What would be the most valuable longterm investment of 100 USD/EUR for a DAW?

[EnGee]

I have a different opinion than most here! I don't recommend Cubase Elements if you don't have the intention to upgrade later.

Unless, something has changed, Elements has limitations of 24 VST tracks (not few but still a limitation)

Cubase Elements can load up to 40 VST instruments if you combine Instrument Racks and Instrument Tracks. Multi-timbral plugins can be used with both. That's plenty, specially for a casual user.

How does that work? You add first 24 inst tracks and then add 16 inst racks? I maybe missed something then!
This is the comparison by the way:
https://www.steinberg.net/en/products/c ... rison.html

Anyway, I had Elements from version 6 till 8 then upgraded to Artist 8 then 9 then Pro 9. I believe the Artist is the sweet spot. It added so much functionality to Elements and it also has a dongle which is better than the software e-licenser as you can install anywhere but insert the usb dongle and you are done.

[GamerNo.0]

I honestly recommend Mixcraft, even over elements.

The Recording Studio version just costs 89 bucks and you can get it either in download or boxed form! (for those who care about that)

Found it really easy to use and is very intuitive too. Click a piano icon and the VST menu will appear, fx will let you use effects naturally, etc. Is as straightforward as they come imo. I think is excellent for Hobbyists and people like you.

[GaryG]

Reaper is cheap but probably falls into your complex menus category.

I like your use of the word 'probably' there.

(disclaimer: I love Reaper, my #1 DAW, but you can't deny it has its menus...)

I've been playing with Mulab recently, kind of discounted it before because the audio is, while perfectly usable, not really there for people who want to manipulate/abuse audio as I do. However, I'm quite taken with how easy everything else is (though haven't come across any chord functionality yet). And the racks/modular functionality is very well thought out, if you have any kind of experience of patching synths and effects together in the real world then it should be pretty simple.

[Michael L]

^^^ Some of the MuLab chord function is in the Note Mapper, where you can map midi notes to the chords in a key and play with different progressions, turning them into melodies in the Composer, or feeding them into the performance sequencer. There are other Midi modules, and context menus in the piano roll.

[THE INTRANCER]

What's your time worth ? If you're going to pick a daw, pick one you like and understand and which provides all the features rather than a cut down version or budget daw. You could be using that software for over 10 years, by which time you'll probably have mastered all that it provides you, and you can take the knowledge and skills with you. It's worth considering buying software that doesn't throw any spanners at you, like Iloks or use subscriptions.... if they are the only options available...you may have a relationship with your daw, but it shouldn't include marrying it.

Stability,
Features,
Ease of use,
Accessibility,
Expandability,
Trust of company,
Development and innovation,
Cost of ownership and up-gradability,
User support / supporting communities.

Are key things to keep in mind as a check list before you decide on the daw you pick.

[Zexila]

Thanks for replies and new options.

Yesterday I watched a few videos about Cubase Chord tracks - it seems definitely very useful feature for me and it's nice to have it built into DAW to avoid hunting for third-party plugins.

But I'll keep an eye on KVR and other deals to see if I can get some higher edition of DAW, thanks for the hint.

I have tried Ableton Live (Lite editions are bundled with almost every hardware out there; I wish they bundled Cubase or Studio One or Bitwig more often instead of Lite) and FL Studio but they are slightly too "exotic" for me and they put accents on other kinds of workflows which do not suit my approach well.

Try scoring Cubase AI licence, they go really cheap if someone wants to sell them, also if you are in the market for an audio interface, than check out Steinberg offering, solid drivers and good stuff overall, UR12 will do you fine, you will get Cubase AI with it.

[jonljacobi]

There are plenty of free and very cheap options. Soundbridge, StageLight, free versions of Pro Tools and Studio One, Mulab, older Tracktion and more. Cheap versions of all of them, GarageBand, etc. If you need more than that, then you should be asking which is the best for the job you need to do and stop worrying about long-term investments.

[zenophilix]

Not sure if it's been brought up yet, but Sonar Home Studio and Reason Essentials are both super solid "lite" DAWs. Both come with a fairly good selection of devices, both have VST support, and neither have any restrictive limitations on tracks. (well, Sonar HS limits you to 64, but it's a lot easier to stretch 64 tracks than it is 8.) Reason essentials is $69, and So-

well... F me, forgot about Cakewalk folding, so it seems that you can't buy it anymore. There was a promotion for a recent issue of CM, but not sure if it would still be valid. Guitar Center/Sweetwater/etc might still work.

[dupont]

Reaper

[Distorted Horizon]

Reason 10 Essentials.

Unlimited tracks, very good sampler, vst support..

69$

Very good option IMO.

[pc999]

FL Studio and its lifetime updates, IIRC it does have a lower end 99$ edition.

Ever considered the open source/free LMMS?

https://lmms.io/

[zenophilix]

FL Studio and its lifetime updates, IIRC it does have a lower end 99$ edition.

Ever considered the open source/free LMMS?

https://lmms.io/

+1, FL is a relatively easy DAW to learn, with a ton of capabilities. Fruity edition doesn't have audio recording, but if you can live without that...

[DuX]

What's your time worth ? If you're going to pick a daw, pick one you like and understand and which provides all the features rather than a cut down version or budget daw. You could be using that software for over 10 years, by which time you'll probably have mastered all that it provides you, and you can take the knowledge and skills with you. It's worth considering buying software that doesn't throw any spanners at you, like Iloks or use subscriptions.... if they are the only options available...you may have a relationship with your daw, but it shouldn't include marrying it.

Stability,
Features,
Ease of use,
Accessibility,
Expandability,
Trust of company,
Development and innovation,
Cost of ownership and up-gradability,
User support / supporting communities.

Are key things to keep in mind as a check list before you decide on the daw you pick.

So essentially, you mean Reaper? I definitely agree, despite the complicated menus. Once you adjusted all the options to your liking and saved your own track and chain FX templates, working with Reaper is as smooth as butter, generally.

And I'd invest the rest of the money in one of those nice, quality VST bundles like ToneBoosters or buy a Valhalla ValhallaRoom or something.

[LawrenceF]

I really like Studio One workflow. But their Artist edition doesn't have VST support and it has to be bought additionally ...

It really depends on the context. If you're brand new and need an audio / midi device for your beginner rig, don't buy it, buy an AudioBox or something and get if free then pay for VST support which in that case would be about $180 total and will have unlimited audio, midi, bus and FX tracks and VCA automation.

All of the products mentioned here are all really great choices also like Cubase Essential or similar. These days there's really no such thing as a bad daw among the top 15 or so of them, just bad choices for a particular user. or context They're all pretty great.

But if $100 is your threshold you won't get more for $100 or less than Reaper, technically speaking, even if you don't particularly like it.

[zenophilix]

I really like Studio One workflow. But their Artist edition doesn't have VST support and it has to be bought additionally ...

It really depends on the context. If you're brand new and need an audio / midi device for your beginner rig, don't buy it, buy an AudioBox or something and get if free then pay for VST support which in that case would be about $180 total and will have unlimited audio, midi, bus and FX tracks and VCA automation.

All of the products mentioned here are all really great choices also like Cubase Essential or similar. These days there's really no such thing as a bad daw among the top 15 or so of them, just bad choices for a particular user. or context They're all pretty great.

But if $100 is your threshold you won't get more for $100 or less than Reaper, technically speaking, even if you don't particularly like it.

This. Got very close to getting the VST upgrade for my bundled version of Artist when it went on sale for $40(!), it's a pretty rad way of getting a full DAW without any bad limitations along with a decent interface.