The path to my DAW

Started by Pedro, July 13, 2011, 12:45:45 AM

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Pedro

July 13, 2011, 12:45:45 AM
I wondered how those that use software sequencing/recording packages ended up with their current choices.

1. 2-track reel-to-reel 1/4" tape deck - multi-tracked by wedging piece of paper in front of erase head.
2. Commodore Amiga running Music-X 2.0 - midi plus limited sample playback - no VSTs  - driving Yamaha PSS-680 and TG33, no audio recording. Loved how midi editing covered my inability to play properly.
3. Bought Propellerhead's "Reason" - loved the softsynths - didn't get on with the midi editor and wanted audio track capability.
4. Bought Steinberg Cubase VST cos an idiot at local shop told me it was compatible with Reason ReWire..it wasn't ("oh dear you've opened it...no refund") 8(
5. Cross-graded to Cakewalk Home Studio which did support ReWire...but reading Sound-On-Sound started stimulating my Gear Acquisition Syndrome and the serious Cakewalk stuff was called "Sonar" and looked very shiny....
6. Upgrade to Cakewalk Sonar 6.0 Studio
7. Upgrade to Sonar 7.0 Producer
8. Upgrade to Sonar 8.0 Producer
9. Upgrade to Sonar 8.5 Producer
10. Upgrade to Sonar X1 Producer

So it seems I'm pretty much buying whatever Cakewalk do next... ;)
"Putting food on the table is more important than 7/8"

Gman

#1
July 13, 2011, 09:31:38 AM
Ours was a lot shorter than that!

Decided we fancied having a go at writing some songs.
Bought a Zoom multitrack thingy, decided it wasn't that useful and a DAW would be better.
Bought a DAW from Digital Village, an MBox, Sonar Producer 7 and a bunch of software.
Flogged the MBox cos it did my head in.
Purchased a Focusrite Saffire LE instead...much better  :D

The only issue now is having two small children and bugger all time/energy to get in the studio and write.

E.S.

#2
July 13, 2011, 01:53:52 PM
Got Cubase
Learned to use it
Voila!

 :D

Gig Buddy

#3
July 13, 2011, 03:51:05 PM
Atari 512?? running Passport Mastertrack Junior, nice!
Fruityloops  for midi programming and Roland VS880XT for audio. Shame they didn't do Fruityloops for Mac.
MBox mini & Protools on Mac - sooooooooooo Slooooooooooooooooow
Reason 2 - bloody brilliant! Have upgraded to every version since. Now running Reason 5 with Record 1.5.
Can't recommend highly enough. Handles everything I can throw at it and more. Reason 6 out in september.
Includes audio recording. I'm guessing, but I think they've combined both programmes. Also bringing out their own interface
and a 'lite' version aswell.
Dr. Feelgood factor 10% milk...

Mouse

#4
July 13, 2011, 08:21:32 PM
1. Got shown around the face of Cubase SSX3 (I think), including how to choose a plug-in. Cue hours spent keyboard widdling.  8-)

2. Got shown around Pro Tools 7 or 8 and a bit more deeply into Cubase.

3. Stumbled blindly around the two for a while.  :lol:

4. Bought Pro Tools LE 8 and an Mbox Mini 2.

5. Now learning hands on about Cubase 5 and wish I had been able to invest in that instead.  :roll:  :lol:

Drarok

#5
July 14, 2011, 05:02:50 PM
Windows days:
Tried Fruityloops, didn't really fit my style.
Tried Reason, couldn't get a single note to sound. Virtual "wiring" put me right off.
Gave up.

Time passed, I got a Mac:
GarageBand - loved it! Simple, but quite powerful.
Upgrade to Logic Express 7 to get proper automation.
Upgrade to Logic Express 8 for some new features or other, I forget.
Upgrade to Logic Studio 9 and joined the big boys with time stretching and a VAST library of sounds and loops.
Got a Fantom G8.
Sold the G8. :(

Mikey

#6
July 14, 2011, 07:14:22 PM
It's all Greek to me  :oops:
I used to have a signature

sawtooth

#7
July 15, 2011, 12:40:22 PM
Going back to the 80's, I started with a single Korg MS20 and two cassette recorders, bouncing back and forth to build up full tracks. I programmed drum and feedback guitar patches on the MS20 too! Obviously after quite a few passes, the audio contained more hiss than music, but I loved it. It was a very direct process, I couldn't go back and fix a duff note, and no undos etc! I later upgraded to a Poly61 and a Sinclair specdrum, but still using the same recording method.
Next up I had a Kawai K1 and an an Alesis sequencer, and then, like Pedders I was into Commodore Amiga territory, although I cant remember which sequencer i used. It can't have been very expensive though!

Since then it's been Macs all the way, firstly with a brief flirtation with Cubase, then Logic ever since.

I still miss those good old days with the cassette recorders though......

Drarok

#8
July 15, 2011, 02:44:34 PM
Quote from: "Mikey"It's all Greek to me  :oops:
Mirra birra parakolo.

Nev

#9
July 15, 2011, 08:37:37 PM
Quote from: "sawtooth"two cassette recorders, bouncing back and forth to build up full tracks

Gosh that brings back memories.

I had a Sony music centre (stop sniggering at the back there!!) and a Technics cassette deck that I used to bounce back and fourth.
Then I got an Alesis MMT-8 sequencer which was a great machine - easy to use and made loads of music on that with my various keyboards of the time (Yamaha DX21, Korg Poly 800, Korg M1, Yamaha MU90R, Roland D20).

The two cassette machines were eventually replaced with a Tascam Porta03 MkII 4 track cassette.

After an extended break, I decided to get back into music and treated myself to a Korg Triton Studio, using its sequencer.  I also had a laptop that could just about manage to run FruityLoops (as long as there weren't too many tracks) so I got a  MIDISport 4x4 to tie the two of them together.

Eventually I got myself a proper PC (Pentium D, 3GHz) and got an EMU 1820M interface to add to the MIDISport 4x4 that I had been using with the laptop.  The EMU 1820M came with demos/cut down versions of Cubase, Sonar and Ableton Live.  I tried all three and found Sonar the most comfortable for me, so I upgraded from the SE version to version 5.

From there Ive gone through the upgrade chain:  6  >  7  >  8.5  >  X1

I've also started using Reaper which is really nice and very quick.

My PC died last year so I now have a new core i5.

My latest indulgence has been Adam A7X monitors (a couple of weeks ago).  Sound really nice and a bit of a step up from the JBL control 1s that they replaced.

So my current setup is:
Keyboards/Synths/Controllers
  • Korg Triton Studio
  • Kurzweil PC161
  • Yamaha MU90R
  • Evolution MK449C controller
Other Hardware
  • Adam A7X Nearfield Monitors
  • Behringer MX2642A mixer
  • MIDISport 4x4 MIDI Interface
  • EMU1820M Audio Interface
  • Core i5 PC with 8GB RAM and Windows 7
Software
  • Sonar X1 Producer
  • FruityLoops 10 Producer
  • Reaper
  • Lots of soft synths, highlights are ImpOscar, Arturia Moog Modular, Arturia Prophet V2, Arturia CS80V, Rob Papen Albino

Now all I have to do is learn how to play / use the damn things :oops:

I'll just grab a bourbon on my way back to the lurkers zone ;)

Pedro

#10
July 16, 2011, 01:09:29 AM
Hey, thanks for de-cloaking long enough to share that. :)
Always good to encounter a fellow Sonar-ist. As for learning to use it all, there's a full-time hobby right there! If the updates for Sonar and Spectrasonics instruments are scheduled correctly, I don't have to worry about making music at all cos there's so much new stuff to tweak! ;)
"Putting food on the table is more important than 7/8"

Gman

#11
July 16, 2011, 10:10:17 AM
Do you Sonarists think the upgrade to X1 is worth the hassle (and cost)? How did your upgrade go...was it traumatic?

Pedro

#12
July 16, 2011, 11:13:42 AM
Well, as should prolly be clear by now, I'm as much about the shininess of the toy as I am about seriously trying to use it...so I might not give the best advice...but I like X1 and the upgrade went smoothly enough. I was there at the start so got a few the early bugs (including one it seems I "found") that have now all been fixed.
It's running fine and hasn't given me any grief, I like the UI revamp, it makes sense to me and the endorsees say it's better fir workflow (I guess they would!). There is a free trial I believe, could be with a try. :)
"Putting food on the table is more important than 7/8"

Nev

#13
July 16, 2011, 12:36:34 PM
Quote from: "Gman"Do you Sonarists think the upgrade to X1 is worth the hassle (and cost)? How did your upgrade go...was it traumatic?

For my part, the upgrade was very straightforward.  I haven't had any issues with loading old projects (so far, touch wood).  While there are differences in how somethings are done, it hasn't taken much to get used to the differences and I am appreciating the new functionality although I still have to get to grips with a lot of it.

My biggest issue to date is not related to the upgrade itself, but Dimension Pro now can't find its samples.  This has more to do with a dead OS drive which I replaced and restored an image of the previous disk instead of reinstalling everything, although Windows kindly relabelled all the disks (so 'E:' is now 'F:', etc) and reinstalling Dimension Pro doesn't help as the config files are kept intact.  I'm still working on resolving that one.

As for the cost - What persuaded me to make the upgrade from 7 (other than gearlust) was the prochannel, session drummer 2 + the additional plugins and functionality that had me curious (but still haven't got round to investigating fully).  I upgraded more or less directly from 7, having 8.5 installed for only a week or so (the 8.5 upgrade included the X1 upgrade when I bought it).

Now if we could just increase a day to 36 hours and reduce my sleep and work needs.....

Mikey

#14
July 16, 2011, 01:30:44 PM
Quote from: "Nev"Now if we could just increase a day to 36 hours and reduce my sleep and work needs.....

UPS are working on it
I used to have a signature
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