I'm going to weigh in on this, and I think I may end up surprising some people. I couldn't say this a few years ago, but today I can safely state that they are all the same! OK, so they aren't exactly the same, but each application has a similar set of features. Some are stronger in certain areas, of course. For instance, Cubase and Logic have superior MIDI features to Pro Tools, although Pro Tools has been catching up in recent years. In addition, each program has a slightly different user interface. However, by and large, all of these applications are strong contenders, capable of allowing the user to produce professional-quality recordings.
Here are a few things to think about when considering purchasing a DAW:
- Portability - i.e., will you be taking your projects to other studios at times? If so, you should use the most compatible DAW. According to the word on the street, most professional studios still use Pro Tools, but Sonar, Cubase and even Logic have a significant piece of the market.
- Operating System - If you use a Mac, you can't use Sonar, and Windows users can't use Logic or Digital Performer. I am also of the opinion that Pro Tools and Digital Performer will be more intuitive to longtime Mac users, whereas Cubase and Sonar might feel more comfortable to Windows users.
- What are you recording? If you are using mostly MIDI, you might prefer Cubase, Logic or Digital Performer. If you are recording live instruments and don't use MIDI, Pro Tools, Sonar or Nuendo might be more appealing.
- Budget - This is where I believe Pro Tools suffers. Their low-budget options are severely limited, in terms of track counts, features, and plug-ins, especially when compared to all of the other programs I've mentioned. There is also a significant price jump when migrating from the "consumer" Pro Tools platform to the "pro" versions. This is largely due to the proprietary hardware requirements.
- Stick with what you are used to - A friend was recently considering switching from Sonar on Windows to Pro Tools on the Mac, largely because a music store employee told him he needed to. After he described his system to me, it was clear to me that he could do everything he needed to do with his current system. He had never really used Pro Tools anyway, and he felt very comfortable with Sonar, so there was no need to switch.
The first Pro Tools system I worked on was a TDM Mix system with a maximum track count of 24 mono tracks and only the basic Digidesign plug-ins, and I was still able to produce some great recordings. I can certainly make do with 48 stereo tracks, numerous plug-ins, and sample rates up to 96k!
5 comments:
I concur, those are very good points! I've been contemplating starting to save up for a recording set up of my own. There's quite a few smaller bands in the Maryland / Virgina area who have asked if I could work on at least mixing a demo for them - not to mention personal friends - and since I have a strong interest in this area I was taking the opportunity seriously. However, considering most of my recording has been done in the GC studios which use Pro Tools cost quickly becomes a serious issue. It's comforting to learn that other cheaper options might be doable and comparable in quality and ease of use - especially for someone who's only spent a few years on a specific product and not most of their career.
Thanks for the good insight!
-Chris Stoneburner
I would have to agree with you assesment. In my limited time using ProTools LE and TDM I have found or stumbled my way around until I am comfortable with each system probabily because as you mentioned I am a PC person and ProTools is set up more for Mac users. The bottom line I guess would have to be do what works for you but user beware if you want to send off a project for mastering you may have to have it in a certain format ie ProTools but that all may depend on who you use to do that for you if you even have someone else do it for you.
i long for the days of a black face adat with a 16/8 board and a midiverb ii making beats on an hr 16. im a sad sad man. --money05
Thanks Mike, great breakdown of the options! Kinda like cars, huh? What are your needs, what feels right, what are you used to (standard vs automatic).
Some of my first producing gigs took place in a Cubase studio and I have to admit I felt very distant from the interface. Moving to a pro tools studio was a blessing. I figured it out just leaning over the engineer's shoulder all night (poor guy - me n' my coffee breath!)
That studio owner visits his friends at Sony in Hollywood - gotta sit in and watch a session of the Sopranos being mixed. When he came back he reassured me, "If pro tools is good enough for the guys in Hollywood, it's good enough for me!"
Expensive? yup. Industry standard? yup.
Amen, yeah I'd love to have a ProTools rig, but I've adapted to Cubase and EchoAudio products. I'm currently running an AudioFire8 with Cubase and my Dell Inspiron Laptop as a mobile rig, and it is doing me good. Of course for me the dream is always to have a basement full of ProTools HD gear, but until that day, this keeps my chops sharp...
Post a Comment