KVR Audio

snootles · Post by **snootles** » Mon Dec 05, 2016 2:24 pm

I'm looking for some advice. I've been using Riffworks for years just to lay down simple guitar tracks with drum loops but I now want to move on to the next level (I did use Tracktion ages ago but didn't get on with it).

I'm not very good at learning new software and don't have the patience to sit and study.

What is a good easy DAW to lay down tracks, drum loops, maybe some synth parts? I like the multiple take/looping idea that Riffworks does.

I've played around with Garageband and really like the "drummer" section it has but I don't have a Mac.

My setup is Windows 10, Zoom UAC-2 interface.

Zexila · Post by **Zexila** » Mon Dec 05, 2016 2:35 pm

MuLab maybe, but no multiple takes tho, there's drum machine, but not drummer per se, other than that, very easy and straightforward one.

http://www.mutools.com/mulab-downloads.html

Other than that, think GarageBand or Logic X are pretty much all you need and more, if you really have music as priority, look into getting a Mac. (second hand one)

Also take a look at Cubase Elements, some edition of Sonar maybe too.

https://www.steinberg.net/en/products/c ... nts_8.html
https://www.cakewalk.com/products/SONAR/

ATN69 · Post by **ATN69** » Mon Dec 05, 2016 2:42 pm

I don't have Reaper and I never used it, but I am curious about Reaper. A full version DAW for only $60 seems to be a bargain. I have FL Studio, Bitwig and Ableton Live Lite 9. They are all good. My main advice though is to choose your DAW carefully because once you buy and get into the workflow it's a bit difficult to change.

chk071 · Post by **chk071** » Mon Dec 05, 2016 2:46 pm

How about Sequel? Should be one of the easiest to get started with. And, especially, gives you lots of content to get started with, without the immediate need to download external stuff.

Harry_HH · Post by **Harry_HH** » Mon Dec 05, 2016 2:46 pm

ATN69 wrote:I don't have Reaper and I never used it, but I am curious about Reaper. A full version DAW for only $60 seems to be a bargain. I have FL Studio, Bitwig and Ableton Live Lite 9. They are all good. My main advice though is to choose your DAW carefully because once you buy and get into the workflow it's a bit difficult to change.

I would say, after Riffworks-type of product, Live Lite, as mentioned above, is a good candidate.
And note, you may get the Live Lite free of charge whe buying some hardware or even music magazine issue.

chaosWyrM · Post by **chaosWyrM** » Mon Dec 05, 2016 2:49 pm

my advice is to not listen to anyones advice.

go and demo the software and see which one "clicks" with you the best. all daws do pretty much the exact same thing...the only real difference is workflow...and only you can know what workflow works best for you.

just try 'em out.

Zexila · Post by **Zexila** » Mon Dec 05, 2016 2:49 pm

ATN69 wrote:I don't have Reaper and I never used it, but I am curious about Reaper. A full version DAW for only $60 seems to be a bargain.

It's great on the paper and more so if someone who wants to use it gel with it totally, but it's not as straightforward as one would expect and seeks customization to become more, some folks like me after customizing it to their needs and getting to know potential and flaws, realized it's not worth it and moved on. Newcomers just don't gel with it, I tried to push it down their throats, even to customize it o their needs, it's just not made to be straightforward, there's' always something more, something hidden in the menu, some action and so on. On other hand MuLab speaked to them.

Zexila · Post by **Zexila** » Mon Dec 05, 2016 2:50 pm

chaosWyrM wrote:my advice is to not listen to anyones advice.

Irony.

skipscada · Post by **skipscada** » Mon Dec 05, 2016 2:50 pm

Not sure how long it is since you tried Tracktion, but it might be worth trying the free T5 or the demo for T7. It's developed a lot the last couple of years. I'm saying this since it seems to me you and I do similar stuff (and share impatience and an allergy to new software), and I find it fantastically quick and easy to get things done. Tracktion and some user friendly plugins (for me: EZDrummer, Scuffham S-Gear guitar amp and Studio Devil VBA bass amp) get the job done. There are videos that teach you how to use more advanced (but not difficult) features.

chk071 · Post by **chk071** » Mon Dec 05, 2016 2:52 pm

Zexila wrote:
chaosWyrM wrote:my advice is to not listen to anyones advice.
Irony.

Live Lite, or Bitwig 8-Track also seem to be good advices, and they'd also be good to get used to their "big brother" versions, the more unrestricted ones. Note though that both are pretty limited.

Zexila · Post by **Zexila** » Mon Dec 05, 2016 3:03 pm

snootles wrote:I'm not very good at learning new software and don't have the patience to sit and study.

Well, you will need to sit and study no matter what, especially if you are going to demo every DAW that is name dropped here, that seeks plenty of sitting down and studying unfortunately.

Do you have any geekier friend that maybe hang around places like this to help you out, sit down with you and show off the offering, that's your best solution, I do that stuff for my friends too.

ghettosynth · Post by **ghettosynth** » Mon Dec 05, 2016 3:06 pm

I actually think that Reason is one of the most natiural DAWS for the kinds of thing that you'd do with Rifftrax.

starflakeprj · Post by **starflakeprj** » Mon Dec 05, 2016 3:41 pm

I have Studio One, Reason, Reaper, Bitwig and Renoise (and Maschine 2, but I'm not using it). I have also tested Logic (when it was still available for Windows) and Cubase (SX).

This is subjective of course, but to me Studio One has been the easiest DAW to learn, and has the best workflow of them all. If it wasn't for Studio One I would have given up on producing music a long time ago. But through learning Studio One, it was easier for me to learn other DAWs as well.

Don't think about learning Reaper or Renoise (which is a tracker with DAW features) as your first DAW. Check Studio One or possibly Reason out, any of them will get you going pretty quickly. Studio One if you want to use VST plugins, as Reason has no support for those.

Zexila · Post by **Zexila** » Mon Dec 05, 2016 3:47 pm

starflakeprj wrote:I have also tested Logic (when it was still available for Windows)

Logic evolved from that era a lot, it's not fair to compare something that old to new cutting edge ones.

.jon · Post by **.jon** » Mon Dec 05, 2016 4:12 pm

chaosWyrM wrote:my advice is to not listen to anyones advice.

go and demo the software and see which one "clicks" with you the best. all daws do pretty much the exact same thing...the only real difference is workflow...and only you can know what workflow works best for you.

just try 'em out.

+1

Easy to learn beginners DAW?