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Recording Software

Recording Software

posted on #1
mpointon Supporter
Posts: 518
Joined: Feb 27, 2015
At the moment I'm using Reaper on my Mac to record. It's a great product, don't get me wrong, but the main thing I miss from my Windows XP/Cubase SX3 days is having in-line EQ on all channels. On Reaper, it's a clunky VST you have to add to each channel which is both resource-hungry and a bit awkward to use. I just find Reaper hard work to do simple things, such as fade-outs, etc.. It's not a bad product but lacks the intuitiveness/slickness of products I'm used to, such as Cubase SX3 which, to me, was a dream to use.

I'm not familiar with other modern products although Logic seems the obvious choice as a Mac user. I'm a former C-Lab Notator user in my Atari ST days, onto Cakewalk when I went to a 486 before heading into Cubase SX3. I'm not unfamiliar with DAWs but Reaper has been the hardest work of them all - just the niggles, such as the EQ, which makes it cumbersome to use. Does anyone have any recommendations for me to upgrade to? There's a fair few options out there these days and I'm not averse to paying for it! Although I think, for my purposes, ProTools would be a step too far!
posted on #2
DannyK
Member
Posts: 213
Joined: Mar 7, 2014
Logic Pro is all you need. Seriously. I used Pro Tools and it is far too finicky with system peripherals/resources. Any simple thing can render it inoperable. As a Mac user I know Logic will always be stable on my iMac. And the price is a (relative) steal.
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posted on #3
Dick Supporter
Posts: 2843
Joined: Dec 30, 2010
not sure if thats a good choice to run on mac, but if you have some experience with cubase already, I can only state that the in-eq live visualisation of the current channels frequencies which they built into the elements 7 full version is a dream !
You basicly see which frequencies are clipping right away, something one could formerly only do by scrutinizing a track in wavelab... also, you may finally switch the way each channel is routed: the order of "channel strip"-effects and "external VSTs" can be switched around, which is very nice if you want to use some VST pre-EQ.
These two improvements are really enjoyable!
posted on #4
mpointon Supporter
Posts: 518
Joined: Feb 27, 2015
Thanks, both! I've downloaded Elements 7 for its 30-day trial so I'll have a pop at a loop using it later. At that price, it's half that of Logic, and it supports all that I'll need it for (which is 99% audio recording). It still supports VSTs but it appears AUs are out :( . Not such a huge issue as all my plugins have VST versions available too. Such a shame that my Waves DVD I've got is so out-of-date that they won't work on Yosemite :(

I looked at Logic but there's a lot of complaints about bugginess with the latest version and, as I can get Elements on a trial, there's no harm in trying it out and hopefully there'll be plenty of that SX3 comfiness to it! Although Steinberg themselves warn about using Elements 7 under Yosemite so I'll have to keep an eye on that. I won't be buying any DAW software until I get a new job anyway!
posted on #5
jmrukkers
Administrator
Posts: 286
Joined: Jan 20, 2014
I've got Cubase AI 6 on my mac, and it runs just fine with the latest fixes by Steinberg. But if if you want to keep your outlay low, perhaps Garageband is an option? It is free, and the Yosemite version is like a 'light' version of Logic; it supports in-line eq and even has a graphical analyzer for that. It is not as fancy as full blown DAWs like Logic, ProTools or Cubase, but for recording and basic mixing / mastering it does the job really well. If you also get MainStage (Us$ 8.-) it automatically adds all the Logic sounds and instruments to Garageband as well, you get a lot more instruments and effects, and some cool mastering plugins.

-- Joe
posted on #6
mpointon Supporter
Posts: 518
Joined: Feb 27, 2015
Thanks, jmrukkers - completely forgot I had GarageBand as it wasn't in my dock (the Mac's only a month or so old!). Looks like it could do the job for the time being. Just reading up on the fact it appears that AU support has been removed in the latest version but I appear to have version 10 installed by default and that supports my AUs.
posted on #7
jmrukkers
Administrator
Posts: 286
Joined: Jan 20, 2014
Audio units do work in GB X (the one that comes with Yosemite, latest version), but they have to be 64 bit versions, and need to be enabled under 'Preferences'. I much prefer the latest GB X over the older versions (more plugins, etc), but an older version may work just as well for recording.
posted on #8
mpointon Supporter
Posts: 518
Joined: Feb 27, 2015
Thanks again. :) I have the latest GB but I read confusing threads in various places about AUs. It would appear the people having problems (it wasn't obvious) was either because they didn't know to switch them on in preferences or their AUs were badly out-of-date. I had a play with GB this afternoon and, although simple, it's pretty powerful and a lot of the presets will come in useful as I'm a complete clot with plugins anyway! The only annoyance so far with GB is not being able to set the sound of the metronome meaning I'll have to create a loop with the sounds I like to use as a click - the built-in 'plip' sound will just get lost for me.

Thanks again. I really quite like GB now I've figured out it's modus operandi. :)

I'll still have a play with Cubase though too.
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posted on #9
ilikesta
Member
Posts: 2
Joined: Feb 5, 2012
i use free audacity and a tascam mkII usb interface. works on any old pc....so easy a caveman could be a rock star!!
posted on #10
Keiton
Member
Posts: 56
Joined: Mar 10, 2013
I use Logic pro X and Pro Tools 10. Amp Designer of Logic is my best stuff. I used it many guitar tracks. Pro tools... don't use it. Thank you!
posted on #11
Tutama
Member
Posts: 14
Joined: Jan 11, 2014
I use Mixcraft 7 Studio, for Windows PC is the best, very easy to use and lots of options/templates ...
posted on #12
Keiton
Member
Posts: 56
Joined: Mar 10, 2013
I've tried between Pro Tools 12 for some time. Action was slow in my Macbook Pro. Memory 8GB. So I went back again to Logic Pro X. I was stop using the Amp Desighner. Currently I'm using Pogitive Glid BIAS :)
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posted on #13
pgpete
Member
Posts: 7
Joined: Nov 16, 2015
I'm using Garageband - the one that came with El Capitan. I'm still trying to get used to it. I think it tries too damn hard at being easy and intuitive. File management ie getting MP3's in and out of Garagband and uploaded to wikiloops is more difficult than it should be.

For example - its hard to find the mp3 you want to import into Garageband unless you play it in iTunes. once you've done that you can find it in the recently played list.

I really should stop using it and use the copy of Logic I have - which reminds me Logic and Garageband constantly fight over downloading more loops to use.

It drives windows 10 users crazy! (Think different indeed!)
posted on #14
TeeGee Supporter
Posts: 1756
Joined: Sep 27, 2014
I used Audacity, still use it sometimes for simple things. But for the rest I use Cubase 8. The only thing with it is that it has so many functions and options etc, it is sometimes overwhelming. But I had some good results with it, and adding electronic drums or other instruments do help when you try to build a song.
posted on #15
slynch1967
Member
Posts: 7
Joined: Feb 20, 2016
I use Pro Tools 12. I've tried other DAWs but always came back to PT, since PT9. I run an older pc, with a few upgrades to give me 12gigs RAM, 10k rpm internal HD, as well as an external 2Tb back up drive, and 1k watts of power. I run it out through a Behringer Ucontrol 202, and into a Xenyx 802 mixer. My midi is a V49, and I have tons of plug-ins. I mix down with Sony ear-buds, Nandy QH560 open back headphones, and a pair of M3 reference monitors.PT was originally a paint to get set up, but at this point I find it the best for me.
posted on #16
Jeebsie
Member
Posts: 32
Joined: Aug 15, 2015
I use Logic Pro X and am extremely pleased with it.
As a Mac owner you do have the ability to boot natively into Windows using the bootcamp utility built into OSX, which gives you full Windows driver support for the hardware.
posted on #17
Pedersen
Member
Posts: 45
Joined: Dec 3, 2014
i use FL Studio 12.2, and i love it. i think there's better software out there for straight up recording. but the layout of FL Studio is just so noob friendly.
posted on #18
mpointon Supporter
Posts: 518
Joined: Feb 27, 2015
I've returned to Reaper. I've really got into it and have now paid for it. It's immensely powerful, if a little fiddly in places, but I'll stick with it now. I tried switching to Garage Band for a while last year but, it being Apple, it made some simple things unnecessarily difficult and it's certainly not a massively flexible recording tool in my opinion. Just simple niggles like not being able to change the metronome sound for something more suitable or preferred. I'm not paying £150 for Logic just so I can choose my own metronome sound.
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posted on #19
nilton
Member
Posts: 374
Joined: Mar 25, 2012
Tutama wrote:
I use Mixcraft 7 Studio, for Windows PC is the best, very easy to use and lots of options/templates ...

I gave it a try and it seems very nice. Auto warp is very useful
posted on #20
Frankisaur Supporter
Posts: 3
Joined: Feb 14, 2016
I use Ableton Live, and to a lesser degree Adobe Audition. I'm really into photography, so I've used Adobe software for many years. Audition comes part of the CC package, and although it's used mostly in broadcasting, it has some useful capabilities, and its audio editing program is very unique. I've only been using Ableton for a couple months, so I'm really a noob, but it too has a warping feature that's very useful (sometimes) for bringing a backing track onto tempo. This is very important for me; I realize that most people are recording their tracks to a click, but the end result isn't always "right on". I can't put a click to it unless I straiten it out. As the majority of my recording is done with midi these days, Ableton works well with my VST (superior drummer 2.0), and the VST itself had very impressive mixing capabilities.
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