KVR Audio

Shazaam845 · Post by **Shazaam845** » Sat Apr 25, 2020 10:14 am

Hi there,

What's a good DAW to start with?

Making mostly synthwave

ATS · Post by **ATS** » Sat Apr 25, 2020 10:16 am

I like Studio One myself. For me it was really easy to learn.

Passing Bye · Post by **Passing Bye** » Sat Apr 25, 2020 10:26 am

Bandlab Cakewalk which is free and fully featured, on macOS Logic Pro X.

chk071 · Post by **chk071** » Sat Apr 25, 2020 10:28 am

ATS wrote: Sat Apr 25, 2020 10:16 am I like Studio One myself. For me it was really easy to learn.

Yes, +1 for that. Bit of a entry obstacle with the 400 € price tag, but, IMO, it's definitely worth it.

kvotchin · Post by **kvotchin** » Sat Apr 25, 2020 10:42 am

For synthwave in particular, I would also consider FL Studio. Maybe Bitwig too (though I haven't tried it, personally).

It depends partly on whether you need to learn about making synthwave tracks, or you're already set up and just need a DAW.

edit: If you like the workflow of Ableton (lots of people do), I'm selling a license for Live Suite 9, haha.

Anyway, just putting that out there. Honestly no idea if it's especially well suited to Synthwave.

el-bo (formerly ebow) · Sat Apr 25, 2020 10:47 am

Ableton currently has an extended demo, which will give you long enough to work out if you like the workflow. Pair that with the two month demo of Reaper, to give you the opportunity of testing out a completely different workflow. Bitwig has a 30-day demo. Other DAW also have demos, including Logic (if you happen to be on a Mac)

Watch tutorials on Youtube to help get the most out of the demo periods.

Either way, don't go spending money yet; especially on the opinions of other folk on the internet. It's not that they're wrong, per se, it's just that workflow is such a personal thing. I'm not saying to ignore advice, either. Just don't rush into it. Between demos and cut-down versions, you could be making decent music for years before having to commit.

All DAW are great tools. You just need to find what fits

jamcat · Post by **jamcat** » Sat Apr 25, 2020 10:56 am

That's the wrong question.
You should find the DAW to STICK with.
Most DAWs have demo versions or free light versions.
Try them all until you find one that works for you.

The reason I say this is because there is a lot of investment in learning any DAW, and a lot of investment in creating music in one. The more songs you create in a DAW, the more you are tied down to it. You don't want to be in the position of having to rebuild all of your songs in a new DAW a year from now.

I'm in the Studio One camp, myself.
It's one you can start with AND stick with.
But you need to see for yourself.
What works for me may not work for you.

Personally, I feel like Studio One is geared towards musicians who play instruments and want to get their ideas down as quick and with as few obstacles as possible. It excels at that. But if you want to use a lot of software aids to make music, things like auto-arpeggiators and modulation matrices and other things that will make your tracks for you, then Studio One might not be what you're looking for.

3lu5iv3 · Post by **3lu5iv3** » Sat Apr 25, 2020 12:57 pm

For me definitely REAPER.
It supports Windows, macOS and Linux.

starflakeprj · Post by **starflakeprj** » Sat Apr 25, 2020 5:18 pm

I would also go for Studio One. It works just as expected. If I would have started with FL Studio or Reaper, it would have taken me far longer to get into composing and producing, as none of them are really streamlined. But since I've learned Studio One, I think other DAW's are easier to learn.

Edit: Most tutorials on YouTube seem to be FL Studio, Ableton Live or Logic though.

Distorted Horizon · Post by **Distorted Horizon** » Sat Apr 25, 2020 5:51 pm

Start with something free.. Cakewalk, tracktion7..

Kongru · Post by **Kongru** » Sat Apr 25, 2020 5:54 pm

chk071 wrote: Sat Apr 25, 2020 10:28 am
ATS wrote: Sat Apr 25, 2020 10:16 am I like Studio One myself. For me it was really easy to learn.
Yes, +1 for that. Bit of a entry obstacle with the 400 € price tag, but, IMO, it's definitely worth it.

Splice Rent to Own for $16.99 a month or $160ish on marketplace.

fedexnman · Post by **fedexnman** » Sat Apr 25, 2020 6:01 pm

I'd get Waveform11 ( Free ) version , and go to Native Instruments site and get Komplete Start ( free ) and start from there . Also Ableton Live is doing free Live10suite trial for bunchs of days , I think till end of May ? , but it'll time out and youll have to pay up after that .

dermichl · Post by **dermichl** » Sat Apr 25, 2020 6:17 pm

3lu5iv3 wrote: Sat Apr 25, 2020 12:57 pm For me definitely REAPER.
It supports Windows, macOS and Linux.

„Making synthwave mostly“ does sound like Midi to me which is not what I consider to be a strength of R...
But on the other hand R has even been suggested over Cubasis for iPad recently. So who knows what else R is capable of...

dermichl · Post by **dermichl** » Sun Apr 26, 2020 5:12 am

to be a little bit more on topic:
which OS you‘re on?
have you already considered a workflow (linear from intro to outro or rather clip based)?
do you want to stay in-the-box (using plug ins) or do you have hardware to control?
your answers will guide your search and choice.

elxsound · Post by **elxsound** » Sun Apr 26, 2020 5:35 am

Distorted Horizon wrote: Sat Apr 25, 2020 5:51 pm Start with something free.. Cakewalk, tracktion7..

This... Cakewalk (Bandlab) And if you're on a Mac, there's Garage Band (or Tracktion)

IMO, its important to find/develop your own workflow and then choose a DAW. As you'll see here, everyone is going to recommend every DAW out there (and some more enthusiastically than others).

Another route that I saw work very well for someone was that they had a favorite producer and simply invested in the same tools. They're doing their own thing (own style) now, but that method works too.

Just don't leave it up to a bunch or random suggestions. You'll be wasting lots of time trying them, buying and selling, switching again and then more of the same without making real progress.

Otherwise, good luck.

Good DAW to start with.