AudioDesk or DP6?
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This forum is for seeking solutions to technical problems involving Digital Performer and/or plug-ins on MacOS, as well as feature requests, criticisms, comparison to other DAWs.
This forum is for seeking solutions to technical problems involving Digital Performer and/or plug-ins on MacOS, as well as feature requests, criticisms, comparison to other DAWs.
AudioDesk or DP6?
I have an 896 MK III and don't use MIDI at all... (I work with video/short movies soundtracks)...I compose,record (using audio only),edit, mix, bounce, edit with video etc.
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jlaudon
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Re: AudioDesk or DP6?
Welcome to the 'nation. Since Audiodesk comes bundled with your interface, try it out for a bit to see if it does all that you need it to. I'm not sure if it works with movies, or if they have disabled that feature in Audiodesk. Then you can decide if you need DP (something tells me you will 
.
.MacBook Pro 2021 (M1 Ultra) with 64 gigs RAM. DP 11.23
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kats_corner
- Posts: 59
- Joined: Thu Apr 10, 2008 11:47 am
- Primary DAW OS: MacOS
- Location: Michigan, USA
Re: AudioDesk or DP6?
As I recall, AD does indeed play back the Quicktime movies, but there are no banners or flares, etc. for the handy frame references like DP6 has. DP also offers the ability to play the move through an attached firewire video adapter for viewing on a separate display - AD can't do that.
If you're doing a lot of editing, I really agree you'll find that DP6 will offer a LOT more useful tools than AD. I also do a lot of audio for video work, as well as straight audio recording/mixing/editing. I worked with AD for a long time (years), and finally upgraded to DP5, and now to DP6, and I can tell you, I'm not going back to AD! In my AD days, I did everything audio only (just as you are) with no MIDI, and I was happy. But having MIDI available has opened my possibilities maybe ten-fold; not to mention the things I can now tell a client, "yes, I CAN do that..."
Also note that using MIDI with DP doesn't necessarily mean that you have to plug in an external keyboard, etc. The virtual instruments (VI's) packaged with DP work via MIDI tracks. If you want to use the instruments, you need to use MIDI and instrument tracks to get to them. Since you compose, I assume that you do most or all of the music scoring for your projects. You can use the Quickscribe and notation editor windows to enter the music by hand, as if you're writing it on a paper staff, and then route it through a VI to render it to audio for the mix. This *can* be done without any MIDI hardware attached. Well, you might need a MIDI interface visible to the system even if nothing is actually plugged into it, but the 896mk3 has MIDI in/out doesn't it? (I use the 828mk2 at present, which does.)
Hope you find any of this useful.
If you're doing a lot of editing, I really agree you'll find that DP6 will offer a LOT more useful tools than AD. I also do a lot of audio for video work, as well as straight audio recording/mixing/editing. I worked with AD for a long time (years), and finally upgraded to DP5, and now to DP6, and I can tell you, I'm not going back to AD! In my AD days, I did everything audio only (just as you are) with no MIDI, and I was happy. But having MIDI available has opened my possibilities maybe ten-fold; not to mention the things I can now tell a client, "yes, I CAN do that..."
Also note that using MIDI with DP doesn't necessarily mean that you have to plug in an external keyboard, etc. The virtual instruments (VI's) packaged with DP work via MIDI tracks. If you want to use the instruments, you need to use MIDI and instrument tracks to get to them. Since you compose, I assume that you do most or all of the music scoring for your projects. You can use the Quickscribe and notation editor windows to enter the music by hand, as if you're writing it on a paper staff, and then route it through a VI to render it to audio for the mix. This *can* be done without any MIDI hardware attached. Well, you might need a MIDI interface visible to the system even if nothing is actually plugged into it, but the 896mk3 has MIDI in/out doesn't it? (I use the 828mk2 at present, which does.)
Hope you find any of this useful.
Ken: Owner/Engineer, KaT's Corner Recording
Re: AudioDesk or DP6?
The differences between DP6 and AudioDesk are more than just MIDI. I have a friend who does audio-only work and who owns a MOTU 8pre audio interface. He bought a new laptop and a copy of Logic Express, but I'm trying to convince him to consider DP (or AudioDesk). He should have gotten a copy of AD w/ his 8pre and I'm trying to encourage him to install it and check it out before he invests too much learning curve in Logic.
At one point I found a chart on MOTU's site comparing DP and AD, but I can't seem to find it right now. Maybe someone else can find it? But I recall there are more differences than just MIDI ... that is, it's not like AD is just DP w/o MIDI. You don't get as many levels of undo, you don't get the full DP set of audio plug ins... (This might not be an issue, if you want to use third party plugins for some to those things.) Those are a couple of the differences that I remember. It might be worth poking around the MOTU site to see if that chart still exists. I haven't been able to find it since the did the recent makeover of the site.
Babz
At one point I found a chart on MOTU's site comparing DP and AD, but I can't seem to find it right now. Maybe someone else can find it? But I recall there are more differences than just MIDI ... that is, it's not like AD is just DP w/o MIDI. You don't get as many levels of undo, you don't get the full DP set of audio plug ins... (This might not be an issue, if you want to use third party plugins for some to those things.) Those are a couple of the differences that I remember. It might be worth poking around the MOTU site to see if that chart still exists. I haven't been able to find it since the did the recent makeover of the site.
Babz
Last edited by Babz on Fri Nov 28, 2008 3:10 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Re: AudioDesk or DP6?
OK, I found where they buried the DP AD comparison chart....
Go here:
http://www.motu.com/products/software/audiodesk
and then click on "Upgrade" [of all places!] to the left and you'll find the chart.
You can see that DP has significantly more to offer, but you may find that AD is adequate for your needs. Or at least you can try it out and get a basic idea of the user interface, and always upgrade to DP down the road.
Best,
Babz
Go here:
http://www.motu.com/products/software/audiodesk
and then click on "Upgrade" [of all places!] to the left and you'll find the chart.
You can see that DP has significantly more to offer, but you may find that AD is adequate for your needs. Or at least you can try it out and get a basic idea of the user interface, and always upgrade to DP down the road.
Best,
Babz
Re: AudioDesk or DP6?
Thank you all for your kind attention. I will stay with AudioDesk for a while but it seems DP is a much better DAW... I am coming from ProTools/PC and very happy now at MOTU/Mac community. 896 MK III is a wonderful interface. I'd like to ask you a lot of other things but, as you see (read) my english is very very limited. I will keep reading you...
Thanks again
Rondon
Thanks again
Rondon