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

[TSJMajesty]

I downloaded Reaper. In Reaper, in Preferences, under Audio, Device, there's an unchecked check box: "Request sample rate", which is currently set at 44100.

For using with an Axe Fx III, I need to check this box, and change it to 48000, right?

And are there any other configurations I need to do? For example, in the Axe, under Global Settings, what about "OUT 1 Configuration", Output Level? -10 dbV, or +4 dBu?

 

[pipelineaudio]

Someone who uses the axe drivers a lot could help more with the config, I thought they said the first two would work for general stuff

I would definitely check request sample rate and set to 48k. Make sure you are using ASIO as the audio system in reaper and your axe ASIO drivers as the asio driver in the next dialog box down

 

[pipelineaudio]

Looks like 1 and 2 for "record what you hear", I would also probably add 5 or 6 and use reaper's track and item grouping features so that you could always have a DI just in case, yet edit and arm along with the other tracks

 

[TSJMajesty]

Holy Shitballs Batman! I like perused the Reaper PDF, and wow. Where's the Quick-Start, basic operations manual for someone who's never recorded on a DAW, and just wants to record themself playing guitar? I'll figure it out, between Cooper's class, his and Leon's videos, the manuals, and the forums, but damn.

This digital world sure as hell seems geared for people who already know their way around. Like, I had never even used a modeler up until 2 years ago, and I wanted to be able to import presets made by others.

The Axe Fx manual showed how to do this, but never once gave the exact type of USB cable I needed to buy!

I wanna pause for a bit on this recording front, and just play my guitar! haha

(More questions to follow, I imagine...)

 

[the-trooper]

Where's the Quick-Start, basic operations manual for someone who's never recorded on a DAW

Here, watch the entire playlist and you'll know how to do 90% of what you need:

 

[pipelineaudio]

Holy Shitballs Batman! I like perused the Reaper PDF, and wow. Where's the Quick-Start, basic operations manual for someone who's never recorded on a DAW, and just wants to record themself playing guitar? I'll figure it out, between Cooper's class, his and Leon's videos, the manuals, and the forums, but damn.

This digital world sure as hell seems geared for people who already know their way around. Like, I had never even used a modeler up until 2 years ago, and I wanted to be able to import presets made by others.

The Axe Fx manual showed how to do this, but never once gave the exact type of USB cable I needed to buy!

I wanna pause for a bit on this recording front, and just play my guitar! haha

(More questions to follow, I imagine...)

That's why I made the video I did for that. Forget all that other stuff

1. Add a track
2. set to the correct input
3. Arm the track
4. Hit record

Done, don't worry about that advanced stuff until you need it

 

[Bruce]

Studio one changed my life coming from a decade of Protools.

Pros: drag and drop functionality.
15 bucks to try it out.
Plenty of online YouTube beginners tutorials.
Cons: with any DAW, there’s no free lunch here. You have to learn DAW basics.

 

[Rewolf]

I’m a Reaper user, it works for me. The big gap in the original question was about Drums; it’s not something that Reaper includes out of the box. I use EZDrummer, which is great and can sound very realistic if you get into more advanced settings, but it isn’t free.

What do people suggest for laying out the requested drum tracks?

 

[Rewolf]

Actually I should correct that… I use EZDrummer when knocking up a demo. I use our real drummer for more serious recordings!

 

[Piing]

Are you dismissing Cakewalk?

 

[Stone]

I use Presonus Studio One it suits my needs, and was free when I bought my Original Interface
Cause i only use it for Covers
Load song
insert track
adjust volumes
Hit record

 

[Jarick]

I'm a Mac guy and haven't been serious about recording for a long time. When I do need to record, it's been Garageband which is really great for a free piece of software. I'm sure a lot of really good demos could be made with this software.

Right now I'm nearing the end of a trial with Logic which seems like a super sized version of Garageband. It's easy to get going and familiar but has a ton of power under the hood. I like that it's $200 all in, not a bunch of add-ins that add up, and has a bunch of quality plugins and instruments.

On the other hand, I'm intrigued by Ableton and see a million people using it. I want to play around more with looping especially for recording quick ideas. But it's a really foreign software to me and not intuitive at all. Logic has some new looping features but it seems like almost everyone is using Ableton for that kind of stuff.

So I'll probably end up buying Logic Pro in the next couple weeks, but want to see if I can figure out Ableton enough to make it a killer software.

 

[Boudoir Guitar]

I'm a Mac guy and haven't been serious about recording for a long time. When I do need to record, it's been Garageband which is really great for a free piece of software. I'm sure a lot of really good demos could be made with this software.

Right now I'm nearing the end of a trial with Logic which seems like a super sized version of Garageband. It's easy to get going and familiar but has a ton of power under the hood. I like that it's $200 all in, not a bunch of add-ins that add up, and has a bunch of quality plugins and instruments.

On the other hand, I'm intrigued by Ableton and see a million people using it. I want to play around more with looping especially for recording quick ideas. But it's a really foreign software to me and not intuitive at all. Logic has some new looping features but it seems like almost everyone is using Ableton for that kind of stuff.

So I'll probably end up buying Logic Pro in the next couple weeks, but want to see if I can figure out Ableton enough to make it a killer software.

I've tried to come to terms with Abelton seeeeeveral times and...I just can't. It seems like it should be so freakin' intuitive for how so many of us work, even non-loopers. "record verse rhythm guitar track as a clip in session view; paste it where needed in arrangement view" but for whatever reason the process of recording audio clips in session view has never made sense to me. And if I can't get over that simple hurdle...ugh.

 

[fretworn]

I used Cubase in the early 1990s from Steinberg… When I got out of the music biz, digital audio was making its way into these midi platforms. I’m wondering how much of it would be the same?

Last project I downloaded Audacity and it’s OK… But not my “productivity” tool so far.

I would consider Studio one, Cubase, or Reaper, depending on what meets my needs… More research I suppose.

What are the better drumming suites? (I’ve seen EZ drummer and a couple of other suggestions.)

 

[DrewJD82]

I used Cubase in the early 1990s from Steinberg… When I got out of the music biz, digital audio was making its way into these midi platforms. I’m wondering how much of it would be the same?

Last project I downloaded Audacity and it’s OK… But not my “productivity” tool so far.

I would consider Studio one, Cubase, or Reaper, depending on what meets my needs… More research I suppose.

What are the better drumming suites? (I’ve seen EZ drummer and a couple of other suggestions.)

It’s hard to go wrong with EZDrummer/Superior Drummer.

EZD is great if you’re not looking to get in depth with the mixing. The kits all come pre-EQ’d and you can’t remove the EQ, however you can send each drum to it’s own track in a DAW and go crazy with EQ’s in there, but you’re still working with EQ’d samples and not raw drum tracks. For most people just wanting to bust out a demo, this is perfectly fine. They’ve got some great kits in there and the only reason I jumped to SD3 was because I wanted more control.

If there is something as easy and intuitive as EZD to work with, I haven’t come across it yet. (I also own SSD and GGD)

 

[Boudoir Guitar]

What are the better drumming suites? (I’ve seen EZ drummer and a couple of other suggestions.)

What are you looking for from a drum plugin? Just sounds, or are you looking for something with patterns that you can just drag/drop to create a song structure?

I upgraded to Superior Drummer because I much prefer programming drum patterns/grooves with its grid editor. I think EZDrummer may now incorporate the grid editor, too? Superior Drummer takes work (compression and EQ tweaking) to get it to sound good (which is the point entirely) and can be annoying if you're just trying to throw together a decent sounding track quickly; EZDrummer sounds significantly better than the stock drum sounds in Logic (which aren't half bad themselves) immediately, but overall is a little more "hyped" sounding than would I would want on a lot of stuff.

The main reason so many folks focus/recommend EZDrummer is because of the huge library of patterns/grooves (and expansion MIDI packs that are available) as much as anything. If all you're looking for are great "mix ready" drum sounds...there are so, so, so many options.

 

[fretworn]

In the past… I have used midi keyboards, Roland R8 drums machine and pads, sample libraries, sample beats …

I guess a mixture of both beats and individual kits where I can mess with the sounds of the drums.

I too was a big time grid editor. Maybe a suite of each?

 

[Boudoir Guitar]

In the past… I have used midi keyboards, Roland R8 drums machine and pads, sample libraries, sample beats …

I guess a mixture of both beats and individual kits where I can mess with the sounds of the drums.

I too was a big time grid editor. Maybe a suite of each?

To clarify, whatever DAW you go with will have a piano roll editor just like your old MIDI sequencer days that you can use for grid editing. I find the one in Superior Drummer to just be...better. For reasons.

I'd pick a DAW first before worrying about drum plugin. Some have loooooooooooooooooooooooads of content included and may be more than enough to keep you busy/satisfied for quite a while to come.

 

[fretworn]

Thank you Watt!

 

[Digital Igloo]

Reaper is fine, but anyone starting out on a Mac really can't go wrong with GarageBand. It's already in your computer (free!), it's super easy to get up and running, and as soon as you outgrow its capabilities, all your projects can be opened in Logic. In fact, you can go into Logic's preferences and turn off certain capabilities and if you turn off everything, Logic effectively becomes GarageBand. Gradually turn on capabilities as you need them; it's a brilliant concept.

Logic is a bit more at $199, but that's an INSANE price for what you get. The included content is really second to none. Even the built in Drummer plugin is world-class and ridiculously easy to get fantastic results; I used it all the time before snagging SD3. Still use it often.