DAW, MIDI, LIBRARY, LIVE

[rustycage19]

Hi everyone
I am new to the forum and a beginner into the music production as well so I need your help for some recommendations

I am looking for a All-in-one DAW that allows me to record my music (acoustic instruments, drum loops, pads) mostly via MIDI at home and then play it live.
I want to know which (most common) DAW pack is most suited for me under a 200€ budget

my setup
midi master keyoards: Studiologic vmk 188 plus, Akai mkp 61
hardware laptop i5 cpu 2.6 GHz ram 8 Gb
audio interface (to buy)
mixer behringer 302 usb

thanks

[Drew Stephenson]

Hi sosmarco, welcome to the forum.
Pretty much any DAW will do what you describe but some have different strengths and weaknesses.
Cubase, for example, is frequently praised for its MIDI integration, but the full version is out of your budget. Reaper, by contrast, is not always considered the easiest DAW to learn but it's very powerful, and very reasonably priced. Ableton Live, to look at it another way, tends to be more popular with EDM producers.
If you tell us a little more about your style of music we may be able to provide some more specific advice.
However, as you've not got your interface yet, it's worth remembering that lots of interfaces come with basic versions of a DAW bundled in. This will give you chance to play around with that model and see if you want to invest in the full version. Similarly Reaper allows you to install it with a long trial period.

[Wonks]

Note that any decent interface will make the mixer redundant.

[Drew Stephenson]

Note that any decent interface will make the mixer redundant.

Maybe not for live work?

[Wonks]

I think I've managed to thoroughly confuse myself and seem to have posted on the wrong thread . Please ignore my mixer comment.

[rustycage19]

Hi sosmarco, welcome to the forum.
Pretty much any DAW will do what you describe but some have different strengths and weaknesses.
Cubase, for example, is frequently praised for its MIDI integration, but the full version is out of your budget. Reaper, by contrast, is not always considered the easiest DAW to learn but it's very powerful, and very reasonably priced. Ableton Live, to look at it another way, tends to be more popular with EDM producers.
If you tell us a little more about your style of music we may be able to provide some more specific advice.
However, as you've not got your interface yet, it's worth remembering that lots of interfaces come with basic versions of a DAW bundled in. This will give you chance to play around with that model and see if you want to invest in the full version. Similarly Reaper allows you to install it with a long trial period.

thanks blinddrew for your answer, really appreciate that.
I can't say a lot about my style but for sure is not like techno dance, or metal or music scores. sure gonna be few instruments per song for playing live in local pubs.

I think I'll go for CUBASE Elements 10. It has everything I need now. there's anything I have to stick with for choosing the right audio interface for this DAW?

[The Bunk]

I think I've managed to thoroughly confuse myself and seem to have posted on the wrong thread . Please ignore my mixer comment.

Probably none of my business but might the fact that it was 2.19am when you posted have something to do with that?!?

[Wonks]

Perhaps. And also after my birthday celebrations. Some alcohol might have been involved.

[Drew Stephenson]

I think I'll go for CUBASE Elements 10. It has everything I need now. there's anything I have to stick with for choosing the right audio interface for this DAW?

If you're going down the cubase route then you could do much worse than choose one of the steinberg interfaces, I think they come with cubase AI bundled in which will give you something to play around with and confirm that it's the DAW you want to use before spending any more money.

[FrankRaz]

What blinddrew said. I've got both an Audient iD4 and a Steinberg UR22. They both come with Cubase AI (a cut down version of Elements) but the one that comes with the iD4 has 24 midi and 16 audio tracks while the one that comes with the UR22 has 48 midi and 32 audio tracks. That could make all the difference. The upgrade to Elements costs £42 in each case. The full Elements has 64 midi and 48 audio tracks which you may or may not need.

[The Bunk]

Perhaps. And also after my birthday celebrations. Some alcohol might have been involved.

A belated Happy Birthday then, Sir!