Feature(s) which keep MuLab from being your primary DAW?

[heks]

I now think of MuLab as my main DAW, but I would love to start and finish projects in MuLab, but, having an old Pc, I need to freeze and importantly unfreeze track's. I tend to export midi tracks to studio one or samplitude depending on what I think I' ll need of them. I love so much about MuLab, but there are things to be desired in all DAW's. One thing I've found in Mixcraft I really like for creativity and would to see in MuLab V? is being able to set up loop points in a work/project, then record whatever your playing which is recorded to a new "sub track" the length of the loop, this loops automatically making new sub tracks, so you can keep trying different sequences/patterns over that section. Probably explained it wrong, but I just found it very useful and creative, its the only reason I can think of why I go to Mixcraft 8 (its a bit clunky and long winded to get started with, when using vst's ). The answer to wanting freezing/unfreezing is to get a new Pc, but that's not going to happen soon, (my kids just will not leave education and get job's)

[sl23]

Sorry Jo, but this is my main gripe with MuLab!

Wait note for recording is my main issue with MuLab. I've even been looking sporadically at either reason or reaper. Possibly anything else that may have this. Even tempted to go back to hardware! I can't see it being difficult to implement, but Jo is understandably reluctant as no-one else seems to want it.

If you don't know what wait note is, it's simply where pressing record arms the sequencer by pausing it and awaiting an input, either midi or audio set by db level. This activates recording by unpausing the sequencer and commences recording on the specified track.

Does anyone know of other daw that has this feature? Time is limited at present so can't try them all out. Looked at reaper and even signed up to forum to ask but didn't receive activation email and no response from emails! Very poor customer service! Big put off!

I've also found MuLab FX to be lacking at times. The low pass filter just doesn't seem to have the bite I want. Even the included preset for the 48db low pass. Tried several VST's which are just as lacking too tho. Similar issues exist with other FX too.

I find sounds I like but can't get the FX I like. Several other issues for me make MuLab strange to use compared to others. Even the ADSR is a bit odd. It doesn't behave the way I would expect. For example, when I created all those free MC909 patches, I found myself spending far too long trying to get the amp envelope to work as I wanted. Even then, I gave up and settled for an approximation as I just couldn't achieve what I was looking for. Something as basic as that shouldn'tbe so difficult. Never had that problem with hardware, it just worked.

It's a shame as I really love MuLab and it's workflow. It's intuitive for the most part. Tho I would like to see ipreviously requested mprovements to the menu system which were refused.

Lots of other little niggles are at times bothersome, but on the whole MuLab is a great achievement.

Some niggles
1 too much grey. Needs more colour options.
2 auto rack naming - just as an idea, would be good to have a table showing all racks and or tracks when renaming so it's easier to go from one to another or copy and paste from one to another.
3 grouped colouring of racks and tracks.

There are others, but offhand these are the only ones that spring to mind.

All this is just meant as constructive criticism btw no Ill will intended

[jonljacobi]

Wading through the menus is generally what sends me elsewhere.

[sl23]

Perhaps Jo should've taken my advice couple years ago and reorganised the menus as I suggested?

[sdv]

If you don't know what wait note is, it's simply where pressing record arms the sequencer by pausing it and awaiting an input, either midi or audio set by db level. This activates recording by unpausing the sequencer and commences recording on the specified track.

That would be a handy option!

Some niggles
1 too much grey. Needs more colour options.

FL Studio is in the same boat. Gray is less straining on the eyes but a little extra visual zaz would be nice.

[sl23]

Yay! After about 4 years I got a second request for it haha! It's doubtful Jo will add it anyway. Wait note is probably my most wanted feature and would make MuLab so much easier for me to use.
I just don't get on with the count in recording. I really like MuLab since the Luna days.

I like grey too. I've themed many apps to dark grey. But none are full screen so it's not too bad.

[SparkySpark]

s123, I just wonder: if you don't like all the effects, then why not use VST plugins? For example I use the free TDR Nova since I love the graphics, so there is no need for me complaining about the DAW's lowpass filters.

I don't think any DAW maker believes the users should only run their stock fx - where's the fun in that?

[SparkySpark]

Wading through the menus is generally what sends me elsewhere.

Are you a Mac user perhaps? I have been trying a modular synth for a year, and its dev hates right-click (contextual) menus, so there are none. It really drives me nuts as I use them all the time in MUX/MuLab.

But the menus in Reaper makes me shudder!

[SparkySpark]

Heks - doesn't MuLab generate new subtracks in loop recording?

[SparkySpark]

I've dropped other DAWs and now just use MuLab because its design helps me stay in my creative zone. I don't want to lose that experience, just to have another feature (that I can often make in MuLab).

+1

That said, ARA support would make working with vocals easier and that is the only reason I turn to other DAWs (as my second DAW, MuLab is still my first choice). It's funny, as soon as I try a new DAW it seems so limited compared to MuLab and a few VSTi's.

[heks]

Heks - doesn't MuLab generate new subtracks in loop recording?

I maybe doing something wrong then.
When I just tried it now, I ended up with a mess of all the notes played between the loop points that I'd play'd while looping. Mixcraft makes another subtrack the length of the loop. If there's a setting in MuLab I've missed please correct me

[sl23]

s123, I just wonder: if you don't like all the effects, then why not use VST plugins? For example I use the free TDR Nova since I love the graphics, so there is no need for me complaining about the DAW's lowpass filters.

I don't think any DAW maker believes the users should only run their stock fx - where's the fun in that?

Cos I've moved to 64 bit. All the best free plugins are 32bit. I still use 32bit Muzys for these plugins then export the pattern with FX as audio for use in MuLab.

There are some great free 64bit plugins but most aren't as good or easy to use as the older ones.

Another consideration is portability. Most 64bit plugins aren't like the old ones, they create and save files all over your system! Could never understand why devs do that. In my opinion it's sloppy. For example, yesterday I used A1 trigger gate VST, saved a preset, then I'm left wondering where the hell it's been saved! Probably in program files or maybe app data folder. But I shouldn't be looking for it, I should've been asked where to save it. Better still, it should auto save in the VST own folder! Maybe it has, I haven't checked. Point is that many VST do this and it's sloppy organisation.

Suppose you need to reinstall Windows, you have to locate all these files or you lose them! Not good when you've created 20 odd tracks relying on settings etc stored in system folders cos dev thinks it's such a great idea for some unknown reason! I see no benefit from it. As such, I avoid most VST that do this, except a select few.

It would be interesting to know why Jo chose a portable option over installation. It's a rare thing in the DAW world.

[Juan G. de Mendoza]

1 too much grey. Needs more colour options.

You can go pretty deep customizing the colors. It's not possible to get rid of the grey at 100% but enought to completelly change the visuals. I don't think it's very common to be able to go this far without PNG editing in other apps. This is done via prefference editing only

[sl23]

I don't think any DAW maker believes the users should only run their stock fx - where's the fun in that?

Lets say you choose to use only VST's, well then you miss the point of MuLab.
MuLab without MuX is a lonely proposition! MuX is MuLab's greatest strength imo..
So if the modules in MuX don't perform as you'd expect, you're left only with a sequencer.
I think you miss my point?

Though I do understand what you are trying to say, it's a very mute point.

[SparkySpark]

I don't think any DAW maker believes the users should only run their stock fx - where's the fun in that?

Lets say you choose to use only VST's, well then you miss the point of MuLab.
MuLab without MuX is a lonely proposition! MuX is MuLab's greatest strength imo..
So if the modules in MuX don't perform as you'd expect, you're left only with a sequencer.
I think you miss my point?

Though I do understand what you are trying to say, it's a very mute point.

Ah okay. Well, I use both MuLab's stock stuff and VSTis (and I guess most MuLab users at KVR do - why else would they hange around here ). Personally, I would still have chosen MuLab even without MUX because I like the piano roll and I use piano roll A LOT.

BTW, I agree with the problems relating to changes to VSTi presets/settings. A year ago I had come up with a great sound in Synthmaster, and thought it would have been saved in the MuLab project. When updating to a newer version of SM, my patch was lost, as I had never saved it as an SM preset!

I also think there are LOTS of great VSTis in 64 bit. Moving from 32 to 64 bits gave me the opportunity to get rid of a hundred VSTis that I never used anyway, so for me it was a blessing almost. The only one I miss is Majken's Chimera. I'm sure you'll find plenty of great sounding 64 bit plugins, both free and commercial.