Usine Hollyhock

Although my primary reason for seeking out this DAW was multi-touch support and ability to construct custom virtual MIDI controller, so I wouldn't need additional MIDI hardware for my touch-capable laptop (which you totally can do), it turned out that Usine Hollyhock covers my needs and way beyond that. It's a fully modular DAW with all sorts of signals to process: multi-channel audio, midi, video, DMX light, serial port, text, various external hardware sensors - you name it. And unlike max/msp or even Reaktor, it's quite easy to get in and patch what you want. lots of modules that take care of some more complex stuff you might stumble upon - like quantizers for data, triggers or whole MIDI messages, and you can make 'templates' of your own by saving sub-patches. If you can code - even better, you can use script engine to do stuff that may be more efficient to do with one script module, than a whole sub-patch.

Looking forward, in upcoming version 4 features like UI modular patching will be available, which enables VCV-rack like experience, but you can actually make your own modules in convenient way or edit existing ones, all without coding skills necessary. There's also VST Brigde that will enable perfect syncing to other DAW and passing MIDI and audio channels between them.

This is overall a very powerful and affordable DAW with great support. Recommended to anyone looking into modular environments.

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usine is a modular host , created first for live situation but it's so flexible yet It can be use for anything. It's not an host like cubase, reaper etc, so if you just want to record audio , there is a lot of host who can do this job. I actually thinking there is no limit to usine, and ( that's very important for me) it's very easy to use, whereas usine can be very complicated.
I'm not a sound designer and I don't search the most complicated sound of the world , i'm just a musicien who want to use incoming midi or audio and play with these, like I play with my instruments. I do not want to be locked up by a system of pattern ( like ableton live , a very nice software for live looping and electro music) but sometimes I need this system and usine is able to do this. Olivier Sens is the developper of this beauty and i think first a musician . you feel that when you work with usine.
Usine is unique so please try it , there is a free version !

gui:

near perfect. very clear, and very easy to use in live situation. you can do a midi learn or key learn on every control with a right clic.a lot of possibilities: grid ( like ableton live) sequencer and live (mix of both)

sound:
you can do what you want so in my opinion that's perfect.

doc:
very good . the manual is exellent, and there is a lot of tutorials

preset:
patchs and a lot of addon are present with a huge variety of sound ( from loop tools to crasy fx. If you buy it, you can access to a lot of another addon's.

support:
olivier is fantastic and the support is perfect.there is a new version each month !

value for money
forfree or 50 euros that's the best vfm I know in the market.

stabilty :

I never have a problem actually.

Usine is actually the most fantastic audio and midi soft I know.nothing more.Read Review