Multiple DAW user? Why?

[Mark Kaufman]

It takes a long time to really get to know a DAW. I am finally feeling like I know about half of what Cubase has to offer, and it took a long time.Most of us seem to agree that all the DAWs do a good job...it's usually a matter of learning one and getting comfortable with it.My question is for those of you who work with several different DAWs. Do you choose different DAWs for different jobs? Or do you usually settle on one in particular?

[mazz]

The only other DAW I've used besides Digital Performer is Live. If I were doing more electronica stuff right now, I'd use it more because I think it works really well for that. That's not to say that it can't be used for anything but it seems to me to be really suited for electronica/dance type music. I've used Reason a lot too but I wouldn't classify that as a DAW since it can't record audio tracks.BTW: I've been using Digital Performer for years and there's functions I've never accessed. With modern DAWs being so complex and having so many features, there's typically more than one way to achieve the desired result so if you know half of what your DAW can do, I'd say you're doing pretty good!!!Just my 2c.Gmin7Mazz

[flood]

I work with a couple DAW's.I use Sony Acid for composing. I know it is not considered "big boy" stuff, and is used by many folks who make loop-based music, and it excels at working with loops. I rarely use loops, though.I bought it because it was cheap, had plenty of features and the workflow strongly resembled what I am accustomed to in Pro Tools. I had planned to move on to Sonar, but haven't really felt the need to. I feel like I get everything I want from Acid.I use Pro Tools as a finishing daw for my acid work. I have used Pro Tools since 1990 or so, when it was a 2 track program called Sound Designer (think I got that right). I have grown with it over the years and it is almost an extension of me, it seems. It also is where I have the bulk of my high dollar plug ins, including many from Waves, which are stellar for finishing work like mastering.It is also nice to be able to check levels and playback in multiple daws. Each have their strong points and I seem to be able to hear (or see) things in one that aren't immediately apparent in the other.

[ernstinen]

I use Digital Performer for sequencing, and ProTools for mastering. --- Since I'm not recording tracks much, when I do I use an ADAT! Just recorded my first pop song on that sucker in a long time, and it really does sound great!BUT, I'm in the process of upping the RAM in my Pro Tools PC in order to record more live tracks.To answer your question, WHY use multiple DAW's? Because I've used Performer on a Mac since, oh, 1939 , and know it like the back of my hand. And I LIKE Pro Tools for mastering, because of all the plugins that are PC-based.There ya go! Ern

[silvercord]

I use Reason for making midi stuff and inputting loops that i make on my own via Recycyle...i use Adobe Audition for recording in, plug ins, mixing down and mastering...since i have been using it back to cool edit...i just havea hang for it...same with reason...i hate to call myself an old dog..as i try to learn new tricks..but yeahi really would love to learn a new piece of software.....so many good ones out there!

[mojobone]

Traction for tracking, editing and mixing; Ableton Live for loop-based stuff and remixes. But I'm looking into Reaper for comping tracks, I think it's more flexible than T3.

[ibanez468]

I mentioned awhile back that, yes, I have used different DAWs for the different things that they do. At that time some things were easier to do in one DAW that wasn't quite as easy to do in another, or else I was having problems accomplishing something in one, that was never a problem to accomplish in another.Sonar 5.0 could get "funky" with ME, sometimes. So when that happened, I'd open up Cubase LE or Tracktion 2 and bring my files in one of those and work. Then there were times that I'd get ta' workin' in Tracktion 2, and I'd get comfortabe with that and most of the plug-ins and the relative "ease of use", and I'd fool around with that for a period of time. It was cool. I still intend to re-install it on my new comp, just haven't gotten around to it yet.But I spent the majority of my time getting to know ACID 5.0 because for me, it was easier than all of them. While I didn't use it for recording audio or MIDI, I found it extremely easy to use when putting together a mix. I'd just import all of my audio tracks to a tune, and spend a coupla' hours mixing & editing, etc... Was just flat out easy! The latest issue of Recording magazine gives it a great review, so I know I won't regret having purchased 6.0. I've also logged a great deal of hours with Reason as well. Another easy, IMO, program to work with. Once you get the jist of how it works, you can really fly. And you get to work with a really cool virtual mixing board, which I think is a blast (it resembles my Mackie 1604VLZ very much). Mazz always makes some very good points about working with actual mixing boards. I'm glad I did prior to dealing with all of the new DAWs. Definitely translates well from one instance to the other.Now I have Sonar 7, Acid 6.0, and Reason 4.0. I'm tryin' my best to just stick with one for the moment. Sonar 7 is the one that I'm currently working with. And even though it gets a little "funky" on me from time to time, I've decided to just stick it out, and get through the quirkiness, and find a way to overcome it. I've managed to figure out a few things, so it'll just be a matter of time before I get the thing totally under control, and I can run a smooth session without it crashing, or not be able to handle more East West VIs, and some other weird things it's doin'. I've got a 2-port KVM switch kit hooked up between my 2 computers, so I can use 1 single keyboard, 1 single mouse, and 1 monitor to control 2 CPUs. I think there's something about it that Sonar doesn't like. I've got so much stuff now, I haven't had the time to tackle 'em all. I still have yet to really get into Celemony Melodyne 3, and see how I can really take advantage of that. And I haven't given enough love to the Muse Receptor Komplete either. I'm determined ta' get Sonar 7 to act the way I need it to, so I've pretty much neglected everything else. I'll get around to 'em sooner or later, as well as ACID 6.0 & Reason 4.0. Just not enough hours in the day, or enough energy in me. Sorry for rambling on.I-468

[Mark Kaufman]

Thanks for all the responses. I find this really interesting.

[milfus]

I quick write and do my rough drafts in ableton normally, just cause its kind of cut and fly, if I need to test out patterns and stuff, I normally bank reason, just cause its set up to do exactly that, I mainly do my recording, editing and finishing in pro-tools, cause that is where it excels.when I feel really lazy, sometimes I will record rough takes into melodyne and just hammer the idea into shape with editing, I never keep the take, just kind of make a blue print for the real one so I have something to shoot for without wasting a lot of energy.for me its just about time and effort, its easiest and faster to use reason for loops and loop creation, I find it easiest and fastest to write melodies and stuff in ableton, and I find it easiest and fastest to edit and record in pt.

[milfus]

although I found reading the manuals and referencing them, you can cut the learning curve on a daw down to like 3 weeks