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  • DodgeDodge Frets: 1430

    Bandlab bought the rights to Sonar, which was one of the big players in the DAW world and was around £400 to buy IIRC.

    It's now free to download.  Bargain.



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  • andy_kandy_k Frets: 818
    I wouldn't advise anyone to invest too much time with Bandlab, reports are that there are serious bugs with settings not being saved with a session, worth a look, but probably better to go with something stable and updateable. Another one to try is Harrison Mixbus, which is around £80, I think you need a decent sized monitor to get the best out of it, but it has a pretty good workflow for certain kinds of mixing  / mastering, not so sure about the editing features though.
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  • So... I had a weekend of playing around.

    I'm finding the best solution at the moment is doing all my recording and some mixing in Sonar LE as its a bit more stable for multitracking (until i do some more research and possibly do some RAM upgrading).  

    Then i'm importing the stems into Reaper and doing some more mixing and mastering.  I think the compression and EQ effects are significantly better in Reaper.  Also running a few tracks through Helix Native plug in as well and doing some finessing on some sounds. 

    I need to get my mate in to put his vocals down soon so i can finish things off but i have been doing some session mixes and mastering to learn a bit more about it.


    One thing i'm struggling with though is getting a good definitive bass sound.

    I've tried DI-ing dry bass into the desk.  Also going through some fx pedals first.  Also, DI but through HX Native.  The solo bass track sounds fine when isolated but i just can't get it to sit right in the final mix bandwidth when i master a full track.  I'm not getting the real low end chug sitting appropriately in the mix.  If i up the volume it just distorts.  
    Any tips for improving this?      



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  • markvmarkv Frets: 459
    Saw this free plugin mentioned on another thread:

    https://www.tseaudio.com/software/tseBOD

    Should be worth a try - the TSE stuff is decent.
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  • andy_kandy_k Frets: 818
    Hard to say without knowing the genre, it could be that your guitars are taking up a lot of the low mids, personally I would try laying in some midi bass synth to reinforce the lows, and maybe be a bit more aggressive with the high pass on the guitars, lots to learn about EQ, and the low mid and mid areas can get very congested giving a muddy sound without definition, you will have to experiment
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  • SnapSnap Frets: 6256
    andy_k said:
    I wouldn't advise anyone to invest too much time with Bandlab, reports are that there are serious bugs with settings not being saved with a session, worth a look, but probably better to go with something stable and updateable. Another one to try is Harrison Mixbus, which is around £80, I think you need a decent sized monitor to get the best out of it, but it has a pretty good workflow for certain kinds of mixing  / mastering, not so sure about the editing features though.


    I've used Cakewalk and Sonar since about 1997, and was one of the final Sonar Platinum owners. I've put the new free edition of Cakewalk on a laptop, but have yet to have a do with it. You get a lot of functionality in it though.

    I've also got the Sonar prototype on a Mac, and that works well. Stable.

    Sonar/Cakewalk is a cracking DAW with huge functionality, but, and this is a big but, it is glitchy. I've got some odd issues in my kit that I can't suss.

    But, having said that, it is so easy to use and has very accessible deep functionality. It handles audio and midi editing really well too.

    Platinum came with some brilliant VSTs too, which I will transfer into my new setup once up and running,

    I've got a DAW decision to make too as I think after 20 years, it's time to part company with Cakewalk. I am leaning towards Ableton, but may well have a proper do at Reaper first. I've had it installed for years, but CBA to learn a new set of processes.


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  • StrangefanStrangefan Frets: 5845
    edited October 2019
    I have just moved from cubas to the free cakewalk and so far I'm really enjoying it, it's not limited and is very intuitive 
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  • Dunno why everyone is talking about cubase and sonor in this thread that is clearly about reaper :)
    ဈǝᴉʇsɐoʇǝsǝǝɥɔဪቌ
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  • Snap said:
    andy_k said:
    I wouldn't advise anyone to invest too much time with Bandlab, reports are that there are serious bugs with settings not being saved with a session, worth a look, but probably better to go with something stable and updateable. Another one to try is Harrison Mixbus, which is around £80, I think you need a decent sized monitor to get the best out of it, but it has a pretty good workflow for certain kinds of mixing  / mastering, not so sure about the editing features though.


    I've used Cakewalk and Sonar since about 1997, and was one of the final Sonar Platinum owners. I've put the new free edition of Cakewalk on a laptop, but have yet to have a do with it. You get a lot of functionality in it though.

    I've also got the Sonar prototype on a Mac, and that works well. Stable.

    Sonar/Cakewalk is a cracking DAW with huge functionality, but, and this is a big but, it is glitchy. I've got some odd issues in my kit that I can't suss.

    But, having said that, it is so easy to use and has very accessible deep functionality. It handles audio and midi editing really well too.

    Platinum came with some brilliant VSTs too, which I will transfer into my new setup once up and running,

    I've got a DAW decision to make too as I think after 20 years, it's time to part company with Cakewalk. I am leaning towards Ableton, but may well have a proper do at Reaper first. I've had it installed for years, but CBA to learn a new set of processes.


    I have also been using Sonar Cakewalk for years and have recently got into Cakewalk/Bandlab.
    Can honestly say it's a terrific DAW, never given me any problems whatsoever.
    So, for as long as it... and me.. are both around, l have no need, no reason and no inclination to learn anything else. 
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  • soma1975soma1975 Frets: 6627
    Not had a single issue with Cakewalk the new version yet. 
    My Trade Feedback Thread is here

    Been uploading old tracks I recorded ages ago and hopefully some new noodles here.
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  • DodgeDodge Frets: 1430
    soma1975 said:
    Not had a single issue with Cakewalk the new version yet. 
    Yep, it's been perfectly solid for me too. I have Reaper also, but Cakewalk is easier for me to use.
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  • andy_kandy_k Frets: 818
    My earlier comments re- Bandlab, were based on the experience of a Chernobyl studios video regarding his own issues with Cakewalk, the fact that since offering a new version for free-ie, Bandlab, there would no longer be any support, I tried out the software myself and found the App version worked well for making quick ideas from loops, however his experiences with the free version of Cakewalk, the fact that VST settings were not being preserved and the lack of support made me decide that my time was too valuable to invest in learning the software.
    His own projects are quite involved, and I could imagine his frustration if the sessions were not loading with settings preserved, there was quite clearly a bug which was not going to be getting fixed.
    Like me, he moved onto Reaper, which on the face of it, seems basic compared to other more sophisticated looking Daws, which is misleading, I have tried to 'Break' my own install of Reaper with various 'impossible scenarios', ie-massive sessions, live multi-tracking, and obscure interfaces, and Reaper has come through every time.
    The other day, I hooked up a Digidesign M box 2, which I had NEVER been able to get working, with ANY version of Pro-tools, originally, I gave up and ended up having to subscribe and get I lokked, to my amazement, I had it working in Reaper on Win 10 once I had installed some Win 8 drivers and messed with Asio4all, I insist that ANYTHING can be achieved with Reaper, and am glad I decided to go with it about 18 months ago. Still finding things that it can do which blow my mind.
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  • andy_kandy_k Frets: 818
    PS,
    If you do go down the free version of cakewalk route, keep it on your system, I did and the version of Melodyne that came with it was also available to me in Reaper when I switched over, which was nice.
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  • Sadly i've given up on Reaper now.  Pity as some of the things ive read up on and the online community resources etc hint at a mighty package.

    Either my PC spec is not right for Reaper, or it just disagrees with something on my system or interface, but i can't get it to run and record with any stability.  I have updated all my drivers etc and done fresh installs but still not playing ball.

    I've installed Bandlab and Cakewalk instead.  Its working a treat.  I already know the layout etc through using Sonar anyway, and since its installed (which did take a bit of time as i needed to tinker with admin rights to allow install) its been solid, reliable, completely fault free and the plugins are great.   
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  • andy_kandy_k Frets: 818
    Fair play, if it does what you need, fine,
    watch this, and read some of the comments before you invest too much time in it.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWOc2Dq8Nrc

    PC spec is obviously important for any Daw, but I have found Reaper to be the most flexible, and cross platform solution. I have it running on both Mac and PC, both fairly old, low spec machines, and have only had a very small amount of problems-usually down to the plugins, or me trying to exceed my machines capability's.
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