best DAW

[Omino]

hi guys i need help to get more response for University/collage assignment can do me favour on filling the quick survey it will only take a minute to complete
thanks

https://forms.gle/RP4duTBwc1QvAQcu9

[Sam Spoons]

Done, and yes it did only take a minute

You ask the question "which is the best DAW for beginners?" but don't give an opportunity to answer it.

[The Elf]

Neither Pro Tools or Cubase (amongst others) in the first list...

i'm afraid I lost faith at that point!

[John Willett]

I started off with Fast Eddie in the 1990's.

There are lots of great DAWs missing from the list - Samplitude is excellent an d totally missing, for example.

If the questions is what did you use when you started, older DAW software options should have been included, some of which no longer exist.

[Sam Spoons]

I actually started with a Yamaha Music Computer CX5M (it had a two operator DX synth engine IIRC) but as it's sequencer only did midi I wouldn't consider it a DAW as such.

[Eddy Deegan]

My first 'proper' music software was Steinberg Twelve which I bought at one of the Computer shows at Alexandra Palace in the '80s.

(I couldn't afford Pro 24!)



No audio at that point, but you can't have everything

[James Perrett]

If the questions is what did you use when you started, older DAW software options should have been included, some of which no longer exist.

At least he included the option of Other and then a space for you to enter the name. There are probably quite a few of us who have never used anything in the list so it is a sign of a well designed survey that we are catered for.

[The Elf]

I began on Commodore 64 (was that Pro-16?). Then it was a suped-up Atari ST.

I recall SOS loaning me an Atari Falcon that could record 8 stereo audio tracks alongside MIDI. It blew my mind!

[DC-Choppah]

Voyetra Sequencer Plus was my first. I used it along with a TASCAM four track. Was that a DAW?

Does anyone still use Voyetra? That would be cool, to get that running inside ProTools!

[MOF]

No audio at that point, but you can't have everything

I started with Pro24, I didn’t know there was a Pro12. I quickly upgraded to Cubase when that came out for its logical, to me, arrange page. I struggled with the loop based approach of Pro24.
Strictly speaking I started out with something on the Sinclair Spectrum, so long ago I can’t remember what it was called, but I do recall it involved soldering up a kit for midi conversion that didn’t work.

[innerchord]

My first 'proper' music software was Steinberg Pro 12 which I bought at one of the Computer shows at Alexandra Palace in the '80s.
(I couldn't afford Pro 24!)

I was probably there too!

I recall shady-looking guys trading cracked copies outside...

[Dave B]

I actually started with a Yamaha Music Computer CX5M (it had a two operator DX synth engine IIRC) but as it's sequencer only did midi I wouldn't consider it a DAW as such.

It was full 4 operator FM on the CX5M - I used to use one at secondary school and learned FM programming on it. Then promptly forgot it when I got into analogue synths. Yes I know that's the wrong way round...

[Sam Spoons]

Thanks, it was a long time ago.......

[James Perrett]

Voyetra Sequencer Plus was my first. I used it along with a TASCAM four track. Was that a DAW?

Does anyone still use Voyetra? That would be cool, to get that running inside ProTools!

Voyetra was my first computer sequencer too - and it spoilt me for just about every other piece of music software because it was so reliable. It never crashed - and it was in use in the studio nearly every day. There's another ex-Voyetra user around here too (hint - take a look at the editorial in some of the early SOS issues). I wouldn't consider a sequencer as a DAW though.

Voyetra's first DAW was Digital Orchestrator Plus which I also used for a while. The audio side was fairly primitive but it was easier than running SAW (my first DAW) alongside Sequencer Plus when I wanted MIDI and audio together.

At one point you could download Sequencer Plus for free from Voyetra but I can't see that download any more - although while searching I found that someone had got it running on a Raspberry Pi.

[Mike Stranks]

... and I'm still left wondering if the O/P is intending to print-off, cut-out, and stick the responses on a bigger piece of paper before submitting his thesis...

[jaminem]

Commodore Amiga A500
And Music X - mix in colour!!!
Eat that Steinberg/Atari...

...oh....

[MOF]

and I'm still left wondering if the O/P is intending to print-off, cut-out, and stick the responses on a bigger piece of paper before submitting his thesis...

That’s how I did my thesis, only there was no printing involved, just handwritten on single sides of A4 sheets of paper, then cut up and sellotaped (other single sided sticky backed plastic tapes are/were available) together. These were then copied out once more by hand for the faculty secretary to type out and bind (for a fee) into a booklet for submission to the examiners.
Kids of today don’t know they’re born.