# Presonus/Studio1 Vs 3 - alternative to Logic?



## munician (Jul 15, 2015)

Hi everybody, -



I’ve been a Logic user since it was called Creator on the Atari in the 80’s and went with it through all its incarnations - wonderful times when I could personally call them in Hamburg to ask questions and make suggestions…



Now I’m still on Logic 9.1.8 on a Mac and TBH, hardly any of my professional film scoring friends seem to use Logic X.



There are some great sequencers out there but none made me really want to switch - because of the learning curve and the fact that by now I know pretty much all of the bugs that make Logic so illogic and have not been addressed in years (decades?) and probably will never be.



The problem reports of Logic X and the depressing look - I thought it’s not a german company anymore  - do not make it very attractive to me…



Sorry, I got a little carried away here, enough Logic bashing, it IS a great program that I use everyday…



But now I heard about Presonus/Studio 1 Vs. 3 and from looking at it I’m quite intrigued. Some really great features that could be very useful.



Is anybody here using it for film scoring and would like to share some thoughts?



I’m in the middle of a lengthy project that takes up all of my time so I certainly won’t take the plunge now - although they have a generous 30 day trial offer…



Thank you all and keep up the good work,



munician


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## garyhiebner (Jul 15, 2015)

Studio One v3 is great. Very slick clean user interface. Very good handling of audio. But I find it is a bit lacking with the MIDI tools compared to Logic. Hopefully they expand on the MIDI functionality in future releases. What I do really like is how it has it's own bundled mastering application. So you can work on your Studio One song, and then take it across to the mastering project to finalise your work. If you need to do any tweaks to your mix you can jump back to the song, and then update the song in the mastering project. So it works very seamless between the mixing and mastering stages. But you may have more flexibility in Logic when working to Video and using MIDI for composing.


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## Farkle (Jul 15, 2015)

I use Studio One Ver 3, and am very happy with it. I like the new GUI, it looks slick. I love the MIDI control capability, meaning, I can wiggle a knob on my controller, wiggle a knob on my VST synth or plug in, and click a "link" button, and they are controlled. The new arrange and scratch functions let me try out ideas and save them, and then assemble a piece later. I am doing a LOT of library tracks right now, and it works great for that sectional, library-type form.

I have used it for film scoring, but I do much of my scoring on paper, use good old fashioned click books (the digital ones online) to compute timing, and then enter it into Studio One. I know that S1 has marker functionality, which let's me do hit points, so I think it's pretty good there. A big limitation is that there is no gradual tempo ramping, you have to switch tempos from one to the other. That makes it harder to fake a ritardando or accelerando.

On the whole though, big thumbs up.


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## 5Lives (Jul 18, 2015)

I really like Studio One v3 as well. The workflow is just fantastic and to be honest, I've found the MIDI to be decent for most needs. Of course, it isn't going to be like Cubase, which I've been using for orchestral stuff in general, but it doesn't hold me back either. This video might help you (not comprehensive of course - that'd take hours, but gives a sense of some common functionality and workflow differences):


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## Lawson. (Jul 18, 2015)

I find DP to be the best for scoring and MIDI (I've heard it's the best at audio as well but 99% of what I do is through MIDI). I used Logic for years but had heard great reviews on DP and wanted to try something different. Downloaded the free 30 day trial and never went back.

Specific scoring features (off the top of my head):
Chunks - allows you to have multiple cues in the same project, all independent of each other
V-rack - works with Chunks; allows you to only load in your VIs once without having to redo it for each sequence (chunk)
Streamers - AFAIK it's the only DAW to have streamers for video
Tempo calculator/hit points - Super detailed tempo calculator and hit point system. Unmatched anywhere else.
Video - super stable and syncs to the frame (I don't know how many DAWs are like this but I've heard Logic is sometimes multiple frames behind)


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## Nick Batzdorf (Jul 18, 2015)

I don't know what bugs you're talking about, but Logic X is a much better program than Logic 9, and it gets better with every update. There's no shortage of professional film scoring friends who use it.

No comment either way about S1.


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## samphony (Jul 19, 2015)

I'm also a longtime Logic Pro user and studio one user. Both tools have their strength.

My personal highlights

Logic
- capture last take as recording
- screen sets
- key commands for nearly everything
- varispeed
- marquee tool
- multiple marker, signature, tempo track versions
- beat mapping
- region based automation
- bounce in place
- import session data, tepmplate data including routings
- smpte lock regions
- on the fly midi note channel change for articulation switching while playing and editing
- scripter midi fx for tools like AG Toolkit or Ski Switcher
- smart tool (zoom tool, velocity tool, fade tool etc via modifier keys)
- track stacks
- environment
- surround
- CPU efficiency/ hybrid audio engine


Studio One
- scratch pad
- event based fx
- general workflow and ease of use
- drag and drop style workflow (when it's useful)
- export stems in parallel
- multi instrument
- arranger track
- "unlimited tracks"
- folder tracks
- key commands
- support for AU and vst/vst3 on mac


To me learning studio one was ultra easy and it is my favorite tool beside logic.
I would not say studio one is the best tool on the planet because the best tool on this planet usually is your brain (or not it really depends) 

Try the ones that offer a trial and online video tutorials and don't try them all at once.
I've learned studio one while realizing a track or two with logic as backup.

My personal wish for innovation in the future with all daws would be something that MusicXML offers for scoring programs.

For tutorials I suggest
www.studio-one.expert
www.macprovideo.com
www.groove3.com


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## davidgary73 (Jul 19, 2015)

@munician 

Logic user since v 2.0 days and they have come a long way. 

I too was extremely hesitant in upgrading from Logic Pro 9 to Logic Pro X and once i did, the transition was smooth. 

Bugs wise, every upgrade does make Logic Pro X better than Logic 9 as mentioned by Nick Batzdorf.

Yes, i do agree that Logic Pro X seems dark but there are Logic theme makers who make themes emulating Protools, Cubase, Neve, Minimoog etc as downloads or purchase. 

https://logicxinterfaces.wordpress.com

http://logicproxthemes.blogspot.com

As for S1, can't really comment but if i do switch DAW, it would be Cubase  

Cheers


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## H.R. (Jul 19, 2015)

I use Studio One V3 for film and videogame scoring (Pretty much for everything) and I love it. It's really fast and fun to use and have a lot of great features, I've never worked with Logic but I've heard It's very close to Studio One.

Also Digital Performer 9 came out earlier which is a great DAW for film scoring, try it out, I'm going to download a trial now.


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## InLight-Tone (Jul 19, 2015)

I want to like DP since everyone raves about it, but the super tiny fonts, the mandatory VI/midi track combo, and the vague velocity tails make it cryptic and unusable to me. I don't see how people get anything done with it and I have great eyesight...

Studio One would be my second choice but Cubase has so much going for the midi based composer it would be hard to switch.


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## dsmo (Jul 19, 2015)

I am intrigued by Studio One, especially since they acquired Notion. but I was disappointed that they have not integrated it into Studio One. The lack of a notation view is a deal-killer for me, as I compose and edit with notes. Currently using Sonar 8.5. Very good notation view for working, not so much for scoring. I'm looking forward to V5 of Reaper, which is supposed to have a staff or notation view.

Re: DP: I've been told that, in addition to the small fonts (I'm 63!), their staff view does not allow infinite scrolling, which sonar does. Another deal-breaker.


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## hazza (Jul 20, 2015)

My list of Logic 10.1.1 bugs continue to grow by the day..
- CC data going kaput when you merge regions
- displaying totally the wrong bars when you key command open the piano roll
- not chasing CC data accurately
- link window key command not working
- names of regions become invisible with certain colours
- dragging regions above top of screen often doesn't scroll the page up
- bizarre deleting of chunks of time sig changes, maybe through insert time and move by locators
- mixer not scrolling to the currently selected track
- "create track in arrange" on mixer channels often resets output to no output
- flextime randomly deactivating on regions/tracks
- tempo change list randomly becoming invisible
- MIDI thru q-strength sometimes ignored in recorded regions
- moving take folders to different track often ends up dumping it on a completely wrong track
- (not a bug) having no way to step input CC data drives me INSANE!

Sorry for the rant, I feel much better now. Really can't face having to learn a new sequencer.

I don't know whether to keep compiling or send the list off to them.. do they even listen?


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## Richard Wilkinson (Jul 20, 2015)

I know some of those issues have been raised on LogicProHelp forum. Apparently Apple do read that forum as well as all submitted requests through the apple site.


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## Vin (Jul 20, 2015)

InLight-Tone said:


> I want to like DP since everyone raves about it, but the super tiny fonts, the mandatory VI/midi track combo, and the vague velocity tails make it cryptic and unusable to me. I don't see how people get anything done with it and I have great eyesight...
> 
> Studio One would be my second choice but Cubase has so much going for the midi based composer it would be hard to switch.



My sentiments exactly. Really wanted to like it, but couldn't connect to its GUI and everything you mentioned above.

I like Studio One, but its MIDI is behind Cubase and Logic, so it isn't ideal if you work most of the time in the MIDI editor.


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## hazza (Jul 20, 2015)

wilx said:


> I know some of those issues have been raised on LogicProHelp forum. Apparently Apple do read that forum as well as all submitted requests through the apple site.


Good to know.


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## 5Lives (Jul 20, 2015)

Vin said:


> I like Studio One, but its MIDI is behind Cubase and Logic, so it isn't ideal if you work most of the time in the MIDI editor.



What specifically do you miss?


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## jonathanwright (Jul 22, 2015)

I tried Studio One a couple of months ago and really liked it's workflow. Very easy to pick up and I was up and running without much learning required in an hour or so. 

The drag and drop functionality saves a surprising amount of time and the new interface is really easy on the eye.

I have to agree on the MIDI editing though. It was probably the biggest deal breaker for me. I use Cubase normally and really missed the multiple MIDI data lanes and the easy ways to manipulate data (like creating a velocity crescendo).

I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong, but I couldn't find a way to save the MIDI lanes I used most within a template, so I had to create them again for every new project.

I also don't like the way it handles saving and exporting into it's own folder structure.


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## Vin (Jul 22, 2015)

5Lives said:


> What specifically do you miss?



Note expression, expression maps, multiple CC lanes, smoother CC curves, logical editor, step input, more advanced tempo editing etc.


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## Farkle (Jul 22, 2015)

Vin said:


> Note expression, expression maps, multiple CC lanes, smoother CC curves, logical editor, step input, more advanced tempo editing etc.



Vin,

Studio One Version 3 has added Step Record (Walkthrough Vid below):



And, regarding smoother CC curves, if you deactivate the snap grid (button "N" on PC), drawing in the curves no longer snaps to grid, and you can create much smoother CC curves.

Mike


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