Considering trying a new DAW

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Botnickstudios

Member
Oct 14, 2010
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Detroit, Michigan
So I've been using reaper a good 10 months or so, I love how easy and simple it was to jump in to, and how it didn't have any extras I didnt want, plus the cheap price tag and all. But lately I've been trying to take myself to the next level, and hopefully turn this into something very professional.

Heres what got me.

After doing some research, it seems no really well known pro users like to use reaper as their DAW. Sure you can throw together a Pro mix with it, but its unheard of to do humongous projects with it as far as I can tell. Joey Sturgis produces similair bands as me, he uses Cubase. I also know someone local who puts out really amazing recordings. Whats he use? Cubase. On the other hand I heard Cubase was really buggy at times. So I am also considering (greatly considering) Sonar X1. And also, I'm starting to want all the extra features of these 'big DAWs', especially in the audio editing integration area and beat construction, so this is the time I'd wanna switch.

PS: I am buying only full versions and dont want essential versions or what not.

Any advice is helpful, so just throw your opinions at me
 
Well yes it would be retarted if I didn't want all the features I've seen in Sonar or Cubase. Sometimes I feel like Reaper isnt as well designed as it could be. And I really want the features I saw when my friend showed me Cubase 5. I tried out melodyne with Reaper, and it was a horrible combo and couldnt figure out anything. Cubase has that locked right In, perfectly, it was amazing. Also the visual beat Thing it had was amazing. I havent tried Sonar X1 but I would like to have an opinion on it compared to Cubase and Reaper
 
why does everyone make it sound like an ilok is expensive?

not trying to bust your chops or anything but if you're buying a full version of a "pro" DAW the additional cost of something like an ilok is minuscule in comparison.
 
Well reality is that ProTools still has the greater market share. So even though I prefer Cubase as my DAW, I do own a copy of ProTools 8 and plan on purchasing 9. Even if all I really use it for is dumping projects. It seems that other engineers I work with don't understand how to give me stems or get pissed working with them.

Cubase is a great DAW, I don't have any glaring problems with bugs that much anymore and Steinberg has gotten a bit better about releasing patch fixes and responding in their forums and such.

Let me put it this way, it is definitely no buggier than Reaper or Pro Tools in my experience. Pro Tools will often hate freeze and Reaper crashes and you have to keep up with their latest build.

Lots of Sonar fans out there as well. Presonus Studio One is also gaining a lot of ground. Reaper, Cakewalk, and Presonus (so far) seem to better companies about crossgrades and quicker support. Steinberg and Avid are known for sucking money out of their customers and have reputations about being so so.

Pros and cons to all DAW's to be honest. Personally I find Cubase to be better for writing and composing (arranger track, score editor, etc.). Pro Tools and Reaper (so far) are more for recording and editing. Use what you like and decide based on what you need.

Pros use whatever works best for them. Reaper is a great DAW and gets better all the time. For the price and their copy protection scheme (always works when you are in a pinch) is awesome.
 
Botnickstudios said:
After doing some research, it seems no really well known pro users like to use reaper as their DAW. Sure you can throw together a Pro mix with it, but its unheard of to do humongous projects with it as far as I can tell. Joey Sturgis produces similair bands as me, he uses Cubase.
Click to expand...

You can definetly do as much in reaper as you can almost any other DAW, its all about work flow. I hate to use the old saying, but "if everyone jumped off a bridge, would you?"

I think the problem you are having right now is that you dont have confidence in what you have and i know that feeling. Its like an empty void telling you that you have to have what the pro's are using to get better mixes. Just use whatever is comfortable. Try out some demos and see what you like.
 
Yeah dude.. Look into Adam Wathan's reaper workflow.. It's just as 'pro' as anything else..
 
You all have a good point. And I am not that unsatisfied with my mixes, sound quality wise, but the guitars definitely could be easier to edit and same with the singers i record. I know I can do it all in Reaper, but I feel like Im doing way too much work figuring out how to workaround this and that, and connect this to that, etc. Im giving this thought but my biggest Q is who has the best way to edit guitars and voice, Cakewalk, Steinberg, or Avid?
 
All the "big" pros - and I mean "big" - use ProTools like a tape machine.
Most of the guys I've spoken to have editors who edit in PT / Logic and then they just mix it from a desk into a stereo channel.

Some have integrated automated systems on their desk which allows for automation on mixes, as well as recall.

So - it's not really about the software when you're a pro.
It's about your workflow.

If you're happy to work with Reaper and you've got some killer plug-ins and hardware, then use Reaper. If you want to have that "commercial" aspect of owning ProTools then buy it. I personally hate working with ProTools - but I've got it just incase.
My main station is Logic, and will be for the foreseeable future! I'm happy with my tools, but I'm always learning how to use them to achieve better results.
 
egan. said:
Not in my experience.
You can get it for $450 or less easily by simply buying an mbox mini and the 9 upgrade-- even less if you look around. Cubase is $500.
Click to expand...

the upgrade from le to 9 is $250... and avid doesn't plan on packaging 9 with the new hardware until end of q2 this year.

only hd has the free upgrade. so if he bought an mbox he would end up spending about the same if he bought any equipment with the software.
 
timislegend said:
the upgrade from le to 9 is $250... and avid doesn't plan on packaging 9 with the new hardware until end of q2 this year.

only hd has the free upgrade. so if he bought an mbox he would end up spending about the same if he bought any equipment with the software.
Click to expand...
I should have specified it's the mbox 2 mini but I'm still right.
$200 MBOX 2 mini + $250 Upgrade = $450 PT9
It's pretty widely advertised.
 
It has always been a well known fact that editing in ProTools is the best/easiest. But I'll admit adam has made it very easy in reaper.

Don't change DAW because someone who's mixes you like or someone who records similar bands uses a certain DAW thats fucking stupid.(sorry but it is) You can acheive the same results in any DAW just learn how to use your plug ins and getting good source tones. The DAW has nothing to do with the tonal qualities
 
egan. said:
Not in my experience.
You can get it for $450 or less easily by simply buying an mbox mini and the 9 upgrade-- even less if you look around. Cubase is $500.
Click to expand...

Yep +23, not sure where you heard tools was slow from!
 
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