Cakewalk, Pro tools, Cool edit...which to use?

If I want to simply record the audio (sequenced) from my Kurzweil workstation onto my Turtle Beach soundcard, and then add a vocal track, which program(s) would serve me best? I have Cakewalk pro 8, Cool edit pro 1.0, and the Pro-tools free download program. I am using a Joe Meek VC3Q pre-amp and a V67 LD condenser for the vocal tracks. I have made an incredibly vibrant and clean 2 song CD demo with the use of Cakewalk and used Cool edit for fine editing, but wonder if there is something that one of you out there can suggest in case you feel I am doing something ass-backwards. Any and all responses most appreciated. Thanks in advance ----ROB

 

I have had experience with Cakewalk at my studio. A client brought a project in on his own computer using Cakewalk and I personally found it to be kludgy. I didn't think the manual was of very much help. All in all we had a hard time getting through the project. I have always shied away form Cakewalk since that experience. I looked at Cool Edit Pro (it came bundled free with my soundcard) and I decided I didn't care much for it either. Cool Edit doesn't allow use of a lot of the Plug ins out and I didn't care much for the ones that are available through Direct X. Pro Tools Free is real weird to get running correctly. I did a D/L off the Internet and then ordered a disk from Didgidesign... Never could get it to run right. I guess you get what you pay for. I ended up going with Cubase and I couldn't be happier. Lots of plugins, wide file compatibility and very stable….. Fats

 

Thanks for parting with some of your experiences, Fats. I have heard a lot about Cubase in BBS'S all over the net and I may consider it on my next serious original project. Time to research. Thanks again ----ROB

 

I use Cake 9 synced with Samplitude Producer, and I agree with Fats on the "kludge" factor, especially the digital audio portion of the program. Cake's MIDI implementation is pretty straight-forward, the editing is easy.

The reason I use both Cake and Samplitude is that Cake still hadn't figured out what digital audio was by version 9. I have Sonar, but have yet to load it since the virtual synths take more horsepower than my old DAW has available. I'm going to be building a new DAW this winter, most likely two separate P4 machines with one dedicated to virtual instruments and MIDI, the other to audio recording, at which time Sonar will be the main program on the synth machine, samplitude the ONLY program on the audio machine.

Soundwise, even at only 20 bit in, 32 float til burn time, Samplitude has never made me wish for better sound. I think they are one of the best-kept secrets in digital audio. Can't wait to hear it with the new gear (re-doing entire studio this year)

Intuitively, Samp is pretty easy to learn the basics, and so far everything I wished it could do was just a menu or two deeper than I'd already been. Some things were too simple, and I felt like a dork when I called tech support and got the answers. (can you say, "Doh!!!")

If you don't need MIDI, or just need to sync (either direction) to MIDI or SMPTE, I would highly recommend Samplitude.

If you're doing other people's projects where you have clients in regularly, the name recognition of ProTools is important. But I've talked to a couple of people who claim they have pro tools to get them in, but do most of the real work with Samplitude because it sounds better.

Just another viewpoint - I'm out in the boonies and do mostly my own projects which I want to sound as good as possible, so I doubt if I'll EVER join the "Alsihad" snobs... Steve

BTW, I tried a demo of CuBase and NEVER could figure out where things were or what they did. One of the LEAST intuitive pieces of sh.. (oops, I meant software) I ever saw...

 

Hi Steve,

not all Alsihad users are snobs.

Logic is now only Apple which leaves Cubase and Nuendo on top over at PC land.
Logic was purchased by Apple and so Apple will have a new audio program in the future.
An old favourite of mine was Deck and it is back but I don't know if it is on both platforms.
Talk to many people and choose what suits you .
There is enough free software and demos out there to try before you buy.

good luck :w:

 

another vote for Pro Tools. If I want to record music I would use Pro Tools. If I wanted to waste hours then I would use Cubase. That's just me though, call me mr simple but then again I am Mac user and like simplicity. ACID and Cakewalk I have never used, only seen and what I can tell is that they are both too cluttered with options and unnecessary distractions.

 

NUENDO FOR BOTH PLATFORMS. Best thing i've ever used and tried Metro, Cakewalk Pro Audio 4-9, Sonar XL 1-2, Cubase Vst32, Cubase SX, Logic, and Pro tools.

 

I use Pro Tools...but then I've only used Pro Tools.

 

i use cubase sx. it's fairly idiot proof. nothing like vst 32 5.1. they really shouldn't have called it cubase at all. it's basically nuendo with serious midi. vst 32 sucked compared to sx. i was a little pissed when i got it after using vst 32 and nothing was the same. a month later i was off to the races. support is amazing as well. i talk with the tec guys weekly no problem.it's endless the options. vst instuments,the nuendo audio engine for sound and editing, and you can use any dx or vst plug in. i think it's gonna seriously compete with pro tools.

chris perra

 

I don't know what everyone is whining about when they say Cubase is a hard program to learn.

or

and lastly

I'm using Cubase VST 5.1 which is the same program as VST 32 5.1 without 32 bit in out...I have found this program very easy to use. I think it behaves very much like a tape recorder and mixing console. I admit there was 2 days at the beginning where I was beginning to get frustrated. This had mostly to do with getting the VST inputs and outs routed and getting a default setting that was suitable for me. After I managed to wade through that I found the program a breeze to use. Don't be scared off by the nay sayers, I have found Cubase to be a great program..... Fats

 

i used 5.1 for a while. it was great. but the automation, editing, and overall layout of sx is much better. there are less layers, and layouts to go through to do things. i find the audio to be better as well than 5.1. the only other thing is that they are going to do a couple of more updates for all the vst programs. then it's discontinued. thats the main reason i switched to sx.

chris perra

 

I think the only way to be sure about a software for audio tasks is to try a few out: nowdays almost all of the softwares perform the same functions (with some approximation), so I think it all comes down to a few factors: 1) the user interface you feel most comfortable with, 2) the tasks you are going to perform (read audio, MIDI, or both), the degree of compatibility with other studios/facilities.

I've been using several apps for some time (Cubase, Logic, Vegas Audio, Pro Tools), and for my needs I decided that Pro Tools is the best; if you only need to write your own songs and keep the level of tracks and production low maybe you could go with whatever software, so point 1 is the most important (Cubase or Logic seemed particulary good for songwriting and MIDI programming, although I too must admit that none of the two were as immediate as Pro Tools), but if you need a high grade of compatibility with other studios, well, Pro Tools is now accepted as a standard, so don't even mind going to a big facility with a Cakewalk session file... As good as it can be for audio (to me it's the best), it could be better for MIDI tasks (but with the new 6.0 release things should change and improve), keep in mind that apart from the Free version, you'll need Digidesign hardware to make it work, this is somewhat a disadvantage in that you have to buy their boxes (and at a fairly high price, but, as they say they call it Pro Tools, not Amateur Tools :roll: ), but this eliminates lots of HW/SW problems that other systems suffer. To me it meant the easiest learning curve, only rivaled by Vegas audio (another really good and overlooked app).

So as I said try a few demos and don't blindly follow advices or ads, choose what it's bets for you (as good as I think Pro Tools can be, you don't necessarily need it to produce killer music).

Hope this helps