Tracktion really is...

[Joseph Burrell]

A freaking godsend.

On a whim a month or so ago, I took the plunge with the demo (subsequently buying it.) It was sooooo easy to get started. It took me a little while to figure out the racks and why I was getting distortion on playback (routing properly when using the racks was the problem.)

Lately, I've been looking through KVR and noticed the other hosts people are in love with. I took FL Studio for a drive. Its neat, I'll give it that, but good lord is it hard to do anything in there. Its very counter-intuative to a midi person like myself. I can see, though, for beat making, why you'd like it.

exT? Not gonna happen. Sorry for those of you that love it. I couldn't figure it out for the life of me.

Still want to give Orion a shot, since I've yet to try it. But I'm kind of thinking there's not going to be anything that beats Tracktion for shear ease of use.

It just amazes me how easy Tracktion was to pick up and play. I really don't think there's anything like it on the market. I'm just hoping it gets even better in version 2. If the midi improves, the hung notes dissapear, etc., I'm a happy man. Looks like I'm sticking with Tracktion.

[djsubject]

Me 2

[M'Snah]

exT? Not gonna happen. Sorry for those of you that love it. I couldn't figure it out for the life of me.

... but after you figure it out !!!... you don't know yet what you're missing Tracktion is cool for multi track audio, and offers some functionality for MIDI. eXT offers multi track audio and a complete toolkit for MIDI.

--HansM

[haydxn]

yeah i imagine you may figure out eXT one day (i did!) but it's only "the sequencer of choice" for some. i love energyXT, but i can't stand it as a sequencer. personally. at the moment. i just use it as a toolkit. but an amazing and indispensable one.

[headquest]

I think of eXT as an "underground" ptogram, and that has its own appeal for some of course.

But Tracktion is breaking out into the mainstream now, whic is something I can't see eXT doing.

eXT has its own Logic, but I think Tracktion can bring music production to the masses. I know plently of musicians who are phobic about technology, but who instantly "get" Tracktion. I can't see eXT ever having that impact.

And with features like PDC and Freeze, Tracktion has already laid down a real challenge to the big players.

[NAS]

I think complete interface customization is a logical direction that EXT may go in (This is the norm now with most grafix programs) ,If this happens then who knows if it could go to the mainstream or not ,EXT has a much steeper visual learning curve for the beginner but that is all ,Any program that is used regurlarly will become second nature so little GUI quirks shouldn't really be a critical factor (Even though i always have to run a different GUI on EXT myself) ,I think the big seller for me with T was that i could use the program fully and very quickly without learning any keyboard shortcuts or arcane menu driven multipages ,I have to be honest though and although i will probably upgrade to T2 in the future i dont see any features so far that will help me to stop using EXT and FL ,As mentioned by some one else earlier EXT is just so good when you use it with T as a utility toolbox (With the second best sampler available built in) and for the money Jorgen asks i really think everyone should own it.

[M'Snah]

I think of eXT as an "underground" ptogram, and that has its own appeal for some of course.

But Tracktion is breaking out into the mainstream now, whic is something I can't see eXT doing.

You may be right, but: ... I don't really care. Not trying to piss you off here, but I use eXT because I it helps me to create music. Just like Tracktion can do, I have both. I don't really care which program will be mainstream, I care which one helps me best.

--HansM

[jens]

I think of eXT as an "underground" ptogram, and that has its own appeal for some of course.

But Tracktion is breaking out into the mainstream now, whic is something I can't see eXT doing.

I disagree - eXT currently lacks a proper manual and some kind of preconfigured sequencer-template that's all. eXT's sequencer is great!!!

[headquest]

I wasn't quite clear about why I think T2 will break into the mainstream... it's because of its ease of use (among other things).

Let me give you an example. When I downloaded eXT my initial reaction was "huh ". So I spent some time working a few bits out (and I found a tutorial in an old CM magazine to help me get started) and began to get the hang of it.

Then I showed it to a couple of my students... who said "huh " and a couple of musician friends who also said "huh ".

To find mainstream acceptance I think a program needs more of an "instant gratification" factor. This doesn't make it a better program for power users like you, Jens - and I totally respect both eXT as a powerful program and you as a user of it .

You are right about having a paper manual too - that would help. As would a decent start-up screen (in sequencer/project view?). A box would also help . To really go mainstream software needs to be available from your local music/PC store in a box, with a manual, and be quick to initially get started with. I would cite Fruityloops as a program that has successfully made that transition from a freeware internet download to a high-street name.

In the educational market, where I work, having a box and manual are also key selling-points. Schools in my experience don't like download programs as a rule - they want a box and an invoice! And teachers are often quite fobic about learning new software and want really easy steps for learning it themselves and teaching it to others.

But breaking into the educational market is a key factor I think in establishing a program's ongoing success. My students love Tracktion and some have already bought the 1.6 download. Others will no doubt buy the boxed v.2. In the sameway that Cubase's success in marketing to schools has led to its' success as a household name and home studio favourite, Tracktion can position itself to do the same for the new generation. I really hope Mackie will pick up on this opportunity.

So none of that is to knock eXT - and I can understand those who use eXT within Tracktion as well, for the added functionality it brings. I personally chose not to pay for and keep eXT, because I tend towards the "less-is-more" philosophy and I already have Tracktion, Reason and Audition in my regular workflow.

[flanneljammies]

I've taken a look at the eXt site and tried to look at some of the documentation. I can't really wrap my head around what it actually does, or better, how I'D use it: I'm using Stepchild a bit and I haven' used a sampler yet, but I imagine that the T version will meet my limited needs when I do...

My question a the moment is will T2 enhancements supercede my "need" for eXt? eXt users: help me understand. Don't say it's a "MIDI toolkit" and a "modular environment." I don' know what that means?!?

[jens]

eXT is a powerful sampler, it's an arpeggiator, it's a step-sequencer, it's a beat-slicer, it's a full-blown sequencer (just as Tracktion)

Also it is a modular enviroment where you can connect/combine pretty-much everything with everything.
(similar to rack-filters)

You can use eXT in standalone-mode or you can load it in another sequencer.

[cbit]

if i was marketing eXT i would call it a sequencer (and then mention that there's a bunch of extra 'roles' it can play too). I see the "what is eXT" question repeated very often.. the confusion seems to be quite a factor in preventing new users from trying it (combined with the lack of an immediate 'familiar sequencer' screen once it's opened for the first time).

[M'Snah]

[...]huh [...] huh [...] huh

What country are you from? There seems to be a lot of huh'ing going on at your place.

IMO You're right though, Tracktion is straightforward and easy to use. But eXT is soooo much fun to use.

It's like comparing a keyboard to a synthesizer. A keyboard is great to get started, and in many cases it's all you ever need. But a synthesizer lets you create your own sounds...

--HansM

[jens]

if i was marketing eXT i would call it a sequencer (and then mention that there's a bunch of extra 'roles' it can play too). I see the "what is eXT" question repeated very often.. the confusion seems to be quite a factor in preventing new users from trying it (combined with the lack of an immediate 'familiar sequencer' screen once it's opened for the first time).

agreed - that's why I keep posting eXT-screenshots

[rpc9943]

i think i'd be using eXT if i didnt get tracktion first. Awesome looking. But its not for me

How the hell did ext suddenly take over a T thread?

RoNC