Should I use Pro Tools or Logic? Live or Reaper? How about Studio One? You know what… maybe I’ll use Audition… what do you think?
My answer to all those questions is YES!
It doesn’t matter what DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) you use as long as you enjoy using it and it compliments your method and workflow.
Listen, I’m a Pro Tools guy. I love it as my DAW of choice and it would take a lot for me to change. But I haven’t always been that way…
My first DAW was Cool Edit Pro before it was bought by Adobe.
When it came to using that piece of software properly, I was pretty useless. But at that time, I was learning how to play guitar and the purpose of using Cool Edit Pro was to record myself playing, track my progress and work on song ideas.
I wanted to be in a band. I wanted to produce. I wanted to create. Cool Edit Pro helped me with those goals.
In school, we learned how to use Cakewalk Pro Audio and how to sequence MIDI.
In university, our first DAW was Cubase. The MIDI sequencing and multitrack recording worlds were starting to combine! While it was an interesting learning tool, I had no access to the DAW outside of the university campus, so I was still using other free and low cost pieces of software for most of my work.
One of those pieces of software was Audacity.
Throughout my course, we were encouraged to make electroacoustic music and I learned how to use Audacity for that purpose. We didn’t have access to Pro Tools in the main recording studio, so we used a combination of ADAT and Sony Soundforge in that space.
Eventually, I began using Pro Tools during the final year of my undergraduate degree and throughout my masters degree. It quickly became my DAW of choice.
Then, when I landed my first professional full time audio job, I was relegated to Apple’s Soundtrack Pro. I soon felt the power and freedom of limitation in full flow! By having less to work with, I had to focus more on my skills rather than the technology to get the job done.
As my career developed and I became immersed in sound design, music production and audio post production, my fascination with DAWs expanded and eventually became a monster!
I was easily swayed by people on forums who would go on and on about how MIDI sucks in Pro Tools and how Logic is the only program to use when it comes to composing music. Then others would chime in and say Ableton Live was the way forward. It seemed to be a never-ending debate but I wanted to figure out the secret to unlocking the power of all of these DAWs in some sort of magical combination.
So, stupid Stephen began to experiment and settled on writing all his music in Ableton Live and then mixing in Pro Tools. It became a convoluted process that actually served no real purpose. I had been swayed by the opinion of others instead of focusing on getting results.
I eventually scrapped the ridiculousness and went back to working in Pro Tools almost exclusively. I’ve never looked back since.
The only exception is when it comes to in-depth audio editing. Adobe Edition (originally Cool Edit Pro) is incredible when it comes to that task.
It’s interesting that I’ve returned to that DAW after so many years.
So, what does this all have to do with you?
Well, the moral of Stephen’s story time is that it doesn’t matter what DAW you use.
Are there some things that some DAWs do better than others? Yes, absolutely.
Does that mean you should own every DAW there is? No, absolutely not.
For what it’s worth, I recommend you pick a DAW with multitrack recording and MIDI sequencing capabilities. But if MIDI isn’t your thing, then that’s something less to worry about.
Some DAWs have highly specialised functions that can work wonders but you don’t need them from Day 1. Take Adobe Audition, for example. The options for spectral editing are so great that it’s clear to see why it’s the DAW of choice for a massive number of audio editors worldwide.
Reaper is another perfect example. Its flexibility and programmability make it an incredibly versatile DAW that people can use in highly unique ways.
But at the end of the day, it really doesn’t matter what DAW you use as long as you’re getting the results you want.
If your current DAW of choice isn’t providing you the exact custom options that you need, you will find one that does.
It’s all about your workflow and your method. If your method isn’t sound and your theory is off, you’ll struggle to get good results no matter what DAW you use.
So, I’ll say it again one last time…
It doesn’t matter what DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) you use as long as you enjoy using it and it compliments your method.
Now, I’d love to know…
What’s your favourite DAW and why?
Leave a comment below!
professional sounding mix every time...
I’m an old fart and grew up in the analog tape world. i got into computers in the early 2000’s. My first experience with a DAW was Cubase 5. Then I moved on to Logic 5 when it was still Emagic. Since I was using PC when Logic went to Mac, I moved to Sonar 4. That was on my first computer which started with Windows 98SE and I upgraded to XP.
When I built my current computer I had intended to go with Sonar. I used REAPER until I could afford the Sonar purchase. By the time I was ready Sonar became Cakewalk by Bandlab. Since it was free I installed it. After using it I decided REAPER was the DAW for me.
When my band was in the studio they used ProTools. I never saw the advantage of it over REAPER except maybe the reputation.
Identifying as an “old fart” made me laugh, Brent! Another Reaper user… this is getting interesting. Thanks for sharing!
I can’t say I have a favorite DAW yet, cuz I’ve only just bought Cubase recently and have yet to really sit down with it. I can tell you that my first “DAW” was Nero Soundtrax combined with wave editors by Nero, Creative, and Microsoft (the old one in Windows XP and earlier). Soundtrax isn’t laid out like most DAWs–no faders, inserts, busses, etc.–and it’s meant more for DJing or home video editing, but that’s where the most basic practical differences end. When I was first using it, there wasn’t any VST support, but now there is, and I’ve been wondering if Harrison Mixbus would work well with it–LOL! On my old PC, I found it easier to edit files in Nero Wave Editor (or a similar program, if I was using an effect or edit unavailable in NWE, especially reversing files), and then add them to a Soundtrax channel. The whole process was cumbersome, and it convinced me I needed a “proper” DAW, but it worked well enough that I made my first few mixes by myself. I have Nero’s stuff on my newer laptop, but haven’t messed with any of them much, cuz I think I’d rather spend time learning Cubase…but just for fun, I’d like to do a mix in Nero someday, just to see. }:)
That’s pretty cool, Rob. Sounds like you have a process that you’d like to upgrade and you think a new DAW might help you there. Would be interested to hear the results.
Once upon a time, long long ago, my dear son gave me an Apple laptop and said “ok, Dad, get that music out of your head and onto something we can all listen to.” So, timidly, I opened up GarageBand on my new laptop, and I was hooked. When I was ready to make my first album, I stepped up to LogicPro 9, and will now be using LPX for my next project. Logic has incredible capabilities (far more than I do!), and I’m excited (and intimidated!) to see what I can do with it. I am a sucker for every upgrade, but Logic is home for me.
How very nice of your son. That’s a wonderful, thoughtful gift. “Logic is home for me” is a nice statement. It goes to show that you took baby steps with GarageBand and then “graduated” to Logic to move to the next level. Nice work and thanks for sharing!
Began with a cracked Sony AcidPro5 in 2007, tryed lite versions bundled with hardware of Sonar, then AbletonLive, then ventured a bit on Garageband installed on an old Apple PowerPC G5, but finally sticked on CubaseLE I updated non regularly to Essential5 then Artist6/6.5 to finally jump recently on Pro10.
After 10 years it’s not only my DAW of choice, it’s a creative companion with a workflow harmony, like those habits you can settle inside a long lasting couple adventure ! It really matters !
BUT, as Cubase kills an USB port of my laptop for E.Licensing only, I completed my arsenal this january 2019 with a FLS20 Signature license (caught at a cool discounted price) to install as the creative tool on the go. Thought first it was a more toy like DAW, but noway !, I discover slowly I have pretty an equivalent power of creative tools, just with a different workflow in a different interface.
So I sincerely think nowadays all major DAWs provide pretty equivalent creative palette and powerful tools. 3rd party plugins are here to personalize your studio to your exact needs. So my advice is, for more adaptability care about a both Windows and OSX compatibility, try demos, choose one you feel well with and…stick with it !
At least you’re honest that you began with cracked gear. You’ve given wonderful advice at the end of your comment… “So I sincerely think nowadays all major DAWs provide pretty equivalent creative palette and powerful tools. 3rd party plugins are here to personalize your studio to your exact needs. So my advice is, for more adaptability care about a both Windows and OSX compatibility, try demos, choose one you feel well with and…stick with it !” This is great! Thank you.
Thanks Stephen for this great article. I totally agree with you. I use Studio One and I love this DAW. While trying to find my DAW of choice, I used a “test workflow” with really simple steps and used it while demoing many of the DAWs out there. Some of them did not last very long during the tests and after trying Studio One, I feel in love with and I never looked back to another DAW. And as I read in a forum one day: “Choosing your DAW is like choosing your future wife or husband: you have to fall in love of it and make the good choice because you will live with it the rest of your life” 🙂 :).
Thanks Guillaume. I’m glad to hear you like the article. Your “test workflow” is exactly what I’d love most people to do. So many of us are focused on the tools rather than the method. Love that quote. Thanks dude! 🙂
Thank you for article, Stephen, your right. I use “Samplitude” in some formes. And I like it. It runs on my old PCs with Windows on it, and I spended some time to use it well. Now I don´t want chanche. Its always the person, not the DAW, that make or breake the music.
You’re welcome, Gerd. And I agree… it’s all down to us rather than the tools at your disposal.
Hi! Mine’s the one the world’s never heard of – Quick Score Elite Level Three. It’s pure MIDI, pure notation, it can read just about any VST going, it has a TINY memory footprint and makes writing music wonderfully fast and easy – as long as you can read notation!
It beats Sibelius hands down in many respects, especially in handling automation and VSTs. Get the right DAW’s to work with it and it’s every bit as good as some of the bigger packages, like Reason.
Yours respectfully,
Chris.
You’re right… I’ve never heard of it… until now! Thanks for sharing, Chris.
Reaper: It’s default workflow is very simple, it uses almost no resources, it has many features and it’s very cheap.
Thanks John!
Used tape for many years, cassette or reel to reel. Did not understand digital at all until I bought a GNX4 and got a limited copy of Protracks. Could not make head nor tail of it but could see the advantages. Tried Cuebase 5 but it was all too tricky. Ended up with a free copy of Protools HD (full version) and spent months on the web learning how to master it. At last I now can use it and understand most of it. How easy is it compared to tape ? So much easier. Only problem I have is I spend more time tweeking my recordings than recording!
Interesting that you say you spend more time tweaking your recordings than recording. Would love to hear more about why you think that is the case, if you have time to answer?
My very first beat creation was done using E-Jay, was so proud of those beats, even though its just picking and choosing loops and fit them together.
Then a friend gave me FruityLoops 3 I believe. Just knew how to make a drum beat in the pattern mode, didn’t even know there’s a song mode as well. So I would play this lame drum beat and jamming on my keyboard (3 chords only) to that beat. Again, I was so proud man…so sad to think of it now, lol.
I’ve then been introduced to CoolEdit Pro 2, and I still have it installed on my laptop till this very second (not that I’m using it, don’t know why I still have it). So with Fruity and CoolEdit Ive created quite a lot of songs (Fruity for making the track and CoolEdit to record and edit vox)
I’ve been introduced to Reason and Cubase, have access to ProTools, but, I’m stuck with the Fruit!
FL Studio is not getting the credit it deserves. It has evolved so much, it really is a powerhouse!
I remember E-Jay! Or at least you’ve just reminded me about it 🙂
A combination of FL Studio and CoolEdit. Sounds quite creative! Yes, I’ve heard so many good things about FL Studio. I know that’s what Alex Da Kid has used for many years. Thanks Dudley!
I’ve always ever made music on FL Studio since it was Fruity loops. Over the years I’ve tried Reason (Reason 4 was misleading because the mastering suite is active by default and if you don’t know that you tend to think it sounds better). I’ve also tried Cubase, Mixcraft and Ableton coz FL Studio is always getting talked down on. I’ve found out that FL users tend to think it’s a weak DAW but the truth is the default settings on FL Studio need to be changed in order to get the best out of it coz they suck. I’ve come to realise that it’s the DAW that I’m most comfortable with and I’m now pushing myself to learn more about it rather than constantly looking over the fence.