Waveform Pro

DISCLAIMER
This user review will not be comprehensive; It will be my impression and reaction to the evolution of Tracktion. .. and my journey with this DAW.

THEN
Tracktion Waveform Pro 12 is the most recent version of a DAW that has been around since 2002, initially developed by a cat named Julien in the UK. I first bought a copy when Mackie took it over. I loved it, mainly for the one-screen, straightforward, transparent layout. It seemed way ahead of its time at the time. Eventually, it became a bit buggy, and updates were infrequent (one word). I moved on to other DAWs (a story in itself).
Years later, Tracktion reappeared! The original developer reacquired the software and resurrected it from the ashes like a phoenix. I kept an eye on development and occasionally launched it. I even reviewed a version along the way with an add-on synth called BioTek. Although I did not entirely switch back to Tracktion, it remained special and unique, standing apart from competitors due to its one-screen layout and Workflow.

NOW
Wow! Traction Waveform has evolved into a workstation beast! This DAW is designed to be fast, efficient, and creative. It delivers all the tools needed for music production, especially when working in electronic music. I realize we are dealing with audio, but it helps when the software looks good and Waveform looks marvelous. It is crisp and clean but not bloated and cluttered. Much work went into the interface to provide users easy access to tools without sacrificing the streamlined approach.

MY FAV Features:

• Gorgeous Interface.
• Intuitive, Musical Workflow.
• Fast programming via MIDI and Step Clip.
• Powerful FX Rack.
• Micro Drum Sampler.
• Micro Sampler.
• Melodyne Integration.
• Antares Auto-Tune Access.
• CPU Efficient.
• Responsive Support Team.
• Price.

SUMMARY
Tracktion Waveform does what other DAWs do but uniquely. It has a sleek, ultra-modern IU and provides a slick workflow. For music producers who are new to DAWs, they will be able to dive in, explore, learn, and make music. Music producers migrating from another DAW must be more patient as this software behaves differently. They may need to adapt before uncovering the wonder of Waveform's Workflow. I highly recommend this workstation for anyone in electronic music production who is tired of the usual big box offerings and wants something ultra-modern, inspirational, and musical. The Price is relatively cheap for what it offers, and the free version has many features and no track limitations. Users can start with the free version and then add features they need for a reasonable price.

No visual noise.No prison feeling (as with Bitwig). No dinosaur feeling (as with Reaper UI).A little dated but very friendly user manual.

No CLAP support. Broken updates.

Pro is in use.

It's a great DAW, I have tried it and change from my old DAW to wave form 12. There are some things that I would improve to make it perfect, but as it is, it's really great.

I started recording in 2020. After purchasing an audio interface, mic, and some monitors, I researched DAWs. Having spent years in broadcasting I was familiar with a lot of the concepts used in DAWs so I decided to try as many free products as I could find.

My first download was Audacity. When I found that I couldn't use third-party VSTs, that was the end of that. I downloaded and started playing with Reason and Studio One but finally decided to go with the leader, Pro Tools. It took me about two minutes to realize that I would never be happy with any Avid product. It did, however, give me a frame-of-reference.

There were other, lesser-known DAWs that I downloaded and tried. Finally, I downloaded the free version of Traction Waveform.

I immediately got a "good vibe" from the product.

It made sense to my brain. It was more intuitive than anything I had tried.

So I stuck with Waveform.

The longer I used it, the more features I discovered and the more I was able to do.

After about six months I purchased Waveform Pro and discovered a bunch of great virtual instruments. I love the fact that their "left-to-right" architecture is so simple and so efficient. No rack-wiring or convoluted set-up. As fast as you can re-arrange plug-ins, you can hear the changes.

I'm all in with Tracktion Waveform. I can't imagine an easier-to-use, more feature-packed, DAW.

I just bought Waveform 12 pro after having not used it for several years on recommendation from a close friend. I always thought "Tracktion" had a unique workflow that while being different, also had its own charm. A few quirks kept me from upgrading for a couple of versions but this one has been wonderful. I am able to use all of my CPU hungry plugins without getting hickups or stutters. It handles both audio and MIDI very smoothly now and I'm not getting crashes like I was before. I love the customizable interface and you can really work without tons of clutter around you. I am running Windows 11 with an intel i5 8400 and 16 GB of RAM for what its worth.