PC-Based Musician Shopping for new DAW! Questions.

[NukleoN]

Hi Everyone!

First, I'd like to introduce myself before asking a few questions. I'm a synthpop artist and I mostly do MIDI work with some audio (vox). I've been using Cakewalk on PC since the 90s but I've been very annoyed with the latest release of Sonar. Even their website forum is a buggy mess.

So, I'm in the market for a new DAW. I've been trying various programs, including Reason (which is brilliant) and Abelton Live (which I uninstalled right away). I'm basically looking for a traditional DAW that is rock-solid, has top-notch ASIO driver-support to play-nicely with my Roland Octa-Capture Interface for recording at 96k and must have strong MIDI functionality.

I'm also PC-based and am concerned about Motu's initial foray into the PC-World. Basically, I'm worried about the support for PC since they've made a point not to support PC till now, and their driver-support for PC-installed hardware hasn't been the best, in my experience. I stopped buying any MOTU hardware years ago, so I am a bit wary about the software side.

Here are my questions:

1. MIDI. I use tons of MIDI with outboard synths, namely my Access Virus Indigo II Redback but also soft-synths. Is the MIDI good in DP8 and is it easy to edit MIDI in a piano roll view?

2. Audio. How solid is the audio engine? Does it drop-out a lot? This has been a complaint from me about other DAWs in the past. I'm looking for full-on ASIO support, none of this WDM business.

3. Step-Record. I do a lot of it. Can you advance time with a QWERTY keyboard in DP8?

4. Custom hotkeys? Can hotkeys be customized, and how deep is the customization? I love the color-schemes and the brilliant instrument renderings. I can see MOTU cares about their interface.

Any other tips would be great. I would try a demo except a demo for DP8 isn't available, and it seems mostly guitar-centric. So, as an electronic musician I am checking to see how DP8 might work for me. I'd also go for the competitive pricing, and that's a nice touch from MOTU.

Thanks!

NukleoN

[Radiogal]

Have no fear.
In fact MOTU has more software than Digital Performer only. and have been around for almost 30 years in the music industry.

Mach Five and all other MOTU software and hardware are all PC and Mac.. It always has been like that. So MOTU is definitely NOT new to the PC world.

http://www.motu.com/products/software/m ... specs.html

[Radiogal]

Here are my questions:

1. MIDI. I use tons of MIDI with outboard synths, namely my Access Virus Indigo II Redback but also soft-synths. Is the MIDI good in DP8 and is it easy to edit MIDI in a piano roll view?

2. Audio. How solid is the audio engine? Does it drop-out a lot? This has been a complaint from me about other DAWs in the past. I'm looking for full-on ASIO support, none of this WDM business.

3. Step-Record. I do a lot of it. Can you advance time with a QWERTY keyboard in DP8?

4. Custom hotkeys? Can hotkeys be customized, and how deep is the customization? I love the color-schemes and the brilliant instrument renderings. I can see MOTU cares about their interface.

Any other tips would be great. I would try a demo except a demo for DP8 isn't available, and it seems mostly guitar-centric. So, as an electronic musician I am checking to see how DP8 might work for me. I'd also go for the competitive pricing, and that's a nice touch from MOTU.

Thanks!

NukleoN

Answeres:

1) Yes

2) DP is compatible with about anything. I never have had any problems with drop outs during the last 12+ years in DP

3) DP has step recording

4)Commands (hot keys) can be fully customized. There are also ready Key bindings available that follow ProTools, Logic and Studio Vision Pro. these are available from the MOTU support page.

Check these out. All DP 6, 7 and 8 tutorial videos will help you out.
Some free videos so watch and others to order.

http://www.youtube.com/user/motuTV

http://www.youtube.com/user/motuTV

http://www.soundonsound.com/articles/Di ... former.php

http://www.tutorialdepot.com/TD001/HTDP ... -main.html

http://www.ehow.com/video_2378284_setti ... ssion.html

http://www.softwaretrainingtutorials.com/dig-perf-6.php

[twistedtom]

#1; Yes, MIDI is very good and has tons of MIDI effects and editing is easy.
2; Very solid, tons of editing, easy to use, timing spot on.
3;I do not use the step recorder, I have played with it before. There is an automatic advance but I think you have to click on advance if in manual advance option, you may be able to program it in commands, I will look it up next time I am using DP8.
4; In the commands window you can do it and also set up MIDI commands.
You may have got the idea DP is a guitar for guitar due to all the guitar effects, it is an all around DAW that is both very deep and very intuitive to use. I play keys and guitar.

[Gravity Jim]

As RGal and Tom said, yes to all.

But especially the audio question. DP's stability goes beyond simply avoiding dropouts: the program's audio engine provides the very highest level of sample accuracy and phase coherency, and believe me, you don't find that in every DAW. DP audio is pristine.

[NukleoN]

Thanks to everyone who responded! You've definitely bolstered my confidence, especially as a PC-user.

Your feedback is very encouraging and MOTU DP8 is at the top of my DAW research list right now. I am also going to purchase Reasons for stand-alone projects and ReWire.

I've been watching videos from Motu and I appreciate feedback/testimonials from actual users. Thanks for linking those tutorial vids. Haven't seen those yet. The eHow stuff is really interesting because I can see some stuff in action I'd be using myself.

Great forum here, by the way.

[twistedtom]

I checked in the Commands window and I see you can set the Q-keyboard up any way you wish, it comes preset if you like the presets, you can also set up MIDI control.

[NukleoN]

I checked in the Commands window and I see you can set the Q-keyboard up any way you wish, it comes preset if you like the presets, you can also set up MIDI control.

Thanks for checking on that, Tom!

[Prime Mover]

Digital Performer is a very open-ended program. It's a little intimidating at first because it doesn't hold your hand as much as other programs do. However, it gently guides you into developing your own workflow that is very much your own. To that extent, I don't think one DP user would ever like to have to work on another DP user's machine, it would be a totally different world.

Regarding MOTUs introduction to the PC world: as someone else said, it's not their first time. Their hardware has been written with Windows drivers for decades, and they have other software that has had Windows versions for quite some time. To be perfectly honest, many people speculate that MOTUs extension to the Windows world is more due to the uncertainty of Pro systems in the Mac world then anything else. Apple has been quite poor to professionals as of late, finding a new home in the yuppy hobbyist crowd. They've failed to update their Pro line of machines for quite a few years, and MOTU is probably preparing themselves for a possible mass-exit of professional users from the Mac platform. It may not happen, and Apple has said that they do plan on doing a massive update and retake the Pro line, but it's still a little unclear at the moment, so MOTU is just covering their bases. But at the same time, when MOTU commits to something, they never back down. Their software philosophy has always been one of "building on what's there." Features are never removed, software is never abandoned, even old hardware keeps getting brought back to life and updated.

As for all your questions, as many have answered, are all a big "Yes". But especially the key command bindings: few programs go as deep. Printing out the key commands would be 30 pages in length, but the command window includes its own search function, so you can find the exact command you want quickly, and easily modify it.

[NukleoN]

Thanks PM, for that illuminating, insightful and thorough post. Very encouraging (despite the poor outlook with the Pro-line of Mac machines).

I'm a PC-user (because of my 3D work using Max) but also an Apple Developer since 2008. I'd hate to see Apple abandon their higher-end machines as I know how solid Macs have been for musicians, historically. If this is true, then I also feel sorry for Mac-users who have invested so much and may also have to switch platforms to stay current with processing power, low-latency, etc.

Very interesting speculation about MOTU's choice to support the PC. I think it's a smart move, and more sales means more money for them to maintain their quality level and remain sufficiently-solvent as a company. Plus, for users like me, I can finally consider DP among my choice of DAWs. I've literally been comparing demos all weekend. Right now, I'm checking out Studio One 2 (confusing name) by Presonus and this will be the last DAW I check out before making my decision. I tried Abelton Live but man is it confusing for the uninitiated. I'm so used to a more linear program like DP, even though I don't necessarily work in a linear fashion. As you've mentioned, DP is open-ended and each user can deeply-customize their UI...that's great to hear.

One of the reasons I look for thorough customization of command keys is because I am used to deep programs (like my 3D Software) and the muscle-memory you build over-time is vital to working quickly in a complex program with lots of commands. Few things are worse than a commonly-used command bound to difficult or non-intuitive keys, or keys which aren't comfortable for the user. It's one of the reasons that switching from a 3D program like Max or Maya too often can become harrowing, and switching DAWs isn't too much different. So, this is why I'm doing the research to really see what I like, is stable, well-supported, has the fewest bugs which interfere with my workflow, etc. In lieu of a real demo for DP, this forum (and some videos on the web) have been quite helpful.

Keep 'em coming if ye like. I enjoy hearing about what you like about DP, even as it compares to other DAWs you may have tried. I know this isn't DAW-Comparison 101, but your personal experiences matter to me, personally, with respect to making a decision.

[mike connelly]

Seems like a good place to add questions for prospective newcomers, so I'll add.

Does DP have any sort of MIDI sends, meaning can you make a track that feeds a number of other tracks? For example if you have an orchestral template, can you make one track that sends MIDI to cello, trombone, and bassoon, to play them all together? And if that's possible, how much control is there, can you do things like sending MIDI with a transposition, or limiting the range of notes sent, or sending with a change in velocity?

[Shooshie]

No "MIDI Sends," but DP has MIDI Device Groups which will run several MIDI devices from one track.

[Gravity Jim]

Mike, when I want to do that sort of thing, I find it much, much easier to just copy the same data to a set of individual tracks: then you can transpose / effect / note limit each track to your heart's content. To my mind and eye, actually cleaner and easier than MIDI Sends, and it all remains visible in the Tracks Overview.

[dewdman42]

Its going to be very fun to watch PC users become more aware of DP in the next year or two.

[mike connelly]

No "MIDI Sends," but DP has MIDI Device Groups which will run several MIDI devices from one track.

Thanks for the info. Can any parameters be set or is it just a basic mult to the different tracks?