What DAW should I use in 2021?

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heshgohar
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What DAW should I use in 2021?

Post by heshgohar »

Hello guys, I am new here on the forum, and decided to move to Linux FINALLY. I've been using Mixcraft 9 Pro Studio for recording songs, but decided to move to Linux and also learn producing music, I tried a lot of DAWs but my brain just stops, and lags. So I'm currently using Mixcraft over WINE. but my question is what DAW should I use in 2021 similar to Mixcraft 9, I really love how Mixcraft is straightforward, simple, comes with preinstalled plugins, very amazing. I use Zorin OS Core (latest version).
So help me lol

Also I know zero music theory so :(
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Re: What DAW should I use in 2021?

Post by d.healey »

heshgohar wrote: Sun Feb 14, 2021 3:55 pm Hello guys, I am new here on the forum, and decided to move to Linux FINALLY. I've been using Mixcraft 9 Pro Studio for recording songs, but decided to move to Linux and also learn producing music, I tried a lot of DAWs but my brain just stops, and lags. So I'm currently using Mixcraft over WINE. but my question is what DAW should I use in 2021 similar to Mixcraft 9, I really love how Mixcraft is straightforward, simple, comes with preinstalled plugins, very amazing. I use Zorin OS Core (latest version).
So help me lol

Also I know zero music theory so :(
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Re: What DAW should I use in 2021?

Post by nils »

Ardour
heshgohar
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Re: What DAW should I use in 2021?

Post by heshgohar »

Is Ardour free? and if not, is there a free alternative?
Thank you
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Re: What DAW should I use in 2021?

Post by d.healey »

heshgohar wrote: Sun Feb 14, 2021 6:43 pm Is Ardour free? and if not, is there a free alternative?
Thank you
Free as in freedom, yes. Free as in price, yes and no, for you no, but it only costs $1 (you should pay more though if you want to support the developers) - https://ardour.org/ - there are some gratis downloads available, probably in your distro's repo but they tend to be old versions and you won't get any tech support from the Ardour devs if you're using one of these builds.

If you're doing MIDI work then QTractor is better but it doesn't come with any plugins. Muse is also a good one to check out, again no plugins.
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Re: What DAW should I use in 2021?

Post by bluzee »

Zorin appears to be based on Ubuntu 18.04 therefore the KX Studio repos should work with Zorin. Installing plugins via the KX Studio repo is quite simple. KX Studio also has direct download links for deb package files of their plugins on their web site.
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Re: What DAW should I use in 2021?

Post by tavasti »

heshgohar wrote: Sun Feb 14, 2021 3:55 pm Hello guys, I am new here on the forum, and decided to move to Linux FINALLY. I've been using Mixcraft 9 Pro Studio for recording songs, but decided to move to Linux and also learn producing music, I tried a lot of DAWs but my brain just stops, and lags. So I'm currently using Mixcraft over WINE. but my question is what DAW should I use in 2021 similar to Mixcraft 9, I really love how Mixcraft is straightforward, simple, comes with preinstalled plugins, very amazing. I use Zorin OS Core (latest version).
Answer depends pretty much on different things, because there is no single 'best for everybody' thing available.

- If you are willing to pay (not very much in discount), and make mostly recorded stuff, Mixbus. It is not optimal with midi, but I do use it even for that
- If you are willing to pay (pretty much), and make music mostly with midi, Bitwig
- one more paid option is Reaper, it should fit pretty ok to anything

For not paying for DAW, I think top options are Ardour (midi, same thing as Mixbus), qtractor and muse.

Linux veteran & Novice musician

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Re: What DAW should I use in 2021?

Post by Loki Harfagr »

I was going to post a reply but @tavasti posted it faster than me :)
So, my answer is what @tavasti just said and I add a +1 to his post, or a blue appendage or a heart whatever floats at the moment ;)
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Re: What DAW should I use in 2021?

Post by glionameghan »

Logic pro X is one of my personal go-to DAW! An extremely popular piece of software. And super beginner friendly too!

Although Logic Pro is great for composing and producing music, I love using it for mixing too. The stock plugins that come with Logic Pro X are perhaps the best stock plugins of any DAW.
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Re: What DAW should I use in 2021?

Post by Lèyon di li Neûris′ »

I would say: try as much Digital Audio Workstation as possible to choose what's best for you. It takes time, but then, you have a good idea of what exist in case the one you choose go to a direction that does not suite you any more.
Excuse my not so bad imperialist language.
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Re: What DAW should I use in 2021?

Post by tavasti »

Lèyon di li Neûris′ wrote: Tue Feb 16, 2021 1:10 pm I would say: try as much Digital Audio Workstation as possible to choose what's best for you. It takes time, but then, you have a good idea of what exist in case the one you choose go to a direction that does not suite you any more.
It is pretty huge work to learn DAW properly, so I would say learning all DAWs is huge waste of time. Ok, if you have plenty of time and don't know how to use that time, then fine.

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Re: What DAW should I use in 2021?

Post by Death »

Oh man, what DAW to use.. I've been on Linux for years and I still haven't found one. I still use FL Studio in Wine! That's not a Linux problem though. Nothing compares to it on any platform so I'm stuck with this situation. Anyway, isn't Mixcraft kinda like Garageband? I haven't used it but I got the impression it was quite a casual sort of program. I'm not sure what a good, direct equivalent would be but I've tried lots of Linux native DAWs so I'll suggest some of the best ones I've tried, whether free (as in price) or paid for.

* Qtractor | Free & open source. One of my favourite Linux DAWs.
* Tracktion Waveform | Not free. You have to re-buy it every year for updates.
* Bitwig Studio | Definitely not free. Upgrade model like Waveform's but much more pricey. Good if you like Ableton Live though.
* Reaper | Not free. More than fair pricing model.
* Ardour | Very cheap & open source. Lacking for midi work though.
* Harrison Mixbus | It's just like Ardour in functionality (Based on the same code) but its mixer is an analogue console emulation with built in FX which I think is really nice (I'm pretty sure this part of the code is closed source). It has a higher price tag too.
* LMMS | Free & open source. The closest thing to FL Studio. To me it's like how I imagine FLS was 20 years ago but I could see me getting on with it better if I wasn't comparing it to the current FLS.
* Renoise | Not free or open source. It's pretty cool if you like Trackers!

Another one to look at is MusE. I haven't tried it for a long time so I can't comment on it. As far as I'm aware, it is free & open source. I know it's quite popular though. There's plenty of users on this forum too.

As always, if you find a good piece of software you like, please support the developers :)
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Re: What DAW should I use in 2021?

Post by sunrat »

Death wrote: Wed Feb 17, 2021 1:14 am * Tracktion Waveform | Not free. You have to re-buy it every year for updates.
Hot off the presses - Tracktion Releases Waveform Free 2021 https://bedroomproducersblog.com/2021/0 ... free-2021/
https://www.tracktion.com/products/waveform-free
Waveform Free was first released last year so this is an update version.

It doesn't have all the features of the paid version but has unlimited tracks, native plugins, and support for 3rd party plugins.
I have a friend with a well-established and impressive commercial studio who uses the Pro version and loves it.
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Re: What DAW should I use in 2021?

Post by d.healey »

sunrat wrote: Wed Feb 17, 2021 1:41 am
Death wrote: Wed Feb 17, 2021 1:14 am * Tracktion Waveform | Not free. You have to re-buy it every year for updates.
Hot off the presses - Tracktion Releases Waveform Free 2021
As in freedom or just price?
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Re: What DAW should I use in 2021?

Post by Lèyon di li Neûris′ »

Lèyon di li Neûris′ wrote: Tue Feb 16, 2021 1:10 pmI would say: try as much Digital Audio Workstation as possible to choose what's best for you. (…)
tavasti wrote: Tue Feb 16, 2021 6:02 pmIt is pretty huge work to learn DAW properly, so I would say learning all DAWs is huge waste of time.
There's a big difference between trying and learning, what I mean by “trying” is just to instinctually give a try and explore a bit what possibilities are easily available, this to have a big idea of how it works. Doing that with each one available will certainly lead to some preferences and, moreover, will give an little idea of what is possible with one or another and is certainly enough to chose one then to really dig into it to learn how to use it properly.
Excuse my not so bad imperialist language.
Je parle:
-français (langue maternelle),
-ein bisschen Deutsch,
-on topau walon,
-een beetje Nederlands,
-je signe peu la langue des signes de Belgique francophone,
-я чуть чуть говорю по-русски,
-a trochu česky.
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