What Recording Software Will You Be Upgrading?

[Tim Smith]

I don't know what got into me the other evening. I upgraded my Ableton to Live 11 Standard from Live 10 standard. I almost went with the suite, but since I had a bunch of plugins I decided  I didn't need it. Not long ago I updated Cubase.

Studio One 6 isn't real appealing to me TBH.

[daveiv]

I'll be upgrading Reaper from 5.67 to 5.68, and it's a free upgrade!

[Bapu]

I will update or upgrade everything I own that is on offer (when the price is right, i.e. a sale or intro price).

That means:
CbB (done, free)
Studio One 6 (done)
Cubase (done)
Digital Performer (done)
Reaper (done, free)
Mixbus/Mixbus 32C (done)
ProTools (done)
Reason (done)
Logic (not until I have an M1 based Mac. My Mac is too old)

What I've abandoned updating:
Mixcraft
Samplitude
 

 

Edited October 13, 2022 by Bapu

[craigb]

I found that updating one thing was a gateway drug to updating everything!

[57Gregy]

Go ahead. The first one is free.

[AndyB01]

I looked at S1 6 - can't justify it as I mainly use CbB these days, so decided to upgrade my ancient cans and audio interface instead. 

Don't neglect the hardware. 🙂

Andy

[Bapu]

32 minutes ago, AndyB01 said:

Don't neglect the hardware. 🙂

Andy

 

Yerp!

 

[InstrEd]

For my more simple needs now  I realized CbB and Mixcraft Pro 9 work for me.  Presonus S1-6 might get updated when on sale.  I like it for the chord track but if CbB comes out with one that is usable for my needs I might pass.   

 

[Sheens]

nothing anytime soon probably.

upgraded Sonar X1 to X2 and X3 which both I could have skipped.

10 year old Medion budget Windows 7 PC with RME PCI express card runs with 0 probs (since it's not connected to Internet, virus software, windows update all removed).

for me (just a few light plugins) it's approx. as fast (or faster ?) as a 2022 Thunderbolt3 or a MAC

(my total roundtrip latency 1.4msec)

 

Edited October 13, 2022 by Sheens

[Rain]

My computer is the next thing I'll upgrade. My iMac turned 8 a few days ago. And I dread the software updates and plug-in installations that will follow. I have not updated any of that stuff in years.

In fact, I still have my old 2010 MacBook Pro on which I reinstalled the original OS a few years ago - it's running Logic 9 beautifully. And Logic 9 itself does pretty much everything I need it to do. If not for a few plug-in instruments that I can't install and run on that platform, I would be happy with that rig for ages to come. 

Edited October 14, 2022 by Rain

[Tim Smith]

20 hours ago, Bapu said:

I will update or upgrade everything I own that is on offer (when the price is right, i.e. a sale or intro price).

That means:
CbB (done, free)
Studio One 6 (done)
Cubase (done)
Digital Performer (done)
Reaper (done, free)
Mixbus/Mixbus 32C (done)
ProTools (done)
Reason (done)
Logic (not until I have an M1 based Mac. My Mac is too old)

What I've abandoned updating:
Mixcraft
Samplitude
 

 

Honestly I don't use the software enough for me to even consider owning that many recording programs. If I had a paying studio, then yeah maybe then. I tried Reason and didn't get on with it. Same with Reaper. I knew I could get Reaper to do anything I wanted it to do, but the time involved for me to learn it was prohibitive. 

Mixcraft mostly just lays on my hard drive unused. 

CbB is tough to beat for workflow and has come a Long way since the X days and before. 

I have been known to upgrade Studio One every time it was offered. This time was a little different though. Not much of an upgrade for me. Maybe next cycle. If SO was my main DAW I would seriously consider the subscription.Why not? You probably spend the same or less in the long run and get all of the other percs. I am not that invested in the program and if they don't continue to offer us upgraders a decent deal, I'll fade away from SO.

It's odd, but sometimes one DAW will work for me at getting things done better than another will. Sometimes that DAW is CbB. Other times it's Ableton or Cubase...I can't really explain why they don't all always fit. I made a jazz recording the other day on a whim and in Ableton and it just all worked right away. I got a drum and a rhythm guitar going and the rest seemed very easy. I didn't bother to change keys or do anything extremely  complicated, but I know I could have in Ableton. Where some might pull up band-in-a-box for backup, I can pull a band up in Ableton probably faster. 

For many of these DAWs the ecosystem around them can make things easier. My rating for Studio One so far as accompaniment material is I think they are sub par and the included instruments are nothing special. CbB comes with some decent material to get started. Material and instruments that come with Cubase are a good value

For lack of a better way to say this, some DAWs do have a 'sound' to my ears. Ableton is softer, SO is in the middle and CbB seems in contrast to be more up front. Technically the sound engines are all supposed to be the same, but I think they way the DAWs are made creates a certain feel. I find that with CbB mixes I need to always be toning down harsh frequencies. Things begin in the mixer 'up front' and have to be notched back and track volume can easily get out of control when adding sends to efx. Reaper OTOH seems to be more neutral in this respect.  There was a time when I would have argued against this point but I can HEAR the difference.

I am usually later to the party with upgrades, I mean Ableton 11 has been out for what 2 years? But since I have a controller that maps well to it I am finding I like to use it for some things. The main thing with Ableton is is isn't logically laid out the way most other DAWs are, nothing the average person can't figure out. Especially with all of the training info online.

 

[Tim Smith]

8 hours ago, Rain said:

My computer is the next thing I'll upgrade. My iMac turned 8 a few days ago. And I dread the software updates and plug-in installations that will follow. I have not updated any of that stuff in years.

In fact, I still have my old 2010 MacBook Pro on which I reinstalled the original OS a few years ago - it's running Logic 9 beautifully. And Logic 9 itself does pretty much everything I need it to do. If not for a few plug-in instruments that I can't install and run on that platform, I would be happy with that rig for ages to come. 

You know I have to admit the new M Macs are impressive and when my old laptop goes belly up, it might be tempting to go that route and use it like a desktop.

Logic would be an obvious choice to have around, For only 200 quid to get in, why not? There is also Reaper, Studio One, Cubase and Ableton.

I wonder how easy a DAW file transfers between platforms? IOW if I took a Cubase file made in a PC and wanted to continue to work on it in a Mac?

[Bapu]

On 10/14/2022 at 6:08 AM, Tim Smith said:

I wonder how easy a DAW file transfers between platforms? IOW if I took a Cubase file made in a PC and wanted to continue to work on it in a Mac?

I've only done this with ProTools and Studio One and in both cases they worked flawlessly. I have not null tested the mixdowns, but that less of an important test to me than does every plugin work.

Edited October 16, 2022 by Bapu

[Sheens]

On 10/13/2022 at 5:54 PM, Bapu said:

I will update or upgrade everything I own that is on offer (when the price is right, i.e. a sale or intro price).

That means:
CbB (done, free)
Studio One 6 (done)
Cubase (done)
Digital Performer (done)
Reaper (done, free)
Mixbus/Mixbus 32C (done)
ProTools (done)
Reason (done)
Logic (not until I have an M1 based Mac. My Mac is too old)

What I've abandoned updating:
Mixcraft
Samplitude
 

 

Has you tested if the West Coast electric power infrastructure could handle a simultanious VST Scan ?

And the global internet survived a simultanious backup/scan online ya ?

 

Edited October 14, 2022 by Sheens

[abacab]

On 10/13/2022 at 11:01 AM, daveiv said:

I'll be upgrading Reaper from 5.67 to 5.68, and it's a free upgrade!

FYI: v6.68 is the current Reaper version. 😉

[daveiv]

Just now, abacab said:

FYI: v6.68 is the current Reaper version. 😉

Oldies but goldies.

[Tezza]

11 hours ago, Tim Smith said:

For lack of a better way to say this, some DAWs do have a 'sound' to my ears. Ableton is softer, SO is in the middle and CbB seems in contrast to be more up front. Technically the sound engines are all supposed to be the same, but I think they way the DAWs are made creates a certain feel. I find that with CbB mixes I need to always be toning down harsh frequencies. Things begin in the mixer 'up front' and have to be notched back and track volume can easily get out of control when adding sends to efx. Reaper OTOH seems to be more neutral in this respect.  There was a time when I would have argued against this point but I can HEAR the difference.

I find this to be true for me as well, despite all the internet posts scattered everywhere saying they are all exactly the same, the null police. VST instruments sound different to me in different DAW's. 

I've just upgraded to Cubase 12 and will probably stick with that now, since the dongles gone, it means I can use it on the laptop as well. I think there is something for specializing in one DAW that suits you and really learning how to use it rather than jumping between DAW's but different workflows suit different people. I've sort of got used to Cubase now, despite some of it's weirdness. Also, since I still use the UR44, that integrates well with Cubase and provides me with compression and eq through the UR44 before it hits the DAW with zero latency and also a nice reverb to monitor with, from the hardware with no latency. This is really important to me for vocals, but it might not be as important to others.

I also just upgraded the computer finally, so maybe I can experiment with through the DAW monitoring a bit. Not quite finished yet but preparing the projects and software etc to transfer over. The only thing I can see coming is a preamp that would run into the UR44 line inputs, so then I would have a dedicated decent preamp but still running into the UR44 so I keep all the goodies that provides as well.

So many things in the chain, what is going to provide the best bang for buck?  That's an idea for another thread.

Edited October 15, 2022 by Tezza

[hockeyjx]

12 hours ago, Tezza said:

I've just upgraded to Cubase 12 and will probably stick with that now, since the dongles gone, it means I can use it on the laptop as well.

FINALLY???? Cubase piqued my interest a few times, but I did not want a dongle(still don't!).

Dongle Free Since '03!

[abacab]

1 hour ago, hockeyjx said:

Cubase piqued my interest a few times, but I did not want a dongle(still don't!).

Same here, as I went looking for a new DAW when Gibson dropped Cakewalk. Ended up with a crossgrade to Studio One Pro, as that Cubase dongle was a showstopper for me. I did the trial of Cubase Elements without the dongle, and it would have been fine for me if I could have had the full version without the dongle as well.

Oh well, too late! Not going to switch again!

 

Edited October 15, 2022 by abacab

[Grem]

On 10/13/2022 at 11:46 AM, AndyB01 said:

Don't neglect the hardware.

Can't stress this enough. I went for years with $100 audio interfaces. When I finally got a good one, it was like night and day.

And the funny thing is when I was younger I would buy my guitars and amps with the thought of get the best I could afford. Why? You get what you pay for!! Somehow that didn't occur to me till much latter in the DAW game!!

 

As far as upgrading my DAW I always keep CW updated when they come out with a new version. They have been really exceptional with what the CW team has been doing since the Roland/Gibson fiasco.

I also keep Reaper up to date.

I also have SO, but I wait till the sales to upgrade it.

I own no other DAW.

I keep reaching for CW because when I try to do something in another DAW I get frustrated and just say the heck with it and go back to CW because I know it so well. I do like some of the things in Reaper and SO though. They keep drawing me backin!!