KVR Audio

ericj23 · Post by **ericj23** » Mon Mar 21, 2005 9:22 pm

i think it comes down to features

tracktion is certainly simple and easy to use - while i think cubase is fairly easy too (its usually all a right click away - and anything thats not can be assigned a key command) it contains far more features

many of which may appear pretty useless - until you actually need them

what is sl missing - scoring, dither and it has a few less slots for vst

whats it got - midi plug-ins, offline audio processing, midi transformer, recycle like behaviour, acid like behaviour (in 3), live like behaviour (in 3), adjusting project tempo to go with an already recorded audio track, adjusting an already recorded audio track to go the project's tempo etc

but, if as i suspect, this all means nothing to you I would try the tracktion demo and see if you get the job done

just check back here for good free and cheap plug-in recommendations

IIRs · Post by **IIRs** » Mon Mar 21, 2005 9:57 pm

You can run MIDI only effects in Tracktion, its just they use the same VST format (which makes more sense in a proper modular environment like Tracktions)

Many of Cubases "features" are in reality workarounds for its clumsy and badly planned interface (Screensets anyone?)

Oh, and you can automatically set Tracktion's tempo based on the length of a loop..

ericj23 · Post by **ericj23** » Mon Mar 21, 2005 10:17 pm

"proper modular environment" - been at a marketing meeting recently cos traktion is not ext -

and traktion can follow a loop but can you set it on the subtle timing changes within a 5 minute peice of drumming/guitar playing etc ?

and whats wrong with screensets - you can set it up to view your data in multiple ways that suit you -

remember in cubase you can do absolutely everything from the main interface window - if you dont like tracktions basic layout for a particular type of working you've got eh.....

now that's a badly designed workspace - one that I can't alter to suit me

but as i said the man has the tracktion demo - and if he likes it this thread is probably a little irrelevant

Armoor · Post by **Armoor** » Mon Mar 21, 2005 10:29 pm

I was in the same boat a couple weeks ago. Do I buy Cubase, Home Studio or Tracktion? Wow! This thread is like a log of what was going through my head - really freaking me out - or to quote Syndrome from The Incredibles - "Geeking me out". Anyway, I ended up with Tracktion. Why?

1) After playing with the demo I started to "get it". The interface is really nice and efficient to use. I am tired of a million floating palettes in Cubase and other programs.

2) I saw a hint of some powerful features that weren't readily apparent but mentioned in forums, and it had all the basic functions I need right now.

3) Hopping on the upgrade path to verison 2. Having the option to upgrade to newer features. (Although Cakewalk has a pretty sweet upgrade path for their products)

4) User support - forums, etc.

5) VST support. Some of my VST's didn't work in CM Muzys properly (Agonyx, SampleTank 2 LE).

6) Lower CPU demand- because I have a P4 1.4.

7) And finally, I have outgrown CM Muzys - need more features. Although Jo will announce some wonderful new thing he's created a month later from now and I'll be wondering if I did the right thing. On the other hand, Iv'e waited long enough and my consumer vote has been cast.(Although I still really like Muzys!)

I'm still a novice at this music software so I am sure I missed a lot. But I thought this would help.

ModuLR · Post by **ModuLR** » Mon Mar 21, 2005 10:48 pm

ericj23 wrote:"proper modular environment" - been at a marketing meeting recently cos traktion is not ext -

modularity is modularity. connecting independent inputs to independent outputs. I have similar setups that I've built in Tracktion, eXT, and Mulch. So yes, tracktion is full blown a modular environment (you just have a little less screen space to work with).

a point of clarification...

ModuLR · Post by **ModuLR** » Mon Mar 21, 2005 10:53 pm

case in point...

tracktion isn't modular? hmph!

ericj23 · Post by **ericj23** » Mon Mar 21, 2005 10:58 pm

so explain how you can connect different audio takes on the same track to diferent outputs - or are you meaning racks - which is why i mentioned ext

IIRs · Post by **IIRs** » Mon Mar 21, 2005 11:06 pm

ericj23 wrote:so explain how you can connect different audio takes on the same track to diferent outputs - or are you meaning racks - which is why i mentioned ext

You can drop rack filters directly onto clips..

ericj23 · Post by **ericj23** » Mon Mar 21, 2005 11:06 pm

ah so i was right - you mean using racks as a substitute for ext

so why not just use ext ? - it's what i do in cubase if i want that kind of layout

it doesnt mean traktion is a modular environment becuase you cannot connect anything to anything - you have to open a rack filter first which contains most of the routing - and you cant use many of tracktion's nicer features when in there - gotta love those pan/volume controls

ModuLR · Post by **ModuLR** » Mon Mar 21, 2005 11:07 pm

you are confusing me... you said...

been at a marketing meeting recently cos traktion is not ext

which to me implies that Tracktion is not a proper modular environment and eXT is. My point is that Tracktion is in fact a robust modular environment.

What does connecting different audio takes on the same track to different outputs have to do with anything? and if you really want to do that, just slice the audio into clips, then place a rack going to whatever output you want on each clip. Each clip can thus be processed independently by completely unique rack based FX chains.. or pretty much whatever you can come up with...

IIRs · Post by **IIRs** » Mon Mar 21, 2005 11:07 pm

@ ModuLR: Cool pic!

IIRs · Post by **IIRs** » Mon Mar 21, 2005 11:09 pm

ericj23 wrote: so why not just use ext ? - it's what i do in cubase if i want that kind of layout

ie: you have to run a 3rd party app inside Cubase to get the type of functionality that Tracktion has built-in.

ModuLR · Post by **ModuLR** » Mon Mar 21, 2005 11:12 pm

ericj23 wrote:it doesnt mean traktion is a modular environment becuase you cannot connect anything to anything - you have to open a rack filter first which contains most of the routing - and you cant use many of tracktion's nicer features when in there - gotta love those pan/volume controls

using your logic, eXT is therefore NOT a sequencer because you have to open up the sequencer module to use it in that fashion. You make no sense.

Racks are built into tracktion and give you the modular functionality that you had to purchase (via eXT) in order to use in Cubase.

Platinumears beat me to it!

ericj23 · Post by **ericj23** » Mon Mar 21, 2005 11:13 pm

each to there own

as far as i am concerned using racks to contain processing etc is really not all that different to using group/channels and send fx

still would like re-ordering filters on the outputs - but you can't do that inside racks either

IIRs · Post by **IIRs** » Mon Mar 21, 2005 11:16 pm

ericj23 wrote: as far as i am concerned using racks to contain processing etc is really not all that different to using group/channels and send fx

In other words, you havent really grasped the full potential of racks.

Most people who slag Tracktion off haven't really understood it in my experience.. you just proved me right again!

Cakewalk vs Traction vs used Cubase