colors and it only makes sense for bright music to be paired with bright colors for maximum bright effect.
> 
> One thing I don't understand about those anti-FL is how some say it's too looped based, yet in the classical philosophy, consistent music is divided into measures, bars and notes, but you can record into it with linear method, and if you want to be super-traditional, there's always edison.



That's true, about the visuals being reflected in your music. I never really give it much thought until now, but it strikes me now how little of my music is influenced explicitly by visual imagery. 
Of course, subconsciously I'm sure it's a different story.  

And about the loops... I guess if you're recording traditional 'acoustic' music, loops wouldn't be as much of a necessity, but depending on your style of composing, then loops can become the focus.  I guess that's just another reason why different people use different programs.


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## Python Blue (Mar 22, 2013)

I'm surprised no one's brought up Logic, which is what I use. Then again, Logic is Mac-exclusive...


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## pukedshark (Apr 1, 2013)

I have been using FL Studio for six years. I've tried a few other DAWs, Reason, Pro Tools,, but I still love FL Studio most.



Kio Maru said:


> I sometimes wish I could change the theme of FL more consistently, its dark colors don't play well psychologically when making bright toned songs but I like how I can change the background to anything I want to suit the mood of what I'd be making.



You can change the theme; just search it on google, and you can replace it.


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## Jaseface (Apr 2, 2013)

I know ill get flamed for this but I still use virtual DJ it was the first mixing program that I used and I can easily map the midi for my American Audio VMS 4.1 which is a Midi and an analog 4 channel mixer.


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## Kalmor (Apr 2, 2013)

Jaseface said:


> I know ill get flamed for this but I still use virtual DJ it was the first mixing program that I used and I can easily map the midi for my American Audio VMS 4.1 which is a Midi and an analog 4 channel mixer.


Well we all have to start somewhere eh? After all it's about the composer and his/her music, not their tools (though they certainly do help).


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## Jaseface (Apr 2, 2013)

Raptros said:


> Well we all have to start somewhere eh? After all it's about the composer and his/her music, not their tools (though they certainly do help).


Yeah I agree as a DJ I get looked down on because I use midi instead of vinyl or CDJ's but I have all my music and my gear works just as good as the other two types all that matters is that I can drop the right tunes and keep the dance floor moving.  I like the software cause I can tweak it to work wonders with the controller I have.


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## Kalmor (Apr 2, 2013)

Jaseface said:


> Yeah I agree as a DJ I get looked down on because I use midi instead of vinyl or CDJ's but I have all my music and my gear works just as good as the other two types all that matters is that I can drop the right tunes and keep the dance floor moving.  I like the software cause I can tweak it to work wonders with the controller I have.


Mhm. I use MIDI linked to sound samples for all the instruments I do not own therefore cannot record. You can get pretty satisfying and realistic sounding results from them if you know what you're doing. Though I do perfer live recordings because of the realism, but it's hard to convince the orchestra you play in to record something of yours that might not even get done. I don't even have the equipment to record a whole orchestra properly anyway.


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## Demensa (Apr 2, 2013)

Jaseface said:


> Yeah I agree as a DJ I get looked down on because I use midi instead of vinyl or CDJ's but I have all my music and my gear works just as good as the other two types all that matters is that I can drop the right tunes and keep the dance floor moving.  I like the software cause I can tweak it to work wonders with the controller I have.



Yeah, as long as you have a setup that you're comfortable with, that's great.  As you said I would assume it's your song choices, transitions and your personality in general that would matter most as a DJ, right?


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## Jaseface (Apr 2, 2013)

Yeah it is and I have been playing around with djing in suit lol its a little different when wearing the head but I managed to pull together a set that was almost 2 hours while wearing my head.  I have seen dj's do amazing things even with two tape players.


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## Kemmy (Apr 6, 2013)

Almost necro'd.

I started off with FLStudio but couldn't wrap my head around it; found a comfort zone with Ableton Live so I stuck with it.

Been thinking of making a move/also using ProTools, mainly because industry standard and all

[sub]first post in forever, first post on the blue note; found through composers FA \o/[/sub]


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## Kalmor (Apr 6, 2013)

Kemmy said:


> Almost necro'd.
> 
> I started off with FLStudio but couldn't wrap my head around it; found a comfort zone with Ableton Live so I stuck with it.
> 
> ...


Welcome back to the forums. Good to see people coming from composers and furry_musicians after those shoutouts.


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## Vukasin (Apr 6, 2013)

Kemmy said:


> I started off with FLStudio but couldn't wrap my head around it; found a comfort zone with Ableton Live so I stuck with it.


That's interesting. I started off with Ableton Live and had a tough time figuring it out so I switched to FL Studio and I had a much easier time.

I use Pro Tools 10 now though and it's the best DAW I've ever used. I totally love it.


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## Kalmor (Apr 6, 2013)

Vukasin said:


> That's interesting. I started off with Ableton Live and had a tough time figuring it out so I switched to FL Studio and I had a much easier time.
> 
> I use Pro Tools 10 now though and it's the best DAW I've ever used. I totally love it.


I know what I'll be saving up for then...


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## Kemmy (Apr 7, 2013)

Vukasin said:


> That's interesting. I started off with Ableton Live and had a tough time figuring it out so I switched to FL Studio and I had a much easier time.
> 
> I use Pro Tools 10 now though and it's the best DAW I've ever used. I totally love it.



Kinda why when people ask me for recommendations for a DAW I tell them to try them all before sticking to one. Different DAWs workflows work better for different people.

and ugh, jelly; totally want Pro Tools 10, but money. I hear amazing things.


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## Zuranis (Apr 13, 2013)

When I started out, which was last year sometime, I did some testing with the free edition of FL 10. It was difficult for me to get my head round and I didn't like it. I saw an internet article about someone recommending Cockos Reaper and I decided to give it a try. Best decision ever. It is incredibly easy to use, mega-cheap and has a stylish interface, and is very stable.
But yeah, it is a matter of personal tastes etc. I just found Reaper was the one for me because it's intended for amateurs (at least I personally think it is.)


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## Ji-Ji (May 14, 2013)

I used to think reaper was trial only so I dismissed it. I had cubase for a short while but it's buggy on my system, so I use Logic now. I record and mix way more than use any synth work (I program drums and piano from time to time)

I wanted pro tools for windows but as my mbox is my main sound device, it causes driver conflict..
But Logic is my favourite, ease of use and plugin library are amazing (for the price though, has to be!)


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## cause the rat (Jun 6, 2013)

You dame kids with your electronic hooy poopoo. None of you can say you've recored until you've spiced magnetic tape together with Scotch tape and a razor blade. :V.  

DAW has been the absolute BEST thing that as come out of the computer age. Well, that and the internet. I remember and was part of the multi track tape machines and bulky mixers with millions of wires. You know, the stone age. Or the stoned age........ When I started playing you had to lay down some serious cash to get started in home recording. And still not have even a 10th of what you can do on a cheap DAW. The amount of people who can now, for a few bucks, enjoy complete creative freedom. . ROCK ON DUDES! YOUR AWESOME!!!! 

When I was on a PC I used ACID PRO. I've gotten away from really doing anything musically. Have Garage Band on my mac. It's ok for what I do. Bang out something on a guitar and then sing. I'd call it severely limited for anything else.


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## Python Blue (Jun 6, 2013)

cause the rat said:


> When I was on a PC I used ACID PRO. I've gotten away from really doing anything musically. Have Garage Band on my mac. It's ok for what I do. Bang out something on a guitar and then sing. I'd call it severely limited for anything else.



Have you considered looking into Logic Pro/Logic Studio? GarageBand was basically made to be a lite version of Logic after Apple acquired Emagic (the original creators of Logic). The learning curve is a bit steep, but in a lot of ways, it's worth it.


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## Ji-Ji (Jun 6, 2013)

cause the rat said:


> You dame kids with your electronic hooy poopoo. None of you can say you've recored until you've spiced magnetic tape together with Scotch tape and a razor blade. :V.



I tried it when I was amid, failed every time. I wanted to do it for a project at uni but never had time nor any cassettes and was too lazy. 
Tape splicing seems so cool I was studying music concrete and that stuff is crazy.


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## cause the rat (Jun 6, 2013)

Python Blue said:


> Have you considered looking into Logic Pro/Logic Studio? GarageBand was basically made to be a lite version of Logic after Apple acquired Emagic (the original creators of Logic). The learning curve is a bit steep, but in a lot of ways, it's worth it.



Thanks for the info Python Blue! For what I'm doing now GB is fine. 



Ji-Ji said:


> I tried it when I was amid, failed every time. I wanted to do it for a project at uni but never had time nor any cassettes and was too lazy.
> Tape splicing seems so cool I was studying music concrete and that stuff is crazy.



You have to lay the tapes down on top of each other. Then cut from the top down at a good angle. Make sure your splicing so the angle goes from the smallest point to the bottom in the direction the tape will travel into the machine. Now lay the two ends together making SURE they are completely straight. Lay your Scotch tape over this cut. Use the blade to cut the tape Exactly the width of the magnetic tape. Turn this over and do the same on the other side. Or use a DAW. Select, drag and paste. So much more relaxing.


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## Ji-Ji (Jun 6, 2013)

I will try it one day, I love hands on technology, computers bring variety but lose feeling.. I wish I owned some of the synths logics plugins are modeled on...


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## Python Blue (Jun 6, 2013)

Ji-Ji said:


> I will try it one day, I love hands on technology, computers bring variety but lose feeling.. I wish I owned some of the synths logics plugins are modeled on...



One reason I prefer Logic over GarageBand is because it seems to have more ability for external instruments. Not all of my music is just software based; I do have two hardware synthesizers, and that number might increase in the near future.


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## Kalmor (Jun 6, 2013)

cause the rat said:


> You dame kids with your electronic hooy poopoo. None of you can say you've recored until you've spiced magnetic tape together with Scotch tape and a razor blade. :V.
> 
> DAW has been the absolute BEST thing that as come out of the computer age. Well, that and the internet. I remember and was part of the multi track tape machines and bulky mixers with millions of wires. You know, the stone age. Or the stoned age........ When I started playing you had to lay down some serious cash to get started in home recording. And still not have even a 10th of what you can do on a cheap DAW. The amount of people who can now, for a few bucks, enjoy complete creative freedom. . ROCK ON DUDES! YOUR AWESOME!!!!
> 
> When I was on a PC I used ACID PRO. I've gotten away from really doing anything musically. Have Garage Band on my mac. It's ok for what I do. Bang out something on a guitar and then sing. I'd call it severely limited for anything else.


Oh yes indeed, especially for people with low-ish income families like me. It's amazing how I can just grab a copy of reaper, get a few free or cheap VST samples/ers, synths and effects and start making music. You'd have to spend a fortune to do that a few decades ago, but now it's all easily accessible.


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## cause the rat (Jun 6, 2013)

Raptros said:


> Oh yes indeed, especially for people with low-ish income families like me. It's amazing how I can just grab a copy of reaper, get a few free or cheap VST samples/ers, synths and effects and start making music. You'd have to spend a fortune to do that a few decades ago, but now it's all easily accessible.



Computers and software have really giving a musician fantastic tools for creativity. I'm a guitar player. I can come up with a riff. Then record myself playing it with the built in camera. I now have a audio and video record of what I did. If I happen to forget what I did I can watch myself. Ever get up in the middle of the night with a great idea. You'll never remember it in the morning. Even record a progression of changes to the original riff. 

Never tried working with music samples. It's sounds fun.


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## Ji-Ji (Jun 7, 2013)

Python Blue said:


> One reason I prefer Logic over GarageBand is because it seems to have more ability for external instruments. Not all of my music is just software based; I do have two hardware synthesizers, and that number might increase in the near future.


 It's cos garage band is user aimed, logic is industry aimed. I see them like Photoshop and MS paint.


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## Aden (Jun 7, 2013)

Logic! It's wonderful

Crossing my fingers they'll say something about Logic X even _existing_ at WWDC next Monday


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## Ji-Ji (Jun 8, 2013)

I hope lion can run it, cba to pay for mountain lion update, the moment I do there'll be some other cat to pay for.


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## Demensa (Jun 9, 2013)

cause the rat said:


> Computers and software have really giving a musician fantastic tools for creativity. I'm a guitar player. I can come up with a riff. Then record myself playing it with the built in camera. I now have a audio and video record of what I did. If I happen to forget what I did I can watch myself. Ever get up in the middle of the night with a great idea. You'll never remember it in the morning. Even record a progression of changes to the original riff.



I do this so much...
I'll come up with a riff, record it so I don't forget, and banish the recorded file into the folder of unexpanded ideas, until I feel like going through it again.
By the time I come back to it, the riff has almost always changed from the original idea. Other songs, I've completely forgotten existed.

What I always find funny is coming back and hearing how bad you played the original riff the first time compared to how you can play it now.

Before I had a computer I had to score everything by hand or just try to drill a new idea into my head through practice and hope I didn't forget.

Going further...
With DAWs, I don't even need an instrument to come up with musical ideas anymore. I can just write songs straight into the program and watch as it is reproduced using any synthesiser or sample of my choice!
Technology is amazing.


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## cause the rat (Jun 9, 2013)

I do a lot of old slide blues with alternate tunings. Not only do I end up with an audio/video reference but I can save it to a folder for that particular tuning. 

Years ago I used a portable cassette player to record what I did. Then I got the bright idea of getting a second one. That way I could play a tape in the first one and record myself and the first tape on the second one. I could do three 'tracks' before things go so muddy you couldn't hear them anymore. 

I remember the fist rock band i was in. We wanted to make a recording so someone brought one of those portable cassette players. Set it up in the room we were playing in. The recording sounded like a trash truck compacting a load. So we put it in the adjoining room. Sounded like a trash truck in the distance.


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## Demensa (Jun 9, 2013)

cause the rat said:


> I do a lot of old slide blues with alternate tunings. Not only do I end up with an audio/video reference but I can save it to a folder for that particular tuning.
> 
> Years ago I used a portable cassette player to record what I did. Then I got the bright idea of getting a second one. That way I could play a tape in the first one and record myself and the first tape on the second one. I could do three 'tracks' before things go so muddy you couldn't hear them anymore.
> 
> I remember the fist rock band i was in. We wanted to make a recording so someone brought one of those portable cassette players. Set it up in the room we were playing in. The recording sounded like a trash truck compacting a load. So we put it in the adjoining room. Sounded like a trash truck in the distance.



I'm too young to remember the days of tape recorders... but it's remarkable how far technology has come.

I wonder if I will look back someday and marvel at how bad Pro Tools 10 was?


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## Python Blue (Jun 10, 2013)

Ji-Ji said:


> I hope lion can run it, cba to pay for mountain lion update, the moment I do there'll be some other cat to pay for.



Don't worry; Logic DOES work on Lion, speaking as a Lion user.  I myself don't see the point of upgrading to Mountain Lion so soon.


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## Ji-Ji (Jun 10, 2013)

Python Blue said:


> Don't worry; Logic DOES work on Lion, speaking as a Lion user.  I myself don't see the point of upgrading to Mountain Lion so soon.


I meant Logic X, I have logic 9 on lion already.


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## GatodeCafe (Jun 11, 2013)

Reaper mostly, but I'm working on a hackintosh so I can run some of those fun mac DAWs.


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## Ji-Ji (Jun 16, 2013)

GatodeCafe said:


> Reaper mostly, but I'm working on a hackintosh so I can run some of those fun mac DAWs.



If you need help PM me, I've done a fair few in my time :3


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## TobyDingo (Jun 16, 2013)

I use Cubase rewired with Reason. I also have Fl studio and Ableton live but don't tend to use them as I was taught to use Cubase and Reason at college so I know them pretty well. Rewiring is a great feature. It allows you to get the best of more than one DAW at the same time. I mainly use Cubase for recording MIDI and chopping up samples and Reason for creating drum loops.


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## Ji-Ji (Jun 16, 2013)

TobyDingo said:


> I use Cubase rewired with Reason. I also have Fl studio and Ableton live but don't tend to use them as I was taught to use Cubase and Reason at college so I know them pretty well. Rewiring is a great feature. It allows you to get the best of more than one DAW at the same time. I mainly use Cubase for recording MIDI and chopping up samples and Reason for creating drum loops.



I really want to try ableton and see what it's like, I looked at it for 20 minutes once at uni but the interface was odd so I scurried back to logic as I was meant to be working.
I do like Cubase, but it's a bit buggy here, the drivers for my Mbox are weak and you have to change drivers between record and playback so I just stick to Logic for safety.
It's a shame cos most of my friends use Cubase these days, it'd be easier to swap projects between us.


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## TobyDingo (Jun 16, 2013)

I have the same problems with my drivers and Cubase. A lot of my early work sounded great during production but after mastering and mixing down it lost all of it's 'juiciness.' Just sounded flat and a lot quieter. It was because I had created the tracks using an Asio4All driver which tends to boost everything up louder in Cubase and then when I mixed it down it would get played through my other built in driver and sound weak. I now only use the Asio driver for MIDI programming as it doesn't give me any issues with latency when using a midi keyboard then switch straight back to the normal driver for everything else.


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## Ji-Ji (Jun 16, 2013)

TobyDingo said:


> I have the same problems with my drivers and Cubase. A lot of my early work sounded great during production but after mastering and mixing down it lost all of it's 'juiciness.' Just sounded flat and a lot quieter. It was because I had created the tracks using an Asio4All driver which tends to boost everything up louder in Cubase and then when I mixed it down it would get played through my other built in driver and sound weak. I now only use the Asio driver for MIDI programming as it doesn't give me any issues with latency when using a midi keyboard then switch straight back to the normal driver for everything else.



I cheat on cubase, I got Izotopen Ozone 4 as a plugin as I couldn't be bothered to mix. It's a preset mastering plugin.


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## TobyDingo (Jun 16, 2013)

I also have Izotope Ozone 4 but haven't got round to using it yet. Is it easy to use? I normally do most of my mixing and mastering in Reason with it rewired to Cubase. There's some nice presets on there and they're easy to tweak to your liking.


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## Demensa (Jun 17, 2013)

TobyDingo said:


> I now only use the Asio driver for MIDI programming as it doesn't give me any issues with latency when using a midi keyboard then switch straight back to the normal driver for everything else.



That's a really good idea.
I use ASIO4All for FL studio since it fixes the latency issues for MIDI programming, but I might just try using the ordinary driver for the rest to see if it makes a difference in how I mix things, since you've brought it to my attention.


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## Ji-Ji (Jun 17, 2013)

TobyDingo said:


> I also have Izotope Ozone 4 but haven't got round to using it yet. Is it easy to use? I normally do most of my mixing and mastering in Reason with it rewired to Cubase. There's some nice presets on there and they're easy to tweak to your liking.



It's pretty cool, but i find it takes the fun out of it for me.

You can gloss over a preset master over anything, you can tweak them but it's so easy to be lazy if you're not serious with the project.


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## CedricSweetwater (Jul 3, 2013)

I've tried and use a lot of DAWs:
Reaper: I love using it to piece together sound collages. Just like how the block moving and combining works, but the workflow is kind of restrained.
Reason: Nice synths, but you ultimately end up having every song sound like it was "made in Reason" (up until version 6)
Audacity: Sometimes like using this to shape a track with it's reactive envelope tool, and some of the time/pitchshifting effects are interesting. Also like using it for opening just about any audio file and even opening files that aren't music to get some interesting sounds
FL Studio: Primarily use this to arrange all my electronic and ambient songs, but the workflow is over complicated most of the time. Also a resource hog, but I've gotten so many good songs out of the program
Ableton: Simple and easy to use for live performances, but it seems like the workflow leads you in one direction songwriting-wise. Great time manipulation tools though
Digital Performer: Lol, maybe if I learn Max it will be useful
Protools: Studio standard, and yet I still prefer to mix in FL Studio or Reaper just because it doesn't have a master VU meter, no auto-bouncing and it bogs you down with too many options (for my setup at least)


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