DAW software shortcomings?

[Anifa]

"BUMP" I'm bringing a thread back from the dead here... Are these assessments put forth by Uh Clem still pretty accurate?

[Franknputer]

Alot happens in 27 months. ;)

[Anifa]

I know, but I ask a question in another thread yesterday about what programs were out there and how they sized up against a stand alone all-in-wonder DAW and the thread sunk to the very bottom of the page with only one response that didn't really answer much. Folks always say to use the search feature and this thread it one of very few that turned up on the topic. At least it gave me the name of some of the programs to search for. The other thread has probably fallen off of the front page by now... I may try downloading a few of these that offer trial runs, but "Current" input might be quite helpful.

[LawrenceF]

[url=http://www.theaudiocave.com/dawchart.htm]www.theaudiocave.com/dawchart.htm[/url]

[theblue1]

[quote]Sonar has no groups to master fader concept. If you have a drum submix, it will not go thru the master fader. There is no way, for example, to have one instance of a master bus compressor affect all channels and groups (unless it is outboard). Probably their worst "feature".[/quote]That [i]certainly [/i]doesn't fit my understanding of Sonar's buss system. Maybe I'm misunderstanding something, here, but Sonar 4[i] does [/i]have the ability to route tracks to as many aux busses as needed and to route [i]those [/i]aux buss outputs to as many[i] other [/i]aux busses as needed, and so on, and finally to route tracks and busses as needed to the designated master outputs (which can be surround in Producer). (IOW, you can route a given track to multiple busses as well as the master output buss; and, of course, you can route any aux busses to the master output buss, as well.) [b]And all tracks, auxes, and the master output buss can host plug-ins.[/b] So, of course, you can have a single compressor strapped across the output buss. And the output buss (just like AUX's) does have a fader and can have FX plugs. Maybe I misunderstand? Also, under the 'grouping' concept, you can create groups for individual controls and add controls as needed. So say you wanted the balance for 1,2, and 6 in one group and the ouput fader for 2,3, 4 and 6 in another group, that would be possible, along with a lot of other possibilities I haven't found uses for. [I've only been using Sonar 4 for a couple weeks, so, if I got something wrong, here, I'm happy to be corrected.] ___________________________ [quote]I also don't see the interface as that big a deal, whether it's "intuitive" or whatnot. [/quote]I've been reading [i]a lot[/i] of posts in another BB on a certain (heavily backed) DAW/sequencer which just got a slipstream 'update' (they called it that because it apparently had to ship on a DVD, so the parent company had to charge $20 but they also added some new minor features and utilities to soften the blow), which ticked off a lot of people who were already ticked off with A) stability -- or rather the lack of it and B) bugs/stuff that doesn't work or doesn't work as advertised and C) what many seem to feel is an especially obtuse user interface. Fascinated to see how that other segment lives, I've been glued to these threads. And while no one argues that this particular DAW is not powerful in its way -- from the examples of UI 'obtuseness' I've read, there's no way in HELL I'd ever buy into that paradigm. But others' mileage may vary... ;)

[Anifa]

LawrenceF, Thank you for providing the link; I've been browsing some of listings it provides. theblue1, Would you be willing to clue me in on which software program you are refering to here... PM me if you don't mind. [quote] I've been reading a lot of posts in another BB on a certain (heavily backed) DAW/sequencer which just got a slipstream 'update' (they called it that because it apparently had to ship on a DVD, so the parent company had to charge $20 but they also added some new minor features and utilities to soften the blow), which ticked off a lot of people who were already ticked off with A) stability -- or rather the lack of it and B) bugs/stuff that doesn't work or doesn't work as advertised and C) what many seem to feel is an especially obtuse user interface. Fascinated to see how that other segment lives, I've been glued to these threads. [/quote]I'd prefer to avoid programs that are causing headaches for experienced producers; they would probably be a nightmare for me. As far as the Sonar discrepancy, keep in mind that this thread is over 2 years old. ;) Earlier versions of Sonar may not have been equipped with all the features they now include. Thanks for your input. Are there certain retail outlets that offer better prices than others or are the prices on such programs pretty well standardized? I pulled a web search on Sonar, Reason, and Cubase and it looks like there are a variety of prices. Then I went to EBay to see if there might be someone selling a bonafide version that they outgrew and WOW .... there are so many bootlegged versions of all three programs that it made me ill. I'd love to pick up great software for cheap prices, especially since I've been burned big time in the past with Passport Designs music software; but then again... I believe in compensating the creator and abiding by the legal process.

[theblue1]

DOH! Just shove me into the furiously pumping arms of the dope-slap machine! I even quickly scanned the comments at the bottom of page one (which I just went back and actually properly read) and didn't quite get the 27 months comment. Wotta dumbass I yam! Anyhow, if you use PC's/Windows as I think you do, you don't have to worry about stumbling into that particular program, although it used to be available on the PC before a certain non-PC computer company bought it. I'd actually looked into that program myself early in the 90s, as it was a pioneer in multitrack audio on the PC. But a 4-channel rig would have been insanely expensive. You could have bought 16 channels of ADAT for under the cost (and I did). Anyhow, there are many partisans of this particular program, and some of them may no doubt show up here soon to straighten me out [ :D ] -- and I have no doubt that it is indeed powerful and that those who are used to its interface can get around in it quickly. I guess. Anyhow, a frequently vouched criticism is that this particular program's user interface is often il[b]logic[/b]al. Uh... ;)

[Anifa]

Thanks theBlue1 Your post was quite logical! ;)

[Anifa]

[quote] DOH! Just shove me into the furiously pumping arms of the dope-slap machine! I even quickly scanned the comments at the bottom of page one (which I just went back and actually properly read) and didn't quite get the 27 months comment. Wotta dumbass I yam! [/quote]I know where you're coming from on that one. I neglected to see that a thread was dug up from the dead quite some time ago and made a fool of myself by thinking and actually accusing someone of altering text. I was under some pretty intense attacking from a couple of the other forum members and neglected to look at the dates. The moderator of that forum has never forgiven me for the error, but I don't let it bother me much because he allowed some pretty vicious attacking to go on without once intervening... I rarely ever bother even checking in anywhere on these forums other than here at Craig's place. Craig is the coolest moderator on the net. :thu: