I've got to be missing something with Digital Perfomer

[JeffTD]

Alright - DP is officially the first affordable DAW for IntelMac's, so I snagged a copy.

Honestly - I'm really disappointed, mainly because I can't figure the damn thing out.

I can record alright, but it's just not an easy program to work with, I fear.

I'm comming from a Cubase/Nuendo backround, which made editing and whatnot so incredibly convenient... I have to be missing something with DP?

My list of complaints:

Playback wiper can't return to it's starting point upon stopping play. It can return to a preset memory location, but not from where it started.

Can't edit plugins, panning, or volume without opening up the mixer window.

Key commands are, so far to me, completely retarded. I've tried on numerous occaisions to set it up how I'd like it... but it's not working. All I want is for the up and down arrows to toggle between tracks, and to be able to hit the s, r, and m keys to solo, enable recording, or mute a track.

No 'scissors' or similar tool to splice tracks upon clicking where you want them spliced.

While they aren't incredibly huge issues - they seriously hinder my ability to use the program. It makes everything so painfully slow to work with - it almost seems as if DP was designed to be used with a control unit like a Mackie Control Universal or something similar.

Having to dual boot to XP to record sucks ASS, but I may have to go back to it until SX4 comes out - unless I seriously am missing out on something, which for some reason I have a huge feeling I am.

Thanks!

 

[006]

Ok...if you think DP is hard to work with...or "retarded", then multiply that by about 20 times, and you have ProTools.

There is a "scissors" tool, there should be a tool palette under the Tools (I think that's the one on the tool bar on the top, or view...or something.) and it has it on there. You can setup your own key commands, if it's not "working", then I don't know what to tell you, it should, I set up my own key commands a long time ago when I first go it to emulate ProTools key commands since I've grown so use to them over the years.

You can edit plug-ins from the edit window by using the automation functions. You don't necessarily have to use them to automate the plugs, but rather just adjust parameters for the entire length of the audio. Contact Shane on here or on AIM, he has the copy of the DP user's manual that I sent to him a while back...I can't be arsed to sift through things here to find it unless you want the stuff I'm sending to come soon And it's not the actual manual for DP from MOTU, but rather a 3rd party user's guide to using DP...kinda like a 2nd perspective or something. It helps a lot, I would've never figured out how to do pitch correction in DP without it.

Switching from ProTools to Vegas and back to ProTools (home system and studio systems) then to Cubase/Nuendo and then from everything to Digital Performer was really easy for me...but I guess it's different for everyone. Digital Performer was sooooo much easier to use than ProTools, for me anyway. That's why I ditched PT and even my 002R now, hehe. My boss had to spend like a week total getting use to a new host, he had only ever used Vegas before, and now he's just as swift in both hosts (you should see him edit in Vegas...he's gotta be a record-holder or something...*looks for Guinness World Record's contact info* ).

Just give it time and play around with it a lot.

~e.a

 

[Noumenon]

you'll love it in the end

 

[JeffTD]

I'm getting used to it just by dicking around with little things... pretty cool stuff going on. It 'feels' more pro than Nuendo or Cubase, for sure.

I won't be able to use it as a full DAW until around September, though, when DFHS get's Intel support. That, and I need to find a multiband compressor and an L2 like plugin - I'm not going to pay 2 grand for plugins, I just can't afford that.

 

[LydonB]

And it's not the actual manual for DP from MOTU, but rather a 3rd party user's guide to using DP...kinda like a 2nd perspective or something. It helps a lot, I would've never figured out how to do pitch correction in DP without it.

and what is this book called? i might go pick up a copy.

 

[KeithRT99]

Ok...if you think DP is hard to work with...or "retarded", then multiply that by about 20 times, and you have ProTools.


~e.a

wow if pro tools is 20 times harder, than dp must be the easiest daw on the market. pro tools is so easy, i find it hard to believe from what im reading here that PT is harder.

 

[SPLASTiK]

wow if pro tools is 20 times harder, than dp must be the easiest daw on the market. pro tools is so easy, i find it hard to believe from what im reading here that PT is harder.

I think PT is a lot easier to use than DP myself...

 

[traintown]

I read like 5 books of DP and each of these books was not worth any of the money, exept of one: the original Manual that comes with DP. Honestly, everything is covered in there very well.

so don't waste money books!

your right with the key commands. I had quite a lot time to learn the 10 commands i usualy use.

 

[John Haddad (Shiva Industries)]

Tell you what, go Logic Pro and if you master that program everything else seems like a walk in the park........

 

[Andy Sneap]

Im with John on that lol. If you think pro tools is difficult I think you could be in the wrong line of work by the way.

 

[sorceron]

im a logic user here, and yea pretty much hahah

 

[Ermz]

Yeah, it doesn't get much more straight-forward than ProTools. There is the odd thing about Nuendo I prefer (like layering audio clips over each other... in pro tools when you delete one, all the ones under it get wiped too... could never overcome that. playlists aren't a convenient solution) but in general ProTools is one of the most intuitive DAWs.

 

[unsilpauly]

I'm getting used to it just by dicking around with little things... pretty cool stuff going on. It 'feels' more pro than Nuendo or Cubase, for sure.

I won't be able to use it as a full DAW until around September, though, when DFHS get's Intel support. That, and I need to find a multiband compressor and an L2 like plugin - I'm not going to pay 2 grand for plugins, I just can't afford that.

dp comes with masterworks compressor(a multiband compressor) and both masterworks limiter and a limiter in the dynamics plug. you can buy l2 seperatly or you could get a power pack that is around 300.00 and be pretty set. i admit the mw compressor isnt as nice as the c4, but it works if you need a multiband and dont have c4.
i also agree that its probably right up there with protools as the easiest to work with. the berklee press book, i think its called "making music with digital performer" has useful information in it.

 

[JeffTD]

Yeah, I'm definitely getting the hang of this - I was just intimidated by starting with a new DAW, and that 800+ page manual. That thing is MASSIVE!

The true test, though, will be in September, when DFHS gets Intel support.

 

[006]

ProTools is not difficult for me. It's just that Digital Performer is a lot easier to use. The main rediculous drawback that ProTools has is it's inability to run the software without the hardware connected. That is such bullshit. Fuck that. Digital Performer can work with DigiDesign hardware...and doesn't have that drawback, so....meh.

~e.a

 

[sorceron]

Yeah, I'm definitely getting the hang of this - I was just intimidated by starting with a new DAW, and that 800+ page manual. That thing is MASSIVE!

The true test, though, will be in September, when DFHS gets Intel support.

yea dude thats a big manual, but logic has 2 manuals! one just for the plugins. i just keep it by the toilet if you know what im saying. i never got around to reading much of the DP manual though.

 

[John Haddad (Shiva Industries)]

Im with John on that lol. If you think pro tools is difficult I think you could be in the wrong line of work by the way.

Ive been using logic since version 4.5 (its gotten alot easier to use since then) when it still was under Emagic. (Gawd I miss those days, tech support was a breeze) DP always came with my MOTU interfaces and really what it boils down to is ease of use and plugins. Seeing how all the good/worth having plugins all available for all platforms and all software in all formats (AU, VST, RTAS, ETC.). So arrange in what ever floats yer boat, I choose MAC and Logic Pro.

 

[JeffTD]

Upon further considerationg, evaluation, and a nice chat with Ken (thanks again, bro!), I've decided to spring for Logic Pro.

 

[zmetallica]

first multitracking software i worked with was vegas, man that program is fast, but it lacks serious power. nuendo is a good compromise for the PC, i'm getting a mac soon. i'm curious as to how DP compares in speed of tasks with vegas and nuendo. Protools just sux cause of its limiting of hardware (and charging too much for their own hardware), so i say fuck em.