Is this Tracktion's best friend?

[christianmusicmaker]

I use both EnergyXT and Tracktion. As others have mentioned above I originally bought EXT to complement T, but having worked with the latest beta of EXT last night I can see me using T for audio stuff and EXT to put together Midi based grooves.

They are both excellent hosts - I'm chuffed to have access to both of them - talk about value for money!

It'll be interesting to see how the both develop over the next few months.

Trev

In what way would you say that EXT's audio features are inferior to Tracktion...especially in the latest EXT beta?

[glurgle]

I'm waiting for some money to transfer so I can purchase my ext license, it's hard to recommend for just one thing, because it's soo bloody powerful, but this is how I envision myself using it:

1. As a vst in tracktion, it will host most vst plugins and take over a lot of the midi editing. Make sure you check out the step editing in the midipart/sequencer. Much faster for making drum parts. Triggering the midi part component(s) for most midi means I can write and add new parts to songs and rearrange them with ease. Of course the fully modular routing is super cool. I wasn't that interested in eXT until after the racks came out, and I started to see the possibilities, and the racks limited workspace has started to become a real hassle for me.

2. As a standalone, I can load the setups I was using in tracktion and play them live, with no tracktion running I can add audio inputs to give everyone in the band an fx chain and multitrack record it.

3. if (when) I get my z-tar, I will be able to control quite a few aspects of a performance from one comfortable and cool looking controller :)

[glurgle]

in what way would you say that EXT's audio features are inferior to Tracktion...especially in the latest EXT beta?

it's not that it's inferior per se, it's just not nearly as smooth/fast and "hands on" as tracktion, play around with it in the sequencer a bit (get that command guide ready) and you'll see what we mean.

[christianmusicmaker]

I was looking for a step sequencer to work with Tracktion but I wanted one that can show me the patterns one next to the other with the notes visible so I can see whats going on (unlike FLStudio and others). Tracktion almost has this since you can edit Midi within the track (unlike Cubase) but it does not have gohsted clips and I don't want to manualy keep track of patterns.

This appears to very popular feature. I know alot of EXT users were very pelased when Jorgen included this feature in EXT. Tracktion should I hope have a ghost clip feature as well in V.2.

So curently XT looks like the only tool I can use that allow me to edit multiple pattenns next to each other in the track itself. I then saw all the other features in XT and was very impressed and it makes me think if can't do everything on XT but then I think that if T V2 provide the gohsted clips then why do I need XT? But I think I will buy XT anyway since it cheap and have so other great midi tools and if a sampler and slicing is added then its even better!

It's the price as well isn't it really? It is so cheap it makes applications like Podium seem expensive!

glurgle:

1. As a vst in tracktion, it will host most vst plugins and take over a lot of the midi editing.

That could work...

Make sure you check out the step editing in the midipart/sequencer. Much faster for making drum parts. Triggering the midi part component(s) for most midi means I can write and add new parts to songs and rearrange them with ease. Of course the fully modular routing is super cool.

I wasn't that interested in eXT until after the racks came out, and I started to see the possibilities, and the racks limited workspace has started to become a real hassle for me.

So this is where Tracktion and EXT start to part ways...some some prefer racks to EXT's routing...ahh well to each his own I guess...

2. As a standalone, I can load the setups I was using in tracktion and play them live, with no tracktion running I can add audio inputs to give everyone in the band an fx chain and multitrack record it.

Pretty useful.

3. if (when) I get my z-tar, I will be able to control quite a few aspects of a performance from one comfortable and cool looking controller

it's not that it's inferior per se, it's just not nearly as smooth/fast and "hands on" as tracktion, play around with it in the sequencer a bit (get that command guide ready) and you'll see what we mean.

I have gone through some of the audio features so I know what you mean...

[guido01]

I use both EnergyXT and Tracktion. As others have mentioned above I originally bought EXT to complement T, but having worked with the latest beta of EXT last night I can see me using T for audio stuff and EXT to put together Midi based grooves.

They are both excellent hosts - I'm chuffed to have access to both of them - talk about value for money!

It'll be interesting to see how the both develop over the next few months.

Trev

In what way would you say that EXT's audio features are inferior to Tracktion...especially in the latest EXT beta?

I do'nt think they are - I've had Tracktion for about a year now and I guess it's a lot to do with familiarity, but overall, at present, I prefer Tracktion's workflow. I've produced more finished work with Tracktion in the last 6 months than I did with Cubase in the previous 6 years.

EXT is much more esoteric, but appeals to me because of coming from an Atari ST background and having spent a lot of time working with Midi and a lot of the early apps, but I would'nt preclude switching to EXT if it continues to develop at the rate it is at the moment! Keep up the good work Jorgen.

Trev

[headquest]

Headquest...we meet again...

He he...funny you should mention the other applications I have...I have pretty much narrowed them down to two applications so my workflow has slimmed down significantly and is alot faster.

I am always on the look out for new developments though that is how I found Tracktion and EXT!

We meet again indeed!

Thanks for putting me onto Samplitude by the way - I shall be watching that one to see what happens with v8.

Sonar, though, I've pretty much decided against ... especially now that I see the Sonitus.fx Suite is available seperately once again. It's the effects suite that I think I'm really after, not a Cakewalk sequencer !

For now its Tracktion and Live 4.

And possibly Audition - I did a 30 day trial of v1.0 and now that's expired I'm onto a 30 day trial of v1.5 . It's a hard life . Lots about Audition impresses me... I'm just not totally sure I really need it . Audio in Tracktion and Live are both pretty excellent . And as a ReWire host I'm finding Audition 1.5 a bit clunky, to put it mildly .

Woops - I've gone way off topic . Sorry guys!

[Jed]

I noodle in eXT (I'm facinated by Jorgens transparent design cycle), but when I have to do anything substantial I always find myself using Tracktion as its so fast and reliable.

Sometimes I'll develop a groove in eXT and throw it into Tracktion as a VSTi before recording audio.

Cheers
Jed

[Lunch Money]

There's lots I could say, but I'll stick to commenting on something that hasn't been mentioned yet:

You can share .ext setup files with other .ext users, regardless of host; something you can't do with Tracktion's racks.

Other than that, I mostly like all the features that keep being added on, such as the arp, chorder, and soon-to-arrive sampler. Those make it a powerful VSTi to use within Tracktion, regardless.

Greg

[christianmusicmaker]

I prefer Tracktion's workflow. I've produced more finished work with Tracktion in the last 6 months than I did with Cubase in the previous 6 years.
Trev

It's not the first time I have heard that I can tell you.

headquest:We meet again indeed!

Thanks for putting me onto Samplitude by the way - I shall be watching that one to see what happens with v8.

If you have the cash then Samplitude v.8 is highly unlikely to dissappoint but of course try the demo first. Actually the demo of Samplitude 7.2 should give you a good feel for V.8 and may cover your needs already.

Samplitude V.8 overview

Sonar, though, I've pretty much decided against ... especially now that I see the Sonitus.fx Suite is available seperately once again. It's the effects suite that I think I'm really after, not a Cakewalk sequencer !

Good for you at least you know exactly what you want, however...I noticed that you are UK based... if that is correct then you may not be aware that as an EU based customer you cannot order indvidual plugs from the Sonitus suite. If you are US based then you can.

Of course if you want all of them then fine...

EU distributor Edirol Sonitus page
[url=http:///http://store.yahoo.com/cakewalkdirect/sonitus.html]Cakewalk US Sonitus page[/url]

For now its Tracktion and Live 4.

And possibly Audition - I did a 30 day trial of v1.0 and now that's expired I'm onto a 30 day trial of v1.5 . It's a hard life . Lots about Audition impresses me... I'm just not totally sure I really need it . Audio in Tracktion and Live are both pretty excellent . And as a ReWire host I'm finding Audition 1.5 a bit clunky, to put it mildly

Audition is a very powerful editor that has CD burning, rewire and surround sound with an encoder.
I too have tried the demo and see it as potential replacement for any host now that is has rewire.
If I am not mistaken rewire is very important for you, so you could simply rewire Reason, Projects 5 or FL studio into AA and then use the extensive audio options there to master and burn to a CD!AA has so many FX as well.

I already have applications for mastering as you well know so I want be getting AA but the rewire addition for AA finally opens this powerful application up.

Jed:I noodle in eXT (I'm facinated by Jorgens transparent design cycle), but when I have to do anything substantial I always find myself using Tracktion as its so fast and reliable.

Sometimes I'll develop a groove in eXT and throw it into Tracktion as a VSTi before recording audio.

Cheers
Jed

That seems to be one of the most popular uses for EXT...I think alot of Live 3 users were able to have thier cake and eat it by having Live 3 deal with audio and EXT provide midi from *within* Live 3 as an *FX*...very clever.

Lunch Money:
You can share .ext setup files with other .ext users, regardless of host; something you can't do with Tracktion's racks.

Other than that, I mostly like all the features that keep being added on, such as the arp, chorder, and soon-to-arrive sampler. Those make it a powerful VSTi to use within Tracktion, regardless.

Greg

Interesting comment about how powerful a VSTi it will be...with the exception of possibly FL studio (rewire host and slave, DXi,VSTi Standalone) there may not be a more powerful VSTi out there.

I think Jorgen has said he will not provide DX/DXi support in EXT while FL has this function already.Both are great applications.

[pough]

energyXT is much quicker to load and its lack of special library makes working in it so much easier (I really do hate the way Tracktion handles projects and I just realized it now). However, I haven't really tried much audio stuff with it - I tend to defer to Tracktion for audio input.

So for quick testing of plugins and trying song ideas it's energyXT and for songs that require a lot of audio, Tracktion.

Yeah... Tracktion's project and file stuff has been nothing but a hindrance for me - always gets in the way... anyone else feel this way?

[AD80]

Yeah... Tracktion's project and file stuff has been nothing but a hindrance for me - always gets in the way... anyone else feel this way?

I think it has a lot of cool features set up weirdly.

[christianmusicmaker]

Hi pough...

energyXT is much quicker to load and its lack of special library makes working in it so much easier (I really do hate the way Tracktion handles projects and I just realized it now). However, I haven't really tried much audio stuff with it - I tend to defer to Tracktion for audio input.

So for quick testing of plugins and trying song ideas it's energyXT and for songs that require a lot of audio, Tracktion.

I have never really used the Library function in Tracktion

Yeah... Tracktion's project and file stuff has been nothing but a hindrance for me - always gets in the way... anyone else feel this way?

It is different...but hindrance in what way?

[pough]

I just really hate systems that "do it for you." That's why I've never really liked Macs. If I have a project with lots of audio files, the project gets lost in the list. And I never have known if I'm supposed to only have one song per project... it's just a mess that I think would be better handled by the OS. I'd far rather just be shown the tracktion edit files, allow me to put them anywhere I want, and show the files associated with an edit only when I specifically want to go looking for them. As for "projects" ... just save multiple edits in one folder and you got yourself a project.

Whew! Rant over...

[pough]

You know, if the default were to only show edits and to show the audio and midi clips when prompted, I think I would really like the Tracktion way of doing things.

BTW, with regards to quickness - Tracktion takes about 1 - 2 minutes to load and energyXT just a few seconds... if that.

[christianmusicmaker]

I'd far rather just be shown the tracktion edit files, allow me to put them anywhere I want, and show the files associated with an edit only when I specifically want to go looking for them. As for "projects" ... just save multiple edits in one folder and you got yourself a project.

Whew! Rant over...

"I'd far rather just be shown the tracktion edit files only when I specifically want to go looking for them"

Did you mean the Tracktion audio clips used in an edit?