Hi guys,
This is doing my head in...
I have spent HOURS searching for a suitable, entry-level DAW (Digital Audio Workstation), and I am still looking. I have gone back and found a few PC User reviews, and while there are a few as being described as easy-to-use for beginners, they only seem to be easy if you already have a lot of live music experience.
I understand that you can't just jump into something like Ableton Live and expect to know everything without any experience in both live and computer music. I understand that it might take me six months or more to get a good grasp of the program I decide to go with. I am happy with that.
But what I am after is a program that I can jump into and create loop-based music straight away, without having to spend more than like half an hour of reading and watching videos, but then also has all the capabilities of something like Cakewalk Sonar for later on. I intend to learn about and use built in and external MIDI instruments, mixing, loop creation and editing, various controls including faders etc, music production and remixing tools - the whole lot basically. I just want it easy enough to basically create a whole song the first day you use it.
I am currently downloading the trials for MAGIX Music Maker, Sequel 3 and FL Studio now, but basically need something that sits between programs like eJay / Sony Jam Trax, and something like Cakewalk Sonar / FL Studio. Does such a program exist??? I would like the program to be between $50 - $150. If it can't match programs like Sonar or FL for features, it would still be ok if it will allow me to jump to Sonar or FL as the next program in two years time.
Thanks for your help.
They don't come easier than Garageband if you can access a Mac or iPad.
Then Sony Acid Pro or Mixcraft.
These meet the criterium of your last sentence.
But if you need to end up using Cakewalk or Reason for say an audio tech course, then just start on those and bite the proverbial.
Hi Reg,
Thanks for your answer!
"They don't come easier than Garageband if you can access a Mac or iPad." - Yeah, that's what I keep hearing. Planning to buy an iPad later on in the year. MIGHT have to consider buying some sort of Mac for Garageband only.
"Then Sony Acid Pro or Mixcraft. These meet the criterium of your last sentence." - Yeah, I also keep hearing that Mixcraft is the Windows equivalent of Garageband. Have the demo for it scheduled to download after Sequel 3 is due to finish downloading in 10 minutes. I keep hearing mixed things in regards to ease of use for newbies on ACID, but will try the demo for that too.
"But if you need to end up using Cakewalk or Reason for say an audio tech course, then just start on those and bite the proverbial." - 100% behind you on that one - that's why Sonar X1 was the first thing I downloaded.
I originally had eJay and I thought I was pretty good at putting beats together etc straight away. However, that program had no flexibility whatsoever in terms of faders and effects. I guess I want to try a half-decent program to see whether it is something I AM actually good at and enjoy (or whether I am kidding myself), before taking this further and possibly doing a course.
I personally would suggest if you're a Windows user, Sony Acid Studio.
You can buy it direct from Sony Creative for around the $65US mark. However, you're better off with the disc-based version that includes 4GB or so of loops.
You can try it out free with Sony's free Acid Xpress - http://www.acidplanet.com/downloads/xpress/- it's limited to ten tracks but is completely free otherwise (no loops though).
Cheers, Darren.
Thanks Darren,
I think I have narrowed it down to the final three:
1. Acoustica Mixcraft - I downloaded the demo of this, and while I only played with it for five minutes, I found it really intuitive. I moved around and added loops and effects and things without reading ANY instructions.
2. Cakewalk Music Creator - This is like Sonar X1 Essentials, essentials! Probably a little harder to use than Mixcraft, however I would like to think that after two years of use I could then move on to Sonar. Also, if the tutorials for CMC are a little thin, I could also refer to the Sonar ones, as CMC is only a cut-down version of Sonar Essentials. The fact that it doesn't have so many buttons, etc makes it less intimidating.
3. Sony Acid Music Studio - At this point in time, I like this one the least, although it is recommended as a beginner's DAW more than any other program. I downloaded and installed the demo today, and I didn't find it quite as intuitive as Mixcraft. If I went with Acid, I would then upgrade to Pro after a couple of years to get better sound quality, instrument support, MIDI functions, etc. I will leave it here for tonight, and look at it with a fresh mind tomorrow before deciding whether it is my cup of tea or not.
At the end of the day, I will probably be happy to spend a couple of months learning before I start to do anything. That being said, these beginner DAW's are still the best for me, because:
1. The have full-featured versions you can progress too.
2. They still provide a lot of functionality.
3. A lot of DAW's do the same thing. For example, PreSonus looks like a copycat version of Sonar, but Sonar would have a bigger fan base and hence, more support.
4. You've got DAW's that require some time to learn, and then you've got complex DAW's!
5. Some are geared more towards live musicians, whereas I am in the looping / studio genre.
6. Some also fit the bill, but have uGlY skins, and install processes that make my head spin (yes, Steinberg, I am talking to you with Sequel 3!)
In other words, I could pick any one of the three above now and if I put in the time and effort, it would be good and easy enough for me to progress to the bigger version and make music happily ever after. They're all under $100. I guess what will be the deciding factor is what workflow, interface, features and support I prefer.
I'll let you guys know the final outcome. Thanks again for your help.
Well, personally, all I can add is I'd go with the one that has the features worth learning, not necessarily the easiest one to learn.
Cheers, Darren.
Good advice Darren,
As mentioned, I narrowed it down to the last three: Acoustica Mixcraft 5, Sony ACID Music Studio 8 and Cakewalk Music Creator 6.
ACID was quickly out as I decided that one of the most important features that I require is automation, which ACID Studio does not have (and I am not ready to shell out $400 for Pro). Then Mixcraft was out because it doesn't have a step sequencer (which is also important), and neither does Music Creator 6. So I am down to ZERO.
I took another look at Sonar X1 Essentials. It has a piano roll, step sequencer, matrix view, automation, bundled loops and effects, mixer and so on. It uses screensets which means you can customize the look of the program to get rid of complicated and unnecessary "sections" and save it for next time. You can move the docks across multiple monitors and it only costs about $100.
The other thing is that in trialling out all these demos, I learned what half the buttons do in Sonar automatically! And have I mentioned that the Skylight Interface is gorgeous?!
I've found my program. Thanks guys!