Polarized opinions about Reaper

[Apratim]

Well I started this thread not to have opinions about why Reaper (or any other DAW) is crap or is a godsend (there are enough threads about it), but to try to understand why it seems that opinions are more polarized compared to other DAWs. whyterabbyt gave some clues based on historical reasons and it makes sense. The customiztion capabilities seem to be also a part of the answer - some see that as a clear advantage to get a very efficient workflow, while some others see that as lack of uniformity. The GUI is also a valid point. It is extremely subjective (I personnaly really like Reaper's GUI), but I can understand that one may not like it. Fascinating, really.

Marc

some are cheap guys who dosent have a lot of money and buy only required plugins(so reaper is the only option)

some like are "lets get the big guns" and buy protools with HDX or cubase with VEpro or ableton with ozone

and lastely
the industry guy who buys software according to the industry he/she is willing to go(few years ago it was Nuendo but......)

cd projekt.JPG

an image form requirement section of sound dept. in cd projekt for their new game "cyberpunk 2077"
again reaper

and the band guy (earlier it was sonar now they either use mixbus or reaper)

so when you have these guys clash on which is the best daw
you will have people having their own reason like
1.reaper is is cheap and stable
2.ableton is used by skrillex
3.jay hardway uses FL
4.my company is using reaper for making the best games in the world
5.for score writing cubase is the classical choice

you can clearly divide the producer community based on the daw they use
you can not have a guy who follows both Hinduism + Muslim(uses both daw for midi+audio and all other stuff equally) or something of that sort
he can be converted(or baptized)(the daw switching guy)
or may be (specially in india) a Muslim guy speaking hindi("fl for midi and cubase for arrangement" aka the Rewire type guy) you will have polarization
so ..... thats all

[SJ_Digriz]

Part of the problem with constructive criticism is that is buried in idiotic criticism like ..
"I can't recolor my pencil tool for each editor ... how embarrassing for DAW X"
or
"OMFG no clip or scene view??????? how can anyone write music in this lame DAW"

[Zexila]

Mostly fanboys talk about Reaper everywhere, so they piss off plenty of people and rest just don't care about it and talk about it when they really think it's appropriate, like when someone really should try Reaper based on their needs and budget and so on...

[braj]

Yeah, there are people that are as annoyingly anti Reaper as pro, and people that are just annoying no matter the topic. But some people don't spend enough time with it before throwing their hands in the air, or don't like the GUI and just write it off for that. I personally love Reaper, in large part because I like the company's way of marketing it to non-professionals for a very reasonable price. Yeah, I'm cheap, but I remember when candy bars cost a dime. It does what I need well.

[antic604]

Are they really polarising? I think everyone (or at least huge majority) agree it's mighty powerful & flexible, but it looks like shit and the skins don't help. For some it's important, for many it isn't.

[mostlyjustj]

I am a Reaper user and an Ableton user.

When I see people dismiss Reaper, I feel like it rubs me the wrong way because I'm suspicious that many people do it without really knowing it, based on its lower price and lower adoption rate - and not based on actual merit.

I used to use just Ableton (and sometimes Reason) and although Ive had lots of fun with those, I was never able to really get full arrangements and songs completed - always getting stuck on how to do one basic thing or another and losing the plot of my song.

Reaper changed all that.

It boggles my mind when people say the UI sucks! Basically it's this: I believe that if many of these people thought a Reaper license cost $400, they might have had a different attitude when trying the demo and spent enough time to learn to appreciate the power of it's UI.

In short: when people diss an expensive daw, I often assume they've actually tried it and know it well enough to diss it. With Reaper, I often assume they've played with the demo for 5 minutes max and are mostly full of shit.

With a few tweaks in the settings I move around and making countless edits to an arrangement and automations, rarely getting stuck figuring out how to do what I want, chopping beats and other audio like crazy right on the main timeline, etc. and I finally started finishing lots of songs.

Honestly, I would still love to be good at ableton instead. it has such amazing adoption and support - so many tutorial videos, and live looping, and beautiful slicing tools, and the scene view, Push, etc. .. I don't feel like a fanboi or anything... but I still cant seem to get the hang of editing full arrangements quickly or intuitively in those other daw's, so I end up back at Reaper time and time again.

[whyterabbyt]

In short: when people diss an expensive daw, I often assume they've actually tried it and know it well enough to diss it. With Reaper, I often assume they've played with the demo for 5 minutes max and are mostly full of shit.

Im afraid that's actually the kind of thing I was talking about. Google the 'No true scotsman' fallacy.

[braj]

I used to own Live Suite, but sold it and bought Intro exactly because I didn't like building complete linear things in it, especially working across tracks, I would always be switching back and forth between clips, I guess they have remedied that in 10, but Studio One and Reaper allows you to see the midi from tracks in the track you are working in, I just found that so helpful. I might still be using Studio One if it had video editing, Reaper has that, so I sold Studio One. But I'm much happier with Reapers ui actually. I think some people get annoyed with the Windows basic graphics that show through in parts of Reaper, like in the native plugins, but that keeps it fast, and many of the plugins, though ugly, are really good. And I like being able to dock nearly everything.

[mostlyjustj]

In short: when people diss an expensive daw, I often assume they've actually tried it and know it well enough to diss it. With Reaper, I often assume they've played with the demo for 5 minutes max and are mostly full of shit.

Im afraid that's actually the kind of thing I was talking about. Google the 'No true scotsman' fallacy.

Fair enough, haha...

But just to be clear I was more trying to reach down to explain some of the possible thinking behind the stronger feelings in order to help answer the OP's question, rather than trying to make an actual case for evangelical Reaper behaviour.

Ive definitely been around the block enough times to know that just because I think something or feel something, that definitely doesn't necessarily make it true!

[digitalboytn]

In short: when people diss an expensive daw, I often assume they've actually tried it and know it well enough to diss it. With Reaper, I often assume they've played with the demo for 5 minutes max and are mostly full of shit.

You have to dig deep into Reaper to get it all happening,but when you do - it's a very powerful DAW...

Really well coded....Fully editable and faster than a speeding bullet....

I use the "Default Commala" skin and I much prefer it to any other DAW that I have checked out...

I didn't like Reaper until v5,but v5 was a game changer in so many ways

[Funkybot's Evil Twin]

My take on what could contribute to the polarized view of Reaper is that it's a tough DAW for me to wrap my mind around. I'm guessing I'm not alone there. I know it's powerful, but the lack of tools and the Actions concept just don't click with me. The huge menus and preferences are another barrier. Doing the basics is easy, but the learning curve is steeper than other DAWs for me, and as a result, I was never able to master it. That said, the engine is fantastic, and it's got some killer features. So I keep a licence around. I wish I could be a Reaper master, but I don't think I'll ever get there.

[akeia]

Well I started this thread not to have opinions about why Reaper (or any other DAW) is crap or is a godsend (there are enough threads about it), but to try to understand why it seems that opinions are more polarized compared to other DAWs.

I think where the opinions about Reaper split is during the learning curve. If you are not able to follow the steep learning curve with Reaper you do not see its advantages. And then you see it just as a somehow complicated and dirt cheap DAW with a Windows 95 look and feel.

[Azura]

First, I'd like to say a big thanks for all of you. When I started this thread, I wished that it would not become another DAW war, and it didn't. Instead, it is very respectfull and the opinions make sense.

Funkybot, you made an intersting observation about the Actions concept. This is, I think, a cornerstone of Reaper. I can easily understand that it can be a big turn-off for some and a delight for others. Personnaly, I'm part of the latter.

Marc

[Nielzie]

Reaper is fine and all, if you have the time and patience.

This. Just like most DAWS these days actually. But I'm biased as a Reaper user, although I tried most DAWS before I got there.

There is a learning curve indeed. But it's damn rewarding. Fortunately there are more than enough video tutorials available

[Azura]

I think where the opinions about Reaper split is during the learning curve. If you are not able to follow the steep learning curve with Reaper you do not see its advantages. And then you see it just as a somehow complicated and dirt cheap DAW with a Windows 95 look and feel.

I agree, opinions split in the learning curve (which is quite normal and applies to other DAW/software/hobby/career!). What amazes me, is the Reaper's reputation that it has a steep learning curve. I don't consider myself a genius, but I found it very easy to grasp. In a very short time I was recording using takes, automation lines, etc. And I have the feeling that I'm the only one. Of course, I had experience with another DAW (Sonar), but it's the case with a lot of people trying a new DAW.