How to record?

[mfeele01]

When I google best DAW I keep seeing Abelton Live as a top choice. Seems like whatever I choose I’ll have to spend some time learning it.

[Drew Stephenson]

Seems like whatever I choose I’ll have to spend some time learning it.

Absolutely. Modern DAWs are really powerful and flexible tools - and that means they all have a learning curve.

Might be worth watching a few tutorial videos first as that will give you an idea of the operating paradigm and you might get a sense of whether that style will work for you.

[Sam Spoons]

When I google best DAW I keep seeing Abelton Live as a top choice.

When I tried the first ten results for a Google search "Best DAW" return five different DAWs.

Seems like whatever I choose I’ll have to spend some time learning it.

True, I decided that, since I was going to have to learn whatever DAW I chose pretty much from scratch, I would make the decision based on a bit of research and settled on Reaper. There were various reasons I chose Reaper, it's a full fat DAW with huge flexibility, costs $60 to licence (but the trial version is not crippled in any way and, in practice, not time limited, it is used by several people on these forums who's opinions I respect and, finally, I like their business model.

[ef37a]

One of the great things about Reaper is that when you buy it they send you a 'slab' of text that is the activation code. This sits in your PC and does (did?) not change over time and you can activate a second or third machine.

For DAWs like Samplitude and others you get usually 3 activation 'hits' and that is it. If you have to re-install Windows and you have used up your allocation you are stuffed unless, as son has done a couple of times, you can wheedle/beg another code from the DAW company.

Not so for Reaper. Provided you have the text stored on a second drive of some sort you can activate it as many times as you need if your PC goes TsU.

Of course, this situation is open to abuse but it seems Cockos are not the suspicious, money grubbing bstds that most other DAW peeps be!

I have not needed to activate Reaper for some years but I hope this generous, open policy has not changed?

Dave.

[Arpangel]

Dave, my version of Reason expired, this along with a computer change is horrendous, I’ve no option but to buy it again.
I have Reaper, run out of paid licenses ages ago, must buy it again.

[ef37a]

Dave, my version of Reason expired, this along with a computer change is horrendous, I’ve no option but to buy it again.
I have Reaper, run out of paid licenses ages ago, must buy it again.

Do you not have the code stashed on a stick Tony? I suppose it does not last forever but it was several years in my case?

Still, at 40 quid or so a pop it is still vastly cheaper than anything remotely comparable?

Dave.

[Arpangel]

Dave, my version of Reason expired, this along with a computer change is horrendous, I’ve no option but to buy it again.
I have Reaper, run out of paid licenses ages ago, must buy it again.

Do you not have the code stashed on a stick Tony? I suppose it does not last forever but it was several years in my case?

Still, at 40 quid or so a pop it is still vastly cheaper than anything remotely comparable?

Dave.

Yes, I still have the code, but I used up it’s versions ages ago, have to buy a new code ASAP.

[Drew Stephenson]

Once you've bought Reaper you should never need to buy a new version. You won't be able to keep upgrading indefinitely, but your licence never expires.
If you don't need any of the newer features you can just keep using an older version.

[Arpangel]

Once you've bought Reaper you should never need to buy a new version. You won't be able to keep upgrading indefinitely, but your licence never expires.
If you don't need any of the newer features you can just keep using an older version.

[Arpangel]

On another note, I just got a reply from Reason, looks like I can buy a perpetual upgrade of Reason 12 for £199, 50% off right now.

[Hugh Robjohns]

Shome confushun here i fink. Tony is talking about a different Daw to Dave and Drew....

Reason is not the same as Reaper.

[FrankF]

Indeed. Cubase was like falling off a log for me, whilst each time I try out Reaper, my head explodes and I’m swearing at it within a few minutes because I can’t even set up a simple audio track.

This is interesting: I've also never felt at home with Reaper. I never got the MIDI from my Casio keyboard to work with it: even Cakewalk did a better job.

One thing in particular that irks me is when you open Reaper and just hit Record, it tells you to insert and arm a track, whereas audacious little Audacity just does both of these tasks for you without asking. It's almost as if it's too much trouble for Reaper: what, you want ME to do it for you? Brain the size of a Cray supercomputer etc.

I wonder if other DAWs do this basic task for you BY DEFAULT when you hit record, or is it a question of setting up a template or something?
For me, this would be a good useability yardstick for any DAW.

[tea for two]

We are recording audio right including voice. You'd thunk by now DAW's would have voice activated operations at least for the most basic things.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=QpWhugUmV ... cHV0ZXI%3D

::

I've stuck with Sonar since mid 2000s on wind. Just don't have the nous nowadays for other daw. Although Magix Musik Maker I like also Bitwig, Fuity Loops, Ableton LE.
I keep returning to Sonar, also Logic which has been my primary since 2009.

[N i g e l]

One thing in particular that irks me is when you open Reaper and just hit Record, it tells you to insert and arm a track, whereas audacious little Audacity just does both of these tasks for you without asking

Cakewalk can record to the selected track or you can have it record to an armed track.

This becomes important when you are recording to more than one track at a time.

[FrankF]

Sorry, I meant to say, "when you open a NEW project".

Actually, instead of giving an error message, Reaper could ask "do you want to record in mono or stereo?", and then do the necessary, software-wizard style.

Doesn't one of the big DAWs use wizards for some operations, or did I just dream it?

[James Perrett]

I wonder if other DAWs do this basic task for you BY DEFAULT when you hit record, or is it a question of setting up a template or something?
For me, this would be a good useability yardstick for any DAW.

It is just a matter of setting up all the defaults as you want them. I have a selection of standard templates for different jobs but, if you always want to start with a single armed track ready to record, then you can set the default to that.

I found Reaper far easier to learn than Cubase but, then again, I had been using Adobe Audition for a while before using Reaper and they both follow a similar paradigm.

[ef37a]

Many here will never have done this but when you compare almost any DAW to tape the setup time and hassle is insignificant.

First find a tape that is either blank or you don't mind over recording (making dupes is of course a real time affair and there is always a loss of quality) Lacing it up is always a bit of a hassle even sober. Then you need to set levels pretty carefully. no 100dB+ dynamic range there!

Dave.

[Sam Spoons]

Once you've bought Reaper you should never need to buy a new version. You won't be able to keep upgrading indefinitely, but your licence never expires.
If you don't need any of the newer features you can just keep using an older version.

That's true and the upgrades last until the end of the next version, I bought a licence when I was running V4.xxx and it remained valid until V5.99. I haven't yet paid for a new licence to allow me to upgrade to V6.xxx (which will remain valid 'till V7.99) as my old 2008 Mac Pro is happy running V5.9x and it is sufficient for my needs. When I replace the Mac Pro it will be with an M1 Mac Mini and I will have to upgrade to version 6.xxx (or V7 is probably due in the next few months) as V5 won't run on the M1 architecture.

[MortSahlFan]

Hi,

I really want to get into recording but musical inspiration is fleeting for me. I often find that by the time I set everything up to record my idea is gone. Does anyone out there have a good recording set up? I don’t have a pc as part of my studio but if you all think it’s the way to go I’ll do it. Below is what I’m currently using.

Roland Fantom 8
Boss VE-20
Taylor Acoustic Guitar
Dynamic Mic
Condenser Mic
Yamaha MG10XU
2 Rokit 5

I’ve used the sequencer on the Roland but I find it kind of clunky.

Thanks

I completely understand. I think there's too much of a detachment, too much time spent on all this extra stuff, but not focusing on the song. I've had a Tascam DP-01FX for 18 years. But because of the buttons going bad, I've had to resort to using Audacity, and there's a huge division. As opposed to mixing everything in my second bedroom studio, I'm spending too much time in my living room, on the computer, and being a one-man banned, using real instruments, it's very tough. If I want to make one change, I have to get off the drums, and re-do it all, or changing the chords..

But that changed once I started collaborating online. But you have to find someone who really loves music, with talent, and punctuality. I would rather have people in a room, but I've been looking for so long.

Another tip for inspiration for me is to simply watch a documentary on a band I love, especially when they're early in their careers.... Also, try adding new things, like a brass arrangement, orchestration. The best way to learn is to just do it. And like everything else, it should improve.

[ef37a]

If the computer cannot move from the living room you can probably run it remotely. Nothing fancy, you can extend a VGA feed 10m no bother and use a wireless keyboard and mouse. Or, use a long USB cable for both, the data rate is very slow and will work over a surprising distance.

You can pickup 15" monitors for just a few quid at charity shops.

Dave.