Are DAWs Today Just Boring ?

[antic604]

DAWs. Plural. You forget I'm easily excited, therefore I've 7 of them.

Oh…that may explain a thing or too, I’ll give you that Well, for your info, I find Reason quite exciting compared to the DAWs, I have used. I like to play with it too for the sake of playing and getting inspired.

This could be the part of it where I can understand your approach.

But mainly I love it because it gives me what I need to make and finish a tune. There are also features I could do without. And now comes a really pragmatic point: Sometimes it can be a hindrance to finishing anything when there are so much to play with, a distraction.

This could be the part where Bones’ approach makes sense to me.

So with a little dynamics and fluency, I really have room for both of you. It all depends on the goal of the day. Sometimes I do not want to do anything but play, and then I indeed allow myself that.

Yes, this is what I mean

Obviously not every feature and not for everyone will be exciting, but I find it really hard to believe - which the last 4 pages would lead one to believe - that there's nothing exciting about DAWs, ever. I think even in the old times, with "proper" audio engineers taming their hulking desks & machines with big knobs, levers and sliders they were getting excited when they figured out the distinct sound of SSL's talk-back mic compressor or found out they can loop a recording tape over broomstick handle to create repetitive patterns.

Now I don't know what the OP meant when he asked for exciting DAWs. Maybe he indeed wants fireworks, belly dancers, VR and self-generating tools. I don't. I'm talking about being excited by Operators added in Bitwig v4. Reason Rack Plugin added with Reason v11. Scratch Pads in S1 v3 (I think). Spectralayers in Cubase v11. Things that open new doors of creativity, or at least make things much easier. I don't think there's anything shameful in admitting those - or similiar, whatever floats your particular boat - features one finds exciting

[Passing Bye]

For OP fun definitely have different meaning, for me it would be something like easy going, something that actually gets out of my way and let me do stuff in most easiest and productive way, with least clicks and workarounds, not having to thinker with it all the time... that can be any DAW one find most comfortable using that is delivering based on ones demands... as much as I love my wife, sometimes she gets moody like everyone else, but overall she is my perfect fit, I don't see nitpicking about her every time I'm bored out of my life, wishing she was something more, because I saw that other girl that seems like fun, but it's probably messed up inside when you really go past exterior and probably have even more quirks than your trusty wife.

Yeah, I'm bringing back relationship analogies!

[Passing Bye]

But I know that on KVR nobody gives a flying f*** that GAS, acquiring new plugin every day, 3 seconds-long excitement of a new toy... It may be a result of underlaying physical or mental (or both) issues. Also it's similar to stereotypical girls who are buying new dress every day to feel good for a few seconds. DAS

Retail therapy.

[vurt]

Should a carpenter be excited by a hammer?

yes, I bought a new Estwing (24oz claw) a few weeks back, it's so nice I'm gonna buy a bigger one (32oz framing hammer) to go with it.

don't get him started ffs.

[Scrubbing Monkeys]

I am late to this party and didn't read any of what I imagine to be very colorful posts. But seriously anyone even pondering this question has never calibrated tape machines twice a week or had to change the rotating digital tape heads every 400 hours of use....that was exciting.

[pdxindy]

Now I don't know what the OP meant when he asked for exciting DAWs. Maybe he indeed wants fireworks, belly dancers, VR and self-generating tools. I don't. I'm talking about being excited by Operators added in Bitwig v4. Reason Rack Plugin added with Reason v11. Scratch Pads in S1 v3 (I think). Spectralayers in Cubase v11. Things that open new doors of creativity, or at least make things much easier. I don't think there's anything shameful in admitting those - or similiar, whatever floats your particular boat - features one finds exciting

Excitement/enthusiasm is something that is within me. When I start playing my Linnstrument or other keyboard and some new melody bubbles out, that is my own creativity.

Every DAW is interesting because I can be creative with any of them. Garageband is fun to use because when I sit down and play, something interesting comes out and even a simple DAW records it just fine.

We have access to incredible tools today. The tools are essentially unlimited now. If someone is feeling bored, they need to look within themselves and figure out what is going on there, cause it is not about the tools.

[Scrubbing Monkeys]

Now I don't know what the OP meant when he asked for exciting DAWs. Maybe he indeed wants fireworks, belly dancers, VR and self-generating tools. I don't. I'm talking about being excited by Operators added in Bitwig v4. Reason Rack Plugin added with Reason v11. Scratch Pads in S1 v3 (I think). Spectralayers in Cubase v11. Things that open new doors of creativity, or at least make things much easier. I don't think there's anything shameful in admitting those - or similiar, whatever floats your particular boat - features one finds exciting

Excitement/enthusiasm is something that is within me. When I start playing my Linnstrument or other keyboard and some new melody bubbles out, that is my own creativity.

Every DAW is interesting because I can be creative with any of them. Garageband is fun to use because when I sit down and play, something interesting comes out and even a simple DAW records it just fine.

We have access to incredible tools today. The tools are essentially unlimited now. If someone is feeling bored, they need to look within themselves and figure out what is going on there, cause it is not about the tools.

Word

[antic604]

Excitement/enthusiasm is something that is within me. When I start playing my Linnstrument or other keyboard and some new melody bubbles out, that is my own creativity.

Every DAW is interesting because I can be creative with any of them. Garageband is fun to use because when I sit down and play, something interesting comes out and even a simple DAW records it just fine.

We have access to incredible tools today. The tools are essentially unlimited now. If someone is feeling bored, they need to look within themselves and figure out what is going on there, cause it is not about the tools.

While I 100% agree with this, I'm not sure this is on topic?

The broader discussion isn't about being bored vs. excited while making music, but whether a DAW in particular can be exciting by itself. Most people here suggest that it can't, i.e. it's just a "soulless" tool. Like a hammer.

[pdxindy]

While I 100% agree with this, I'm not sure this is on topic?

The broader discussion isn't about being bored vs. excited while making music, but whether a DAW in particular can be exciting by itself. Most people here suggest that it can't, i.e. it's just a "soulless" tool. Like a hammer.

So the discussion is about whether DAW's have feelings? (I didn't read most of the thread)

[antic604]

While I 100% agree with this, I'm not sure this is on topic?

The broader discussion isn't about being bored vs. excited while making music, but whether a DAW in particular can be exciting by itself. Most people here suggest that it can't, i.e. it's just a "soulless" tool. Like a hammer.

So the discussion is about whether DAW's have feelings? (I didn't read most of the thread)

If you put it like that, then yes! Feelings you can empathise with, so you can be excited using it

[vurt]

daws have gone sentient.
this is the first step to the robot takeover!!!!

[jonljacobi]

Should a carpenter be excited by a hammer?

yes, I bought a new Estwing (24oz claw) a few weeks back, it's so nice I'm gonna buy a bigger one (32oz framing hammer) to go with it.

Okay, once you get over the initial enthusiasm... LOL. But I think my basic point is that it should be the music (or what you're using the hammer to build) that excites you, not the DAW. But as someone commented earlier, apparently there's a group of uses who rely on the DAW to provide the inspiration. Not sure what I think of that, but I don't see it as a path to real satisfaction.

The vendors know there's a huge market of amateurs with no real musical training that want to "make" music so they offer up the music construction features to sell product. Can't blame them, or really care, as long as it doesn't get in the way.

[antic604]

...apparently there's a group of uses who rely on the DAW to provide the inspiration. Not sure what I think of that, but I don't see it as a path to real satisfaction.

Let me help you. You're the real musician using soulless tools, whereas I'm a noob stumbling in the dark, being saved by the crutches provided to me by DAW developers and I grin stupidly every time I happen to "create" something worth saving

[THE INTRANCER]

I'll go back even earlier with a program that cost just around £30 to buy new during the 1990's. Not only could you create high quality music with it. For anyone that had been using Amiga's or Atari's with 8 Bit samples, it was a definite step up and a highly addictive program to use because not only could you create a piece of dance music, you would have the ability to create your own music video along with it using the supplied visual effects. Taking the audio out of the Hi-fi and recording it to a computer of your choosing, even an old Amiga Tracker and sampling cartridge if you didn't have a PC, chopping it up and doing all manner of things was also an option. Then you could throw that onto a VHS tape using a Genlock, mixing the Playstation Music 2000 effects on the fly. This might seem quite old school but it would have certainly been fun to do that back then.

[harryupbabble]

i find that if there is speed then there is excitement. it's true in scrabble.

i need a superfast computer, to get rid of daw hiccup and stuff.
daw hiccup is not exciting.