Favorite/Best DAW software for Tracking Audio??

Guitartist · Post by **Guitartist** » Sun Apr 15, 2007 2:12 pm

Hi,
What DAW software do MOTU interface users like for tracking audio?

Logic, DP, others...etc.??

I bought a MOTU 896HD primarily for recording audio. I will be miking acoustic and electric guitars(old amps), vocals, percussion, etc., the usual. Minimal MIDI usage.
"Rootsy Americana/Folk/Rock"...and so forth.

'Haven't decided which DAW software might be most intuitive to use for mostly audio dedicated projects through my 896HD.

I have a fairly extensive analog background and am making the transition like many others.

I'd love to hear all opinions, but especially from those currently into similar projects.

Thanks,
Guitartist

896HD, a few mics/pres, Intel iMac/Tiger, Dynaudio...and growing

Phil O · Post by **Phil O** » Sun Apr 15, 2007 2:21 pm

Although Digital Performer is considered THE choice for MIDI, I find it a wonderful program for audio only as well. I do all my tracking in DP. I like its GUI much better than ProTools, Cakewalk, Cubase and others. I have other programs that I use for some specific tasks, but DP is my primary app for tracking and mixing.

Phil

Guitartist · Post by **Guitartist** » Sun Apr 15, 2007 5:31 pm

Hey there Phil,

Thanks for your reply!

Curious... What type/s of music, instruments do you track?

Guitartist

Phil O · Post by **Phil O** » Sun Apr 15, 2007 5:52 pm

Guitartist wrote:Hey there Phil,

Thanks for your reply!
Guitartist

You are very welcome!

Guitartist wrote:Curious... What type/s of music, instruments do you track?

Whatever comes through the door.

Phil

vier-personen · Post by **vier-personen** » Mon Apr 16, 2007 2:14 am

hi! I came to DP after protools (years ago), cubase (early sx version) and a short interlude with the logic express demo - and I can say I like DP the most (for my needs anyway) because it suits my workflow.
I don‘t do (or very little) MIDI, and bought it for the audio editing alone. so you know what I am talking about - I don‘t have a commercial studio and don‘t use DP everyday, but I do electronic/experimental/sound design music with audio samples (a lot of cutting) and I mix and record my own bands (new music, jazz, improv and some metal) and for me DP is very nice.
another big reason why I chose DP was it‘s price - as you might imagine as a jazz musician in the widest sense I‘m on a tight budget ; ) I think if you have a motu interface you get a discount....
to put it into perspective - of course there are some things I don‘t like about DP, like it‘s use of sound designerII files (I often get wav or aiff files to work with, and I have to convert the thing which takes more space on the HD), but that‘s not a big deal in the end..

Dwetmaster · Post by **Dwetmaster** » Mon Apr 16, 2007 6:00 am

Phil O wrote:Although Digital Performer is considered THE choice for MIDI,

I find that's a preconception that a lot of people have nowadays. I'm talking about DP being mainly a MIDI app. Of course DP is great for MIDI but it's definitely not MIDI Only...
My friend Phil O got it right. DP rocks for any editing of any sort. MIDI and/or Audio.

I know that's the answer you would expect from this forum. But if you would be looking for intuitive, easy to learn, CUSTOMIZABLILITY (can I say that???

) DP is your choice. whatever I have to track, my 896HD, my MBP and DP as always been reliable.

Guitartist · Post by **Guitartist** » Mon Apr 16, 2007 12:58 pm

This is great! Keep it coming!

Well, so far, DP is in the lead, but, then this is Unicornation. As Dwetmaster said, that would be somewhat expected.

vier-personen: ...of course there are some things I don‘t like about DP, like it‘s use of sound designerII files

Little or no exposure to DP here, so please help me out here... Isn't/wasn't Sound Designer a 2-trk Pro Tools edit app.?

This to anyone..
I live in Apple & DigiDesign country(Sam Francisco area), lotsa folks advise towards Pro Tools for audio, citing that it's flow is more like analog(my background), hence easier to learn/use since mine will be "mostly-audio" projects. (I didn't care to be tied to their gear just to use PT LE, which is the current level I can afford, so I went with the 896HD anyway)

Then you have the Logic fans saying stuff like, "...yea, it's(Logic) really hard to learn, but since you're starting from scratch they'll all be hard and Logic has everything, yatta, yatta"

Any truths here?

Mr_Clifford · Post by **Mr_Clifford** » Mon Apr 16, 2007 3:49 pm

Guitartist wrote:This to anyone..
I live in Apple & DigiDesign country(Sam Francisco area), lotsa folks advise towards Pro Tools for audio, citing that it's flow is more like analog(my background), hence easier to learn/use since mine will be "mostly-audio" projects. (I didn't care to be tied to their gear just to use PT LE, which is the current level I can afford, so I went with the 896HD anyway)

Well you're right in that now you've bought an 896HD you've automatically ruled out Pro Tools (unless you want to shell out more $$$ on hardware that's inferior to your 896).

Yes, PT's audio editing and tracking is very good, and based on analog studio concepts. BUT, DPs audio engine and editing is very similar to Pro Tools. It has exactly the same bussing system and the sequence editor looks very similar to the Pro Tools tracks window. Plus it has some extra tools and you don't get hamstrung by all the limitations that PTLE puts on you.

I would agree with what you've been told if comparing PT to Logic or Cubase, but it doesn't apply to DP.

Then you have the Logic fans saying stuff like, "...yea, it's(Logic) really hard to learn, but since you're starting from scratch they'll all be hard and Logic has everything, yatta, yatta"

Any truths here?

Logic's main trump card is the bundled plug-ins and VI's, plus it seems to be a bit more efficient with its CPU usage. From what I've heard the audio editing side is a real pain. So if it's audio tracking and editing, I'd say that DP is still going to be your best bet.

And trust me, don't even consider Cubase (I'm an ex-user - thankfully I went through re-hab and am now on DP).

Kind Of Loud · Post by **Kind Of Loud** » Mon Apr 16, 2007 4:15 pm

Mr_Clifford wrote:
And trust me, don't even consider Cubase (I'm an ex-user - thankfully I went through re-hab and am now on DP).

Love the humour Mr.Clifford...!!!

vier-personen · Post by **vier-personen** » Mon Apr 16, 2007 4:36 pm

Guitartist wrote:
vier-personen: ...of course there are some things I don‘t like about DP, like it‘s use of sound designerII files
Little or no exposure to DP here, so please help me out here... Isn't/wasn't Sound Designer a 2-trk Pro Tools edit app.?

I think you are right about the app called sound designer, though I have never seen it.
but I am refering to the sound file format (is this the right word) called sound desinger II or sdII (.mg) digital performer uses, that‘s not widely used by other systems anymore - it can import wav, aiff and other formats but it has to convert them to sdII - there has been some discussion you can find on unicornation about this.
I personally think it‘s not so cool, as mentioned before, because of disk space (if you get wav and want to keep the original) and because it takes a few seconds longer to import a sound file... but actually it‘s not that big deal for me and I think they will introduce wav support in one of the next versions (though I don‘t have any official info).
read the posts about this and you will know more, but I think the consensus on unicornation was that sdII work well. I never had a problem with this format.

Pappy725 · Post by **Pappy725** » Mon Apr 16, 2007 6:04 pm

DP 4.61 rocks my PB. I record audio only with 10 tracks for 3 to 4 hours sets. The SE is great for editing audio. and I'm doing it on a PowerBook!
Stephen

Kind Of Loud · Post by **Kind Of Loud** » Mon Apr 16, 2007 7:04 pm

I'm still using 4.61, running on my super duper, numbers crushing DP800...( stop laughing )
Can't get the old bag, to lock up, when I'm running DP...

Quit you're shopping Bro', and order yourself DP....
I don't use MIDI much, except for triggered drums, or occasionally a "synth' type sound. Although it's great to know DP will handle anything and beyond for MIDI, when the occasion comes up.
I record real instruments...Ya' know rock n' roll....Drums, bass guitars., etc. Usually my projects top out at 24-36 tracks.

The audio editing is great. Handles my needs to a "T". Moving sections around is a snap..!!
Have you heard of POLAR, the looping tool..?? I'm a guitar player. Setting up Polar to loop a solo section is awesome.!! One take after another, recording solo passes, without having to touch the keyboard is Heaven...!!!
You can set it up, so you can layer harmony lines. All without touching the keyborad..!!
It just goes on and on, with the features DP has...!!

As an added bonus, you will not find a better group of people right here, if you have any questions. There are some SERIOUS power users here, that can help with what ever problem(s) you have. They really do know the goods..!!!

So whadda ya' waitin' for........

BradLyons · Post by **BradLyons** » Mon Apr 16, 2007 7:22 pm

Well ya'll know my preference..... .so I'm going to go stand in the corner now!

Kind Of Loud · Post by **Kind Of Loud** » Mon Apr 16, 2007 7:32 pm

BradLyons wrote:Well ya'll know my preference..... .so I'm going to go stand in the corner now!

Don't you mean the cellar...???

That's where my Pee Cee is.....
Yuck....Yuck...!!!!

Guitartist · Post by **Guitartist** » Mon Apr 16, 2007 8:50 pm

Pappy725 wrote:The SE is great for editing audio. and I'm doing it on a PowerBook!

Pardon my ignorance, but...What's SE??