is pro tools a necessity? Cubase? Cool Edit?

wyzewayz · May 2005

Basically, there's a constant influx of mc's from out of town coming to my place either crashing at my pad or just visiting when they roll through town....................I just bought a decent mic, have it go through a little mixing board and into the computer---------------so far I have just used the sampler, into the mixing board, into the computer in Cool Edit for the last year and have recorded vocals in this way---I think it sounds fine..............I just found a disc with Cubase on it.........should I stick with Cool Edit, or switch to Cubase, or just go and buy an Mbox and get Pro tools.........everyone seems to have differing opinions really, but I'd kinda just like to pick a program and get familiar with it.Help is always appreciated, thanks........wyze

Delay · May 2005

just go and buy an Mbox and get Pro tools

Dubious · May 2005

just go and buy an Mbox and get Pro tools

screw protools

not a fan

i think the fact that you have to use it in conjunction with a peace of hardware is a massive annoyance.

Ableton all the way.

djdaze · May 2005

if you ever want to send your sessions to a studio for mastering and whatnot then get protools. If you're never planning on doing that then get Ableton Live. but it sounds like you're on a PC...do they even make Live for PC? I dunno. Cubase is cool too if you're not planning on sending anything out to a studio.

peacefulrotation · May 2005

I heart cool edit

wyzewayz · May 2005

if you ever want to send your sessions to a studio for mastering and whatnot then get protools. If you're never planning on doing that then get Ableton Live. but it sounds like you're on a PC...do they even make Live for PC?

yeah, I'm on PC and I'll need many of the sessions mastered..........

Swayze · May 2005

you don't need protools to get your stuff mastered.

wyzewayz · May 2005

you don't need protools to get your stuff mastered.

I know this, what I was mainly looking for was peoples "reasons" why such and such a program is necessary or "better"-------------I know several folks that have used Cool Edit and sent away to get mastered and all is fine----------But, at the same time, if it can be MORE bangin, then I wanna know.....

MoSS · May 2005

Cubase was cool until I started to sell beats. Then I got tired of the confused look on the engineers face when I told them I didn't use protools. Protools isn't the best, neither was VHS for example, but VHS won over BETA because more people used it/most compatible. Kind of like Nintendo over Sega. Technically the specs prove Sega was more advanced, but obviously the game support wasn't there. I'm assuming here the "final mix" isn't going to be done by you. If it is, then really it comes down to what you need it most for. Throw the compatibility issue out the window. Sequencing etc... Protools isn't great, but editing wav's it's perfect and easy to use. The thing for me is I never do the final mix at home as I doubt (well if you spend a LOT OF TIME) anyone can get a full sounding mix from the 001, 002 or MBOX. I've heard amazing mixes for what they have to work with, but not like running it through the high end systems. It's all about compatibility unless you are going to do it all yourself. Can you find a studio with Cubase? Sure, but it won't be as easy as a protools machine.

djdaze · May 2005

Can you find a studio with Cubase? Sure, but it won't be as easy as a protools machine.

unlascivious · May 2005

no mention of Logic?

am I wasting my time saving up?

djdaze · May 2005

you don't need protools to get your stuff mastered.

yeah that's why I said "and stuff" like getting your song mixed. you're gonna have a hard time mixing a fruity loops session at D&D Studios.

djdaze · May 2005

no mention of Logic?

am I wasting my time saving up?

saving up? you got internet right?

Brian · May 2005

Logic requires a USB dongle to start up the software and as far as I know, it has not been cracked yet.

unlascivious · May 2005

well i never!

here's my list of reasons...

1. i was very inclined to buy considering the $700 student discount.
2. i assumed there would be compatibility issues with the dongle. i had attempted to install a cubase3 iso and that shit never worked nomatter how many patches i tried.
3. i would think a good program now coded by programmers for the company's own OS would run smoother than a competitor's software, especially with recent processing improvements. (see cubase pc vs. logic mac)
4. im not interested in theoretically paying hundreds of dollars for a piece of software like protools or cubase that comes esentially stripped of everything but a sequencer. i don't want to have to deal with expensive upgrades and plugins so i can get a basic sound.
5. (related to 4) i am also not interested in reason
6. the kicker...

Hey People

This is a message from mini-junie.
The device used on Funky Worm was/is indeed called the ARP soloist.
I don't use that machine anymore because it is quite easy to emulate the same sound these days. At present, I would use something like the JP8_Mini lead inside Logic Pro[/b] to do the job. That, with a little bit of tweaking can work wonders. After all, it is a lot more cost effective and can be just as soundsational as buying one of those vintage synths. Check it out...

JM

but i fully realize different strokes for different folks.

street_muzik · May 2005

I would go with pro tools because, like mentioned, I can walk into any studio and get busy. Once you learn it, it's too easy. I have a bias though, because I was dropped into a studio with pro tools. All I could do was record. I didn't even understand the difference between saving a session to the desktop, or a drive. Very computer illiterate. I spent some time and figured out the editing part.

Now I have my PT skills down and I'm thinking about switching it up to Logic or something else, for a few reasons. My Digi001(PT interface) is legacy so no longer supported for future updates. It's gonna cost me $800 for the upgrade to the digi002r. Not to mention the fact that no Pro Tolls is supported in Tiger yet.

I'll probably upgrade though. I can't see myself dropping a grand on Logic, but I think it's only $500 with my girlfriend's student discount.

An mbox wouldn't be such a bad idea since it's not too pricey and it will allow you to get your head around pro tools.

I dont know about cool edit Can you export individual tracks as an aif/wav? If so then they can be imported into a pro mixer's or mastering session. That will work but I'd probably drop that shit.

speshboogie · May 2005

There's a lot about ProTools I do not like.
But, there is one big reason I do like it, it's everywhere.

But... As the saying goes, it's not what you have - it's how you use it / what you do with it.

Given the choice, I'd go with Pro Tools if possible.
You'll be able to collaborate with damn near anyone across the globe & you'll be hard pressed to find a recording/mastering studio that does NOT support ProTools.

An MBox is fine for what you're doin'.
If you're lookin' to multi-track, I'd recommend the 002/r (or something with 8 x i/o's).
You're method works & I used to record same way for years into a 4-track.
Problem is, you can't always go back & make intricate changes to indvidual tracks/stem mixes.

Far as stereo editors, Cool Edit / SoundForge hands down.
Personally I prefer SoundForge, but CoolEdit is not to be slept on & does a few things SF doesn't.
Wavelab is another pro-level Audio app, but I haven't used it in a couple years now.

Peace.

wyzewayz · May 2005

I would go with pro tools because, like mentioned, I can walk into any studio and get busy. Once you learn it, it's too easy. I have a bias though, because I was dropped into a studio with pro tools. All I could do was record. I didn't even understand the difference between saving a session to the desktop, or a drive. Very computer illiterate. I spent some time and figured out the editing part.

Now I have my PT skills down and I'm thinking about switching it up to Logic or something else, for a few reasons. My Digi001(PT interface) is legacy so no longer supported for future updates. It's gonna cost me $800 for the upgrade to the digi002r. Not to mention the fact that no Pro Tolls is supported in Tiger yet. I'll probably upgrade though. I can't see myself dropping a grand on Logic, but I think it's only $500 with my girlfriend's student discount.

An mbox wouldn't be such a bad idea since it's not too pricey and it will allow you to get your head around pro tools.

I dont know about cool edit Can you export individual tracks as an aif/wav? If so then they can be imported into a pro mixer's or mastering session. That will work but I'd probably drop that shit.

word, thanks for the detailed answer.....whatev's I'll probably just cop it, it's only a few hundred bucks....

djdaze · May 2005

well i never!

here's my list of reasons...

1. i was very inclined to buy considering the $700 student discount.
2. i assumed there would be compatibility issues with the dongle. i had attempted to install a cubase3 iso and that shit never worked nomatter how many patches i tried.
3. i would think a good program now coded by programmers for the company's own OS would run smoother than a competitor's software, especially with recent processing improvements. (see cubase pc vs. logic mac)
4. im not interested in theoretically paying hundreds of dollars for a piece of software like protools or cubase that comes esentially stripped of everything but a sequencer. i don't want to have to deal with expensive upgrades and plugins so i can get a basic sound.
5. (related to 4) i am also not interested in reason
6. the kicker...

Well I always!

1. software costs way too fuckin much, it's silly.
2. You must not have had the right crack, I had that shit working like a charm.
3. Logic is a dope program that works lovely in osx.
4. I'm not interested in paying hundreds of dollars for ANY program, heh.
5. you can't record into reason

and no you do not need a dongle for Logic, I have it running just fine on my computer as we speak. The serial I have makes it a retail copy.

I paid for protools but I was buying the hardware not the software, that's what I like about digidesign, you actually get something for your money like a pair of fairly good mic-pre's.

Aser · May 2005

I have logic expresss and am just getting into it right now. Any recommendations on a good book/tutorial, or some bideos that I can dl off bit torrent....

http://www.macprovideo.com/MPV/movies/Logic/m2-webPromo.mov

gibla74 · May 2005

I'm confused so if I saved up for ableton & actually made something good I couldn't get it mixed down cause It's not pro tools? Surely this can't be the case?

slush · May 2005

you dont have to use the pro tools software to use pro tools. i dont know what everyone is talkin about. everything i do with my digi 001 is through ableton or reaktor. multi track recording, playing shit, mixing down. the pro tools software has been far superseded by other programs utilizing ASIO (low latency sound cards like mbox).

slush · May 2005

cooledit is good

so is acid

jeskola buzz

audiomulch

all bangin

straight bangors

spend dough on a nice compressor

djdaze · May 2005

I'm confused so if I saved up for ableton & actually made something good I couldn't get it mixed down cause It's not pro tools? Surely this can't be the case?

well you couldn't walk into *most* big studios with your Ableton Live session like "ok, lets mix this puppy down" They're PROBABLY not gonna have Live installed on their computer and routed out to all their outboard gear through their mixing board. They WILL, however, have Protools set up exactly that way...guaranteed.

Dubious · May 2005

I'm confused so if I saved up for ableton & actually made something good I couldn't get it mixed down cause It's not pro tools? Surely this can't be the case?

well you couldn't walk into *most* big studios with your Ableton Live session like "ok, lets mix this puppy down" They're PROBABLY not gonna have Live installed on their computer and routed out to all their outboard gear through their mixing board. They WILL, however, have Protools set up exactly that way...guaranteed.

some real solid lack of knowledge getting dropped around here...(not neccessarily the above post)

lemme clear things up:

Mastering: this is when you take your mix from whatever program, bounce it down to stereo... You master the final results.. you dont do mastering on your multitrack program... if your paying for mastering and he's doing it in pro-tools then your not getting a decent mastering job.

Mixing: now this is differant.. obviously if you want to take your file and just straight up mix it at another studio then that studio needs to have the same program that you do to pull up your file.

with ableton sure its not the industry standard... but you simply select your tracks.. hit apple j and it spits out solid wav / aifs for every single channel... you burn that on a disc and load it into any program the studio has be it logiic / protools whatever and mix from there.. and it takes five seconds to prepare the files.

i do all my work in ableton... i had my last one mastered at my buddies studio and this time we did the mix there too... i just took my laptop, copied the ableton files to his drive... and ran my unlocked version of ableton off my laptop connected in target mode through firewire... took 5 minutes to settup.. and his studio is running logic. Ableton recognised his motu converter the second we plugged it takes approximately 5 minutes to set the track routings to the board channels.

you can also route the files through rewire and a number of other permutations.

i've pressed three 12"s that were all done solely in ableton.

Dubious · May 2005

There's a lot about ProTools I do not like.
But, there is one big reason I do like it, it's everywhere.

well everybody might have protools but every pro studio ive ever been in uses Logic. they keep protools on hand but most people prefer logic these days.

hermit · May 2005

these are totally different programs.
cubase and logic are midi sequencers that are capable of handling audio tracks too.
pro tools, wavelab and cool edit are specialist audio editing programs.
all studios will run logic, so handing over files will be easier, if you use cubase or FL or live or any of them
you will probably have to make all your tracks audio wavs all starting from bar one (lining up), prior to transfer.
as for pro tools, if it's audio editing you want, then nothing compares,
cool edit, wavelab, acid, FL and live are kinda fun, cool bedroom toys.
logic is all good, but if you can afford pro tools then get it.
there's a crack around for logic 7 express

wyzewayz · May 2005

if it's audio editing you want, then nothing compares,
but if you can afford pro tools then get it.

this, and mixing down vocals prior to mastering is mainly what I am looking for here...

djdaze · May 2005

Just get Protools and be done with it. haha.

wyzewayz · May 2005

Just get Protools and be done with it. haha.

haha, no doubt

head034 · May 2005

I think that Logic is a good option! If you can get the student discount it is $500 vs $1000 (50% off). I've been seeing alot of people using Logic..making beats with breaks + adding there VST insturments on top of it like they have a triton or motif etc... Yeah, pro tools does have the game some what on lock...but i seriously feel that others are miles ahead of digi design!!!

There's a lot about ProTools I do not like.
But, there is one big reason I do like it, it's everywhere.

well everybody might have protools but every pro studio ive ever been in uses Logic. they keep protools on hand but most people prefer logic these days.

One option I seen the other day was to get an M-audio firewire 410 or 1814. A friend of mine uses this with Logic7 with his keyboard midi controller and powerbook G4. Plus he is also bought the M-powered protools software ($350)because M-audio now has a version of the software available for use with there products. He is making the beats in Logic, then if a client needs the beat tracked in Protools he just transfer the files into pro tools from Logic. Plus the M-audio 410 & 1814 have the midi conect already with them! Where as, if you go the Mbox way you still have to get a midi interface!

Just a tip to check out

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is pro tools a necessity? Cubase? Cool Edit?

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