What do you use?

Hey all,

I'm just curious as to what software you folks use?
I've not used a computer for music for many years. I started off with Cubasis (blast from the past) then progressed to Cubase SX, before making the switch to MOTU Digital Performer 4 on the Mac. Then I completely stopped using computers for music, nothing wrong with the software i just started to lose interest in sequencing and recording and concentrated on live work.

I'm going to be getting back into it all soon and am investigating the software available. I know the best answer is download all the trials and see what I'm comfortable with, which I will do, but was curious as to what everyone here uses.

I must admit I really like the look of Reaper, especially given it's very low price.
http://www.reaper.fm/

But then I've still got a soft spot for Cubase too, unless ofcourse the up to date versions are utterly bloated.

Anvil Studios and Kristal. (Both freeware)

The Y-man

Do they run on windows boxes?

Anvil: XP, Vista and 7.


http://www.anvilstudio.com/

Krystal says XP, but I have run it on Vista

http://www.kreatives.org/kristal/


The Y-man

Sibelius for writing sheets
Cakewalk for working around with midi files
Cubase...only when I have to, for example multi track recording/arranging
Kontakt 5 for loading samples
Awave Studio for converting tones from various keyboards
Extreme Sample Converter - same like Awave, but I found out you can get the sounds from a VST with it
Audacity - It's FREE and you can record multitrack, edit sounds, change the tempo, apply effects, load VST's like an expensive D.A.W. just it doesn't have midi sequencing. I'm using it when I am trying to hear a song in a slower tempo.
ASIO4ALL v2 audio driver for Cubase, Kontakt were you can control latency.

I've just installed the trial version of Reaper. I just need to grab myself an audio interface.
Does anyone know of an audio interface that can act as a standalone mixer? I know the MOTU UltraLite Hybrid can but it's a bit pricey. I "hope" the presonus Frestudio Mobile can, as it ticks all the right boxes. I just can't find confirmation on it's standalone capabilities.

Why do you want this? Reaper doesn't have it's own mixer??
I never used it, but as seen in the pictures, it has...of course it has, it's a DAW.

Ahh what I'm after is an interface to work with Reaper or any DAW when I'm at home, but I'd like a rack mountable digital mixer too, which the MOTU 828 MKII can do. So basically when I'm at home it's acting as an interface, then when I'm on stage it's an 8 in 8 out digital mixer with Scene recall.

Very handy!

And I've just noticed, that to make it even more AWESOME it has 8 channels of ADAT input on an optical socket, so if I suddenly need more analogue inputs I can grab a cheap AD box, like the Behringer ADA8000 and slam that in the rack above it hooked up with the lightpipe and bingo! 8 more channels!

Muse Receptor.
Don