DAW for beginner?

[MT01]

Hi,

I'm a PC user and I was wondering which DAW to go for.

I'd mainly be using it for programming one shot drum samples to make a drum track and then recording layers of guitar from the Guitar Rig, Amplitube, Revalver Etc, maybe some synths and create some sort of Industrial monster.

The thing is that I'd rather be playing guitar than spending hundreds of frustrating hours trying to get my head around a sequencer, so my main aim would be for something that is fairly user friendly yet fleixble. I don't mind paying to get something good.

Your recommendations would be appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[Metaltastic]

REAPER. $50 for a license, easy to use, plenty powerful, and a great user community!

 

[Damian B]

I'll second Reaper!!!

 

[Sloan]

REAPER~!1!~1~!!!~~

 

[colonel kurtz]

i'll go against the grain here and say mackie tracktion...i haven't used the last couple of versions(or reaper, for that matter), but the original version that came with my onyx mixer was easier than all hell to use. i was pretty glad that i had it at the time, as it took me a while to figure out WTF i was doing in cubase.

 

[Sloan]

my pal uses tracktion and i tried it a few times, but that shit fucks a nigga up since i'm so used to the "real mixer" look/feel

 

[2000ContourSVT]

Reaper is pretty good. I've only used it a little bit but from what I used it was pretty easy. You can also get the Demo that lasts forever, and is unlimited. You just have to pay for a license if you want to use it for anything commercial.

 

[Metaltastic]

The demo does last forever, but a) periodically you have to deal with a pop-up at start-up that can't be closed for a few seconds, and b) a personal-use license is $50 for chrissakes!! Support the dude, the program rules!

 

[Wolfeman]

Yeah, Reaper FTW.

It works better when you pay for it

The guy updates it weekly, and is always adding new features that you would never see in PT or Cubendo.

 

[whitedamp]

The thing is that I'd rather be playing guitar than spending hundreds of frustrating hours trying to get my head around a sequencer

I see your point. I think you should get something really easy and fast to write down your ideas and, when you finish your songs, go to a good studio re-record them with someone who has, indeed, spent hundreds of frustrating hours to learn how to mix. So my sugestion is Sonora Wireworks Rifftracker. It was a free version called T4, and you can download it on their website.

 

[gorath23]

Reaper. Spend a couple of hours reading the awesome tutorial/manual and 90% of the functionality is there. Super-easy to get familiar with.

 

[colonel kurtz]

my pal uses tracktion and i tried it a few times, but that shit fucks a nigga up since i'm so used to the "real mixer" look/feel

yea, the whole lack of a mixer thing is sort of weird...but it's also sort of nice at times because it keeps the "workspace" from getting all cluttered up and shit

i'm not saying there aren't better alternatives out there - but out of what i've used, tracktion seemed like the easiest to be able to jump right into and get to work

 

[Rez]

i'll go against the grain here and say mackie tracktion...i haven't used the last couple of versions(or reaper, for that matter), but the original version that came with my onyx mixer was easier than all hell to use. i was pretty glad that i had it at the time, as it took me a while to figure out WTF i was doing in cubase.

Yup IMO if you have zero experience with DAWs and whatnot I'd give Tracktion a look.
I originally just wanted a quick easy way to record riff ideas and Tracktion came free with a stealthplug. It's sooo easy to use when you have no previous with this kind of application.

The downside is that if you get in to tracking and mixing songs you may feel you "outgrow" Tracktion which is where I am at. I'm teetering on Protools...

 

[Zack Uidl]

Reaper for sure

 

[MT01]

After tinkering around with Sonar, Acid, Reaper and Cubase, I've definitely found my home with Cubase. A couple of tutorial videos and one hour later it's doing what I want it to. Also, I thought that since I'm going to be investing my valuable time into a DAW I may as well go with something that is an industry standard.

Thanks for all your advice though.

 

[Zack Uidl]

Cubase is a great choice!

 

[Metaltastic]

...If you wanna spend that kind of money, jeebus...

 

[Aaron Smith]

I thought that since I'm going to be investing my valuable time into a DAW I may as well go with something that is an industry standard.

Hmm, what industry are you talking about?

 

[Wolfeman]

Yeah last time I checked Digidesign had the industry by it's balls.

 

[lordtech]

Recently ive tried the new Sony Acid Pro 7.0

i can track in my guitar in Gearbox simultaneously, 1track with effects/amps simulation and the other track just capturing the DI'ed. The previous 6.0 didnt have this capabilities.

The boring stuff is that it takes time to load up, especially when there's heavy plugins getting scan in the disk.
\m/