The Songwriter Forum - songwriting reviews, tips and chat
Songwriter Forum => Recording => Topic started by: mickyplankton on April 25, 2018, 10:29:42 PM
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Hey all,
Curious to know what hardware/operating systems you favour and whether you have a DAW that is compatible across platforms. Which systems are the best for colabs and sharing files etc.
My biggest challenge is getting my head around all the various options. Im thinking of starting again with a new interface as my Ipad 2 is packing up, low on memory, isnt compatible with new OS or versions of Garageband (my only DAW) and if im going to continue songwriting im going to have to move on sooner rather than later.
I know this topic is never ending but any fresh observations welcome.
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Hi Micky
I’ve always been a Mac and GarageBand user...and always been happy with both, but I think the gap between Mac and PC has been closing for a very long time and the prices haven’t reflected that...so I’d probably go for a PC running Reaper.
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Hi Micky
I’ve always been a Mac and GarageBand user...and always been happy with both, but I think the gap between Mac and PC has been closing for a very long time and the prices haven’t reflected that...so I’d probably go for a PC running Reaper.
Thanks Paul. interesting you also use Garageband. I recently got a macbook air and i have Garageband installed there too but its totally different to the Ipad version> admittedly ive got an older version of Garageband on my Ipad but i know my way around that version really well. The Macbook version is a hard beast to get to grips with and putting me off sticking with it. What do you think of the latest version of Garageband?
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Also a Mac user for the last 10 or so years, so I know Logic really well, and have invested quite a bit of money in hardware & mac compatible sample packs over the years.
Which used to be just fine, but the way Apple is going these days, I do wonder if I'll jump ship when my current rig finally dies. New Macs are non-upgradeable. And so expensive. If I'm going to spend good money on a computer, I want to be able to upgrade/ replace parts easily and by myself without giving Apple more silly money to either do it for me or replace the entire machine.
So I'd probably get a windows rig and run pro tools/ cubase. Running a current hackintosh isn't going to be an option within a couple of years either as Apple are developing their own proprietary chipset.
A friend of mine says that linux support for vst's and such is getting better all the time so I may look into that when the time comes. I'm running linux for everything else non-musical anyway.
As for collabs, I don't think platform really matters. So long as you know how to export midi, or stems, and the other person has important project info such as tempo and time signature, you can collaborate with someone running analogue gear if you want to :D
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Yo Micky.
I started my DAW travels about 18 months ago using Garageband on an iMac. I had loads of help on here and also made good use of all the YouTube tutorials out there. Eventually I made the switch to Logic Pro X,which has a very similar platform to GB,so I wasn't starting again. This appealed to me,so I didn't really consider the PC option. Just laziness on my part!
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I do love it, really...it looks a bit like a toy...but I like the simple uncluttered layout, the stock plugins work pretty well, the drummer function is really great too. There are a few drawbacks...no midi export and rendering tracks is a real pain (though there are workarounds to get it done) for example...but everything I’ve done here was done in GarageBand and despite having 60 days with Reaper...and the fact that it is very very good, I’m happier with GB. I like to keep things simple. I don’t think I’ve ever used more than 10 tracks.
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Ps I bought Logic about 5 years ago, but after 3 years of ownership, apple stopped upgrades for it and brought out a new version. I couldn’t use the old version alongside GarageBand...so I was cordially invited to cough up again. Steve Jobs probably really died as a result of his wallet exploding.
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This thread makes me wonder if anyone here is currently using a DAW in a Linux environment. I've been thinking of wiping my newest old laptop and installing kubuntu on it. I've never worked in Linux although I used to use a program in a Unix environment at work occasionally. Not much though.
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Macs used to be interesting when the best audio interfaces were only available with firewire connections. FW is now outdated and currently the trend is clearly to go with USB. So IMO it doesn't matter which one you choose from a performance perspective, I'd say go with the one you're more comfortable with. I choose PC because it is generally faster for the same price, and it allows you to upgrade hardware and tweak software specifically for audio latency.
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This thread makes me wonder if anyone here is currently using a DAW in a Linux environment. I've been thinking of wiping my newest old laptop and installing kubuntu on it. I've never worked in Linux although I used to use a program in a Unix environment at work occasionally. Not much though.
I tried it years ago Vicki and it was a massive pain in the bum. But I hear things have changed. I think Reaper is now available for linux (deb). You might need to install Jack to get your external devices working, but even that is a click or two to set up from what I've been told.
You could be the forum pioneer? Go out into the unknown and report back to us if the dragon doesn't eat you? :D
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I have always been a windows user with Cakewalk Sonar (which is windows only)
I recently switched DAW to Presonus Studio One 3 Professional but have stuck with windows as the "bang for buck" comparison and upgrade options compared with with Macs tip the balance for me
So far windows 7 and 10 have been really stable (touches wood!) so I do not think Inwould consider changing in the future
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I like using Windows. I think it's very much what one is used to, and if your not used to either then it comes down to what you want to do with it,
My biggest recommendation is to only have the software for your music production on it, nothing else, the more stuff you have on it, the less reliable it will be.
I use Windows 8.1 on Dell precision laptop, it's very fast indeed, and I enjoy using it.
For a DAW I use Magix Samplitude pro x3 suite, if you like techie things this is for you, if you don't then avoid it. What it does do is to make you future proof, it does so much that you'll never need to upgrade to a better version because it does it all.
Hope this helps Mickey
cpm
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I you're going Windows, go with dedicated optimised one for music. Loads of memory and disk space and it should be optimised for music and you A/D firewall thingy.
Performant, stable and secure is what you want.
Good luck
Neil
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I use Windows 10 - but I go into the task manager and kill any process that can be killed, and disable any process that can be disabled. Nothing worse than some stupid Windows program sh!tting over a section of audio in your DAW by running some background process while you're tracking IMHO.
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Thanks for all your thoughts people. Interesting that there is no consensus. Guess it's just personal taste and what is right for you. It's an important decision though because they soak so much time!
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Hi Mickey, I think it's unlikely you'll get a concensus...Both Paulski and Neil are right kill naything you don't need, mine doesn't even have interent access....
cpm
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Hi all.
Mac user here with Cubase pro. Also own Logic but not a fan. Dipped my toe and found myself going back to what I have been using for years, Cubase.
As for Mac and PC....that's a can of worms. I love Mac and came from a PC but I get where @tone (http://www.songwriterforum.co.uk/index.php?action=profile;u=1) is coming from. New ones are very expensive.
Recently my 2010 mac pro video card died, They dont make the card anymore and you have to buy that card that has been flashed for mac. Anyway, 150 bucks later for a second hand card...its working again.
Point of the story, had this been a PC, could have slotted any compatible card in and away I could have gone.
Would I jump ship to PC unless I have to.....No way..
But I do love Apple and, Yes I am a shallow label slave.
Cheers
Andy
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This thread makes me wonder if anyone here is currently using a DAW in a Linux environment. I've been thinking of wiping my newest old laptop and installing kubuntu on it. I've never worked in Linux although I used to use a program in a Unix environment at work occasionally. Not much though.
Hiya Vic, I've installed and worked with Linux in the past. i found it to be a bit of a nightmare. Installing and running programs isn't as straightforward as it is with your typical GUI. It will teach you how much of that function we take for granted not having had to do it ourselves all of these years.
The biggest issues I had with it were the user files needing read five or six times to decipher directions clearly, if I ever did make heads or tails of them, many times not. In other words, it's extremely time consuming, and not for beginners or those with time constraints or impatient souls.
After my nightmarish experience with Win10 and audio recording, I'd be wary of the Linux experience, but that's just me. I'm truly a plug and play girl who wants everything to work the first time. I don't want to need a Master's degree as a sound engineer to get things working together properly.
Perhaps you're more adventurous, in which case, pioneer away! If you do, definitely consider it as a side project or side hobby to tinker with on occasion as a learning experience. I'd not want to dive in and have to fully rely on it, which was my approach because I was trying to rescue my only functioning laptop from Brickville using a bootable Linux USB stick.
I'd love to hear your experience with it if you do decide to give it a go. Maybe you'll become the forum Linux guru and guide us all from this bankrupting proprietary capitalist haven.