Why you use multiple DAWs ?

[Daags]

I use multiple DAWs because they have different strengths, and a chain is only as strong as its weakest link. So for each 'link' in my production 'chain', I use whatever DAW is best at that particular task.

the beauty of VST plugins is they work in whatever DAW is the 'link' I'm working on at any given time. All on the same computer, using wav & midi files. It's not like you have to lug 14 lbs of tape from the studio down stairs, up ten flights of stairs, convert it to a different tape format, then lug 23 lbs of the new tape format down 3 flights of stairs to the next studio to work in, and repeating this process everytime you want to take your project to another stage better suited in another 'studio'. So it is beyond me why neckbeards get their panties all twisted and bunched up their heinie just because someone might have some criticisms about their 'waifu' DAW, even when the criticisms are coming from people who own licenses to and financially support the waifu in question.

Funny thing is, some of the most ardent cry babies with the most amount of pantie wedged the deepest up their chair-shaped heinie ... appear to have a relatively plentiful supply of disposable cash to spend on their hobby. So it's not like they are under huge economic pressure to go 'all in' solely for their waifu, warts n all.

So who's with me ? .... Multiple-DAW gang check in.

[Calenberger]

Aehm, what DAWs are you using?
And why?

[Forgotten]

Because I own more than one

[antic604]

Funny thing is, some of the most ardent cry babies with the most amount of pantie wedged the deepest up their chair-shaped heinie ... appear to have a relatively plentiful supply of disposable cash to spend on their hobby. So it's not like they are under huge economic pressure to go 'all in' solely for their waifu, warts n all.

"Interesting" thought. So you think if one can afford multiple tools they can't have favourite one?

So who's with me ? .... Multiple-DAW gang check in.

Well, I own 5 and use(d) them all but not like you describe, but instead one DAW per project. The reason being that I like how different set of tools, workflow, strengths & constraints influences the music. For example modularity of Bitwig, Reason or Live encourages production that's skewed towards more repetitive (especially if borne out of clip launcher / session view, or generative devices) compositions where sound design, textures, timbres are the focus. On the other hand tools available in Cubase or S1 (e.g. chord tracks) push the music towards more melody & harmony driven territories. And if I want to do more melodic stuff in Bitwig or more sound-designey stuff in S1 I'll insist on staying in that DAW to learn and understand it better, instead taking the "easy way out". I can afford not doing stuff in the fastest, most optimal way because I'm not working towards a deadline or style that I need to adhere to.

But obviously that's just my approach. Like I always say - I'm a music production (process) enthusiast, rather than a music producer

[Steve Bolivar]

Here's a thread with some useful info on this topic.
viewtopic.php?f=7&t=504143

[Meffy]

I use multiple DAWs because…

1. some are better suited to specific kinds of music than others;
2. when Cakewalk went out of business, competitors had bargain crossgrade prices, and I wanted to try several; and
3. I do a fair amount of beta testing, and it's sometimes helpful to try plug-ins in several hosts (including less popular ones).

Not counting non-DAW hosts (such as Audition, Vegas, etc.) there are thirteen on my main Windows desktop and ten on the Mac desktop. That's counting icons in the dock/taskbar — might be others I've forgot.

Drawbacks include hesitation to begin a project because of all the choices, not being as familiar with the less-used hosts as with my favorites, and not being able to keep them all updated 'cos of the cost.

[Cartwheel]

I also use multiple DAW's... Logic, REAPER, Cubase, and Studio One - being the most recent. Probably not the most efficient way to work, but I'm a hobbyist - it keeps me learning... and it's fun!

[Forgotten]

Different approaches. I use Logic for more conventional recording, Live for creating loops, and Reason for patching stuff together.

I have other things that aren't really DAWs too, but are self-contained systems for composing music.

[digitalboytn]

I use multiple DAWs because…

1. some are better suited to specific kinds of music than others;
2. when Cakewalk went out of business, competitors had bargain crossgrade prices...

When Henry took over Cakewalk,it was a good kick in the butt for me because the writing was on the wall...

I had been a Cakewalk user since Pro Audio 9 with a fully loaded account,but I got my head around Reaper 5 and bought a Studio One 3 Pro cross grade offer and gave it a whirl...

I also checked out another couple of offerings,but they didn't ring my bell...

Reaper 6 has become my main DAW and I love it for so many reasons...

I use the Bandlab version of Cakewalk to load old Sonar projects and I still use Sony's ACID Pro 7 because the Magix version gives me vertigo with those absolutely ghastly colours in the GUI...

I did a lot of multimedia work using ACID and there are some things about that DAW that are unique...

Acid Pro 7 and Sound Forge 10 Pro are the only x86 programs I still run in my music computers...

Studio One 4 is a great DAW,but it's going to get the flick because Reaper is king in my world...

I would like to thank Henry da Vandal for taking over the reigns at Cakewalk and giving me the impetus to go out and find new pathways and better solutions

[Meffy]

Got the Bandlab version on my Win10 laptop, but still use SPlat on the desktop. Been a Cakewalk user since, I think Pro Audio 8? Mid-1990s.

[digitalboytn]

Meffy...we must be the same vintage

[Jace-BeOS]

I tried to, but I never enjoyed any of the other ones I tried. I’ve spent the most time USING Logic to make music on my Macs, even though I spent more time OWNING PCs and Cakewalk’s products.

I hoped I would be able to take advantage of different sound generators and techniques on other DAWs, but, once I moved to Mac/Logic, my curiosity and motivation for that mostly went dormant.

While I still actively pursue new and different tools in search of happy audio accidents and new sounds, I think my DAW dalliances were driven more by displeasure with Windows/Microsoft and Sonar/Cakewalk, rather than a strong desire to work with multiple DAWs.

I went through probably six other DAWs. Logic was the only one that felt productive for me (and that’s not to say I don’t have my complaints with it or Apple; I definitely do).

[Jace-BeOS]

Drawbacks include [...] not being able to keep them all updated 'cos of the cost.

Ah that triggers a memory: the need to feel like I was up-to-date, plus an SSNRI drug to make me impulsive, got me caught in a loop of buying stuff I never used. It was not good.

I also had the “which one do I spend time to learn now” problem, but I ended up following my instincts and dropped the ones I didn’t find myself flowing with after a little while.

I still feel bad about all the money spent. “Learning lessons” in this hobby are expensive.

[machinesworking]

Reason was my gateway drug to multiple DAW use. I rewired it to Digital Performer 2.7 years ago, then at some point switched to Logic and Reason, then at some point Komplete replaced Reason. Live came along and nothing did what Live does at the time. Logic 7 was bricking OSX so I started using DP again.
Been using DP and Live for about ten years now, but neither do MPE. So it was on to Logic, but Reaper called for a while. Recently Bitwig is doing as well CPU wise in tests on my computer as DP and Logic, almost as well as Reaper, sometimes better in some cases. So I bought a copy off someone here and I'm giving it a serious go. I'm fond of DP, so I'm always going to use it to some degree and it's looking like Bitwig is going to be the other DAW. Now that Reason acts as a VSTi it's also in the mix.

Reaper almost won the contest, but I'm just not thrilled to use it, it's always a bit of a chore, and yes, it obviously can be tweaked to fit, years of use makes it fit like a glove etc. but it's not necessarily inspiring for me personally to work in. It's an obvious choice for collaboration though.

[Jace-BeOS]

Oh yeah, Reason is one I’d like to keep using, but the tiny GUI bitmaps are a problem for me. I’m excited about using the Reason rack as a plug-in in Logic... whenever Propellerhead get around to rebuilding the GUI with larger bitmaps.