How is Tracktion working out for you? My decision tomm

[No name]

I'm especially curious about the Midi/VST area of it. Any reviews on it would be quite helpful as it seems to be the only host in my price range right now, and i've heard some positive things about it. By the way, how much is it now? Still $190? Thanks.

[Hybernation]

As a long time Sonar user, and someone who records MIDI/VSTs 95% of the time (and vocals the other 5%) I am having trouble dealing with the limited MIDI editing. I miss my "event lists" and "staff views" and a lot of the piano roll features in Sonar.

Other than that, though, I LOVE Tracktion. I find that using it helps me concentrate on composing and playing, capturing ideas. With Sonar I spend WAY too much time tweaking a flawed performance/idea, because I CAN. With Tracktion, I'll just record the idea again and move on!

[mandolarian]

With Tracktion, I'll just record the idea again and move on!

Tracktion can record ideas?!! And here I was screwing around with mics and wires and VST stuff.

I still like Tracktion for recording and mixing audio and some midi composing. But soon as I get home, I've got try the 'idea recording' function. Is that in the manual?

[mikebeck]

I like Tracktion a lot. I'm not a heavy MIDI user, but so far it's more than met my needs. I also have Digital Performer, and I use both. If I just want to put something together quickly, I tend to use Tracktion. Like others have said, it's easy to use, it's light on CPU usage, and I like having everything in one window for quick access.

[Lunch Money]

I'm a long-time user and I've never felt the urge to switch. I love every second of it. It should be noted that my MIDI editing is limited to:

1. Correcting fixed notes in a performance
2. Transposing
3. Changing velocities of individual or groups of notes
4. Adding and tweaking (or, deleting and tweaking) notes to modify (not necessarily correct, but enhance) a MIDI performance or a pre-existing MIDI file (ie. a Groove Monkee drum beat).

That's about it. I've dicked around with a few other parameters (sustain pedal messages) and cleared faulty program change messages, but nothing too involved.

That said, I love it. Wouldn't do without it. If it ever went the way of the dodo, I'd be one of those people sticking with it until it was positively obsolete by comparison to other tools and possibly beyond.

Greg

[No name]

Ok, how about this. I'm a LONGGGGG time Acid user. That is what I will be switching from. How does it stack up to Acid?

[No name]

I'm personally trying to find something that will compliment FL as Acid has done over the years. I liked tracktion simply because of 2 things. One:it is sort of similar to Acid in the way you edit your tracks. Two: It's quite cheap! Tell me this, if anyone can, is the midi editing pbetter in tracktion than Acid? I've heard rave reviews about tracktions mastering suite, and that makes me even more interested .

[John Vulich]

Ok, how about this. I'm a LONGGGGG time Acid user. That is what I will be switching from. How does it stack up to Acid?

The timestretching in Trackion is nowhere near as good or flexible as in ACID and it is also VERY CPU heavy to use.

[Neil G]

ive been using T since the begining, coming over from logic 5 on the pc. while the midi editing isnt super advanced, i cant see anything holding someoneback from working with it. most of my stuff is 95% midi and vst's and while it would be nice to have a full screen piano roll, 3/4's aint bad and will do the trick.

other than that, you may want to hold on to acid for timestretching until it gets properly implemented in T. just rewire acid to T in the meantime, and you got yourself a winnig combo.

[bugs]

Generally, I think you get what you pay for.

[G-Ro124]

Ok, how about this. I'm a LONGGGGG time Acid user. That is what I will be switching from. How does it stack up to Acid?

The timestretching in Trackion is nowhere near as good or flexible as in ACID and it is also VERY CPU heavy to use.

ACID and Tracktion are based on the same audio-first-instead-of-MIDI principle. MIDI does not get any effects (such as volume automation) or envelopes.

If I were you, I would get ACID. If it's too expensive, we could arrange something so that I buy you the academic version ($250).

ACID is better and has more features and everything, but it's EXTREMELY heavy on CPU and does not like VSTs that much (synth VSTs, not audio effects).

[Lunch Money]

News to me that you can't use automation on a MIDI track. You must be talking about something that I'm unaware of (which is possible! I'm not a MIDI guy as I just mentioned) or you don't know what you're talking about.

He doesn't need to get ACID, he said he's a Looooonnnng time ACID user already! On that note, though-- Tracktion simply doesn't timestrech the way Acid does. You won't be mapping out your beats and loops and then thinking, "Hrm, it's 5bpm too fast" and changing it with any sort of success.

I still use my Plasma Express 2003 for throwing together drum tracks that are made from loops.

If you're done with the loops thing, or if you don't mind keeping your loops at their original tempo, you're fine. Or if you don't mind using ACID just for your loop-based tracks and then bringing them back into Tracktion, you're fine.

Greg

[pdxindy]

Basically, I find Tracktion just is not in my way much and I feel creative musically when I use it. It is very good for just recording playing (except it cannot record aftertouch which sucks)

I do wish it was better for Midi.

Most important though, try the demo and see what you think.

Live is really cool. It has been growing on me and I have been using it more.

I just live with the midi and try not to think about how I was using a sequencer a decade ago that was better. [/i]

[headquest]

As a long time Sonar user, and someone who records MIDI/VSTs 95% of the time (and vocals the other 5%) I am having trouble dealing with the limited MIDI editing. I miss my "event lists" and "staff views" and a lot of the piano roll features in Sonar.

I bet you do . Having made the transition the other way around - moving up from Tracktion (basically a good beginner program) to Sonar (a mature professional DAW), I can't really imagine how anyone could cope with switching the other way...

Other than that, though, I LOVE Tracktion. I find that using it helps me concentrate on composing and playing, capturing ideas. With Sonar I spend WAY too much time tweaking a flawed performance/idea, because I CAN. With Tracktion, I'll just record the idea again and move on!

The "Less is More" thing is certainly true, but once you've spent a short time learning Sonar, it's not exactly a difficult sequencer to use. I would say it is far more intuitive than Cubase for example (which I have also used/taught).

For audio recording in particular, Tracktion is a very good programme, and great value for money without doubt. But the results I get in Sonar are significantly better, if only because of the fantastic audio effects that Sonar has on board (such as the incredibly good Sonitus fx:suite, the Perfect Space convolution, and the Roland Variphrase V-Vocal pitch correction).

(Actualy though, the core program is also much better, giving you the precision editing of both MIDI and audio that Tracktion lacks).

Tracktion is - as I said - great value for money if you are on a budget, but if you can afford it, Sonar 5 PE will certainly massively reward the small extra investment in money and time

[IIRs]

Tracktion's MIDI is fine. You need to adjust a bit if you are used to traditional sequencers, but all the important stuff is there and the rest will be added in time.

(I have programmed LOTS of MIDI!)