Is this Tracktion's best friend?

[christianmusicmaker]

Hi guys...

I'm looking at EXT for use with Tracktion.

I am trying to get your views on how you use EXT and Tracktion together. What does EXT have that Tracktion does not?

What exactly is the difference between these two applications?

Anyway..I know there are more than a few Tracktion users that also have EXT so what made you buy EXT if you already had Tracktion?

Also how would you summarise the differences of these two products, Tracktion and EXT and how it affects the way you work?

Ease of use

Midi implementation

File management

Flexibility
EXT operates as an FX, VSTi or standalone appalication (true)? How have you integrated this into Tracktion?

Development and support

What else can EXT bring to a Tracktion user?
a.FX?
b.Instruments?
c.Anything else?

I am just trying to see what EXT brings to the table for an existing Tracktion user.

Thanks

[Flexinoodles]

Er just buy it
The shit in T is replaced by EXT
That simple
And cheap aswell

[christianmusicmaker]

Er just buy it
The shit in T is replaced by EXT
That simple
And cheap aswell

Hey hey...it's Flexi! I think you just posted on this thread just to flex.

I know it's cheap and I have gone through an EXT demo but would still like to hear from others.

I guess I would like to know what sort of workflow *other Tracktion* users have with EXT, I cannot find that out from using the EXT demo myself.

EXT is superb I know that, but I think there is alot of overlap with Tracktion, so I would like to hear how EXT can enhance the usage of Tracktion, from existing users of both packages.

[chagzuki]

There is a lot of overlap. I used to use eXT before racks but not much since.

If eXT develops much further however, it will be in direct competition with Tracktion as a host.

[lowkey]

Hey christianmusicmaker

Id say buy it because its the perfect "container" program. Diffrent hosts have diffrent plus's and minuses. Up until now you would have to render everything down to wavs or midi to use another host. With Ext you can use the best of everything. For instance...

Trackton is untouchable for audio editing, simplicty and fast work flow. Alot of fun to use because you are not fighting against the interface. Midi is "not good".

Live 4 is the best for jamming, audio mangling and alot of fun!!! Midi is basic and functional.

Sonar isnt as instantly gratifying as the above two but it has some very heavy duty tools. Midi is insanely powerful.

Ext can be loaded in all of the above and it also has some tricks of its own. For the price you should buy one for each limb and your pet

[christianmusicmaker]

There is a lot of overlap. I used to use eXT before racks but not much since.

If eXT develops much further however, it will be in direct competition with Tracktion as a host.

That seems to be where EXT is heading doesn't it? I get the feeling that many bought EXT way back to complement Tracktion about 6 months to a year ago but EXT has now advanced to a standalone host that rivals Tracktion.It's the duplication I want to avoid.

lowkey:Hey christianmusicmaker

Id say buy it because its the perfect "container" program. Diffrent hosts have diffrent pluses and minuses. Up until now you wold have to render everything down to wavs or midi to use another host. With Ext you can use the best of everything. For instance...

Trackton is untouchable for audio editing, simplicty and fast work flow. Alot of fun to use because you are not fighting against the interface. Midi is "not good".

Hi lowkey...so EXT is poor when it comes to audio editing compared to Tracktion?

[chagzuki]

Audio is completely different. Check out the demo.

[headquest]

Hi there Christianmusicmaker,

I have used eXT in Tracktion, but like others have ditched it since Rack Filters came along. Prior to that eXT gave you routing options that Tracktion lacked, but since Racks were in place eXT has, to my mind, become redundant within Tracktion.

Simply from a visual point of view though, by using eXT as a filter and then opening up the various interfaces, you can display more than one effect/synth window at a time - I can see that this might suit some people's workflow... (obviously Tracktion goes out of its way to AVOID having more than one window open at a time!)

As a host, I can see why eXT appeals to some, but personally I think it has a long way to go in order to adapt into a fully fledged replacement for the more established sequencers. (same goes for Podium, but bothare worth keepiong an eye on).

Also worth remembering is that the emerging trend in software development is towards ease of use... and both eXT and Podium are, ahem... esoteric.

Live 4 and Tracktion (roll on v.2!) will, I think, be the applications that inflict severe injuries on "the big boys" over the next 2 - 3 years.

eXT is cheap, sure, but I don't see it as a necessary addition to your already well featured set of applications! Go deeper with what you have and hold onto your hat for Samplitude 8, Sonar 4 and Tracktion 2!

[lowkey]

Yep audio is very diffrent but I love it Just diffrent jobs for diffrent programs. The sampler he is bringing out for this will be pretty special too so the audio could get even better. But when it comes to slicing audio nothing (in my opinion) comes close to Tracktor.

Try the demo

[christianmusicmaker]

Headquest...we meet again...

Hi there Christianmusicmaker,

I have used eXT in Tracktion, but like others have ditched it since Rack Filters came along. Prior to that eXT gave you routing options that Tracktion lacked, but since Racks were in place eXT has, to my mind, become redundant within Tracktion.

Simply from a visual point of view though, by using eXT as a filter and then opening up the various interfaces, you can display more than one effect/synth window at a time - I can see that this might suit some people's workflow... (obviously Tracktion goes out of its way to AVOID having more than one window open at a time!)

That is something I do like about Tracktion and do not want to lose.

As a host, I can see why eXT appeals to some, but personally I think it has a long way to go in order to adapt into a fully fledged replacement for the more established sequencers. (same goes for Podium, but bothare worth keepiong an eye on).

Also worth remembering is that the emerging trend in software development is towards ease of use... and both eXT and Podium are, ahem... esoteric.

Live 4 and Tracktion (roll on v.2!) will, I think, be the applications that inflict severe injuries on "the big boys" over the next 2 - 3 years.

Yes I think market share is already changing hands...

eXT is cheap, sure, but I don't see it as a necessary addition to your already well featured set of applications! Go deeper with what you have and hold onto your hat for Samplitude 8, Sonar 4 and Tracktion 2!

He he...funny you should mention the other applications I have...I have pretty much narrowed them down to two applications so my workflow has slimmed down significantly and is alot faster.

I am always on the look out for new developments though that is how I found Tracktion and EXT!

[christianmusicmaker]

Yep audio is very diffrent but I love it Just diffrent jobs for diffrent programs. The sampler he is bringing out for this will be pretty special too so the audio could get even better. But when it comes to slicing audio nothing (in my opinion) comes close to Tracktor.

Try the demo

I have tried the demo and even went through an excellent EXT tutorial in a recent issue of Computer Music magazine.

I was not that pleased with it although I may just need to dig a bit deeper.I guess the initial ease of use with Tracktion has clouded my judgement about audio in EXT.

The EXT Sampler is probably the most talked about plug in the history of KVR!

Seriously though it should be very good when it finally comes out.

[ModuLR]

I use eXT for it's little utilities like the arpeggiator. I also use it to load the odd plugin that doesn't quite work right in Tracktion (like dfx Geometer doesn't recall it's presets in T, but does in eXT). I also use it to record live audio much like Channel Grabber or TapeIt. Beyond that, I'm more focused on hacking raw audio, and this is where T rocks big time. The racks replaced a lot of eXT's original functionality for me as well... but there are *always* new features being added which often make your jaw drop... so it's worth it!

[christianmusicmaker]

I use eXT for it's little utilities like the arpeggiator. I also use it to load the odd plugin that doesn't quite work right in Tracktion (like dfx Geometer doesn't recall it's presets in T, but does in eXT). I also use it to record live audio much like Channel Grabber or TapeIt. Beyond that, I'm more focused on hacking raw audio, and this is where T rocks big time. The racks replaced a lot of eXT's original functionality for me as well... but there are *always* new features being added which often make your jaw drop... so it's worth it!

I have used Tape it as well.

Interesting view on racks. I thought EXT's routing capability was much more flexible...than Tracktions

As far as new features go...EXT is growing at an amazibng rate. Maybe after T2 Tracktion will also have a similar rate of development.

At £30 I think EXT is possibly the cheapest host out there with a price tag.

Thanks for all the suggestions everyone.

[guido01]

I use both EnergyXT and Tracktion. As others have mentioned above I originally bought EXT to complement T, but having worked with the latest beta of EXT last night I can see me using T for audio stuff and EXT to put together Midi based grooves.

They are both excellent hosts - I'm chuffed to have access to both of them - talk about value for money!

It'll be interesting to see how the both develop over the next few months.

Trev

[ost12666]

I was looking for a step sequencer to work with Tracktion but I wanted one that can show me the patterns one next to the other with the notes visible so I can see whats going on (unlike FLStudio and others). Tracktion almost has this since you can edit Midi within the track (unlike Cubase) but it does not have gohsted clips and I don't want to manualy keep track of patterns. So curently XT looks like the only tool I can use that allow me to edit multiple pattenns next to each other in the track itself. I then saw all the other features in XT and was very impressed and it makes me think if can't do everything on XT but then I think that if T V2 provide the gohsted clips then why do I need XT? But I think I will buy XT anyway since it cheap and have so other great midi tools and if a sampler and slicing is added then its even better!