It's 2024 - what are the best Non-Linear DAWs ?

[koalaboy]

Yeah it's the whole need to be online and subscribe etc etc that turns me off.
If only Cardinal hosted VST3 I'd stop whining.

Well, you can build it yourself and install plugins yourself - although you'd need to go online to download the initial items...

I don't worry about always online any more. I used to, but I realise that I need to be able to exist in the current society, no matter how much I may disagree with much of it (although I draw the line at facebook and social media). I do see your point. It comes down to what is most important to each person.

Anyway, just some more links I came across:
https://www.giadamusic.com/
https://zynthian.org/

[VOODOO U]

Yeah it's the whole need to be online and subscribe etc etc that turns me off.
If only Cardinal hosted VST3 I'd stop whining.

Well, you can build it yourself and install plugins yourself - although you'd need to go online to download the initial items...

So I can install VCV on an offline computer and utilize it? I only need to be online for any downloads? I was under the impression that you had to be online to load modules hence the reason for DISTRHO Cardinal where it's all self contained as far as stock and freebie modules are concerned.

[koalaboy]

So I can install VCV on an offline computer and utilize it? I only need to be online for any downloads? I was under the impression that you had to be online to load modules hence the reason for DISTRHO Cardinal where it's all self contained as far as stock and freebie modules are concerned.

As far as I can tell from the github repository, that seems possible: https://vcvrack.com/manual/Building

You would have to build everything - plugins included - yourself though, so find each of their repositories and download them.

I think that once modules are downloaded in the normal distribution, you can use them, as any 'subscribed' will auto-download when online. My plugins directory C:\Users\me\Documents\Rack2 is 1.1GB in size and full of plugins, so I wouldn't need to be online to use them - just to update.

See also: https://vcvrack.com/manual/Installing#I ... ck-plugins

[eLawnMust]

This push for 'online' everything is certainly social engineering tact... It's in every facet not just audio but 3D, CGI, Compositing, you name it... Many problems with this. First I use XP only so many modern site not worky in browser... Sick-tired of 'updating' big waste of time every browser uses more CPU-RAM thru the internet 'black hole' of sucking the life outta your machine so why submit to that extra drain? If nobody would sign up for these 'online offerings' then everything would still be 'offline'... Plus we have a conduit for spying as well...

Where I live there's occasional internet outages, plus we use broadband only as why-fry makes me physically ill. Back in 2016 they flipped to fiber said I had to take a why-fry modem, I said no & they said I'd be disconnected & I said 'Fine, then bring a crew & take down all ur garbage all the way down to the road!'... I get a call next day 'There's another way' was offered a fiber-to-broadband interface... I said WHY was this not offered before?! They said only give it as option to customers willing to disconnect!!!...

So don't do online, don't 'play' with AI as you are the resource, don't store things online especially to any 'cloud' as what happens to clouds? They go away...

You can make great music on 5-10-15 even 20 year-old soft all offline>>>

[Tj Shredder]

The best nonlinear DAW/sequencer so far I have seen, is the one with Kyma. But you need expensive hardware for it. Only a few can afford that…
And its long ago that I had access to it…

[koalaboy]

https://ossia.io/ looked promising, but I can't get it to successfully scan my VSTs, and it likes to frequently crash.

[_leras]

Ha! Ha! All my DAWs are logarithmic!

Aaahh.... So that's why all your tracks slow down while they play...

Maybe you need an exponential DAW also?

[whyterabbyt]

Ha! Ha! All my DAWs are logarithmic!

Aaahh.... So that's why all your tracks slow down while they play...

Maybe you need an exponential DAW also?

slowerer is more good for the dark ambeent.

[syntonica]

First I use XP only so many modern site not worky in browser...

Wow! Somebody more hardcore than me!

SP2 only, I hope, as SP3 was MS's first foray into calling home. Also, have you tried ReactOS? Sadly, dev seems to have stalled.

I consider JavaScript to be the modern BASIC and the worst plague ever foisted upon mankind. I'm about ready to just turn it off, but that would kill off 99.44% of the Internet...

As to the topic, is there even a linear-only DAW extant anymore?

These days, every DAW does pretty much everything. There is no "best" but only "best for your needs". You just need to look at the workflow and what plugins are included and decide from there.

Oh gawd, I sound like a DAW centrist...

[Teilchenbeschleuniger]

Bespoke and Loomer Architect sound cool – props for exploring. I'd recommend checking out Renoise and FL Studio.

[koalaboy]

Bespoke and Loomer Architect sound cool – props for exploring. I'd recommend checking out Renoise and FL Studio.

Renoise is pretty much totally linear - sure you can add in 'jumps' but you can't really have independently playing patterns/tracks. I came from the tracker scene in the late 80s originally, but it's not my thing anymore, although Buzz is maybe the closest to non-linear in that respect.

I have FL Studio, which is also great in many ways, but I hate the pattern workflow. The playlist annoys me (I always want to press the right-button for a menu, and not just add/delete patterns).
It's very capable, but I much prefer the workflow of S1/Cubase/Live/Bitwig... which is a shame, as there is so much to like.

[xbitz]

^^^he MuLab plugin works perfectly under Cubase*, and I would definitely recommend checking it out. Using it along with Cubase's own multi-fx devices, such as FX Modulator, MultiTap Delay, ModMachine, StepFilter etc. as well as any two VST synths within the MuLab plugin, can lead to spending an endless amount of time experimenting, just tried



ps. * Cubase 13+

[koalaboy]

Mulab is great, but doesn't support plugin scaling under HiDPI, so causes problems for me in that regard.

[VOODOO U]

So I can install VCV on an offline computer and utilize it? I only need to be online for any downloads? I was under the impression that you had to be online to load modules hence the reason for DISTRHO Cardinal where it's all self contained as far as stock and freebie modules are concerned.

As far as I can tell from the github repository, that seems possible: https://vcvrack.com/manual/Building

You would have to build everything - plugins included - yourself though, so find each of their repositories and download them.

I think that once modules are downloaded in the normal distribution, you can use them, as any 'subscribed' will auto-download when online. My plugins directory C:\Users\me\Documents\Rack2 is 1.1GB in size and full of plugins, so I wouldn't need to be online to use them - just to update.

See also: https://vcvrack.com/manual/Installing#I ... ck-plugins

Cheers! Ill patiently wait until Cardinal gets VST3 support working better.

[maanga]

Linear Daw = You know where your music clips are. Mostly you will finish the song.
Non Linear Daw = You have no clue what you are doing. The clips are everywhere. Output is always garbage.
Logarithmic Daw = Was very easy when you started, commands became very difficult afterwards. You will never cross the intro of any song.

Regards.