# Choosing a DAW for a hobbyist



## Rossy (Dec 13, 2020)

Im kind of done with Reaper, its too inconsistent for me but it was a good price. I am not a pro but an enthusiastic composer, with all the daws out there, what would be a recommendation for someone like me. I am doing some research on Cubase elements but would go up in price if needed. I I am collecting a lot of plugins so it would have to support them.

Thanks


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## Pianolando (Dec 13, 2020)

Logic is an amazing value (probably best in the industry considering all included sounds and actually very good fx). I can strongly recommend it!


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## Fenicks (Dec 13, 2020)

I've been using Studio One for a few years as a hobbyist. I tried a few other DAWs but found their user interfaces clunky and impenetrable whereas Studio One felt intuitive from the get-go. 

That said, I don't think you can go wrong with any of the DAWs. You just need to find one you feel comfortable with and are willing to put in the hours to learn.


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## Rossy (Dec 13, 2020)

Fenicks said:


> I've been using Studio One for a few years as a hobbyist. I tried a few other DAWs but found their user interfaces clunky and impenetrable whereas Studio One felt intuitive from the get-go.
> 
> That said, I don't think you can go wrong with any of the DAWs. You just need to find one you feel comfortable with and are willing to put in the hours to learn.


Thanks, I have put more hours in Reaper than actually recording  I know none of them are perfect but I need to find one thats more consistent as I am getting ready to give up on this journey (probably a little over dramatic) Its a shame studio one free trial doesn't let you use your VST because I would like to give it a trial run, I dont mind buying but would like to try first.


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## rrichard63 (Dec 13, 2020)

What are your problems with Reaper? Knowing that would help the experts here predict which other DAW would work best for you.

And are you on Windows or Mac? Logic is for Mac only.

Depending on how you like to do your research, you might find this comparison helpful:






The DAW Feature Chart


Things that you want which you can't find anywhere else




www.admiralbumblebee.com


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## Rossy (Dec 13, 2020)

Pianolando said:


> Logic is an amazing value (probably best in the industry considering all included sounds and actually very good fx). I can strongly recommend it!


Thanks, unfortunately, Im a windows user.


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## RogiervG (Dec 13, 2020)

i suppose this belongs in the DAW subforum section, not sample talk subforum.


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## JonSolo (Dec 13, 2020)

I literally own most every DAW, sans Logic as I am a Windows user. Reason, Live, FL Studio, Maschine, Tracktion, etc (but oddly enough, not Reaper, ha). And yet every time, I come back to Cubase (well I am on Nuendo 11 currently).

Nuendo/Cubase has always felt like a studio to me. You may find yourself needing more features down the road, but I love that Cubase has so many entry points. Start with Elements. If you find you need more glitter, then there is usually a half-price upgrade to Artist to be had during the year...or even jump to Pro if need some glam with that glitter.

The workflow is different from Reaper, but works well with composition and song writing as well as production.


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## Rossy (Dec 13, 2020)

RogiervG said:


> i suppose this belongs in the DAW subforum section, not sample talk subforum.


Sorry, I posted a midi question there but no one answered so i tried here. Can it be moved?


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## shponglefan (Dec 13, 2020)

I recently migrated from Reaper to Studio One. Other than the fact that I can't yet use Studio One in High DPI mode due to a couple issues, I've been happy with it. I prefer its interface over Reaper and it has certain features I like (e.g. score editor).

I thought about going the Cubase route, but I'll been put off by their e-licenser requirement. I've already got one dongle (iLok). I don't need another especially if it's just to use a DAW.


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## khollister (Dec 13, 2020)

I vote for Cubase as well (hell, I'm a Mac user and I use Cubase after years on Logic). Studio One has a lot going for it, but there are still some gaps and the UI is great on some things and very obtuse on others. It also has a very rabid fan club here (like Reaper) and it is a little too cult-like for my tastes.

While you may see complaints about _how _you do something in Cubase (or how it looks), it is rare to see a complaint about Cubase not being _able_ to do something. It is probably still the most fully featured DAW. 

One option you should take a look at is Cakewalk by Bandlab. It is free and is basically SONAR, which Bandlab bought from Gibson when they flushed Cakewalk. They recently added some articulation management and SONAR was highly thought of back when it cost as much as Cubase or S1.


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## MichaelVakili (Dec 13, 2020)

Studio one. I've used FL and learned Pro tools, but after I've tried Studio one I loved it. CPU friendly, not very hard to learn, many features, constant updates and patches, doesn't crash, very nice stock plugins. Also they have some kind of partnership with Melodyne - which is top notch deal if you work with vocals.


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## Yogevs (Dec 13, 2020)

If you are on Mac I would suggest start with GarageBand and the upgrade to logic when you feel like GB is not enough for you anymore


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## AllanH (Dec 13, 2020)

Cakewalk is free and excellent: https://www.cakewalk.com/

I exclusively used Cakewak for long time but eventually switched prior to the bandlab taking over. I always like it and it has always been solid for me.


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## AllanH (Dec 13, 2020)

Let me add: today, I would give Reaper a serious look. At the time of my switch, Reaper was a bit too "raw" for my taste and patience. I moved to Cubase Pro, which seemed like a natural step up from Sonar Platinum, which is what it was called at the time.


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## Rossy (Dec 13, 2020)

MichaelVakili said:


> Studio one. I've used FL and learned Pro tools, but after I've tried Studio one I loved it. CPU friendly, not very hard to learn, many features, constant updates and patches, doesn't crash, very nice stock plugins. Also they have some kind of partnership with Melodyne - which is top notch deal if you work with vocals.


I'm going to download it when I get home from work and give it a spin. Cheers 🍻


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## el-bo (Dec 13, 2020)

Rossy said:


> I am not a pro but an enthusiastic composer.



What type of music?


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## KarlHeinz (Dec 13, 2020)

One more to maybe have a look at even if its not one of the big ones:

- Mixcraft Pro 9 (you can get in in sales around 50 bucks)
- very easy to use (I never understand Cubase, just too complicate and complex for me)
- has the general "rack" philosophy which I prefer (just put evrything you need, instrument, fx, one after another and it just works)
- active forum with support

Of couse some downs like any daw I have ever used (I had Tracktion for more then a decade but as they never managed to get a bug-free version done before putting out the next on year after year....)


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## dcoscina (Dec 13, 2020)

To quote Teddy Riley before he switched to Cubase, I'm in Studio One and I'm LOVING IT!

The notation editor is far and away the best of any DAW I've used (and I work music retail so I use them all!)


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## rrichard63 (Dec 13, 2020)

KarlHeinz said:


> One more to maybe have a look at even if its not one of the big ones:
> 
> - Mixcraft Pro 9 (you can get in in sales around 50 bucks)
> - very easy to use (I never understand Cubase, just too complicate and complex for me)
> ...


Mixcraft probably has the gentlest learning curve of any DAW except Garageband. The excellent support forum adds considerably to it's ease of use. If @Rossy 's main problem with Reaper is complexity or learning curve, then I would definitely put Mixcraft on the list of DAWs to consider.


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## ReleaseCandidate (Dec 13, 2020)

Cakewalk, I still prefer it to Cubase. Now has expression maps too and you now need that Bandlab app only once.


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## Rossy (Dec 13, 2020)

el-bo said:


> What type of music?


Currently orchestral. The main issue, and I dont mean to be long winded but, I used to draw my articulations in manually because my keyboard didn't have a wheel. I just got a new keyboard with mod wheels and since I don't have the current skills to use them while recording, I am trying to do it post recording. With help from the forums and watching YouTube videos, I am able to use expression whith the wheel during playback. The problem is sometimes it work and sometimes it doesn't, i could write a track and add expression and it works but then 16 bars later it won't or I can create a new track, replicate everything exactly as the track above and it won't work. I spend more time buggering around with it than actually writing music. I also have other problems with it so its time to try something new. Sorry for the rant.


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## Cheezus (Dec 13, 2020)

Another vote for Studio One! Everything about it just makes sense to me and there's a ton of great tutorials from Presonus on YouTube that focus on improving workflow. I love how you can easily design your own workflow with it using macros and drag and drop presets from the browser.


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## ReleaseCandidate (Dec 13, 2020)

Rossy said:


> Currently orchestral.



I'd try Cakewalk. It's simlar to Reaper/Cubase/Studio One, so you should know how to use it and can use your knowledge in other DAWs, if you want to.


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## shponglefan (Dec 13, 2020)

Cheezus said:


> I love how you can easily design your own workflow with it using macros and drag and drop presets from the browser.



I'm in the process of planning out my main template and the preset functionality in Studio One seems incredibly useful. Just being able to save instrument presets with all FX setup and channel routing for later dragging 'n dropping into a track is ridiculously convenient.


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## el-bo (Dec 13, 2020)

Rossy said:


> Currently orchestral. The main issue, and I dont mean to be long winded but, I used to draw my articulations in manually because my keyboard didn't have a wheel. I just got a new keyboard with mod wheels and since I don't have the current skills to use them while recording, I am trying to do it post recording. With help from the forums and watching YouTube videos, I am able to use expression whith the wheel during playback. The problem is sometimes it work and sometimes it doesn't, i could write a track and add expression and it works but then 16 bars later it won't or I can create a new track, replicate everything exactly as the track above and it won't work. I spend more time buggering around with it than actually writing music. I also have other problems with it so its time to try something new. Sorry for the rant.



Cant really speak to those issues, unforunately.

I asked about your creative preference because I wanted to suggest you try something perhaps counter-intuitive, like Ableton Live. Not that it can't do orchestral, but if you planned on exploring other genres it's also a good bet. To me, it seems like a much more 'focused' experience/workflow than other grander options, and would allow you to get up 'n' running pretty quickly. At such a point, that you might butt up against it's limits (It's likely not ideal for massive, sprawling orchestral templates), then you could look elsewhere. But by that point, you might have a better idea of what you do/don't want, as well as a nice portfolio of work, behind you 

Either way, a free copy of 'Lite' would be a no-risk way of exploring the possibility.


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## ReleaseCandidate (Dec 13, 2020)

el-bo said:


> Ableton Live.[...] To me, it seems like a much more 'focused' experience/workflow than other grander options, and would allow you to get up 'n' running pretty quickly.
> 
> Either way, a free copy of 'Lite' would be a no-risk way of exploring the possibility.


Also this! Since I first used it (Live 5 or 6) I've been really, really, really liking it for it's elegance.
Just some months ago I tested some other DAWs again, because in theory they would've been better suited for me. Well, with the changes in 11 I use it more than before (but still use another DAW to mix).


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## Rossy (Dec 15, 2020)

el-bo said:


> What type of music?


Orchestral but would love to get into film scoring


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## Rossy (Dec 15, 2020)

I played with studio one first and really liked it so I signed up for sphere which give me studio one professional and some others goodies. I'm off work tomorrow so ill give it a good testing.
Thanks to everyone who gave me suggestions.


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## el-bo (Dec 15, 2020)

ReleaseCandidate said:


> Also this! Since I first used it (Live 5 or 6) I've been really, really, really liking it for it's elegance.
> Just some months ago I tested some other DAWs again, because in theory they would've been better suited for me. Well, with the changes in 11 I use it more than before (but still use another DAW to mix).



I've always been intrigues, and have owned both 'Intro' and various versions of 'Lite'. At the point, that I was seriously considering it as a second DAW (to complement Logic), Bitwig started really making waves. Add to that, I bought a Seaboard and that meant needing MPE. I didn't go for Bitwig, either, though I have a copy of eight-track. As much as I think Bitwig is 'better' on many levels, there was something that attracted me more to 'Live'. And now it has MPE, it's still a contender. 

Ultimately, neither has got me to the point of fully investing. As much as I think they would really benefit me as sound-design sandboxes, I can't help thinking that that way lies more distraction and procrastination :( The cut-down versions for both are surprisingly well-featured, so I may at one point just decide on full-immersion to see if the change of scenery was all I needed to kickstart my musical life.

Anyway, that's for another thread...possibly


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## el-bo (Dec 15, 2020)

Rossy said:


> Orchestral but would love to get into film scoring



Haha! You answered me twice.

I did reply: Something something about Ableton Live


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## widescreen (Dec 15, 2020)

Rossy said:


> Currently orchestral. The main issue, and I dont mean to be long winded but, I used to draw my articulations in manually because my keyboard didn't have a wheel. I just got a new keyboard with mod wheels and since I don't have the current skills to use them while recording, I am trying to do it post recording. With help from the forums and watching YouTube videos, I am able to use expression whith the wheel during playback. The problem is sometimes it work and sometimes it doesn't, i could write a track and add expression and it works but then 16 bars later it won't or I can create a new track, replicate everything exactly as the track above and it won't work. I spend more time buggering around with it than actually writing music. I also have other problems with it so its time to try something new. Sorry for the rant.


I had a Deja-Vu. Looks like the same problems I had with Cakewalk before I tried Studio One. Thank god I did not try Reaper instead!


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## Casiquire (Dec 15, 2020)

That's strange. I've never had any issue like like that with Reaper. Have you asked about it in their forums? It could be something other than reaper itself


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## Rossy (Dec 15, 2020)

Casiquire said:


> That's strange. I've never had any issue like like that with Reaper. Have you asked about it in their forums? It could be something other than reaper itself


I tried it in cakewalk just for a try and it worked fine. I did just do the reaper update so maybe that's it.


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## youngpokie (Dec 15, 2020)

Rossy said:


> I used to draw my articulations in manually because my keyboard didn't have a wheel.



The modwheel on my keyboard is spring-based rather than a wheel, so I never use it. I play the part and then draw the curve.

My first DAW was Cakewalk, around 500 years ago. But when I tried Cubase everything just clicked instantly, especially the MIDI related workflow and functionality.

I'm not even sure if any other DAW has surpassed Cubase for MIDI use on Windows


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## Jeremy Spencer (Dec 15, 2020)

If you’ve already been using Reaper, stick with it. Every DAW is going to give you a headache at some point.


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## Markrs (Dec 15, 2020)

I have mixcraft 9 so i should really give it a go. I also have Reaper, Cakewalk and Cubase 10.5, but have been tempted by Studio One. I normally use Reaper, but trying to use cubase more. I just wish you could use Cubase on more than one machine without have to move the usb dongle! Cakewalk getting articulation management has been a real plus and something I want to explore.


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## jazzman7 (Dec 15, 2020)

I've been using Cake since the 90's. Amazing how it's dropped off the Radar now because it's free. Psychology and marketing I suppose. It's updated every month and has been pretty solid over the years. I admit it's hard to believe a full-fledged flagship DAW that was over 500$ is now free and actually useable. Whatever this bandlab outfit's strategy is, they have kept some key original CW folks on the job and keep improving it. The goal seems to be stability over flash, which is actually a good thing.


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## Jeremy Spencer (Dec 15, 2020)

jazzman7 said:


> I've been using Cake since the 90's. Amazing how it's dropped off the Radar now because it's free. Psychology and marketing I suppose. It's updated every month and has been pretty solid over the years. I admit it's hard to believe a full-fledged flagship DAW that was over 500$ is now free and actually useable. Whatever this bandlab outfit's strategy is, they have kept some key original CW folks on the job and keep improving it. The goal seems to be stability over flash, which is actually a good thing.



Is it still as good as it was around the Sonar X series? If so, I HIGHLY recommend it. I was on Cakewalk from 1993 right up until 2013 (paid $400 for 2.0 in 1993!!!). If it weren't for the lack of pro scoring-to-picture features, I would have stayed. I heard they added decent features later on though, which is great.


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## jazzman7 (Dec 15, 2020)

I think it is better now. More stable. Updated features. I think they are FINALLY turning their attention to MIDI a lot more since they just added art maps. Very clunky implementation in setting them up, but this is just the first iteration...I hope! Of course my experience is seamless since I never left. I still have the plug-ins and goodies from the legacy days


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## Wally Garten (Dec 15, 2020)

rrichard63 said:


> Mixcraft probably has the gentlest learning curve of any DAW except Garageband. The excellent support forum adds considerably to it's ease of use. If @Rossy 's main problem with Reaper is complexity or learning curve, then I would definitely put Mixcraft on the list of DAWs to consider.



Yeah, I'd amplify that. I used it for a little while when I was on a Windows laptop. Gentle and fun.


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## jazzman7 (Dec 15, 2020)

Jeremy Spencer said:


> Is it still as good as it was around the Sonar X series? If so, I HIGHLY recommend it. I was on Cakewalk from 1993 right up until 2013 (paid $400 for 2.0 in 1993!!!). If it weren't for the lack of pro scoring-to-picture features, I would have stayed. I heard they added decent features later on though, which is great.


I don't really miss coughing up a hundred bucks a year for the major update and some trial version of crappy sampled pianos!


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## bill5 (Dec 16, 2020)

rrichard63 said:


> Mixcraft probably has the gentlest learning curve of any DAW except Garageband. The excellent support forum adds considerably to it's ease of use. If @Rossy 's main problem with Reaper is complexity or learning curve, then I would definitely put Mixcraft on the list of DAWs to consider.


Absolutely, seconded. I tried many DAWs with ease of use my top priority and it won easily.


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## dzilizzi (Dec 16, 2020)

I love ProTools but with it's current pricing, I don't really recommend it. At least not for a hobbyist. I used to love Sonar, but when it was going away, I got the discount crossgrades to Cubase and Studio One. Studio One has been generally easier to use though I'm having trouble with 5 doing some weird things like not letting me copy midi. Since it still let's me copy midi in 4, I'm thinking it's a glitch. Cubase sometimes works the way I expect it to and sometimes makes me want to chuck it out the window. I've had a lot of inconsistencies in the way it behaves since I got it. I'm on PC, so it could be an incompatible driver - who knows. It won't tell you. When it works, it's great. I love the chord track. Lots of options. I'm currently trying to figure out expression maps. Though I'm tempted to chuck it and buy Babylonwaves product, it actually isn't that difficult. And I mostly use single articulation instruments. 

Ableton and Reason both have their good points. But both are generally better for pop/rock/EDM type music. The workflow on Ableton leans towards loop music. The setup is a little different with the stacked instruments. I'm not sure if Reason fixed the problems I had with it - mostly the midi workspace was too small. You might be able to detach it and make it bigger now. I do like the rack, and it has been very solid and easy on the RAM/CPU. But until 10, you were stuck with whatever minimal orchestral instruments available for the Rack - i.e. not much. I'm not sure how solid it is anymore. 

I think you should try Reaper. People seem to love it.


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## PaulieDC (Dec 16, 2020)

Rossy said:


> Im kind of done with Reaper, its too inconsistent for me but it was a good price. I am not a pro but an enthusiastic composer, with all the daws out there, what would be a recommendation for someone like me. I am doing some research on Cubase elements but would go up in price if needed. I I am collecting a lot of plugins so it would have to support them.
> 
> Thanks


Studio One v5, no brainer. Especially if you were considering Cubase, they look a lot alike, lol. I use both, Cubase on Tower, Studio One on laptop.

This may be a no-no, but if you are up for Cubase, I'm selling my 2nd copy and Licenser of Cubase 10.5 Pro for the holiday price of $250 if interested. My apologies if this is considered a forum no-no.


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## bill5 (Dec 16, 2020)

dzilizzi said:


> I love ProTools


You're a sick puppy.  And yes it is by far the absolute WORST option for a hobbyist IMO.


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## dzilizzi (Dec 17, 2020)

bill5 said:


> You're a sick puppy.  And yes it is by far the absolute WORST option for a hobbyist IMO.


It was the first library I learnt. Once I had a machine powerful enough to run it, it is actually easy for me to use, works the way I expect it to and I finish things when I use it.


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## Rossy (Dec 17, 2020)

Been playing with studio one professional all day yesterday and love it. I am having problems with my sustain pedal not being recognized at the beginning of recording but I will research it tomorrow. Thank you everyone for their input.


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## PaulieDC (Dec 17, 2020)

Rossy said:


> Been playing with studio one professional all day yesterday and love it. I am having problems with my sustain pedal not being recognized at the beginning of recording but I will research it tomorrow. Thank you everyone for their input.


GOOD. And v5.1 has really come of age, certainly good enough to get your wheels spinning IMO. As a software developer I have weirder expectations, the UI is first and foremost. Studio One is excellent in that area and workflow just FLOWS. Their drag and drop functionality is miles ahead of Cubase, who is finally catching up with that. Sort of. For instance, if you want to drag the Lexicon MPX reverb onto the grid as a buss (which comes bundled FREE with the Pro version), you alt/command drag and drop. DONE. Start assigning your tracks to it. If you have 300 tracks and they all need a bit of Hall, select them all and move one slider. Done. Sure, other DAWs can do this but Studio One could before the Cubs won the World Series.

Ever notice who the Cubs beat in Back to the Future II?? Miami! There was NO Miami baseball club in 1989! Still can't believe the Cubs victory was off by only one year. Wild.


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## Rossy (Dec 17, 2020)

So I am still having issues with my sustain pedal not recording at the beginning. Here is a screen shot if anyone can see anything. It works if I release and then press down agaun.


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## EgM (Dec 19, 2020)

Rossy said:


> So I am still having issues with my sustain pedal not recording at the beginning. Here is a screen shot if anyone can see anything. It works if I release and then press down agaun.



Start recording at measure 2, not 1... Your pedal is probably being recorded before measure 1.

You can also do this: (Right click on measure 4 for instance)






Which would then make measure 4 change to measure 1 and give you measure -1, measure 0, etc


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## Rossy (Dec 19, 2020)

EgM said:


> Start recording at measure 2, not 1... Your pedal is probably being recorded before measure 1.
> 
> You can also do this: (Right click on measure 4 for instance)
> 
> ...


Thanks, ill give it a try tonight


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## FKemp (Dec 23, 2020)

I would choose between Cubase and FL Studio. I alternated between them a lot before committing to FL because I like the workflow better, but Cubase is still a good pick IMO. I'm working for prothesiswriter.com at the moment and only recently started to learn how to make music in my spare time. FL Studio has a free version so it's nice for me as I'm just trying it out.


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## pondinthestream (Dec 23, 2020)

Rossy said:


> Thanks, I have put more hours in Reaper than actually recording  I know none of them are perfect but I need to find one thats more consistent as I am getting ready to give up on this journey (probably a little over dramatic) Its a shame studio one free trial doesn't let you use your VST because I would like to give it a trial run, I dont mind buying but would like to try first.


S1 is good for vsts great automation, and Gregor's tiutes on YouTube are fantastic.watch them before you buy. And you can sell it secondhand, so you don't lose much if you don't like it. I switched from Reaper and am glad I did


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## Tren (Dec 27, 2020)

bill5 said:


> You're a sick puppy.  And yes it is by far the absolute WORST option for a hobbyist IMO.


Hilariously, there are more resources for production, composition and film scoring for Pro Tools on YouTube than Cubase, so you may actually be a little wrong - from a practical standpoint.

I mean, "hobbyist" is the target, right?


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## dzilizzi (Dec 27, 2020)

The only reason I no longer recommend ProTools to hobbyists is because you can't buy it anymore. You only rent it. So it is not a good way to spend your money when you can pay once with all these others and use for years. Most of the updates are not really necessary. You generally don't need to waste your money on them as a hobbyist. Unless you own an Apple computer and think it is a good idea to upgrade the OS regularly. (If you are into music and have a limited budget, it is not)


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## chibear (Dec 30, 2020)

EgM said:


> Start recording at measure 2, not 1... Your pedal is probably being recorded before measure 1.
> 
> You can also do this: (Right click on measure 4 for instance)
> 
> ...





EgM said:


> Start recording at measure 2, not 1... Your pedal is probably being recorded before measure 1.
> 
> You can also do this: (Right click on measure 4 for instance)
> 
> ...


I've had similar problems with other DAWs not picking up MIDI CC# commands until after the first bar. My solution, that I just carried into Studio One without experimenting, is to leave the first bar blank and use it to initialize any controllers I'll be using by putting a fast min to max to desired setting data curve in that parameter. AND as a bonus anyone watching is impressed by all the activity in the VSTi UI before any sound comes out lol.


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## resonate (Mar 11, 2021)

dzilizzi said:


> The only reason I no longer recommend ProTools to hobbyists is because you can't buy it anymore. You only rent it.


you can still buy a perpetual license of Pro Tools:








Avid Pro Tools Studio Perpetual License with 1 Year of Updates + Support Plan


DAW Software with 64 channels of I/O, 256 Audio Tracks, 1,024 MIDI Tracks, and M1/macOS Big Sur Compatibility - Mac/PC AAX Native




www.sweetwater.com





also, let me recommend Pete Calandra channel for PT tutorials for beginners :
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCjFoAdqzUpnMw21CJkov8A


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## Consona (Mar 11, 2021)

Just checked some Cakewalk videos, seems like a great DAW! How do they manage to make it free? Hope it will last since I think I'm about to switch to it.


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## Jeremy Spencer (Mar 11, 2021)

Consona said:


> Just checked some Cakewalk videos, seems like a great DAW! How do they manage to make it free? Hope it will last since I think I'm about to switch to it.


I used Cakewalk/sonar from 1992-2012. If they had worked on developing the scoring-to-pic features, I wouldn’t have switched. Not sure what it’s like now, but until Sonar Xd is was excellent overall. Worth looking into!


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## dzilizzi (Mar 11, 2021)

Cakewalk is basically the same as it was with Platinum other than it doesn't have all the added goodies I got, like Addictive Drums. It was always my 2nd DAW when I get frustrated with PT (computer wasn't that great back then, my current computer handles PT beautifully now) or if I wanted to use all the great free VSTs available. I picked up Cubase and Studio One when Cakewalk announced they were closing shop. All the other DAWs offered crossgrade deals to Cakewalk owners. Then Bandlab came to the rescue. 

It is still a good DAW. Doesn't have all the nice bells and whistles of some of the other DAWs, but there are a lot of great free and low cost FX and instruments that will run in it. However, it is only Windows last I checked.


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## Consona (Mar 11, 2021)

dzilizzi said:


> Doesn't have all the nice bells and whistles of some of the other DAWs


Such as? From the videos I've seen it can do more things than my Cubase Artist.


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## musicalweather (Mar 11, 2021)

Rossy said:


> Orchestral but would love to get into film scoring


Digital Performer is very much geared toward film scoring. I'm a nearly 20 year user of it and can tell you its midi editing and film scoring features are top notch. The only thing it does not have that others have is expression maps. That's one reason I've started using Cubase Pro. For film scoring projects, I'm still gonna use DP. It's very stable and more reliable than Cubase, at least in my experience, perhaps because it is not packed with so many features. I would recommend giving DP a serious look.


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## dzilizzi (Mar 11, 2021)

Consona said:


> Such as? From the videos I've seen it can do more things than my Cubase Artist.


It would be equivalent to Artist at minimum, probably better. I guess I'm comparing it to what it used to be. It came with a lot of extras that weren't Cakewalk products. Those cost money, so I doubt Bandlab still includes them. I'm also not sure how many of Sonar's extra FX and instruments come with it. Other than that, it is the full version of the software sold as Sonar Platinum. I will have to check it out again. I heard they added some capabilities since I last used it.


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## Consona (Mar 11, 2021)

As a DAW alone, it seems really great. And I don't need any additional products, so for free, it's an amazing deal.


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## dzilizzi (Mar 11, 2021)

Consona said:


> As a DAW alone, it seems really great. And I don't need any additional products, so for free, it's an amazing deal.


I totally recommend it.

They have a really great user group - https://discuss.cakewalk.com/index.php if you have any questions/problems.


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