Why I Use Pro Tools, And Why (maybe) You Shouldn't.
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- Опубліковано 8 тра 2023
- This video breaks the myth about Pro Tools. Whether or not it's the only game in town. Why that has been true in the past and why it is no longer the case. What I love about it, and what I hate about it.
Tell me what you love or Hate about Pro Tools! What DAW do you use and why?
Big, big fan of Reaper here.
I started out on Cubase 3 and 5.1.2 (yes, that version...), and I tried a few different ones after that, like Pro Tools and Studio One throughout the years. I forget the other ones I've tried now. I ended up with Reaper and using that quite a long time ago now, and I really enjoy and really like that. There's a great community around it and a lot of customizing options. And midi editing is great! All of them have a learning curve of course, and I think I'm so deep into Reaper now that learning something else has always left me slightly frustrating, as I'm struggling to do the things I know how to do in Reaper with ease.
I like the benefits of plugins and VSTs, especially on recording vocals. As you mention, it's nice to "get in the right mood" when you have the plugins on as you record - as I find I perform differently both on vocals and guitar rather than completely dry - and you can always edit later. Sometimes I'll mic up my amp though, but even guitar plugins have become so great now, I don't think I could tell the difference in blind test, but I still feel a real amp is more "alive" when using that and mic'ing it up. And the latency on decent PC hardware and audio interface is very minute by now, I'd say, so probably not a big big problem these days.
With my Steinberg UR816C on 64 samples for buffer size I have input latency of 2.5 sec and output of 3.5 sec. If I need to go 128 samples it's 3.9 and 5.9 sec. Not too dissimilar to being 2-3 meters from an actual amp in the room when recording that. I do feel that has improved a lot in recent years though, or at least with my better hardware. I seem to recall years of struggling with 25ms or more of latency, and while it was doable, it was a struggle for sure with inadequate hardware. I wanna point out though, that if I'm mixing a big project with lots of plugins I switch to 1024 samples buffer size of similar, as of course there's not need for the low latency.
One of the reasons I enjoy Reaper is the price. At 60 bucks it's affordable for most people, and the community is great with tutorials and so on. I think a lot of people have it down as some sort of inferior DAW to Pro Tools, Cubase etc. but I've found it to be a lot less frustrating, more intuitive and so on, but a lot of that is personal preference of course.
I actually use Pro Tools, in a Home Studio!
Yes, I'm a Pro Tools user and proudly.
I started in music production in 2018-19 and the first experience I had was with the now discontinued Pro Tools First.
We all know that wasn't the best interpretation of the real deal but it worked for me to get a quick idea of how working in Pro Tools looked and felt like.
I chose Pro Tools due to familiarity mostly.
The first time I went to a studio for a recording session, there was Pro Tools fired up.
Ever since, I liked the GUI and how's laid out.
I've used other incredible pieces of software such as Studio One, Reaper and lately Logic Pro and they all are incredible and super powerful in their own way.
But Pro Tools is where I feel the most comfortable in when making music and being creative be it by myself of with the company of other creatives.
I might integrate Logic Pro into my workflow for songwriting and such, specially due to the MIDI capabilities of it but Pro Tools will be there as long as it delivers what I'm used to have from it!
I love pro tools
I hate that I had to stick with HD 12 since I was not a fan of the poor subscription service
I have never tried Pro Tools. When I got back into audio in 2007, having been out of it since the early 90's, I took a look at the DAW options and made the analysis that ProTools was like IBM in the mid-90's. It looked to be an established dinosaur of a product that newer competitors were about to drive out of business. And coming from an IT background, the thought of being tied to specific hardware seemed archaic. Pro Tools didn't die as I suspected, but all I heard was complaints about the company from other users so I was glad I avoided it.
I ended up choosing Cakewalk Sonar, which was a bit of an underdog and perhaps also getting to be a dinosaur through software bloat. I liked it and found that any ProTools users I met were always surprised by things that Sonar could do that I took for granted.
When Sonar finally went defunct in 2017, I moved to Studio One based on reviews and the fact that they were born in a time where they could take all the best ideas from other DAWs, but they had developed enough to be stable and have tons of functionality. Big selling features for me were excellent quality built in Plugins, integration with Presonus StudioLive mixers, extensive MIDI integration and tools (I've got 11 hardware synths connected), a mastering platform, built in music notation, Scratch Pads that allowed testing tweaks without touching the main song, and so much more. I now recommend Studio One to everyone.
I tried to install pro tools on my windows pc and it kept crashing in the middle of installing
I've been in the ProTools world for about 20 years since version 5.3.2. and spent 61K on my first TDM HD Accel system with three Digi 192 I/O's two Digi Pre's and a Midi I/O...We're just in the process of switching our facility over to Reaper on Windows. Basically due to the massive changes at Avid and Apple and the volatility of OS compatibility issues we just can't justify staying on our old platform anymore, and with Reaper's functionality and customizability, I've already got it set up to work almost identical to my ProTools workflow, except with many many more features that I've been wanting out of ProTools for YEARS built right into Reaper. Once we fully switch over, I don't think I'll ever be looking back.
Hello sir, just curious. To match your Pro Tools based work flow did you create your own macros or did you use macros and themes from the internet? I'm making the switch after 15 years but the learning a new DAW thing is what's holding me back.
Love these types of videos for a young guy this information on your experiences is INVALUABLE
I am a Pro Tools HDX user. To utilize the HDX DSP and zero latency, unfortunately Pro Tools is the only supported avenue. In my studio, however, I utilize a Dante network so all I/O and outboard can work seemlessly going into both Pro Tools and other DAWS (even simultaneously). I usually compose in Logic or Cubase, and then do audio tracking, editing, and mixing in Pro Tools. The switchover between DAWS is seamless, and there is zero reconfiguration. Great video!
Thanks Rich! Much appreciated!
Awesome video Devon, thanks for sharing your experience and knowledge, I hope the rest of the guys in PW are doing well, keep up the great content dude! \m/
Great stuff. It's always great to hear stories from pros using the stuff.
Hi Devon, first time landing here. I checked out your tunes (LOVE IT). Anyhow I'm still chugging along with my 2010 Mac Pro 12core. What I did is got me a Metal card, and I run OpenCore. I can literally boot up back and forth between Mt. Lion / PT10, or Big Sur with any current version of PT. Although pointless knowing you have the M1. But it's still viable machine running Opencore.
Started on Pro Tools 7 on an original Mbox that I bought from a friend. I loved it. Then got an Mbox Pro and upgraded to 8. Now that was a great system. Went through a few great hardware pieces when they finally opened up compatibility, including an Apogee Symphony. Those years were filled crashes and terrible software compatibility. I’m now on a Mac Studio M1 Max running the latest version of PT native on Apple Silicon w/ a Lynx Aurora, and boy, is it nice. Had to bite the bullet and pay for an upgrade on Waves 🙄, but everything runs perfectly, and oh so fast!
I haven't used my M1 PT rig for much other than UA-cam, but I can't remember it ever letting me down either. Still do my heavy lifting with PT8 HD. Just recently found a used version of Omnisphere 1 to replace my Atmosphere that got lost in the upgrade from 7.4 to 8. Spektrasonics was very helpful is getting me a licence. So now I finally feel whole. Yes, loving PT8 and hearing a lot about 9 and beyond being a bit dodgy.
Good video Devon. You have a new subscriber. :)
Like you, I came from the world of analog tape in the 80s. I first got into using a DAW in the mid 90s with Cubase and two ADAT XT machines and moved to Protools at the end of 1999. I used Protools up to around 2007 and switched to REAPER for live recording. I was so impressed with REAPER that I started using it for mixing my live recordings and shortly after, everything else.
I've been an active REAPER beta tester and have had input on the implementation of several features now in REAPER such as VCA channels. I'm also a moderator on the REAPER forum.
I've created my own REAPER theme (the GUI design basically) based on the Neve Genysis and Calrec Omega consoles which I've steadily developed and enhanced over the last decade or so.
My studio rig today now incorporates two RME Fireface UFX interfaces which work seamlessly with REAPER and are rock solid reliability wise. RME Totalmix FX is brilliant and allows me to record overdubs even in very complex mixes with loads of plugins with zero latency. I love this system. It gives me what I could only dream of when I was looking at upgrading my early Protools rig to Protools HD. I'm personally very glad I didn't invest in Protools HD now.
See if you can get the C/24 controllerto work in Reaper!
@@devon-graves-studio-D I haven't tried personally (I don't have one) but I do believe there are some regulars on the forum who might've had some success with third party scripts.
Hi Devon, subscribed today. I’m in a situation where I’m opening a new space, to setup a reasonably “hi-end” studio, in that I have good amount of analog and vintage outboard gear. I only have beginner level experience with pro tools, (I just never had reason or time to learn it when I was using logic & reason). Though it won’t be advertised as a commercial studio, I will be bringing in people to work on my projects and me on theirs. Did I mention I’m a songwriter, and rising producer? Also, I happen to already own an HDX card, an avid HDIO 16x16 analog , Avid/digidesign c24, Mac 5,1 tower- all that inherited. So I have a pretty great protools complete setup sitting in storage right now, just one problem: I DONT KNOW F**king PRO TOOLS!, Beyond, basic setting up and arming a track, pressing play and record, its a mystery to me. I’m pretty proficient at logic, and most of my projects from the past 10 years were done in a logic. (I was on Sonar till they discontinued it. /My question: should I invest in the License’s etc (currently on PT10)? Should I try to learn protools, and start using it, based on my plans to work with others? Or should I just sell it all, and get what I can on reverb or eBay while it’s still worth something? Please help. Sorry for such a long message. Your advice would be invaluable.
Great video ❤ If I had to start again today or offer advice it would be Logic on Mac or Nuendo on PC. I'm only still using PT because I'm a dinosaur and was a very early adopter from the 90's and what I know best.
Those Black Face PT Mix systems from the early 2000's sounded great though, and better than the later Silver 192 systems IMO just something about the converter in em.
Avid was just sold recently so it'll
be interesting to see how things pan out...
Thanks 🙏
Happy with Nuendo for post production and music learning.
Nuendo is another one that works across a wide range of new and dated systems. Forgot to mention them!
@@devon-graves-studio-D I like it because it's very broad. Not only does mixing and recording just as well as PT, but its MIDI toolset is amazing as well.
I really dig your story and rationale for using gear.
Thank you Tommy!
When I went to college to study Sound engineering back in 2008 I was incredibly excited to buy Pro Tools M Powered and along with it a 'The musicians guide to Pro Tools' by early R.E.M. producer John Keane, a fantastic book that I am very fond of (a strange thing to say but it is how it is)
Then a few years later things started to change and AVID's changes on the company and product took hold and I dropped out early in the subscription game, deep down I knew their promises of constant updates where hollow and so it proved to be in the first year.
Due to video editing I've had to upgrade my computer over the years and sadly leave PT behind. I now use Logic (after a brief stint with Studio One) because its UI is one of the least cluttered but I do miss using Pro Tools, I get the odd email with their "re-instatement" upgrade offer but due to their business practices (and lies, false promises) over the years I am reluctant to jump back in despite the urge to do so.
I also believe Pro Tools business practices are fraudulent. The sooner they come straight the quicker they'll be able to save themselves.
I never got into the pro level. I used Pro Tools LE from the digi 001 on up to the 003 and PT 9. The LE versions with the 001-003 didn’t offer the same advantages. I had friends tease me for remaining loyal to PT for so long when they could get more with other DAW’s and interfaces (at that basic level). I am delighted to be a Studio One guy and almost have a revulsion with the idea of PT itself (especially under AVID). I do use midi, and find so much of Studio One to be wonderfully intuitive (though I’m still not as proficient with it as I was once with PT - because I haven’t been on it’s long)
Great monologue Sir.
I felt every bit of this - maybe not the exact same reasons but I get it. I'm an avid user (no pun intended) of the ProTools platform. I got into music production about '99. I was in elementary school using FL Studio (Fruityloops at the time) and MAGIX Samplitude. I remember going to pro studios and falling in love the environment but more so taking note of the tools the pro's used but more importantly asking and learning why. 2003 I started working on a ProTools LE system with their DIGI002 and an Apple iMac with 4GB of RAM and I believe only 250GB HDD space. ProTools always won with me as I agree its workflow is so intuitive. However; the most valuable thing to me at the time was being in the ecosystem. Being able to start a project in my project studio and polish them in pro-grade environments maximizing my resources at the time.
As much as I love ProTools and standby it I also very early developed a love/hate with platform. For as long as ProTools has been around its MIDI functionality has always been lackluster. Even today its better but its far from PRO compared to other platforms. However; ProTools started as an audio recording and editing platform and that it does exceptionally well. But the biggest trend I learned early about ProTools, regardless of who owns it, is the financial bleeding of its customers. EVERYTHING cost. I remember during this time MP3 still new and very hot and debatable topic in the music industry. None-the-less; ProTools didn't even have this options unlike other others DAWs. When they did finally embrace MP3 you had to pay $45 to unlock the option. You want to go to ProTools 8 to ProTools 9? Pay. ProTools just embraced track folders within the last couple years or so. Again - an option that's been available in Cubase/Nuendo back since 2005 (from personal experience). Then they developed this new plugin format AAX rendering all your old plugin investments useless. Their latest blow is removing actual ownership of the software you use moving to subscription only business model.
And they just changed ownership AGAIN...
Realistically at this point; LUNA is looking like my most logical transition as I'm already in the UA ecosystem using their APOLLO series.
I Love Magix Samplitude Sequoia
Was using Protools since the 888 interface!!! Freaking expensive AF!!! Then came Protools HD!!! Freaking expensive..& bye-bye 888's...money down the drain due to AVID not working with older hardware. I then upgraded to Protools HD Accel 3 system with a Digital 196 16 channel interface, & chugged along. So I tried a program at that time called Nuendo v2...200 tracks of audio, built in features such as OMF import, video tracks & all the Midi functions of Cubase with support for video. 2005 I worked on an animated cartoon with 150 tracks of audio, video, 9-Pin sync & control of external video decks etc...and it ran like a charm. Back in those days, Protools 9-Pin sync feature cost around $1000!!!!!!! WHY???? Nuendo at that time was doing it for FREE!! So the entire cartoon was all done in Nuendo v2 with ease & no issues. Protools 8-9 was just a ton of issues, so we only used it for clients that required to use Protools. Later, around 2006, I was using PT HD Accel 9 on a windows PC with absolutely no issues along side Nuendo V4. I noticed that Nuendo was excellent for video & film work.
I kept doing client projects within Nuendo & realized how much easier it was. When Avid did their NASTY A$$ deed of killing all the Protools HD Accel hardware & going to AAX plugin formats, I was done!! I invested $7000 for a HD Accel 3 system plus plugins...now basically worthless. I was stuck using Protools 9 & could only upgrade to PT Accel 10 which allowed me to continue to use my HD Accel Hardware, but Avid had warned the masses that anyone using the HD Accel Card with Protools, THEIR DAYS WERE NUMBERED!!
Finally, Protools left the "Mandatory Avid hardware interface game" behind & started allowing newer versions of Protools to work with other hardware interfaces. So I used on of my old Motu Audio interfaces that sound excellent. I had a recent copy of the Protools perpetual license, and I tell u, Protools has more issues more than ever!!! I couldn't believe that after all this time, Avid is still F%cking around. I finally had enough & bought Steinberg's Nuendo 10 (Now upgraded to version 12). Nuendo is just light years ahead of Protools & they give U EVERYTHING!! During the pandemic/ Quarantine era, Nuendo has a feature built in that allows u to do REAL TIME REMOTE RECORDING!! It's called VST Connect v5. Something Protools still doesn't do to this day!! This feature alone kept me in business & my clients loved this feature because they didn't have to have any new, difficult software, except for the companion app that's a 37mb install!! I let my Avid license expire & I'm now 100% working with Nuendo 12. It's so damn stable & the work flow is just a charm. Steinberg is always pushing boundaries, with upgrades & their family of software such as Spectral Layers 10 & their own line of amazing hardware interfaces. Nuendo also works directly with Wwise for game audio which Avid Protools doesn't do at all. Nuendo also throws in Dolby Atmos with your purchase, as well as an amazing ADR section with video overlays, which Protools has never offered! U want a robust ADR workflow with video overlays for Protools?? U going to have to buy additional software such as EdiPrompt v3 for $545, or ADR Master 2 Editor for $109/month, or Source-Connect Pro License for $1,495.00.... Just freaking more hassles & more expensive!!
All in all, I use Nuendo 12 unless a client insist that they must have a session done in "Slow-Tools" in which I may reactivate my Protools license if the money makes sense!! Protools time is over!!!
I use Ableton live 11. I went on youtube and typed in "best DAW" and Ableton seemed to be the most popular.(at least with in my youtube algorithm) and what really sold me was the little info box in the bottom left corner of ableton that explains what ever you hover your mouse courser over. that was nice for a nube. I think i payed $300 for the 2nd best version.
Yeah, when people ask me what DAW to use when they’re just starting out, I typically recommend Ableton. Especially for modern music.
Great video. Pro tools will fade out over the next 10 years or sooner if avid doesn’t clean up their business practices. New up and coming music producers starting on their own will not fork out that money when there are so many other viable options.
Very informative , thank you ! 😊
You are welcome! Thanks for watching ;)
I use protools in my studio, but the power of my setup is my api console, love it
Sweeeeeeet!
I use two Presonus Quantum 4848 interfaces for Studio One. It’s amazing, and works great for hybrid mixing. I’m upset that they recently discontinued the 4848’s (with 32 analog IO, and another 16 ADAT each). They discontinued it because it is a TB 2 interface. I hope they upgrade it to TB 4 and rerelease it. They are interfaces that punch well above their weight class for sound quality. There’s a great head to head comparison between them and UAD’s Apollo line. When I Max out my IO on my second 4848 I’ll probably look for a used 4848 to expand further (though, so far, they are pretty hard to find, I think).
Sounds great. Never heard of that one but Presonus is great!
Just wondering if you could go the carbon route vs matrix 2 since the cartoon has the dsp built in, not sure of your setup or how many channels you are using on the interface, I think you have 16 analog and some adat there is AVB that you could add many channels and I think there is a good bit of dsp power in the interface box
Great summary.
I ditched Pro Tools for the same reasons you mention and fortunately I had not bought an Icon. I had the smaller desktop controller which name escapes me now...
I switched to Studio One and am now on V5. I'm quite satisfied with it... However, and I didn't think this could happen. I'm looking at Logic again. Not for the slightly cheap UI but for Drummer! That is an awesome feature. Mastering assistant is also now stock. $200? Cheaper than Studio One. And I son't think I'll go back to Windows.
Thanks for a great presentation.
I noticed Logic Pro on a Mac M1 Mackbook pro and had seemingly zero latency on the default sample buffer, even with plug-ins. None discernible to me anyway. Pro Tools on the same computer requires a much lower sample buffer (I think 128 maybe even 64) to achieve the same performance. But the C24 works on Pro Tools so that's mainly what's keeping me in.
@@devon-graves-studio-D Also they have a free trial license you can use to test it
You provided the right advice for the Youngers. I worked in film and television as well as recording my band in PT in the late 90s and 2000s. When Digidesign announced Avid was buying PT I KNEW it was over. I knew because Avid (on the video post side) milked the hell out of production house operators. On hardware, on proprietary storage, engineer calls. One time we had a shoot at a racetrack and we were in the pit and this guy had a $300k+ Shelby Cobra and I said "What do you do for a living?" and he said he was an Avid engineer. Myself and the whole crew sneered at him and I said, "Of course--you rob us everyday." Anyway Avid really had the industry by the balls." And I was sooooo happy to see Final Cut's low-price entry--it obliterated Avid's choke on offline editing and then of course, on the audio production side, Logic showed up not that long after that. I loved PT's work flow but even before the Avid purchase I remember Digi having these short-cycle compulsory iteration requirements that had me regularly shelling out dough to function. I've been on Logic since 2008 and have been fairly happy the entire time.
Latency while singing is horrible. My fix for cheap was to use an interface that is also a full mixer (behringer xr18 in this case but there are others). The vocal effects for the vocalist are all generated by the mixer and go into the daw without those effects. The x 18 can do compression, gating, and eq on each channel then there are four effect slots that can be either used in series or parallel. This v is all with effectively no latency and six aux sends. Then you can use whatever daw you like.
I LOVE Pro Tools and I hate to spend 400$ each year to get it up to date. But I am damn fast on it. I could use Logic, Digital Performer, Cubase, Reaper, Studio One or Ableton Live and I would be happy, but not as fast. I still have my HD3 with I/Os somewhere in my basement, just in case, that I payed somewhat 20k $ and I can't sell for 700... And I now mix on my M1Pro laptop... If I had to choose a different one it would be Digital Performer.
The notion that Avid is to blame is a bit harsh. Everything you said about EUCON, ICON, and compatibility exists in ALL tech; even cars. You can't install the current version of Logic Pro X on older Macs that are no longer compatible. Not to discount the investments anyone has made, because I too have made them, but this entitlement that a 20yr old control surface (no matter how much it cost) "should" still be compatible is a bit far fetched. EUCON was based on a modified HUI protocol that only worked with Pro Tools. EUCON works with every major DAW. Once could argue that universal compatibility is way more advantageous in modern studios where different engineers and producers use more than just Pro Tools. Lastly EOL doesn't mean no longer compatible and don't work. ICONs still work very well with the current versions of Pro Tools and are still very nice for some.
Side note on business: Investing $100K+ in a console without the business projections to recoup that is just bad investment on the studio owner's part and a developer/manufacturer shouldn't be to blame for that person's poor judgement.
Fair enough. Definitely the new Eucons are great for the fact they are universal. My C/24 is still supported as well luckily. But I also have a Mackie Logic Control I bought in 2002 which still works like a charm (In logic AND Pro Tools),. I have it sitting next to the drums. It's older than those Icons by several years. I'm not sure I agree with your last paragraph though. It's not so much about recouping the investment, Obviously that couldn't be blamed on Avid, but more about that investment being supported a bit better. After all, we are talking about faders and buttons... not performance . Discontinuing future support was definitely Avids call and saying it was just a "bad investment" illustrates my point exactly. I mean, would Avid sell those things knowing they were going to jump ship? Clearly they would. My real gripe is that Avid's Pro Tools is pretty much compatible with everything and anything EXCEPT the Digidesign legacy, or at least it' seems headed that way. But I get what you are saying. In retrospect, I think I will make a short follow-up video because I do believe I think you raise a fair point. I'm not boycotting Pro Tools. I am just not chasing my own tail by upgrading, since by design, I can't upgrade. My bigger point is that is that since the DSP systems are less and less necessary, it becomes more a software comparison. In that comparison Pro Tools is too expensive for what you get, in my opinion. And I still bought it, I think I am entitled to my gripe :) Sometimes by griping about things, companies listen.
I was using Dsp with the Emu 1616m on a laptop 10-15 years ago Myspace Days
Amen
We can STILL use the D-Command and the D-Control. Personality, I'm using two S1's and a Dock for the Pro Tools system I'm running. Because I work at commercial studios I'm staying on it. I like it; it works for me. Thanks.
Great video. I have been struggling with an old pc for years having such terrible latency that MIDI controllers are just not possible. I keep hearing that midi usb 2 is all ya need but I am curious about the Audient usb-c. Is it actually usb-c 3.2 or higher? I was on the cusp of building an ASUS Intel proArtZ790Creator then, ya know , the whole recent catastrophe with overclocking. But I will be getting a new machine with Thunderbolt, perhaps even a Mac studio. Do you think standard usb-2 is adequate or is the Audient or similar usb-c 3 more efficient? Thanks. I've been using REAPER for a while now. Have you any comments about the midi implementation in REAPER? THanx again.
If MIDI controllers aren't possible, I don't get that. Maybe it's a configuration problem with the PC. I have been using a MACKIE CONTROL over USB 1 back in 2003 on a Mac G4 400 without issue. I have a little update on the Audient and latency... Subsequently, I heard latency in Pro Tools until I lowered the buffer to 64. In Logic it was out of the way at 128. But I imagine a more modern computer will still be the game-change along with a USB3 or Thunderbolt interface. I think the Audient is USB3. but the bandwidth needs to be usable by the computer so a USB 2 computer will probably be limited to the lower speed. If you go with a Mac, then Logic might be a great choice. I know it much better than Reaper (of which I know next to nothing). There is a guy on YT named Adam Steel who has a full course on Reaper, but its a few hundred Euros. Still very worth it if you love Reaper. Meanwhile, I found this for you ua-cam.com/video/8YhjKaugHGU/v-deo.html and ua-cam.com/video/02Gjb16CbkY/v-deo.html Good luck, and thanks for your questions!
@@devon-graves-studio-D thanks for your response! I do believe a more modern machine will make a difference. I have made all the settings adjustments possible with poor results. Thanks again!
Hehe, memories. I started with cheaper versions of *Logic* (not pro) 2.x ... 3.5 as a kid in the mid 90s, first with a SB32AWE which could do hardware sample playback & mixing, and a "SoundBlaster Live!" card later, that had SoundFont samples, with some, to me then, impressive sounding free libraries made by others, on a Windows PC... those were the days.
I liked Logic, until Apple bought it & axed the Windows branch after 5.5 or so.
Once Steinberg had introduced ASIO driver standard, and affordable interfaces with that came out, there was no latency problem on Windows, at least in the limited way I used things.
Since I only rarely record anything that I'd need to process a lot these days... I do use the cheap version of *Reaper.* & use it in a very basic fashion. I'm not really warming up to the UI, though, some of the base functions use different stadards for mouse behavior than 99,999% of all other software on my machine, and some things I regarded as of-used are unnecessarily complicated to do, so that's kind of a turn-off - but it does the job for my simple needs.
Have used Cakewalk SONAR 8 before & kinda liked it, then it was bought by some other entity and I didn't like the way it was going, can't recall details...
Studio One looks nice in videos. Online activation doesn't work on my isolated computer that I use for that, so Reaper wins. With some VSTs from vst4free or so, good enough for my hobby projects.
I am currrently more trying how to get good results recording 1 voice + 1 piano in 1 large reverberating room... none of all those YT tutorials I saw about music recording cover that scenario. Recording seperate sources there & trying to mix produces phasing hell, it kinda looks like I'm settling for one stereo recorder & fiddle with the distances until everything is audible well enough...
I didn't know Studio One is online activated. I also couldn't get my head around Reaper very easily. Soon, I will be publishing a full-scale recording, mixing and production course which is a labor of love for me. Maybe it will help you get the results you are looking for. Keep your eyes open for that if you are interested. I still have a lot of work to do, so it'll be a while. Thanks for writing in!
I love Protools because of it's awareness of post production facility uses unlike Logic, and other DAW's that are always based on BPM and Stereo audio files. I hate Protools because of it's constant neutering of basic features in cheaper DAWS unless you pay them more $$.... and now monthly.
Exactly. Avid better start listening to us "smaller" customers because the big boys are vanishing right beneath them.
Well spoken Devon!
Thanks Henri!
you can use a line level splitter box take your preamp output and double it one for the monitoring one for the recording to the adc but you need a good one that doesn't attenuate the signal amplitude you can also opt for a digital recorder like radar it's fast and accurate and the system is built for one reason "recording "
True, I've never tried it but my instincts lean towards thinking that would be a "less pure" signal having been devided in half, and maybe even amplified again to make that up.. But again, that's just my assumption. but if the piece has to be "good" I would imagine expensive, just not to loose something. But still, that is only me thinking out loud. Still probably better than restricting oneself to gear that has 2 outs... But I guess I'm not at that bridge in my current situation so I don't need to cross that one. Once that bridge leads to your destination though.. of course😎
Totally agree with your position!
Thats why i use pro tools 12 and 10 for rtas i even have pro tools 8 i use with an mbox ...i partition my drive depending operation system and install and print what i need
You should try DMSD decouplers for your Speakers.
You really need to get Steinberg Cubase.
Ha! "Perpetual" copy. Love it! And I love hearing the behind-the-scenes information about your studio Hardware, thanks for sharing! A big fan of yours and always have been and always will be. I'm very much looking forward to hearing new Deadsoul Tribe! I'm cheap and don't have a lot of money so I use Acoustica Mixcraft 9 Pro Studio. It works great for me and is very user-friendly. I connect my mic, guitars and bass to Focusrite 2i2. I use samples of my Paiste cymbals and program the drums (BFD Eco) and percussion midi for all my drum tracks. I get a lot of great feedback on the quality and sound of the songs I create. I use the PRS VST plug-in for my guitars and Todd uses BIAS 2 for his guitars.
If you just add a real hihat to those drum samples, you can really fool the listener! The hihat is the only way I can easily pick out (even very good) samples from real drums.
@Devon Graves-Studio-D Oh yeah, for sure! My hihats are also sampled. All sorts of different hits: open, closed, tight, loose, pedal, all in various dynamic degrees. If you listen to my music, it's very hard to tell the drums are programmed. We've known each other a very long time and I have great respect for your musicianship. I would very much like for you to check out some of my songs to see what you think. Just let me know!
After +20 years of using PT I finally got totally fed up with Avid's "Gibson-like" monopoly arrogance and mismanagement of a once leading platform. Discovering WinAmp creator Justin Frankel's DAW (REAPER) and especially Kenny Gioia's instructional videos on REAPER in 2019 (which were an essential help in managing the learning curve) was an absolute revelation to me, and I've been happily using REAPER on my last 4 albums as my workflow sped up nominally 2x from the days of PT. Sorry, but in my life, unless I need to do the occasional file conversions - Pro Tools is history to me.
Reaper deserves support. I am only familiar with Adam Steel's Ultimate Reaper Guide.
I also came from the tape analog world. I then went to Otari RADAR. I finally went to PT TDM with an Icon console, which I liked and upgraded to HDX ADX. I felt left in the dust my PT and still use my very old MacPro tower and I know is going to die sooner or later. When that happens I will have to upgrade everything. I stopped upgrading my computer years ago with PT 11. When my computer completely dies I am done with PT forever. I have a modern Macbook that I am running Logic on to get used to it. I don't like the work flow of Logic as much as PT has just become so costly and selfish. I think that PT is immoral with their business model. Great video and I agree that if a person is just starting I would look elsewhere from PT.
I still have protools 8, no machine for it.
Yesterday, I bought a perpetual license from Avid, upgraded from protools 10. I'm waiting for Avid support to update my ilok.
Don't fear the Reaper....
The problem with the whole thing is wanting wanting to use a new plug-in effect on the operating system Mac or Windows is telling you to up grade just to install the latest and the greatest plug-in but I think if you're already used to the old Legacy D.A.W and Plug-ins just set yourself up with too different systems old and new I have a mac and Windows system both of them running at the same time using each of the plugins from both systems to get what I want
Right, and when you DO upgrade, you often loose something else that once worked perfectly.
I started on pro tools 8 at another studio and then got pro tools 9 when i could use my own interface at my home studio . had issues and then updated to 10 ... had more issues and started the search for another daw worth a damn ... Eventually landed on studio one pro and never looked back ..... Still have pro tools and i did upgrade a few years back to the 2021 version .. Its ok but a pain in the ass compared to studio one to just get a session up and running ..
I had considered moving to PT 10, being the highest version I can use on my TDM rig. PT 8 has been rock solid and I read that 8 IS by far the most stable version of PT. So thanks for letting me know for sure not to fix what aint broken :) Studio One rocks!
PT 10 what a nightmare that was 🙄!
@@audiobunny1767 Really? Maybe I dodged a bullet there.
Team Reaper since 1.0 and now Mixbus as well. ProTools has never been the best DAW. They did have the best marketing and sales strategy by using apple's model and going after schools. Protools was from the days when most computers were not powerful enough to run audio in any sizeable sessions. Once computers were powerful enough Protools was shown to be inferior and their sales model flawed. Now PT as a native app is still one of the worst DAWs on the market but since they dominate the schools they are assured market share to a point. I keep it around for those who insist on PT but I only dump their sessions out of PT or just run the channels through my audio paths in my SSL.
I am an amateur musician, and I started making home recordings around 2005. I never liked Apple products, still don't, which unfortunately led me to spending countless weekends tweaking the Windows settings so that the unnecessary background processes, which are annoyingly enabled by default, don't cause clicks and pops in the recordings. Latency was a major issue. I play guitar and midi drums, and I find that the delay has to be below 10ms in order to be acceptable.
With this message I am trying to convince you that latency is no longer a problem on a Windows computer. You don't need Pro Tools, or even a Mac! There are only two products you have to select carefully. The first is a USB sound card for which the manufacturer provides fast ASIO drivers. Do not rely on ASIO4ALL, or drivers that have not been updated by the manufacturer for several years. The second product you need is a gaming computer! They are all muscle, optimized for performance. I am on my second desktop PC for music production, and both of them cost around 1300 Euros. I am a bit suspicious of gaming laptops but I have no experience with them.
When it comes to finding a suitable DAW, I think that it is more down to taste than anything else. I have been through most of the common DAWs (Windows only, not Logic or Garage Band), and some time back I settled on Reaper. It is reliable and very flexible, and you can even write your own plugins!
Been watching for 7 min when does he get to the part on why the fuck I shouldn’t get protools.
You Should Chet Out Luna. It Sounds Amazing. There Analog Modeling Technology is Mind Blowing. It’s a No Brainer.
I understand your frustrations, but I think it's unreasonable to expect a software company to continue updating decade-plus old software so that it not only runs on new machines, but so that the new software is backwards-compatible with processor architecture that is so far out of date. I've been using PT for 20+ years, btw.
2” tape and a razor blade is the only way to go.
Im not Familia with Pro tools but the problem might be on the coding of the program that might create a lot of problems with the old stuff. the coding in programing is changing and is getting more powerful but also more complex. this might be the reason the old stuff is not being upgraded cause the latest pro tools might have different coding more powerful and complex that the the old stuff might be too buggy to use. im no pro and this is just my opinion. is for example PC gaming. Real old Games will have a hard time running on pc and if they run they be buggy and at times a lot of tweaking just to get it to run. the coding of games have change but also the pc hardware and pc os, so the games have to be coded to run on newer system. hardware firmware has change a lot and this is why old stuff don't run well on newer system. so knowing this about pc and the games cause they are software's you can be able to kinda understand the issues from old to new. again this is just my opinion and i can be wrong.
There is definitely something to what you are saying. But mainly I think it's a money grab. Newer versions with newer hardware are actually less reliable than the old Digidesign exclusive stuff from what I hear a lot. The plug-ins in many cases aren't any better, that's for sure. Still the same Waves and McDSP algorithms with new skins in most cases. So all this power processing upgrade doesn't really end up helping anything other than profit for Avid in my estimation. Thanks for watching! Thanks for writing!
Yesssss. Avids customer service/customer loyalty is an example of the worst model of customer relations ever in the history of business...
same thing Logic has done. marketing. I couldn't upgrade my Logic Pro bcoz it doesn't run on Catalina any longer.
5:06 Just to be pedantic, pro tools does have latency, just that it is almost imperceptible
Fair enough.
A PC or Mac is a hardware platform running software... ;)
Right. My point was that an HD or accel rig is hardware likened unto hardware outboard digital signal processing (which also runs software within). also like the UAD systems. The computer isn't doing the heavy lifting, but the PT hardware is. That's all I meant. Thanks for your comment:)
Didn’t they just get bought out?
Lots of investment to be treated that way.
Old news.... Do you know anything about non maskable interrupts and DMA controllers.
Good news….avid has been sold
Something tells me Avid is going to regret its business model decisions of recent years, and now it has been bought by a private equity firm so who knows what's next? I love Pro Tools and have used it for around 10 years, the workflow suits me better than most D.A.W (I've tried a few) but like so many of us my patience is running out on the cost & compatibility issues inherent with this company.....
They will. Pro Tools is so overpriced it's not even funny, and I feel sorry for anyone "mentally stuck" in Pro Tools. I say "mentally", because afaik there's nothing solid to justify the price if someone actually had to write a list.
PT.....mmmmmmm
Why I sue Reason, and why (for sure) you shouldn't 😁
FL Studio >
Time is changing. Music never stands still ! Tools is out of date !
I hate pro tools. Always have, always will. I remember how they always were like 15 years behind the competition in terms of features. Even getting a 8 bar loop to actually loop was a pain the ass. Click on the wrong place, loop becomes deactivated. Such a horrible program for anyone but mixing engineers.
Extremely long winded, wind around the block explanations of simple subject matter.
Why can't they make ProTools a program where you buy it once and it's yours forever
Corporate greed. I'd understand the subscription if it was the greatest DAW and couldn't be replicated elsewhere, but really it's not. Ableton 11 suite/Bitwig/Studio One/Cubase are phenomenal DAW's with absolutely reliable recording and are very intuitive.
Err....Avid owned Protools even when it was Digidesign. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avid_Audio