Must Have Plugins

[admin]

gotta throw my Ten Cents in here.....
i am still a newbie to writting/production, but Live for that purpose is so not intuative. i mean Cubase was pretty straight forward to figure out. Live on the other hand is a bear. i'm really having a hard time getting my head around it.
i do belive for recording in a band setting it's easier than trying to do techno. i just started playing around with recording my band (we're getting ready to do and EP and then our 2nd ablum) in both sx3 and live 7 and both seem easy enough. But for techno i just can't work it out.
i do think it's the way to go though if you can get it worked out. I mean for "spinning" i wouldn't touch anything else....just wish i could get around as easy as i do for that as i'd like to for writting.
as for logic, can't say, i don't use apple.

Let's get on Yugma and I'll show you some things about Live then if you want, it is a different mentality at first compared to Cubase (which can be hard to get used to).

[admin]

Andre, you should check out the Analog Factory by Arturia as well. 3500 presets using the engines from all their synths. Comes with a controller and let's you do basic editing on the sounds. Pretty cheap (300 Euros here not sure what it goes for in the States though). A lot of good sounds there.

[NuEra]

Not sure I get this then, how can something be too user friendly? Isn't that the point?

Haha we'll have to get Andre to clarify what he meant then. The reason I jumped to my conclusion is I've heard Logic 8 is a bit too much like garage band. So maybe he means they dumbed it down a bit from what Logic once was?

[admin]

I've used 8 and I don't think its dumbed down at all. If anything they cleaned it up a bit, something that I think it was needing. At the end of the day you really don't need that many features to get work done. The trick is getting those few simple ones right. The fact that Logic doesn't do a simple duplicate like PT or Cubase and Live really surprises me.

[NuEra]

Interesting, I have yet to try out 8, and actually have never used any other version other than 7. By duplicate you mean you can't just hit command d and duplicate a midi or audio region? I found that strange as well, but is not my major complaint by any means. I've always just dragged them out as a loop and then hit 'k' to turn them into real copies.

Another thing I remembered about Live vs Logic the other day, is Logic's ability to customize and program locked screenset's and how much easier this is for working with a dual screen setup. Have the newer versions of Live addressed this at all? I really enjoy having my midi on my right screen and my arrangement page on the left.

One feature that Protools really nails down, that I think all DAWs should have, is their "import session data" function. Which allows you to import exact replicas of tracks from other sessions, including the audio regions and channel strip setup. So handy!

In the end I'm also a firm believer that all software is just a means to an end it all comes down to personal preferences and what works best for an individual. If you can find a way to make cool noises out of a Pentium 1 with a copy of Sound Tools, then by all means giver! However, as audio geeks, I also feel we reserve the right to analyze and discuss how we feel about different software and gear!

[admin]

Yes that's right you can't just command-d it. It is a small thing but I much prefer that, to be able to just tap 3 times to make 3 copies. To have to drag and then convert etc...takes too much time compared to the previous alternative. With small edits especially it ends up being a pain. It's one of those things where they've got loads of complex features when really this is the kind of thing I actually need.

I actually don't find the need to use screensets in Live as everything is generally where I need it anyways.

Cubase has a similar feature to that. You can save a track with its content and channel settings to be used in another session. Also you can export and import channel settings from the mixer.

I agree, it is a means to an end...anything beyond that and you're focusing on software and not making music. For me top priority nowadays is productivity and efficiency. All the bells and whistles, whether it's a DAW or synth, don't mean much if its not intuitive. I probably use just 5-10% of a programs features for 85-90% of my work, so getting the little basic stuff right is of most importance.

[lataste]

Well, I just got back from a little vacation and am surprised to see so many replies to this post. To clarify, I meant to say that on initial startup, Logic tries to conform you to a certain garageband setup. I have learned how to change the windows to make it more like the older versions but, I was simply saying that it has changed from the older Logic which I liked a bit better. I have to learn and conform, that's all. Jesse is right though, I only use about 10% of its features. My workflow hasn't gotten back to where it used to be though.

On another note, I have Live 6 and I stopped learning it when I picked up Logic. I am going to start using it primaraly for drums to as a rewire to logic, so I can learn its capabilities. Then I'll probably get a bit deeper with it. The theory behind the software is different that anything that I have used before though. For me, it was harder to pick up than other DAW's. Then again, anyone that knows me knows that I tend to make things more complicated than it already is.

BTW, Apple/Alt R is one if my favorite functions in Logic. Live doesn't have a repeat function?

Andre
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[lataste]

I know what I need, some informative videos form Medway.
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[Bitfiend]

Let's get on Yugma and I'll show you some things about Live then if you want, it is a different mentality at first compared to Cubase (which can be hard to get used to).

Yeah we definitely need to get that scheduled!

[lataste]

Count me in too!
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