Why do people use multiple DAWs?

[whyterabbyt]

I doubt I use 10% of the features of Cubase so I find it hard to fathom how anyone might think it has missing features

This is so flawed logiclly that I can't believe one would type it and decide to click "submit"

Nothing wrong with Bones logic,

Well, unless you happen to consider that missing features might actually be missing. Or do you believe that they spontaneously evolve out of unused features?

[dellboy]

So actually what you're claiming I do, is what @Bones is doing - he thinks that everyone work like he does and if he doesn't need more than 10%, no one does or it's included in that remaining 90%

You NEED all these features or WANT them ?

How did people make music before all this stuff was added ?

Technology will continue to add new stuff and then the advertising gurus will insist you NEED these new things. Its called marketing.

For some people its a never ending chase down an infinite rabbit hole.

Tomorrow - tomorrow - always tomorrow.

[antic604]

So actually what you're claiming I do, is what @Bones is doing - he thinks that everyone work like he does and if he doesn't need more than 10%, no one does or it's included in that remaining 90%

You NEED all these features or WANT them ?

How did people make music before all this stuff was added ?

Technology will continue to add new stuff and then the advertising gurus will insist you NEED these new things. Its called marketing.

For some people its a never ending chase down an infinite rabbit hole.

Tomorrow - tomorrow - always tomorrow.

Moving the goal posts, huh?

No, I don't need all the features that I use, but they're damn handy and I got used to them. Like I did to shoes or toilet

There was already a big topic about this (heavily featuring @Bones, BTW), so let's not go there.

[dellboy]

Well, unless you happen to consider that missing features might actually be missing. Or do you believe that they spontaneously evolve out of unused features?

When I was using Cubase on the Atari with a mono screen the main thing that was missing was VSTs and audio. And reliable syncing.

Audio I understood, which was the main reason for the acquisition of a four track.

But VSTS ?

What are they ?

When they are invented you will wonder how you managed.

And lets not even mention DAWs.

They are something else.

Man, you will love DAWs once you know they are missing.

[whyterabbyt]

Well, unless you happen to consider that missing features might actually be missing. Or do you believe that they spontaneously evolve out of unused features?

When I was using Cubase on the Atari with a mono screen the main thing that was missing was VSTs and audio. And reliable syncing.

Audio I understood, which was the main reason for the acquisition of a four track.

But VSTS ?

What are they ?

When they are invented you will wonder how you managed.

And lets not even mention DAWs.

They are something else.

Man, you will love DAWs once you know they are missing.

Any chance of a response that makes any sense? No? Oh, well.

[fuzzlightyear]

So actually what you're claiming I do, is what @Bones is doing - he thinks that everyone work like he does and if he doesn't need more than 10%, no one does or it's included in that remaining 90%

You NEED all these features or WANT them ?

How did people make music before all this stuff was added ?

Technology will continue to add new stuff and then the advertising gurus will insist you NEED these new things. Its called marketing.

For some people its a never ending chase down an infinite rabbit hole.

Tomorrow - tomorrow - always tomorrow.

...That kind of ties into the theory that some people are always bouncing between DAWs and starting new projects, but never really finishing one they're completely satisfied with. Which naturally comes from creative people making music. So they kind of feed off each other.

That would only be one scenario, another would be always looking for some kind of creative spark of inspiration that may result from playing around in a new and different environment. Costly, but applicable.

There are plenty of different scenarios that may result in needing, wanting or just having more then one DAW. But, the main thing is that you use/choose one that fits your workflow and needs and hopefully with a DAW company that listens to your feedback and treats you like a human being.

If you have trouble finding everything you need in one DAW, then maybe the company has some work to do, or maybe that's not the DAW for you or you can make it work. But, if you have expendable cash, why not have more toys, experiments, lab gear, etc. There's prototype music to build.

[whyterabbyt]

There's prototype music to build.

Again with this 'music' preoccupation. Sheesh.

[Passing Bye]

there's always going to be workarounds and missing features anyways, there's no perfect fit, most important thing is to get the job done, if I ever change the DAW again, it will be my only one too.

I doubt I use 10% of the features of Cubase so I find it hard to fathom how anyone might think it has missing features. I still use Orion, too, and while it probably only has 20% of the features Cubase has, I still don't think of it as having any missing features, just a different way of getting things done. A missing feature to me is something that stops you dead in your tracks, like if a DAW's mixer didn't have mute and solo buttons, but if the mixer has room for inserts and sends, as well as solo and mute buttons, plus level and pan controls, then it's not missing any features because it will do what mixers are supposed to do. Yes, it's nice to have EQ but not really essential and the absurd "channel strip" krap that Cubase has is completely unnecessary (although I do use it because it's there).

Well, I know what features aren't there in Bitwig that I had and used in Logic and vice versa, so I have to workaround from time to time, which is normal, what drove me to Bitwig in first place were some great features and workflow that made my music making more proficient in some areas that are important to me, which maybe aren't important to someone else, so I put up with it, like in any other DAW, there's always going to be something missing or just plain convoluted.

[recursive one]

Concerning the DAW functionality, I remember only one moment when I realized my DAW missed a function that I needed, it was when I suddenly found it couldn't snap audio to zerocrossing. Once in 7 years (the latest version does have snap to zerocrossing but I can't justify the uprgade costs just for that).

It pobably misses some other stuff that otehr DAWs have but I get most functionality I need from external plugins anyway.

Actually I need a very basic minimum of DAW-specific functions myself. Load plugins, draw things in piano roll, draw automation, freeze thinghs as needed, chop and move audio, apply effects, balance levels/pan, that's it. I primarity work with software and hardware synths though, no live instruments, no live performance. I came to think that the more live stuff you record the more you are depentent on DAW-specific functions.

[antic604]

There are plenty of different scenarios that may result in needing, wanting or just having more then one DAW.

...and one of them is just pure fun of trying and using different DAWs. If one's able to actually finish a piece of music in the process then that's an added bonus

[dellboy]

No, I don't need all the features that I use, but they're damn handy and I got used to them. Like I did to shoes or toilet

Mummy, I need to go to the toilet.

Its not been invented yet so you will have to hold on until it is.

But mummy, I need to go now !

[dellboy]

...and one of them is just pure fun of trying and using different DAWs. If one's able to actually finish a piece of music in the process then that's an added bonus

Now you are making sense.

Its not about the music. Its about the toys.

[pdxindy]

Imagine editing MIDI clip that spans for few minutes and you want to change just one note, for example instead of G in second octave use G# and there's so many of them in your clip, but you only want to select all the G's in second octave, selecting all of them and doing that in some DAW's is mater of seconds and few keystrokes and in others quite convoluted because you need to select and move every single note by hand.

Point is I barely have to do that and when I do, that's what I need to put up with if I choose to use Bitwig instead of Logic, I would love if Bitwig had those MIDI editing capabilities of Cubase/Logic, but that isn't showstopper for me, point is there's plenty of features one could miss.

In Bitwig, click on the G2 on the left side piano roll and it selects all the G2 notes

[DaveClark]

Hi all,

I looked for another plugin developer to give this answer, but didn't see it:

For testing purposes and verifying problems.

There can be very large differences between DAWs in the way they initialize, operate, etc. Some of the differences are maddening.

Unfortunately, those of us who release free plugins cannot either justify the expense or cannot obtain NFR releases, so we cannot justify support for all hosts. Sometimes we can obtain demos or cut-down versions that seem to work, etc. Our lives would be a lot easier if everybody used the same DAW. Two major problems for me personally and probably for other developers are 1) Users don't believe that their DAW is ever at fault, and 2) Some DAW companies take forever to fix problems while others are very quick about it.

Regards,
Dave Clark

[fuzzlightyear]

There's prototype music to build.

Again with this 'music' preoccupation. Sheesh.

I know many excuses too, I just choose not to use one.