What DAW are you using, and how would you review it?

guitarfishbay

One cool thing about Studio One is you can use the Range Tool to drag and drop export tracks out of the DAW with no faffing about.

I'm not sure if Reaper can do that, but I find it useful. The files come out as they exist - if you haven't rendered FX then they're raw, also helpful as you can monitor however you like and export raw files quickly at the end. And the range selection applies too - if you drag to the start you'll get complete .wavs that will start from beat 1, which is the best way of lining up a bunch of files.

It means if you just want to do a couple of things in S1 then send it elsewhere it's pretty quick to do so.

guitarfishbay

Snap said:

My problem with capability is that I have learned on the fly, within the limits of what I want to do. So, I probably only use 10% of what Sonar can do. I probably do a load of stuff inefficiently and no doubt introduce crap that doesn't need to be there, or could be done with a far lower CPU load. I'm recording stuff in the same way I did 20 years ago, or more. My issue is time: I don't have a lot of it, and when I get the creative buzz I just want to get it recorded.

Really I should go through some tutorials - there is a huge archive on Cakewalk's site, but I just don't have the time at all. Massively frustrating.

I was the same for many years, the main reason I looked at a structured tutorial course was I was updating from Logic 9 to Logic X and didn't want to miss any changes. I didn't even know half the stuff I wasn't doing was an option... these days I'm much quicker. I'd consider putting some time aside to get more fluent because it will pay off down the line, IME anyway.

Just general thoughts - 

The first thing I'd do is learn key commands for transport including using markers/arrange sections/whatever it is called in your DAW. That alone can save a huge amount of scrolling zooming and navigating by mouse.

Then anything you find yourself going into a menu system for, right clicking etc - make it a key command.

Any common FX chains - save them. Even if you prefer to start with them bypassed and at a default state, if you know you like a particular EQ and compressor chain etc for a particular purpose just save it.

Its surprising how much time you can save with a few small changes - and that lets you be faster and more fluent with the creative stuff.

Drew_TNBD

guitarfishbay said:

One cool thing about Studio One is you can use the Range Tool to drag and drop export tracks out of the DAW with no faffing about.

I'm not sure if Reaper can do that, but I find it useful. The files come out as they exist - if you haven't rendered FX then they're raw, also helpful as you can monitor however you like and export raw files quickly at the end. And the range selection applies too - if you drag to the start you'll get complete .wavs that will start from beat 1, which is the best way of lining up a bunch of files.

It means if you just want to do a couple of things in S1 then send it elsewhere it's pretty quick to do so.

You can do an 'export everything I've got selected' type of thing in Reaper. It just isn't drag and drop.

Snap

guitarfishbay said:

Just general thoughts - 

The first thing I'd do is learn key commands for transport including using markers/arrange sections/whatever it is called in your DAW. That alone can save a huge amount of scrolling zooming and navigating by mouse.

Then anything you find yourself going into a menu system for, right clicking etc - make it a key command.

Any common FX chains - save them. Even if you prefer to start with them bypassed and at a default state, if you know you like a particular EQ and compressor chain etc for a particular purpose just save it.

Its surprising how much time you can save with a few small changes - and that lets you be faster and more fluent with the creative stuff.

I agree with all that! Particularly the FX chains. That is something I have started to do. Sonar Platinum has a load of preset chains, which are mostly very good tbh. I use very similar chains of my own, all the time. High pass, comp, reverbs - often they are v similar, but I put them in each time, piece by piece. Which really is daft.

guitarfishbay

Drew_TNBD said:

guitarfishbay said:

One cool thing about Studio One is you can use the Range Tool to drag and drop export tracks out of the DAW with no faffing about.

I'm not sure if Reaper can do that, but I find it useful. The files come out as they exist - if you haven't rendered FX then they're raw, also helpful as you can monitor however you like and export raw files quickly at the end. And the range selection applies too - if you drag to the start you'll get complete .wavs that will start from beat 1, which is the best way of lining up a bunch of files.

It means if you just want to do a couple of things in S1 then send it elsewhere it's pretty quick to do so.

You can do an 'export everything I've got selected' type of thing in Reaper. It just isn't drag and drop.

Does that give the choice between with plugins and without?  Does it give you the option to include or ignore fader/pan settings?

If it does that's pretty good.

----

I'd recommend Studio One even if a Logic/other DAW user just wanted to use it for vocal tracking tbh, it'd supplement very well.  That's kind of how I'm using it right now.  I have stem bounces of semi-mixed instruments from my Logic projects and the tempo map loaded into S1 and I have a load of vocal tracks ready to go...

I've arranged it to be ergonomic for me... if anyone is interested that means:

- 3-6+ main vocal tracks, split in twos or threes to allow for overlaps without having to worry about losing breaths or ending up with massive layer counts (if there's an overlap it'll go on a new layer).  These are arranged by dynamic delivery too, if it's a loud part it'll go in one group, if it's a softer part (say quieter verses) they'll go in another group... less faffing with gain faders and helps keep it arranged...

- 8-12+ harmony tracks... mostly arranged in stereo pairs except for some I use for mono octaves... this time arranged by pitch and dynamics... so loud high harmonies always go in one pair, low in another, falsetto in another, whispers in another etc...  Again set up so minimal gain changes need to be made.

If you're not a Studio One 3 user you might not be aware there's direct Melodyne access, as in hit a command and it's loaded right in, no feeding it the audio... and you can render an event with the option to go back to the original and remove/start tuning again whenever you want.  You can also do the same thing with Vocalign too I think.

Coming from a Logic perspective - easily being able to slip and crossfade two takes together when comping saves a bunch of good takes that otherwise wouldn't comp, likewise easily being able to chuck a good take from a left harmony onto a layer for the right harmony can keep the flow going when doing doubles a lot better too...  I tend to take multiple takes of harmonies in a row, depending on the line.. if it's going well then more often than not it's getting both sides pretty fast out of one bunch of takes...  

It's possible to get to the same end result in Logic but nowhere near as fast, and as far as I'm concerned the faster the admin gets done the better.

Right now after I'm done I'm just drag and dropping the files out to bring back into the Logic projects which are too detailed at this point for me to be bothered to recreate them in S1.  Plus I still really like most things in Logic - just some things are better in Studio One and it's kind of set up really well to be that side-man DAW

Drew_TNBD

guitarfishbay said:

Drew_TNBD said:

guitarfishbay said:

One cool thing about Studio One is you can use the Range Tool to drag and drop export tracks out of the DAW with no faffing about.

I'm not sure if Reaper can do that, but I find it useful. The files come out as they exist - if you haven't rendered FX then they're raw, also helpful as you can monitor however you like and export raw files quickly at the end. And the range selection applies too - if you drag to the start you'll get complete .wavs that will start from beat 1, which is the best way of lining up a bunch of files.

It means if you just want to do a couple of things in S1 then send it elsewhere it's pretty quick to do so.

You can do an 'export everything I've got selected' type of thing in Reaper. It just isn't drag and drop.

Does that give the choice between with plugins and without?  Does it give you the option to include or ignore fader/pan settings?

With the region render matrix, you can essentially do a whole bunch of renders at once from different locations in the signal chain. It's quite complex and beyond most people's needs, but you do get total flexibility.

guitarfishbay

That's really cool.

TimmyO

Placidcasual79 said:

octatonic said:

Just use it- there is no faster way to leaner something than to use it.

Beyond knowing where stuff is and what can be done with it you are then into mixing methodology.
For instance, using side chain for compression to allow the bass guitar to get out of the way of the kick.
It isn't really any different to do in Logic or Pro Tools, it is just a slightly different interface.

THIS is quite good.

Thanks @octatonic - My recording output has decreased dramatically since I sold my eight track (and admittedly joined a band). I feel like Logic/using a DAW is some insurmountable block. I guess I just need to get on with it. 

I'll have a look at the book. 

@Placidcasual79 I've got that book - it's good. I got it on Kindle so I can have it open on a second screen or tablet while I play around. 

penguinpaul

octatonic said:

Just use it- there is no faster way to leaner something than to use it.

I've been a long time Logic 9 user, and have been putting off the change to Logic X for ages. Tried to "learn it" a few times, didn't like it. Recently I decided just to start my latest projects in X, forcing me to use it normally, not trying to learn it.
It's suprising how quickly it is to adapt to it. So definitely jump in and start recording with it, and figure everything out as you need to use it!

Cookiemonster

We use studio one. It came with the mixer and it's been good. We run it into a macbook.

But I do miss Cubase as I felt I knew it better.

I am surprised there are not more logic users on here. As I have been tempted to use it. 

guitarfishbay

What are you specifically missing from Cubase?

Studio One will have a KeyMap for Cubase for starters.

I learned how to record on Logic, so I'm using a modified Logic Keymap to operate Studio One.  Besides the obvious differences in what each can/can't do, basic tasks feel pretty much the same between each program and I found that to be a big help in getting fluent.

duotone

Downloaded Reaper today to have a play with, managed to get http://www.powerdrumkit.com working on it which I couldnt do with Studio One, so I'm pretty happy.

McSwaggerty

I have using Sonar for years.

It does everything I need it to do.

Never tried anything else and after all these years, I doubt I ever will.