DAW with a "human" workflow?

[fluffy_little_something]

Today I noticed how much my current DAW (Mulab) actually reduces my fun at making music. It is very pattern-based and the whole workflow is just not mine. It was my first DAW and I kind of stuck with it for years because it is compact and cheap. The developer is a great guy and everything, but I have come to the conclusion that it is just not for me.

So, what are the most human and intuitive DAWs for older people, if you get what I mean? I am not interested in zillions of features, but a solid, more or less basic DAW for live recording and easy editing of MIDI parts (my timing sucks, playing to the metronome is a real challenge for me).

I also have an ancient FL license, have not tried it in years, though. Since the upgrade would be free, is it worth trying? I vaguely remember that I did not like it years ago. VST handling for instance was odd.

I still have Mixcraft as a second DAW, but I don't like all the 32-bit junk it installs. The fonts in the browser are so small I can't read stuff.

So?

[Beazlebug]

Renoise? it's a completely different way of doing things but what I like is it's not so reliant on mouse clicking. Obviously if you've never used it before it can be challenging, but once you 'get it' the workflow beats anything else. I own FL, Studio one and Tracktion which are all good but for really getting into what you're doing its way faster.

[fluffy_little_something]

It sure does look challenging

[thecontrolcentre]

I find Live is quick, intuitive and easy to get things done in. The session view makes recording 'live' a breeze. I'm old like you

[Beazlebug]

It's a challenge well worth taking! some good tutorials on youtube: - for starters
I was pretty daunted by it when I first tried it but you'll be surprised how quickly you pick it up. and it can do some awesome stuff. The midi is very tight, probably the best IMHO.

[antoniaz]

[quote="fluffy_little_something"]Today I noticed how much my current DAW (Mulab) actually reduces my fun at making music. It is very pattern-based and the whole workflow is just not mine. It was my first DAW and I kind of stuck with it for years because it is compact and cheap. The developer is a great guy and everything, but I have come to the conclusion that it is just not for me.

So, what are the most human and intuitive DAWs for older people, if you get what I mean? I am not interested in zillions of features, but a solid, more or less basic DAW for live recording and easy editing of MIDI parts (my timing sucks, playing to the metronome is a real challenge for me).

I also have an ancient FL license, have not tried it in years, though. Since the upgrade would be free, is it worth trying? I vaguely remember that I did not like it years ago. VST handling for instance was odd.

I still have Mixcraft as a second DAW, but I don't like all the 32-bit junk it installs. The fonts in the browser are so small I can't read stuff.

So? :hihi:[/quote]

Take a look at MultitrackStudio (http://www.multitrackstudio.com), it could meet your requirements. I tried virtually all DAWs in recent years and still MTS is one that I prefer in many cases. Stock instruments are basic, stock effects are quite nice but the GUI concept and the workflow are unique. You must add some external plugin of course.

[ero]

Try theese, both are human to me:

https://www.tracktion.com/products/t5-daw
https://shop.presonus.com/products/stud ... ne-3-Prime

Good luck!

[fluffy_little_something]

Take a look at MultitrackStudio (http://www.multitrackstudio.com), it could meet your requirements. I tried virtually all DAWs in recent years and still MTS is one that I prefer in many cases. Stock instruments are basic, stock effects are quite nice but the GUI concept and the workflow are unique. You must add some external plugin of course.

Never heard of it, but it looks promising. Will try it, such a tiny download

It seems to disable plugins' own shortcuts and redirects me to wrong folders.
Nor have I figured out yet how to keep a plugin sounding after closing its GUI.

[fluffy_little_something]

I find Live is quick, intuitive and easy to get things done in. The session view makes recording 'live' a breeze. I'm old like you

The entry version is within my financial scope. What does the limitatin "16 Audio and MIDI tracks with 8 scenes" mean? Say, I have a synth track, are associated automation tracks included? 16 full tracks should be enough for my needs, I want to keep things light, anyway

[Funkybot's Evil Twin]

I find Studio One to be the easiest one for me to make sense of. It stays out of my way and lets me work quickly with a relatively small learning curve. That said, the MIDI side of things has left me frustrated more than once as has the tempo window and lack of a mixer undo. So it's all about balance IMO.

Try it out too. You can usually find a secondhand license on these forums for a good price if you decide you like it.

[thecontrolcentre]

I find Live is quick, intuitive and easy to get things done in. The session view makes recording 'live' a breeze. I'm old like you

The entry version is within my financial scope. What does the limitatin "16 Audio and MIDI tracks with 8 scenes" mean? Say, I have a synth track, are associated automation tracks included? 16 full tracks should be enough for my needs, I want to keep things light, anyway

Scenes in Live are arrangements of clips in the session view. A limit of 8 scenes means you can have 8 different 'sections' triggered by a mouse click. The full version has no limits.

[GaryG]

I find Live is quick, intuitive and easy to get things done in. The session view makes recording 'live' a breeze. I'm old like you

The entry version is within my financial scope. What does the limitatin "16 Audio and MIDI tracks with 8 scenes" mean? Say, I have a synth track, are associated automation tracks included? 16 full tracks should be enough for my needs, I want to keep things light, anyway

Automation isn't included, you could have 16 tracks of recorded audio or 16 tracks of midi synths and drums or a mixture of the two, up to a max of 16.

As TCC said, scenes are clips of audio or midi. Each track can have eight (in Live Intro) and you choose which plays with the mouse or something like a Launchpad. An example; say you're using drum loops for your drum track, you could load up eight loops on a single track then switch between them as necessary (intro, verse, fill1, chorus etc...) You can record your 'performance' into the arrange view to build up a part.

And I know this makes me a total sleazeball but I was planning on selling my copy of Live Intro if your interested...

[V0RT3X]

https://www.apple.com/logic-pro/

[aMUSEd]

Today I noticed how much my current DAW (Mulab) actually reduces my fun at making music. It is very pattern-based and the whole workflow is just not mine. It was my first DAW and I kind of stuck with it for years because it is compact and cheap. The developer is a great guy and everything, but I have come to the conclusion that it is just not for me.

So, what are the most human and intuitive DAWs for older people, if you get what I mean? I am not interested in zillions of features, but a solid, more or less basic DAW for live recording and easy editing of MIDI parts (my timing sucks, playing to the metronome is a real challenge for me).

I also have an ancient FL license, have not tried it in years, though. Since the upgrade would be free, is it worth trying? I vaguely remember that I did not like it years ago. VST handling for instance was odd.

I still have Mixcraft as a second DAW, but I don't like all the 32-bit junk it installs. The fonts in the browser are so small I can't read stuff.

So?

For me Tracktion and Bitwig, although I also use Logic and Live for their instruments and effects (although Live is so cumbersome now). But Tracktion and Bitwig are the most intuitive, human and creativity inducing for me. In particular the background recorder in Tracktion is brilliant because I can just play stuff without having to think consciously about it but if I like it I can still get a recorded version.

Never got into Renoise, have tried to get it several times but I just don't know where to even start with it - to me trackers seem the least human - sort of like overcomplicated spreadsheets meet the matrix.

[fluffy_little_something]

I remember trying Tracktion some time ago, like a year or so. It was rather buggy and didn't feel solid and mature.