Which DAW?

Support & discussion regarding DAWs and MIDI sequencers.

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scott.thomason
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Which DAW?

Post by scott.thomason »

Hi all. After a 15-year break, I'm about to dive into audio recording again. Of course, almost everything has changed for the better. My question to you is: which DAW should I dive into and master?

The three I'm considering right now are LMMS, Ardour, and Reaper. I am open to others that are of similar quality. Let me tell you a few things about myself to help you guide me in the right direction:

* I don't do live, multi-instrument recording. I record one, maybe two tracks at a time, usually all by myself, and then layer things together.

* I'm a professional computer geek, technology doesn't intimidate me at all. That said, ease of use is nice. But I'm just as comfortable coding.

* My preferred OS is Linux. Right now I'm running the latest version of Mint, the Liquorix kernel, and a grab-bag of software from the Mint/Ubuntu repos plus things from KXstudio and similar. I'm comfortable tweaking the OS, for example, I've managed to get my JACK latency down to 1.3ms by fiddling with things.

* I prefer cross-platform tools that work on Linux, Windows, and MacOS so I can help my friends out.

* Being able to perform and/or edit over the internet would be quite useful, but not mandatory.

* I'm primarily a guitar player. For percussion, I normally use samples instead of recording live. I'm also fascinated by software instruments, synths and simulations and so on.

* I don't need/want formal music notation. I know how to read music, but I'm not fluent and I don't like it. When I learn songs on guitar, I play by ear.

* I would prefer to have a sequencer built into the DAW like the old FL Studio/Fruity Loops had, but it's not mandatory if I can get good integration from a separate sequencer. I guess that means I like piano rolls?

* I don't mind spending money on this stuff, but it's not like money is no object. A license like Reaper for $60 until some future version arrives is totally OK, but something that costs >$500/year would be a turn-off.

I hope you can help me decide! Thanks in advance for your opinions.

---scott
---scott

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Gps
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Re: Which DAW?

Post by Gps »

I use LMMS, but like to add one limitation of LMMS.

It cant record audio. To record audio, I use audacity then import it into LMMS with the audio file processor.
For my use case this is good enough.

If you like the old fruity loops, lmms is an old FL clone.

Ardour can record audio, and for now supports more plugins then LMMS. LV2 support for LMMS is coming.

I know some here use reaper, but I know about nothing about reaper.
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Re: Which DAW?

Post by Michael Willis »

scott.thomason wrote: Sun Apr 17, 2022 11:18 pm The three I'm considering right now are LMMS, Ardour, and Reaper.
Hey Scott! Try all three and see what you think, although from what you described I imagine that either Ardour or Reaper will fit what you want to do more than LMMS. You can download the "evaluation" version of Reaper, which from I can tell is equivalent to the paid version except that it has a polite reminder to buy it.

Indeed like you said, the audio production scene on Linux has gotten much better over the years. Let us know if you want to know more about synthesis and effects plugins, there are lots of opinions around here. For what it's worth, both Ardour
and Reaper support VST2, VST3, and LV2 plugins, and there are several plugins that work cross-platform like you asked for.
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Re: Which DAW?

Post by tavasti »

scott.thomason wrote: Sun Apr 17, 2022 11:18 pm The three I'm considering right now are LMMS, Ardour, and Reaper. I am open to others that are of similar quality. Let me tell you a few things about myself to help you guide me in the right direction:
...
I hope you can help me decide! Thanks in advance for your opinions.
From your list, I would drop LMMS, because it can't record audio, and even recorded audio clips handling is very limited. Really pity, because it is easy thing to get started.

To list I would add few options:

- Mixbus, same as Ardour, but has great mixer. Works on linux-win-mac. It has two versions, and I think cheaper version would suit you ok. I am running it. Harrison is running discounts often, so no need to pay full price. You can start your work with Ardour, and later open that in Mixbus, or even start using Mixbus in demo mode (every now and then some low-level hissing), and get license when price is suitable. I would expect to get cheaper mixbus for $29-$39 range. Currently my main DAW, but because of problems on midi side I have been considering changing to some other. However, many midi problems might be solved or may be solving really soon, in next release (big midi code refactoring done)

- Bitwig, praised by its users, made by people who left Ableton. Works on linux-win-mac. Haven't used it myself, some comments about it in my post viewtopic.php?f=1&t=24418 (Edit: looked bit more, it indeed has great features)

- Tracktion Waveform, works on linux-win-mac. Has free version, which is unlimited, fully functional DAW. Most of the other commercial DAWs have their lite-versions limited on number of tracks, plugins, etc, but in waveform no such limitations. Waveform Pro has some interesting features making arranging, composing midi, making different parts for virtual instruments easier, and something else also. I have used it a bit, but somehow I haven't got fully grip on it. I suspect that learning keyboard shortcuts properly would make it much more usable, because navigation in it differs a bit.

With my current experience, I would limit selection to these and Reaper. I have tested Reaper quickly, but haven't used it really, so cannot say much about it.

Maybe I was not too much helping, but giving you more confusion :-)
Last edited by tavasti on Mon Apr 18, 2022 6:05 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Which DAW?

Post by folderol »

FWIW, I don't use a DAW at all. I go ultra lightweight and play on a pair of dumb keyboards, then use just Rosegarden sequencer, Yoshimi soft-synth, and Audacity for final audio trim. On rare occasions I'll drag in Hydrogen for drums, and blue-moon occasions I'll feed in guitar via Rakarrack.
However, as they say Your Milage May Vary, and it pays to try lots then settle with whatever seems most comfortable.
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Re: Which DAW?

Post by Linuxmusician01 »

scott.thomason wrote: Sun Apr 17, 2022 11:18 pm The three I'm considering right now are LMMS, Ardour, and Reaper.
What @Gps said: you cannot record audio with LMMS.
scott.thomason wrote: Sun Apr 17, 2022 11:18 pm * I prefer cross-platform tools that work on Linux, Windows, and MacOS so I can help my friends out.
IMHO Reaper then. Works native on Win, Apple and Linux. There are others that'll work on all of 'm (Ardour?) but they either aren't very popular with Apple and Win users or they are Windows DAWs that can be made to work on Linux via Wine. Especially that last one you don't want.

I use Qtractor which is light weight, really Linux native (my guess it that Reaper is a sort of Frankenstein of Windows and Linux code) and it's kind developer is active here on the forum. And you can't beat the looks of Qtractor (eat that Ableton Live with your Windows 3.11 looks, bleh!).
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Re: Which DAW?

Post by nils »

Clearly Ardour.

It is neither limited as LMMS nor closed source like Reaper or Bitwig.
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Re: Which DAW?

Post by Audiojunkie »

Have we reached a point where everyone has named their favorite (and every single piece of software has been mentioned as the best) yet? :wink:

If so, you now know what your options are. :lol:

These kinds of threads, despite everyone's best efforts, are usually not helpful for anything other than for letting you know what software is out there and available. My advise would be to write down all of the programs that people have mentioned, and with the your personal requirements in mind, rule out the ones that don't match. With the remaining ones, test each to see what you like or don't like about each. See which community support, documentation, features, etc. you like best, then over time, you will be able to narrow down your favorite.

That really is the only wise way to go.
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Re: Which DAW?

Post by d.healey »

If you don't mind using proprietary software use Reaper, if you do mind use Ardour.
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Re: Which DAW?

Post by tavasti »

Audiojunkie wrote: Mon Apr 18, 2022 5:40 pm Have we reached a point where everyone has named their favorite (and every single piece of software has been mentioned as the best) yet? :wink:

If so, you now know what your options are. :lol:
I don't think we have saturated, not all options mentioned yet? Muse Sequencer, Renoise, Radium at least missing, and most likely something else also :-)
Audiojunkie wrote: Mon Apr 18, 2022 5:40 pm These kinds of threads, despite everyone's best efforts, are usually not helpful for anything other than for letting you know what software is out there and available. My advise would be to write down all of the programs that people have mentioned, and with the your personal requirements in mind, rule out the ones that don't match. With the remaining ones, test each to see what you like or don't like about each. See which community support, documentation, features, etc. you like best, then over time, you will be able to narrow down your favorite.

That really is the only wise way to go.
I fully agree with you. In my own post I did not even claim to be helping :-)

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Re: Which DAW?

Post by Audiojunkie »

tavasti wrote: Mon Apr 18, 2022 6:04 pm
Audiojunkie wrote: Mon Apr 18, 2022 5:40 pm Have we reached a point where everyone has named their favorite (and every single piece of software has been mentioned as the best) yet? :wink:

If so, you now know what your options are. :lol:
I don't think we have saturated, not all options mentioned yet? Muse Sequencer, Renoise, Radium at least missing, and most likely something else also :-)
Audiojunkie wrote: Mon Apr 18, 2022 5:40 pm These kinds of threads, despite everyone's best efforts, are usually not helpful for anything other than for letting you know what software is out there and available. My advise would be to write down all of the programs that people have mentioned, and with the your personal requirements in mind, rule out the ones that don't match. With the remaining ones, test each to see what you like or don't like about each. See which community support, documentation, features, etc. you like best, then over time, you will be able to narrow down your favorite.

That really is the only wise way to go.
I fully agree with you. In my own post I did not even claim to be helping :-)
I wasn’t aiming at anyone in particular in my comment. :) I’ve just seen enough of these types of threads to know that most of them end this way. ;) I think your comment was helpful. :)
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Re: Which DAW?

Post by tavasti »

Audiojunkie wrote: Mon Apr 18, 2022 7:04 pm I wasn’t aiming at anyone in particular in my comment. :) I’ve just seen enough of these types of threads to know that most of them end this way. ;) I think your comment was helpful. :)
Yeah, I've seen them also. If following music production related stuff in reddit, there is few of these every week. And no, I did not take your comment personally :-)

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Re: Which DAW?

Post by Linuxmusician01 »

Audiojunkie wrote: Mon Apr 18, 2022 5:40 pm Have we reached a point where everyone has named their favorite (and every single piece of software has been mentioned as the best) yet? :wink:

If so, you now know what your options are. :lol:

These kinds of threads, despite everyone's best efforts, are usually not helpful for anything other than for letting you know what software is out there and available. My advise would be to write down all of the programs that people have mentioned, and with the your personal requirements in mind, rule out the ones that don't match. With the remaining ones, test each to see what you like or don't like about each. See which community support, documentation, features, etc. you like best, then over time, you will be able to narrow down your favorite.

That really is the only wise way to go.
What @Audiojunkie said. ;)
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Re: Which DAW?

Post by scott.thomason »

Thanks for all your suggestions everyone. If you're curious, I've decided to give Qtractor a shot. Reaper just has so many options that it's a little overwhelming, and while you can simplify it with configuration, I don't want to spend my time theming. LMMS not only doesn't record audio as was pointed out, but it also doesn't run LV2 plugins without a wrapper hack. I was a little surprised by how many sequencers there are in the repos. I tried a bunch of them and Qtractor was the one that seemed the most natural to me, so here I am. Thanks again.
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Re: Which DAW?

Post by Linuxmusician01 »

scott.thomason wrote: Wed Apr 27, 2022 10:46 pm [...] Reaper just has so many options that it's a little overwhelming[...]
Same here. It looks really good (especially with a theme like Rado 4 Basic) but when a menu item pops open its always a very, very long list of options. Reaper is very non-intuitive like that. It's one of those pieces of software in which you must never try to find something yourself. You must either already know what to click (from a tutorial) of look it up on the internet. In Qtractor by @rncbc you can "find out" (little) things yourself.
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