Which is better for recording,Garageband,or Protools?

[Technokitsune]

Because i have a Mac that came with Garageband and would like to know if that is good or if protools is good?

[Scott Fraser]

Because i have a Mac that came with Garageband and would like to know if that is good or if protools is good?

 

Garageband is free & ProTools not only isn't free, it also requires the use of proprietary Avid or M-Audio hardware. There are other Mac based alternatives, which, unlike ProTools are not tied to specific hardware. Digital Performer & Logic are the main Mac alternatives to ProTools, while Audacity is another freeware. Generally all the major DAWs are capable of fully professional record production abilities. You pick the one whose user interface & operating approach you can relate to best, & that means doing a bunch of research & trying out demo versions.

 

Scott Fraser

[CroNadian]

I'm considering a Pro Tools LE rig with the four or eight channel 003 machine, but the COST! Omg! Well worth it from what I hear...

[Michele C.]

I have a Pro Tools crippleware with my M-Audio Ozone keyboard.

Played with it for a few evenings, but the interface looks rude. Garageband is very easy to use, but still can correct your pitch and timing and allows multiple takes and the stitching of take snippets.

[Caevan O’Shite]

Here's a good thread on the topic on another forum, started by a long-time Pro Tools user...

[picker]

Pro Tools in the industry standard as far as I know, which means it's probably the most desirable(notice I didn't say "best") if you are making any sort of professional recording. If you're making song demos for your band or whatever, and not ultra-important recordings the future of you & your band depend on, you probably don't need it, at least not from a cost effectiveness standpoint.

 

That being said, there is a lot to be said for getting over the learning curve on the software you intend to use for recording when it counts at a time n your career when you can make a few crummy recordings and learn from them without making yourself look bad to the people you want to impress. So, if you are going into music professionally and have tons of money to throw around on software and hardware, go for Pro Tools. It will be better in the long run.

[Winston Psmith]

Picker makes some very good points - ProTools is pretty much the industry standard. Garageband is fine for basic tracks, or if you need a quickie demo for some local gig, but on the pro level, you'll need to understand ProTools.

[Scott Fraser]

Pro Tools in the industry standard as far as I know, which means it's probably the most desirable(notice I didn't say "best") if you are making any sort of professional recording.

 

It is certainly the industry standard, however, I would say you should use ProTools if you intend to exchange files with other ProTools users, not if you intend to make pro recordings. Any DAW can make pro recordings. Logic, Nuendo, Cubase, & Digital Performer don't lack anything that ProTools can do, & some of them do certain aspects of the process far more elegantly or more quickly than ProTools. Moving projects around various studio & home environments points to ProTools as a reasonable, though certainly not a slamdunk choice. I just produced an orchestra session yesterday at Capitol Records. It was done on ProTools, but I'll be importing the files into Digital Performer so I can edit all the takes together at home before going back to Capitol to mix. Avid (ProTools) wants everybody to believe they're the only game in town but it just isn't so. The alternatives work every bit as well, & cost a whole lot less.

 

So, if you are going into music professionally and have tons of money to throw around on software and hardware, go for Pro Tools. It will be better in the long run.

 

If you have about $20,000 for a full blown ProTools HD system then you're golden. Otherwise you're stuck with ProTools LE, which is purposely crippled by Avid to not compete against their high ticket version. LE still does not have automatic plug in delay compensation, as every other DAW in the business has implemented for close to a decade now. And, due to the proprietary hardware requirement, you can't do a faster than realtime bounce, so quick ref mixes of your hour-long set are out of the question.

 

Scott Fraser

[Lokair]

I like pro tools LE, but it is expensive and cumbersome to use. I also have used some 50 dollar software that works nicely. I would recommend pro tools for those who like the in-depth part of recording, and more friendly software for those who want to lay it down with less effort on the recording side. I play both sides of that fence.

 

Lok

[Scott Fraser]

I would recommend pro tools for those who like the in-depth part of recording, and more friendly software for those who want to lay it down with less effort on the recording side.

 

Definitely, while recognizing that other programs do the in-depth part every bit as well as ProTools.

 

Scott Fraser

[skipclone 1]

I recorded some basic tracks in Sonar and was able to import them into PT-there is a format I believe it`s OMF(?)-open media file-that allows some but not total convertability.

[Scott Fraser]

I recorded some basic tracks in Sonar and was able to import them into PT-there is a format I believe it`s OMF(?)-open media file-that allows some but not total convertability.

 

Correct. OMF was designed by Digidesign but has always been very iffy when used with Digidesign's premier product, ProTools. I believe they have no intention of making the use of any other DAW particularly compatible with ProTools. OMF is included free with a lot of DAWs, but requires a $600-ish purchase to be used with PT. No, they do not make it easy & it doesn't always work. A newer non-PT-centric protocol called AAF seems to work much better & easily imported my sessions into a client's Logic system. I'll know in a day or so how well a ProTools to Digital Performer transfer works using AAF.

 

Scott Fraser

[skipclone 1]

I`d be interested to hear about that-I want to repeat the process in the near future and I`m not planning to go back to the Sonar-based facility so

I may have to fly in from some other system.

[Lokair]

Yes Scott your right other software can do the in depth part just as well as Pro tools(some maybe even better), Just with PT its right out front.

 

I have recorded bass parts and drums using some very basic software and converted them to MP3 and imported them to PT then laid down vocals and guitar with PT and made some good recordings. But if we get into all that this thread may need moved to recording. And lets admit it recording can still be as simple as live to tape or as difficult as 64tracks of madness.

 

 

Lok

[CroNadian]

I'm looking to make pro recordings, more pro sounding than I have to date using a Roland VS. though I hear PT is the 'only' way to go, I'm

leaning towards Cubase 5 based upon cost and non-proprietary hardware. Never once, in all the questions I have posed here, and elsewhere, has someone suggesting PT is the only way to go, been able to offer a single reason as to why PT is better than other platforms. Other than its 'universality' among their peers.

[Scott Fraser]

I'm looking to make pro recordings, more pro sounding than I have to date using a Roland VS. though I hear PT is the 'only' way to go, I'm

leaning towards Cubase 5 based upon cost and non-proprietary hardware. Never once, in all the questions I have posed here, and elsewhere, has someone suggesting PT is the only way to go, been able to offer a single reason as to why PT is better than other platforms. Other than its 'universality' among their peers.

 

That's pretty much all there is to it at this point. Ten years ago or so, PT WAS the only game in town, more or less. Now, with so much more native power available in CPUs, & with the PT DSP chips being about 10 years out of date, there's simply no reason to spend that much money on a system which is no longer defining the cutting edge in capability. But if you will be sending files back & forth to other major league studios, there is good reason to have the same system they do. And it will cost you.

 

Scott Fraser

[Electric Biscuit]

Personally, I prefer Adobe Audition over anything else

[CroNadian]

Thanks Scott, for the first real answer I've heard yet! Cubase 5 it will be...

[Scott Fraser]

Personally, I prefer Adobe Audition over anything else

 

Currently PC only, but they have a Mac OSX version in the works. From all I hear it's a very good application & a lot of Mac users are looking forward to seeing what it can do on an Apple platform.

 

Scott Fraser

[Fumblyfingers]

Go check out Reaper. There is no cost for the full functioning demo, it does not expire and if you decide to buy the license it is only $60. In the meantime you get to play around as much as you want and it comes with plug in's.

 

It is a tiny download, I don't know how they do it.

 

Before I wanted to score for picture, I did not notice the crippled-ness of my Pro Tools. Now I really need the Timecode and I would like the Surround capability and other stuff like DigiTranslator etc etc. It will cost me $2000 to buy the Complete Producers Toolkit to get all these features that come standard with Logic, DP and others. And then....still no ADC.

 

Sorry, at this point I cannot justify that sort of expense.

[Electric Biscuit]

Personally, I prefer Adobe Audition over anything else

 

Currently PC only, but they have a Mac OSX version in the works. From all I hear it's a very good application & a lot of Mac users are looking forward to seeing what it can do on an Apple platform.

 

Scott Fraser

 

Did not know that.

[Fumblyfingers]

BTW Scott Fraser......DP5 is looking very nice. I love the changeable themes....MoTools...LOL.

 

I called you the other day, did you get my message? I did say not to worry about calling back. I bid on some stuff on an auction of a post studio that went belly up. Venice studio, Ravenswork. I wanted to let you know at the last minute...they sold some stuff at insane prices.

[hue]

Personally, I prefer Adobe Audition over anything else

 

Audition is good for audio only applications. It's based on Cool Edit Pro so midi is an afterthought.

 

Cubase 5 is awesome.

 

I currently use ProTools LE which is great. 8.04 supports 48 tracks straight away as opposed to the 36 in PT7. The lack of automatic delay compensation is a source of contention for me. Such a basic function included in most other lite apps but no. Not in ProTools LE. WANKERS!

 

I also use Samplitude 11 Producer, Sonar Producer 8.5 and Acid Music Studio. Any of these will do a pro job with the right person behind the wheel.

 

In fact you can export files that can be imported into a ProTools session just not directly.

[Lokair]

Cro Which VS were you using from Roland. I used an 880 with some of the best results. Recorded bumper music for the Golf channel and ESPN2 drag racing with it. Could not ask for a more professional sounding recorder, used with good mics and good sub-mixing board. Even did some sound efx recordings with it. What it lacked was ease of use, but made up for in quality and reliability.

 

Just 2 cents worth.

 

Lok

[Scott Fraser]

I currently use ProTools LE which is great. 8.04 supports 48 tracks straight away as opposed to the 36 in PT7. The lack of automatic delay compensation is a source of contention for me. Such a basic function included in most other lite apps but no. Not in ProTools LE. WANKERS!

 

That is an absolute deal breaker for me. Since I do sessions in PT equipped studios all the time it would make sense for me to be able to directly deal with the files in PT, but the fact of no delay compensation insures that I will never work with that format. They do it to purposely cripple the LE version, along with lack of time code implementation. Thus there is incentive for users to buy into the vastly more expensive PT HD format. Entry level is around $10,000, with it easily getting into the $20,000 range to get the same kind of track & I/O numbers I have with a couple thousand invested in MOTU gear.

 

Scott Fraser

[Scott Fraser]

BTW Scott Fraser......DP5 is looking very nice. I love the changeable themes....MoTools...LOL.

 

DP7.2 you mean. I just ordered it. Should be here in a few days.

 

I called you the other day, did you get my message? I did say not to worry about calling back. I bid on some stuff on an auction of a post studio that went belly up. Venice studio, Ravenswork. I wanted to let you know at the last minute...they sold some stuff at insane prices.

 

Yes, thank you, I've been meaning to get back to you on that. Unfortunately I was in Chicago that weekend, recording a Kronos session with Glenn Kotche at the Wilco rehearsal loft. (Lotsa guitars there, let me tell you.) So I didn't get back in time for the fire sale. I appreciate the heads up, I'm always looking for a couple additional mics, preamps, compressors, etc. Did you get any yourself?

 

Scott Fraser

[Fumblyfingers]

Oh duh....DP 7.2 yes, indeed. Splendid looking app. I have been putzing around with Reaper....nice app ......I am not quite ready to make the jump. DP has all the goods...I am going to be looking to see if you have anything to say about it once you have put it through it's paces.

 

I am dreaming that Pro Tools comes out with a new version that is a one size fits all....the same software for everyone, uncrippled etc...ADC....only the hardware determines the performance......HD will outperform a computer based system doing all the processing which one would expect and having a $30,000 or greater console is naturally going to improve things as well including workflow.

 

No worries about not getting back. I know you are busy.

 

I did not get anything cool. The good stuff lay dormant until a day or two before and then heated up. An Apogee Big Ben I had my eye on went for around $700, some Hafler 1500's for about $150 and really the stuff I wanted was obsolete type gear. I wanted a Denon CD player but got outbid. I wanted a dual DAT for some unknown reason. Basically the good stuff went out of the range I was prepared to spend.

 

I wanted a Tascam dual cassette player and got it for $27. It is a nice pro grade one.....heavy!!! This is the main deal I wanted to get....so I could go through all my cassettes and put 'em in the digital realm. So I scored there....my older consumer cassette machine was kaput...stretched drive bands....this one is direct drive I think...either way it plays really well.

 

Take care.

[Scott Fraser]

I`d be interested to hear about that-I want to repeat the process in the near future and I`m not planning to go back to the Sonar-based facility so

I may have to fly in from some other system.

 

OK, it works. Several days ago I did an orchestra session in the big room at Capitol to ProTools HD. At the end of the day we did an AAF transfer. It takes a long time & generates a whole new set of files, thus making the session twice as big, so you need a big hard drive. In fact it takes so long, like 15 to 20 minutes per piece (multiple takes of 5 to 8 minute compositions, recorded at 96k, tons of data,) that we only had time to transfer 2 of 8 pieces to AAF format. Last night I clicked on the AAF document & it opened automatically in Digital Performer, then proceeded to spend 15 or 20 minutes generating yet another set of files, this time SD2 files which is the (old) DP format. When done, everything was in place & properly named, but without any routing, panning or level settings. So, if you have time to let this transfer while you get dinner, it's great. The other 6 pieces we did I will have to import into DP manually, a file at a time. I'm not sure which will take longer. Anyway, long story short, DP to Logic, & PT to DP, via AAF works. I see no reason to bother with OMF anymore.

 

Scott Fraser

[CroNadian]

I have the VS 1880, with the whopping 6Gb hard drive. I love it. It's easy to use, and really, it still works just fine. But I'm sensing the need to move on up to the next level to future proof myself and my recordings.

[skipclone 1]

Super, thanks for the update Scott.