Would You Give Up Music If All DAWs Went Subscription ?

[THE INTRANCER]

This is of course a theoretical question if we lived in such a dimension or parallel universe... but imagine if that was the case where there was no free software.. I dunno, one might have bought software with crystals on another planet. Maybe there is some world out there where that happens... who knows...

In 20 years time, a subscription to use a DAW, at least for big commercial DAW titles we have, might be the only option.

[cryophonik]

Nobody will be making music when the subscription apocalypse happens because we’ll be too busy stocking up on toilet paper, fighting each other for that last can of soup, building our underground subscription shelters, etc.

[Googly Smythe]

I was making music before DAWs were invented, I will do so when they become sub only.

[sQeetz]

I still have my good old Amiga 1200 armed with Protracker I could use

[pixel85]

For work: no, because I need those sweet sweet money to feed family and buy...
Hardware that I can use for option two: making music as a hobby/micro-revenue. Synths + sequencers and I can continue making music without DAW. But then I would have sub for DAW for my job so I would use it for my hooby to

[ON BEATS]

If I had to pay to use my DAW on a monthly or yearly basis I would 100% do it because the mental health respite is priceless

[antic604]

No, just like I haven't stopped watching films, series and documentaries when Netflix became available. Quite the opposite.

With DAWs in my case that would also force me to focus more. Now I have dozens of projects started in 3-4 DAWs at once and I can hardly finish anything, because there's always something to check out in other program. If I had to pay for using a DAW every month I wouldn't keep 3-4 of them, but rather I'd rotate between them for individual projects, trying to finish them in the time I paid for.

[chk071]

I'd be so frustrated that I would create gazillions of bored and boring forum topics then.

[GaryG]

I'd stash an old windows cd and a reaper install and would be fine for a good few decades. What I get from a DAW are the fundamentals that haven't really changed in ages.

Unless you envisage the DAW police cracking down on all unauthorised non-sub copies...

[Bombadil]

I'd probably buy an all in one box, like a Tascam or something.

[MurzimStem]

I’d be forced to become a better musician, and dust off the multitrack tape recorder.

[ero]

I still got my banjo, guitar and my bandmates.

[SirkusPi]

Regardless of what other DAWs do, I would pay for a subscription even if only my DAW of choice (Logic) went that route (assuming non-ridiculous price point, of course). I wouldn’t be “happy” with the new direction, but I’m also not going to, as the saying goes, cut off my nose to spite my face.

And while I’m not going to subscribe to NI’s ridiculous current subscription offer, I may as well be honest and admit that if Kontakt ever became subscription only (and, to be clear, I really hope that never happens), I would most likely do that too.

[crickey13]

I'd stash an old windows cd and a reaper install and would be fine for a good few decades. What I get from a DAW are the fundamentals that haven't really changed in ages.

This.

[Scrubbing Monkeys]

Recently I have not turned on a DAW or music production machine. Instead I play and write music on the instruments that I play. It has been quite satisfying. I may continue the trend. I have played alot of what I call sandcastles. They exist for the moment and then they are gone. No desire to document, record or share any of it. Some of my best work really.