Submitted by Longinen Timemin 1 on Wed, 04/25/2018 - 15:03

I'm new to this recording on computer deal and I am frankly very put off with what I found online already. I remember trying Acid Pro and Audacity years ago but I didn't get much into it. Now I found a cool site called Soundtrap that although it isn't all that advanced instrumentally, it's a whole package... recording and virtual instruments. Some of those virtual keyboards and strings actually sound good. From what I saw so far Soundtrap really stands out from other similar programs in both quality and use. What I don't like about this program is that they require you to use a Google Chrome browser and you must be connected online to use the recording and instrumentation features. This creates all sorts of difficulties for me because in order to stay online with my laptop I would need to use wifi or shell out $300.00 a month in data bills. Keeping a stable creative flow in a public place really is a feat in and of itself and I am not interested in the distractions. I need either a downloadable version of Soundtrap with no internet connection required or directions to another all-in-one program that does the same thing without the internet. (virtual keyboard, instruments and recording) I would pay a few hundred dollars for the software, but I ain't paying a few hundred dollars to record a keyboard tune on a data connection.

Comments

Check out Reaper. It's an open source, free program. its widely well received by pros and enthusiasts. pro tools has a free version as well. You'll find demos available for almost all, if not all Daw software, so you can give it a go without shelling out $$. i also generally prefer to own my software license, as opposed to the subscription models. although i do have some subscriptions, and i know some members here very happy with their subs.

kmetal, post: 456718, member: 37533 wrote: Check out Reaper. It's an open source, free program. its widely well received by pros and enthusiasts. pro tools has a free version as well. You'll find demos available for almost all, if not all Daw software, so you can give it a go without shelling out $$. i also generally prefer to own my software license, as opposed to the subscription models. although i do have some subscriptions, and i know some members here very happy with their subs.

Hey K, I'm not sure it's free anymore.
I went to their website and you can download a 60days trial
but they sell licences : https://www.reaper.fm/purchase.php

pcrecord, post: 456726, member: 46460 wrote: Good to know.. thanks Bos !
So it's some fishing licencing for those who don't know, ah ah !

Let's say Justin trusts his users to do the honorary thing. A license is only 60$, unless you make more than 10.000$ per year with your music. Then it's 100$. And that buys upgrades for two major revisions.

Not free, but relaxed. And affordable.

there's Studio One (who has/had a free edition), audacity, pro tools free. if you buy an interface you'll get an LE version of a DAW, usually cubase. I think studio one offers the most features, and highest sound quality/coding of the ones i mentioned (for full featured daw). Bitwig might be worth a try, not sure about pricing. Ableton is a less traditional daw, wich might appeal to you, if reaper didnt. reaper is similar to most daws, although with a bit of an archaic menu system, visually.