What Are The Pros & Cons of Various DAWs, for a Total Newb?

[TSJMajesty]

Including cost, ease-of-learning, ease-of-use, computer needs (I have 2 laptops- are there any specs you would need to know other than below?), and especially things that a guy who's new-to-digital-recording might not even think to ask.

Atm, I'm only looking for a way to record guitar, not necessarily record an entire song, but that may come later.

My desires would be:

• Easy to learn
• Quickly able to record just a guitar track with maybe a basic beat (I don't have drums)
• Simple way to edit the beats, like for example, if I wanted to move the kick drum an eighth beat sooner in each measure
• Not so intensive it would tax my laptop: Win10 64bit, Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-1035G1 @ 1.00Ghz 1.19 Ghz, 12 gig RAM, touch screen, 238 gig SSD, USB 3.1; other one is Win7 64 bit, Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-4800MQ @ 2.70Ghz 2.70Ghz, 256 gig SSD, 16gig RAM, USB 3.0. (The Win7 machine isn't on the internet due to Windoze 7 no longer being supported for security, but I may upgrade the OS if it seems that would be the better one to use...?)

I've never used DAW software at all. Help a brother out please.

 

[TSJMajesty]

Oh, and I'd rather not buy an interface, as I have an Axe Fx III.

 

[TSJMajesty]

And if pointing me to a GOOD, concise YT video is recommended, I'll gladly check it out.

 

[the-trooper]

Reaper.
"Free".
Easy to learn.
Excellent community forum where you'll get help in case you can't Google the solution out.
Extremely easy on the PC, the whole installation is something like 50 megabytes.
Despite all that, it is fully capable and developed DAW which will do absolutely everything you need for home recording (and much more).

You don't need an interface with Axe FX no matter which one you choose.

 

[SeeD]

Axe Fx III is you soundcard then.
I use Steinberg Cubase, I think the lowest Element is like 100 dollar

I have only used Cubase, but maybe others have some time with some free DAW`s. I`m sure folks will help
It`s a bit to learn when recording stuff. But Youtube is a good learning pal

 

[DrewJD82]

I'm not a PC/Windows guy, but I'd have to suggest Reaper simply due to the mass amount of people using it and the billions of tutorial videos that are surely available on YouTube as a result. Can't comment on the ease of use at all, but I'm stoked you're looking into it!

I have my head shoved so far up Apple's ass when it comes to Logic. I started on Pro Tools and got pretty good with that after reading thick ass books on how to use it (pre-YouTube days) but when I switched to Logic I didn't really need any assistance until I started getting into the deeper stuff. It's the most appropriately named DAW I've ever used!

 

[Mongillo19]

I'm not a PC/Windows guy, but I'd have to suggest Reaper simply due to the mass amount of people using it and the billions of tutorial videos that are surely available on YouTube as a result. Can't comment on the ease of use at all, but I'm stoked you're looking into it!

I have my head shoved so far up Apple's ass when it comes to Logic. I started on Pro Tools and got pretty good with that after reading thick ass books on how to use it (pre-YouTube days) but when I switched to Logic I didn't really need any assistance until I started getting into the deeper stuff. It's the most appropriately named DAW I've ever used!

Yeah reaper is fantastic imo

 

[Blix]

I used the free Bandlab when I had a PC: https://www.bandlab.com/products/cakewalk

 

[TSJMajesty]

Reaper.
"Free".

Why did you put free in parenthesis?

 

[Boudoir Guitar]

Why did you put free in parenthesis?

Because you are supposed to pay a sub-$100 license fee if you try it and continue to use it. Which is to say, it's only free to folks that are cool with cheating the honor system.

 

[Iron1]

I'm not a PC/Windows guy, but I'd have to suggest Reaper simply due to the mass amount of people using it and the billions of tutorial videos that are surely available on YouTube as a result. Can't comment on the ease of use at all, but I'm stoked you're looking into it!

I'm an Apple guy too. When I first started trying to record at home, about 8 years ago, a friend gave me a free license for Ableton. Absolutely hated it. A few months later, I got my first MacBook and along came GarageBand (the free, stripped down version of Logic) and I've essentially used it ever since.

I did install Reaper at one point and did a few songs on it. It's totally viable in the free version and I got solid results. As others have said, you really can't go wrong with Reaper. I ultimately switched back to GB, merely because I was already used to it and far enough down the road I didn't see a reason to invest the time necessary to get to that level of familiarity with Reaper.

Now, whenever GB glitches, I do immediately think I should switch to Reaper...

REAPER | Audio Production Without Limits

 

[the-trooper]

Why did you put free in parenthesis?

Because it's forever in fully functional "trial". You get a nag screen when you start it up and confirm you're still "evaluating" it.
If you decide to buy it, it's $60.

 

[Sleezy E]

Another vote for Reaper... fantastic DAW... can do just about anything (including video and surround)... and cheap

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Click the videos tab in the upper right.. Kenny Gioia's tutorials are amazing

 

[TheTrueZoltan!]

I don‘t like Reaper. It has the most ugly and unintuitive UIs of all the DAWs I tried. I‘d actually recommend Studio One. The entry level version („Artist“) is not expensive but already very good feature-wise, and it‘s quite easy to learn.

That being said, I swiched from Logic to Cubase a couple of months ago. Not regretted it so far!

 

[JiveTurkey]

I don‘t like Reaper. It has the most ugly and unintuitive UIs of all the DAWs I tried. I‘d actually recommend Studio One. The entry level version („Artist“) is not expensive but already very good feature-wise, and it‘s quite easy to learn.

That being said, I swiched from Logic to Cubase a couple of months ago. Not regretted it so far!

Amen.

 

[la szum]

Once again Gear Forums gathering around a resounding consensus. :lol


These are merely places to sow confusion and complicate the simplest of questions with "other" people's
various preferences. Not all of which are even remotely equal.

That's why I don't trust shit coming out of these kinds of places.... especially anything I share!!

 

[la szum]

They all do that thing.

So get the one you will actually use.

 

[Sleezy E]

I don‘t like Reaper. It has the most ugly and unintuitive UIs of all the DAWs I tried. I‘d actually recommend Studio One. The entry level version („Artist“) is not expensive but already very good feature-wise, and it‘s quite easy to learn.

That being said, I swiched from Logic to Cubase a couple of months ago. Not regretted it so far!

 

[JiveTurkey]

Two people=resounding consensus?

 

[the-trooper]

These are merely places to sow confusion and complicate the simplest of questions with "other" people's
various preferences.
So get the one you will actually use.

I own and know how to drive a tractor, but I don't own a plow and have never in my life plowed anything.
Do I ask my farmer neighbor which plow would be smart to buy, considering the size of my field and my tractor? Nah, I'll just buy the one I'll use. That sounds reasonable.