Best DAW Shootout: Logic Pro, Digital Performer, Pro Tools, Cubase Pro, Ableton Live, & Reaper
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- Опубликовано: 23 июл 2024
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What's the best DAW for composing music? Let's compare the top 6 DAW's on the market to see which best suits your budget & workflow.
#daw #musicsoftware #musiccomposer
🏁 Skip ahead:
1:51 Logic Pro X
3:39 Digital Performer
6:31 Pro Tools
8:12 Cubase Pro
9:17 Ableton Live
11:58 Reaper
14:15 Honorable Mentions
*2022 Update: I now regularly use Cubase for just about everything! If you're a PC user, I can't recommend Cubase enough! If you're on Mac, strongly consider Logic or Cubase :) 
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Team Reaper!! :) I love them 'em all, though. Except Pro Tools. We don't talk about Pro Tools.
Awww, I adore Pro Tools so much. What don't you like about it?
@@StevenMelin In fairness, I didn't take the time to compose an entire piece in it (which is fantastic advice, btw). Mostly because I was too frustrated to continue!
I'd have to go back to see exactly what was so frustrating, but I remember the Avid anti-piracy iLok program thingy that needed to be running in the background at all times to be very slow and buggy. So just getting the program launched was a pain. Once I was in, the GUI looked like it hadn't been updated since 2001, which is fine, I can overlook that. But after creating some audio and MIDI tracks I realized that I couldn't find a single editing function (batch editing, stem export, region management, etc.) that I couldn't do just as easily in Reaper without the bugginess and frustrating user interface.
(Also, Reaper 6, a major update, was launched a few months ago and it fixed a ton of problems with the UI of the old versions. It looks super clean and sexy now, you should check it out!)
tl;dr - I don't remember exactly what I didn't like, I just remember that I didn't like it.
I absolutely respect Pro Tools as the godfather of DAWs, but I think it holds the crown for most ubiquitous DAW not by merit of its quality, but by merit of its longevity (the whole first-to-market thing and switching costs and all that).
But I'm the least pretentious person about DAWs. I will never try to convert anyone either way. if you make a record in freaking Audacity, more power to you. Use whatever is most comfortable and don't let picking a DAW cause you to procrastinate! (Coming from a master procrastinator) :)
@@composercode I love everything about this! I totally agree. I adore Pro Tools because of what it can do and how easily it can do it, but I must admit that it is TERRIBLE with MIDI. But it's audio editing functions are soooo nice. I completely understand that functions are difficult to find and it takes a while to get used to, which is no fun. But Pro Tools saves my butt at least 1-2 times per week with some kind of batch audio editing function.
@@montyzuma9365 Well. That escalated quickly. 😂
@@composercode
To me Pro Tools feels like it was designed primarily for audio while the rest were designed more for music. If you are doing voiceovers, Foley, background music, or something similar then protools tends to make a lot more sense.
Likewise Abelton has a focus on performance and working as both a DAW and instrument. Unfortunately if you are in a studio type setting the more active instrument style stuff can get in the way just as much as it inspires.
One of the most honest takes on these DAWS I've heard - with real, career-based feedback. I was considering my next try out to be Ableton but after watching this I'm gonna go with Cubase.
Excellent rundown. Thanks Steven!
Excellent video!
Very informative.
I love DAW's.
When i got out of hardware recording and into software recording, it was so intimidating.
But after about a year i was able to run a DAW with no problems.
Switching from hardware to software was the most musically life changing thing i ever did.
CUBASE is my go to DAW, but i find them all to be wonderful things.
Bro..You have opened up my eyes completely. Thank you so much!
The most important thing you said, "Find one DAW and master that". I have used many DAWs and the one I ended up using was Studio One. For me, it fits my workflow really well. Once you master one DAW it is much easier to understand what it does and does not do. I don't do a lot of midi and I have been told Studio One is not strong in midi. Ok. Not a problem for me. The best DAW is the one that fits your workflow.
Great video. Thanks for the upload!
Been using DAWs for a long time and I love Live's horizontal sequencer. I use it 100% of the time over session view.
Very useful comparison of the top (well known ) DAWs with pros and cons for each. Thanks Steve!
Nice video! I've learn them all! I've used PT for 20 years and now it seems the right time to finally ditch it after studying Reaper for a week. I use Logic, S1, Live sometimes and have used Mixbus, Bitwig and Reason. All Daws have their strengths and flaws, you really have to put the time in learning it and then decide what's best for you. Or just stick to the one that works for you and go make some music.
I love this video so much.Thank you.
Excellent presentation, I have been using Performer since the very first version (1985?) and your comments are spot on. Thinking of going with an ARM based Mac and switching to Logic Pro since it already runs natively in Big Sur and many 3rd party plug-ins have shown that they work
with an M1/Big Sur Mac running Logic.Thank you!
Great video!!!! Really helpful !!!! Thanks!!!
Steinberg has a flagship DAW Nuendo didn’t see it
Reaper is a monster of a DAW and it comes with lots of default plugin
FL studio is more than just a beat making it can do everything
I’m a Cubase and now Reaper user and I love it
Overall all DAW are very good today it doesn’t matter is how creative you are
You got some good info great video
As a Cubase user, I'm actually sometimes tempted by FL Studio because the workflow seems very cool for music production, especially for certain genres. Maybe I'd still mix in Cubase because that's what I know best.
I was an early adopter of a DAW in the 90s with Ensoniq Paris (long discontinued now). It came with a huge PC card full of DSP chips to help out the host PC (they were not really powerful enough in those days). I also had the extension rack with 16 extra inputs/outputs for a total of 20 in/out (20bit IIRC), and the external controller. IIRC you could record & mix up to 128 tracks.
Coming from analog, I thought it was truly awesome (and relatively quite affordable). Non-destructive editing, easy recalls, almost endless tracks etc. Things we all take for granted now, but back then it truly was a revelation. Sometimes I still miss how super quick and intuitive it was to make crossfades in the GUI of that long dead DAW. I only had to use the mixing desk for recording anymore.
The stock plugins it came with pretty much sucked in general though, and when they started supporting VST plugins, Ensoniq Paris was basically already dead. I rarely used any plugins at the time though, unless I ran out of outboard gear and needed "something" more.
IIRC it also didn't really support MIDI, so I had sync'ed an old Atari ST with Cubase to it for when needed (probably using SMPTE using the old box I still had from the analog days).
/old fogey reminiscing
Hi @Steven Melin Cubase has become hands down my absolute favorite DAW. It is so powerful and versatile! Cheers!
I'm a windows user. And I have tried demo some of the existing daw. I fell in love with the reaper, the most responsive daw I've ever tried. The GUI is non-irritating to the eyes and can be customized.
The customization is Reaper is truly remarkable. You can even edit the image files of icons. Its amazing
Extremely useful info, thanks a lot
I’m glad this is helpful!
Nice video bro!
DP is really good for music making. I would use it for film scoring, song producing, etc. Pro Tools is more for sound design and stuff.
Subbed!!!!! I bought Logic in 2014 and it still works. It updates frequently and free. I like that. I'm going to add the xtouch universal controller and later on switch to M1 Imac
You can't just skip over FL Studio like that and say "oh, that program is just aimed at beat making". It's just as capable as the other DAWs if not more! It's a shame because people are just going to assume it's useless for regular music making if they go by your statement.
I'd say the best thing about FL is that it's very intuitive even for beginners, as well as the ability to have whatever workflow you want. Don't like working with patterns? Then just use the arrange window. Enjoy the live functionality of Ableton? FL has a performance mode too. And last but not least, the best freaking piano roll on the market. :)
Max Antar I’m glad you love FL Studio so much! FL was my first DAW and I agree that it has merits, however compared to the other DAW’s on this list, I don’t recommend it for film / game music production. Ultimately, so long as you can master one DAW, you can write amazing music easily.
@@StevenMelin You're definitely right about FL not being suitable for video work, as you are about many of the other DAWs in your list. For composing music though, it's just as capable as any other DAW which was my original point.
Like you say, master whichever DAW is best for your needs! :)
@@montyzuma9365 lol ,
Get well soon bro
Fl studio has a flexible MIDI editor, this feature is my favorite. However, fl studio GUI is too cosmetic to sacrifice performance. Must rename each channel in the mixer. The creation of sub folders in playlist mode is very limited. Strange piano sound when importing midi files, piano sustain is cut off.
and I don't think the reaper is the best either. But the reaper has a more responsive performance.
@Martin Garrixer yep, and it's still listed as best Daw out of all the above mentioned.
So far I've tried Live, FL Studio and Cubase and Cubase is the most intuitive to me both in terms of setup with hardware etc. and just making tracks as a beginner.
I agree! It’s become my favorite recently.
@@StevenMelin I hear a lot of good things about Cubase, for mixing, audio work and for composing, how is the workflow to produce EDM music in Cubase compared to Ableton Live?
I am to buy either Ableton Live or Cubase, I tend to make a lot of electronic music, but I also like to score & compose a lot of classical/orchestral music, and I also play a lot of rock & metal, so there are a lot of genres going on here. I also want a DAW that can handle audio editing & mixing well, which one would you recommend between ableton and cubase for my case?
@@Thadnill Go with Cubase! It’s far more versatile than Ableton. Ableton is the best choice if you plan to perform live.
Have you looked at Logic? Super easy; only downside is the Mac only option. I think of Cubase as almost a Logic equivalent on PC.
@@Thadnill Cubase got almost all the features from all the DAW's. I would say that it is the most versitale DAW outhere. Reaper also has nearly all the features but it is very unintuitive and hard to work with. Since you going to write EDM, rock and classic I would defeneitely recommend you Cubase 😉
You have a great cadence in your presentation ! Clear and concise ; thank you !
Your explanation is very clean and clear Thx
I have compared all of these in the past except Logic because I don't do Apple but switched to Studio One at version 3 and haven't looked back.
Been using digital performer from ver:3 MacOS9 and am still here in 2020 DP10 Its the best in all Class
This is great, thanks
Sean Rowland Pianist Thanks for watching! Sub for more vids like this every Wed.
nice video!
Finally, someone who says that there is no best-ever-DAW, what count is your creativity & your knowledge to use it. They all have Pros & Cons. Go with what feels natural to you.
Thanks so much! Here’s your golden ticket for learning more like this: www.stevenmelin.com/25questions
Great video - I've been using Performer/Digital Performer since the mid-80s, and while I can work well with it, I still consider it weird and janky in so many ways! Thinking about switching to something more aligned to my hobbyist needs - perhaps Reaper or Logic Pro.
I didn't find Reaper's midi editing hard at all. The GUI has been updated in 6 and it customizable with themes you can download. I've heard of lots of people ditching Pro Tools and moving to Reaper. Plus the support community has been outstanding.
Sorry but MIDI in reaper is just tragic. I tried first time yesterday. lol. UI is terrible unless you download some sane skin. Look for example how Cakewalk react to track resizing - adding more controls if they fit. Reaper is about: You have basic program, go to finish it and customize. I have to say that reaper has some functions that I really didnt expected there. You probably can get used to it but for 225 USD you can get "real" DAW.
@@hsn10 the ability to download and add scripts in Reaper can make midi a better experience. I'm not a great keyboardist so I have a function in it that locks what key I want the song in so I'll never be offkey.
I'm one of the FL Studio guys. I tried Live since the lite version came with a keyboard I got, and I've tried Reaper, both of which have me a headache trying to figure out.
I don't know what it is, but FL Studio just makes sense to me. I can get it to do what I want it to without having to read and reread the manual trying to figure out what the heck's going on.
Admittedly, I do everything with MIDI and virtual instruments. I've used Pro Tools in an audio production class and agree it's great for recording live audio, but that's not really an active concern for me.
JRokujuushi That’s awesome to hear! I’m glad that you’ve at least tried Ableton Live. Live is meant for vertical sequencing, so if that’s not your thing I totally understand why you prefer FL Studio.
@@StevenMelin I had a thought the other day. I wonder if the reason FL Studio clicked so well with me is because I switched to it after using tracker programs (FastTracker, Impulse Tracker, ModPlug). After thinking about it a bit, it seems kind of similar on a conceptual level. Set up your instruments, compose your patterns, arrange those patterns, but those capabilities are magnified in FL Studio. Each channel can now play multiple notes and lets you tweak multiple parameters at once. You can have multiple patterns playing simultaneously instead of just setting an order for them to play. Patterns can be as long as you want them to be. The output of each instrument is now directed to the mixer where you can process it with effects.
JRokujuushi Cool observation!
@@JRokujuushi FL is a nightmare to work with when it comes Kontakt based composing, atleast for me. Top that up with the fact that everything has to be manually added into the mixer is also a big headache,
@@SteelShirt99Since version 20.5 you can add any instrument or sample to a track in the arrange window and it will automatically be linked to a mixer track which will be auto-coloured and named as well if that's how you like to work. As for Kontakt, you can route all Kontakt instruments to the mixer as with any DAW. Any clunkiness associated with that comes from Kontakt itself.
You did a nice, concise overview of those. What I am looking for is DAW software that I can record into with my keyboard, guitar, bass or drums (composing). And also something I can add additional sounds into that I don’t have on those four instruments. And then be able to mix those tracks and play any or all of them back together minus the keyboard, guitar, bass or drums or whatever instrument I am playing live along with the backing tracks I created. And also a DAW that has basic features such as reverb, delay, echo etc… that I can add to all those tracks if needed. Which I’m sure they all have. In other words, I want something I can be a “one man band” with. What do you recommend? I am an older guy and when I played in a band in the 80’s none of this digital stuff existed so the choices are a bit overwhelming. And if it matters I am NOT into EDM or hip hop. Thanks!
You can’t go wrong with any of these choices, but the most accessible DAW will likely be Logic Pro (if you’re a Mac user); otherwise try Cubase!
Hey Steve! I am curious how you axiom 61 works with windows 10? I had trouble in the past finding software patches to get it to work with Studio 1.... And I wonder if you had any better luck or did you go with an older windows version?
I’ve never had any connection issues on my Windows 10. But I’ve also never used Studio One.
I would add Reason 12. The community has become quite immersive, as has the tools to create. It's ability to exist in other DAWs as a rack is quite excellent.
Yeah, this vid needs a serious update for 2022! A lot has changed in the last few years.
Nice break down Bruhhh🤙
Thanks so much! Here’s your golden ticket for learning more like this: www.stevenmelin.com/25questions
Hi Steven, I need a little help from you. I work with the Spitfire library, it is not clear to me why the volume in Kontakt is always at -6 and therefore my signal is weaker. Can I set it to 0 as I am doing? Do I lose anything by doing so?
Excellent review! Went from Cubase to Digital Performer. why; three words; streamers and punches!
It's great to get this kind of comparison. I would like to hear a 2022 version with Studio One V6; is it professionally comparable to industry standard DAWs like Pro Tools, Pro Logic, or Ableton Live? I'm advancing into pro sound design for Music and Film, as a freelancer I want to be able to communicate on the same level with major studios; Skywalker, Marvel, Bungie, Bad Robot, Netflix...etc. Is sticking with Studio One 6 worth it or should I be working with the Same DAWs they use? This is a hard answer to solve as most everyone chooses DAWs as their preference. I'm used to Studio One as long as I stay in my lane, but what if I work remotely with a major studio?
awesome... thanks mate ..
Good video. I have a question, ¿which DAW has the best mixing native plugins (EQ, Comp, Reverb, Sat, Delay, etc.)?
They’re all about the same, but Logic Pro has the largest selection of native plugins, followed by Cubase.
Logic now has live looping and a pattern editor. It has all the features Ableton live has, and more. Don’t forget, Logic has Logic remote for iPad or iPhones which you can use as a mixer, drum pads, chord strip, or, most importantly for film scoring.......customizable keyboard shortcuts at the tap of the screen. And it’s only $199 with free updates until Logic 11 comes out. Which will likely be years.
Doesn't work with my PC though. Abletone works on both platforms, which I do use.
Thank you for putting this together...I wonder if your DP review also applies to Performer Lite which ships free with MOTU audio interface.
This is really useful - thanks! I'm a Cubase user and have done orchestral music on that for a while, but I'm planning to get more into out of the box stuff with hardware synths, and make more experimental and electronic music. I'm thinking sticking with Cubase is my best bet since I'm already familiar with it, but if you have anything to add on that, I'd appreciate a comment! Thanks.
Stick with what you know! Cubase is great at recording analog gear too, especially since you can record both a MIDI & audio track simultaneously, allowing full control of hardware synths.
@@StevenMelin That's great, thank you for replying!
refuse to believe you constantly cycle through 6 DAWs. but you have made your points very well. helpful video
Ha! I cycle between them based on the project. I actively work on film, TV, video game, & podcast music (4 different mediums) that require different approaches, so I find myself bouncing between them constantly. On an average day I find myself going mostly between Cubase & Pro Tools. Ableton Live & Digital Performer are for more specialty projects. I no longer use Logic Pro because I’m on a PC, but my Mac still sits in the corner for the rare cases that I need to access old Logic files.
@@StevenMelin that's crazy...again thanks for the video.
I have tried almost everything and finally settled with Cubase. In my opinion is the most completed daw.
One of the greatest pro of REAPER among other DAWs is its CPU low usage and fast loading. Those who have an outdated PC or MAC, I highly recomend it. And it is super affordable. I think it is the most underrated DAW due to its GUI and low price. But it does the work you need and almost never crushes even if you overload it with plugins.
Cubase now on par with Reaper 😉
I'm a long-time DP user but I'm considering Logic Pro. Can I import sessions started in DP into Logic?
Unfortunately no DAW sessions can be converted into another, so you’d have to start a new session. MIDI & audio tracks can always be exported / imported.
Doing a comparison is always really hard, no doubt, but here's a short list of things I was surprised you did not mention. Features wise Cubase's strong point has always been having a solution for just about everything, it gets new features like Expression maps etc. before most of the rest. It's weakness has always been bugs and stability. Logic's biggest weakness IMO is the MIDI input by port limitation, you're stuck with 16 MIDI channels so setting up an MPE instrument along with a regular instrument mapped to a MIDI keyboard isn't possible. It's strength is by far it's amazing embedded instruments, Sculpture and Alchemy, the AI drummers etc. Live's weakness is CPU use, it sucks up more CPU than the others about 30-40% more on average. It's also arguably the most expensive, since Suite is pretty much necessary if you want LFO's and Max 4 Live. Ableton are slow as molasses lately update wise as well. Max 4 Live is amazing though, and the video editing features that brings (Jitter) while not suited for film composing are perfect for accompanying live performances etc. Digital Performer is not near the most expensive, that would go to Pro Tools with it's subscription model. I completely agree DP can be confusing at first to work with, but Chunks and V-Racks are as unique as Clips were to Live 5 years ago. I think a basic truth about DP is that MOTU are smaller than Ableton, Avid, Yamaha and Apple, so they always struggle for new features compared, Articulation/Expression maps in Cubase and Logic are a film score composers friend, and MOTU I'm sure want something like that in DP, it's just a smaller team etc. Reaper suffers from that same script ability that you mention, getting it to some level that's comfortable and streamlined for your own use is a long arduous task. Pro Tools, you nailed, but it's easily the most expensive, even using Live Suite as an example, and it's clunky in many ways.
Thanks for the extra points!
Thanks for this video: It was very helpful. I'm going with both Cubase and Ableton Live. Since moving to Windows10 on your custom computer; What is your experience with the stability of Windows 10 vs. MacOS? I'm looking to move to Windows 10 for the studio on a custom PC as well. Thanks in advance.
My fav DAW since switching to PC is Cubase. I thoroughly enjoy Windows 10 and will never go back to Mac. I adore the interface, keyboard shortcuts, and full customization.
@@darryllcorpening2062 I adore my PC build. Full specs and build vid (in 2017): ruclips.net/video/x_r5jdqrO54/видео.html
And my recent studio tour (2020): ruclips.net/video/pkesh6WOO7M/видео.html
What about Digital Performer vs Nuendo? Nuendo is basically cubase + post production, based on the Steinberg's description.
Hi steven! I actually dont have a gear budget to record my playing or MIDI keyboard. Would be viable to use a DAW like fl studio to get my first composing jobs? Cheers from venezuela 😃
Regardless of what DAW you use, I strongly recommend investing in a MIDI keyboard. Here’s a list of my favorite: www.stevenmelin.com/budgetmusicgear#keyboards
@@StevenMelin The link is broken?
Updated link: www.stevenmelin.com/myperfectsetup
Hi, what kind of computer keyboard do You have ? It looks well ... thanks for Answer !
My full studio setup: www.screenmusicacademy.com/blog/218516/studio-setup
As a former DJ / Recording Artist I`ve started producing in 1997 with Cubase VST 3.5 on an old Power Mac 8600.. later as a 3 Person Producer Team we have used Logic Audio until 2006 .. since i left the Music Industry i am producing just for fun and to stay creative .. Now i am on Studio One 5 / Presonus Sphere and its really great ... gives me a much more better workflow than any other DAW and it sounds great ..
Hey just learned this video posted on April 22nd my 59th Birthday. I am building my recording studio. Album recording & film scoring. I am choosing "Cubase Pro 11" My sound libraries will be Spitfire ALBION ONE, BBC SYMPHONY and ABBEY ROAD Symphonic.
Good report on the 6 DAWs you chose to discuss. Of course there are many DAWs on the market today and it's difficult to cover them all so I appreciate you covering the software you were most familiar with. Honestly, all of the DAWs on the market today are massively powerful and can do amazing things. All depends on how people want to work. There is no best DAW so I was glad to hear you address that, too.
I like that you included Digital Performer. I have version 8.07 for Windows and I used to use the Mac version years ago. In terms of power it is off the charts, but I recognize that MOTU DP for years failed to keep up with some GUI improvements. Fonts were tough to read, the piano roll was confusing though powerful, and the CC editing was a jumbled mess. So I've been following the development of the updated version 10.1. In terms of popularity DP fell behind the more popular DAWs like Logic Pro, Cubase, Cakewalk Sonar, Studio One, and of course two of the most popular programs going today are FL Studio and Ableton Live. I love the film scoring tools in MOTU DP and find the chunks and virtual rack design amazing. If MOTU can get the new audio/MIDI clips feature moving in the right direction and continue to improve the GUI with less clutter then I might be back on board. The power is there for DP, but can they make it cool, fast, intuitive, and popular again? Not sure, but it is one heck of a program.
Even though I have DP 8, I have mostly shifted to using Reaper and FL Studio. Love both. FL Studio is my choice for loop-based or groove based composition, and then I mix and master in Reaper. For orchestral or band arrangements that I do I use Reaper for everything. The thing that may turn people away from Reaper is the routing matrix. It takes a while to get your head wrapped around setting up tracks, routing MIDI to audio, setting up sub mixes, effects, etc. It is a different way of working. Once you get used to this it is amazing what can be done, especially with freezing and rendering or batch file processing. The power in the MIDI/Audio regions to setup specific bounces for each and then do it all in one click is similar to Pro Tools. The region playlist lets you setup multiple songs based on content on your timeline and you can play any of your content in any order, with loop points set to whatever you want. The MIDI editor and piano roll has come a long way with excellent notation view/edit. You can recall many different mixes and can utilize sub projects in many ways, essentially giving you many projects within one project. The interface has come a long way too. Reaper's version 6 look is pretty good. Maybe not a pretty as other DAWs, but there are hundreds of skins out there for whatever look you want. I personally prefer Reaper's 6 theme with a few modifications that I made. In terms of sounds, Reaper only comes with a basic synth plugin and the ReaSamplomatic5000 (which is a BEAST for sampling instruments and percussion, building your own library, etc.). Reaper works with every sound library out there and it does come with loads of DSP plugs.
Under the hood, Reaper is like a Ferrari with almost no equal. On the surface it may look more like a nice mid-priced sedan and that is what likely keeps some people away, but I think this is why Reaper operates on such a small footprint and super fast. The development for this program is super quick, so this is definitely software to keep your eyes on. Reaper is coming on fast and I know many Pro Tools folks who are switching over to Reaper for mix and mastering. It was until I spent a lot of time with Reaper and really dug under the hood that I realized what a BEAST this software is. Whatever it may lack there is likely a custom tool already out there that may solve the problem, and the rest is coming very quickly. It is truly a unique piece of software that is rising very quickly.
I know you chose Ableton Live to discuss, and LIVE is amazing. I have played with it some. For me, I prefer FL Studio. This is another piece of software that just works the way I think when putting together rhythmic tracks, grooves, or other types of media that utilizes looping or minimalist elements. The ease and power under the hood of FL Studio is vastly underrated by many. The mixer is amazingly powerful and blows Ableton Live out of the water in that respect. The plugins and DSP effects are stunning, especially if you get the Signature Edition plus a few additional plugs. Live definitely comes with great plugs as well, and Live easily whips FL when it comes to hardware controllers, especially the Push. But a new Akai controller did come out for FL that is quite nice and very powerful. Both are fantastic programs, but for my preferences I give the edge to FL Studio.
Cubase, of course, is always a great choice. It's super capable with one of the cleanest and most readable interfaces going. Studio One has many similarities since it was developed by former Cubase folks. Logic Pro is also fantastic! I have used it a few times for some mixing and mastering on a friend's project. I do not like how it handles audio, but in terms of total power, built-in sounds, DSP effects, and MIDI it is an obvious choice for Mac users. If you have a Mac you can have Logic Pro for $199. That's a lot of power for a small price.
Pro Tools is what is it: a rock solid master of audio recording, mixing, and mastering. Some hate it, some love it. The software often seems very Windows 95ish or Mac OS8 like. It's roots are much older, much like MOTU DP or Steinberg Cubase, but unlike Cubase the Pro Tools folks have always been at the mercy of the HARDWARE. What people often forget when it comes to PT is that it was built ground-up to work with the most high-end audio interfaces, pre-amps, control surfaces, and PCI cards (internal or external). Most of what it was developed to work with was built by Digidesign (now part of Avid). It's what they used to call "Turnkey Systems" back in the day. Very similar to Apple building their own OS, software, and the hardware -- and all-in-one system. The system itself was really the hardware and they would give you the software for free. Of course, now days Pro Tools can be run with Apogee and other audio interfaces, and even certain 3rd party hardware control surfaces. So if you want you can keep the cost down some. But if you're working in a top-notch studio why would you want to do that?
For those looking to learn or work with PT I strongly recommend giving their free software a try. While there are some less-expensive options with Avid, a solid and professional PT setup will likely involve a $3000 - $4500 audio interface (and you may need 2 to 3 of these), a $2000 PCI card (and you may need 2), a $1200 control surface (one of the cheaper ones, but these can be as high as $55,000 and up), and the software. The amount of equipment you need depends on how many channels you need to record. But this is the true cost of PT. If you are recording in a top-notch studio you will want these high-end audio interfaces, controllers, PCI cards, mics, etc. It just so happens that the PT software is built to work with some of the best hardware on the market...and it does this with near zero latency and rock solid editing and mastering. For the best studios this is why PT is the standard.
This is quite the review! Sounds like you should make your own blog / video about this topic :)
I love using Ableton for recording/tracking and mixing in pro tools.
Also, I record horizontally in Ableton and have no issues.
Stock Music by Chris Reid Great combo! But ooof, you would have an amazing time if you try writing in Logic or Cubase - their horizontal composing is vastly deeper than Ableton. But hey, Ableton is super quick!
@@StevenMelin I used logic back when I was in audio school. I love it for doing midi stuff. I am just a PC user personally. I have wanted to check out Cubase, but don't really need it at the moment. Lol.
Stock Music by Chris Reid Welp, give it a shot sometime! It has a fully-functional free trial.
@@StevenMelin awesome! I will give it a shot sometime when I have some down time. Thanks for the suggestion!
Ive used Pro Tools and Studio One. Like S1 better. What are your reasons for not putting S1 on your list?
Reaper update: With version 7, you can loopback audio and now midi as well! Translator's note: You can cheat Digital Performer's V-RACKs & Chunks via loopback & Subprojects. Includes streaming video files across all subprojects with the right toggles. Stability-wise, I'll follow-up as a reply to this comment on how well it works. I have faith since Reaper's routing engine is quite a beast.
Great video.. I am using cubase and i love it.. But as you mentioned there is no freedom with the videos. Do you think Neuendo is a suitable option? I expect that I will try it if a new version is available (10.5) .
What do you think, have you ever tried it?
Ehab Mohammed - ايهاب محمد I’ve never tried Nuendo, but if you’re looking to dive into film scoring I can’t recommend Digital Performer enough.
@@StevenMelin thank u steven for ur reply i will try it 🌹🌹
I use Nuendo for film post-production. For writing music, it is identical to Cubase. You can have a second video track, but I don't think there's any advantage for the composer.
Studio One hase become pretty huge I would say. Especially through it's tight integration with Vienna Symphony Libraries. No more messing around with expression maps. It's all there once you install the libs.
Does cubase element work with Window 10 home version 2004?
Any thoughts one way or the other on Harrison Mixbus 32c?
You forgot about reason, it’s really powerful. I’m a logic user now but I often go back to reason for some reason
I mentioned Reason as an honorable mention at the end ;)
@@StevenMelin You mentioned you wouldn't recommend Reason but didn't say why.
Daniel Stimson I made a general sweeping statement about it + Studio One 🙃
Great idea to make a video about this. Are there many other for 2020?
I'm glad this is helpful for you! Not to my knowledge.
Reaper comes with default plugins.
When you're download Reaper you'll get a pack of plugins with it.
Good to know!
Having an option for a video frames strip in the lower zone editor would be nice in Cubase, as this is a useful feature in DP, having the video frames strip at the top of the sequence window. Maybe I can experiment with the position of the video track in Cubase but having it at the top in the main window is not always that useful. Maybe workspaces is the solution?
Hello Steven, Cubase is Your goto DAW - which mixing options are limited ?
Mixing isn’t necessarily limited, but it doesn’t have batch audio functions like Pro Tools.
@@StevenMelincontrol room , stock plugins ,direct offline , temporary link , object selection, loudness meter, side chain ..etc are they a feature of pro tools so you said cubase is limited in mixing ? i am surprised your opinion, by far cubase better for mixing tools
Ali Al Zayer Yep, PT has all those functions and more
@@StevenMelin dear I have PT . and these features that I mentioned is not there . good luck
Hi, great video! Maybe I missed it, but how are film scoring features limited on Cubase?
Take a look into Digital Performer & Logic Pro and you’ll see the lack of features in Cubase for film scoring!
Isn't nuendo the software dedicated for film scoring, cubase bigger brother
I use cubase for 2 years and go to reaper for 3 years.
Trying out cubase 11 now, can't believe how much its more complicated than reaper.
One thing i found out is that even if cubase has more size, its faster at loading up some vst than reaper.
I just can't the workflow for now, midi track, instrument track is killing me lol. While in when you import midi, in reaper you only need midi track and add fx for vsti.
My problem in cubase when you import midi track, it shows up as midi track and can't insert vsti, you need to add instruments track for insert vsti.
Gotta learn more about cubase
It always takes time to switch to another DAW, so give it a few weeks! Cubase is incredibly deep & powerful! It’s become my favorite.
Reaper #1 as it supports all plugins, highly customizable, best linear work flow coupled with Adobe Audition as its external editor. (Reaper uses less system resources than the rest and, loads fastest and, the custom themes available by users makes these other DAWS look like dinosaurs).
Ableton Live Intro #2 for its vertical sequencer. (I wish I could get a version with just session view by itself for clips to output into Reaper via Rewire midi triggered by my MPC).
You speak very eloquently, sir. Props!
Limited mixing options in Cubase ? What do you mean ?
Sorry bro. You lost me when I saw you excluded Studio One.
It’s ok, not everyone is perfect 😉
@@StevenMelin Hey Steven love your videos! Just a thought but would love to hear your thoughts on Studio One. I've been an Ableton Live guy for the longest time but i recently got my hands on Studio One and I think it might be worth checking out. God Bless!
@@jonathanparismusic Heyo, some guys here in the comments love Studio One. I've never tried it personally, but I've also never felt the need to since it doesn't have any unique features that set it apart. I've asked the guys who use it why they love it and they have a hard time coming up with a reason aside from "it's good for all purposes", which you know I don't agree is a great reason :) By all means, try out the demos of all the DAW's you want to give a shot, but then most importantly - choose ONE to master and start writing!
@@StevenMelin I think Studio one is the mobile version of cubase. The same intuitive workflow and one window approach but without that annoying dongle. ☺️ Oh how many times I forgot that thing at home 😂
@@StevenMelin the thing is, there's a HUGE difference between saying (in your video) that you've never used it, or that you 'don't recommend it'. Presonus is a great DAW with a feature set similar to Reaper, and a very intuitive interface. You can't just say it might be worth a try 'cause it's cheap - because it's absolutely not. In fact it costs more than Logic.
Great video. I just moved off DP after 35 years. It IS the best for scoring, but the GUI needs a serious overhaul. The mini-menus inside of mini-menus get aggravating because the app is so deep. The routing is wonky compared to other DAWs, too. And they need more market presence. Younger composers don't really hear about it so it's sort of esoteric. They used to be the clear market leader. Tried Logic and was going to stick with it, but 10.5.1 doesn't have persistent undo history anymore. Total dealbreaker. Working in TV, being able to go back to old cue setups keeps things from getting lost in the shuffle. It's saved me dozens of times. Also Logic, Reaper and PT can't audition discrete MIDI selections on the fly. That's baffling to me and seems so rudimentary as a function, especially for orchestral work. Reaper's smart cursor is pretty cool and really speeds up editing in the piano roll. But it looks like I'll be landing on Cubase for a while. It appears Steinberg has addressed a lot of past issues in 10.5. Guess we'll see!
I’m right there with you! I’m using Cubase for almost everything now for many of these reasons.
Great reviews, but I think Cubase is one of the best for mixing. 😀
Interesting! Have you tried Pro Tools?
@@StevenMelin I have indeed. It's great for mixing too (the expensive "Ultimate" version). I use Nuendo for film post-production. They're all great at something. 😀
Is the midi functionality of PT really way behind all other DAWs?
Which one would you say it's the best one for cinematic or epic music?
DAW’s aren’t genre-specific, they’re workflow-oriented. So how do you compose best? Do you usually start with a beat? Do you use a lot of orchestral instruments? Do you like to use markers?
In general, Logic and Cubase seem to serve the cinematic / epic community best.
Really happy in Cubase Pro on Mac, this after years of Logic and PT....Control room feature alone is almost worth the price.
Ah, interesting! I’ve never heard a Mac user prefer Cubase over Logic.
@@StevenMelin I think Cubase currently is the most impressive DAW for what I do. It's a joy to look at, it's customization options are wonderful, and I haven't found anything it can't do. I don't do loop based material, more typical song production and scoring, and it's just a beast. Logic is very powerful but I don't like the way the mixer looks and I find editing in general much easier in Cubase.
oceantracks I agree on those points! I’ve found that Logic has much more powerful film scoring features than Cubase.
@@StevenMelin I haven't noticed really. I work to picture a lot and Cubase does fine for me, although DP is the most sophisticated for scoring, I just can't get my head around DP for fast editing or locating, or anything practical lol
oceantracks Oh I understand! DP is a beast to setup for a quick workflow.
Hey guys i'm very new to DAW and i cant decide between cubase and reaper. I want to learn to record songs/demos with my band and maybe let them mix by another person. Do you have any tips what program would be better?
Definitely Cubase.
@@StevenMelin thank you!
I recommend Studio One for music production.
I am still searching for my first DAW for my home recording, but I'm a bit familiar with Cubase because I'm used to record with my friend at my friend's PC.
Interesting comparison, but really not complete without Nuendo and Studio One, they both are very well suited for working with video.
Hey buddy great job
I’ve been working with Logic Pro X for a couple years now, but few of my friends tells me that Cubase sounds more tight and strong, when listening to the mix
My friends wants me to buy Cubase
Do you hear any differences between the two
I either buy the artist or the Pro version
Please help
I don’t believe there’s any difference in the mix quality between DAW’s since they’re all digital. Each DAW has different preset plugins, which may contribute to a different sound, but otherwise it all comes down to your workflow preferences.
Steven Melin Thank you so much
I mostly use my on plug-ins , such as Nexus and Kontakt Player , so in that case I believe I don’t need to buy Cubase
3:34 Did you have some frustrating audio issues while you were talking about that.. or just decide to use your computer's external mic for one sentence? :D
Ha, I overdubbed that one sentence 😅
I'm having serious latency issues with Reaper. Are all the other DAWs like that??
Midi editing in Reaper is unintuitive by default. But the key to this daw is to set your own template, with your own keycommand triggering actions or multiple actions at a time. After consideration i like it best, because it allows me to work as fast and as intuitively as i want too, since it allows me to "create" my own software :)
that's a great reason! that level of needed customization is surely a drawback for many beginners though
@@StevenMelin then you should change the title of your vid in "best composing daw for beginners" :) + there is a TON of free templates (with scripts and all the customization already made) availabe for free, one of the best is called OTR (here is the link: otr.storyteller.im)
Audiofeel I included Reaper on this list for a reason - it’s just not a DAW I prefer to use. Aside from Logic Pro, none of these DAW’s are particularly beginner-friendly.
Have you tried Reaper 6 yet? I totally agree that MIDI editing took a massive nosedive when I switched from Logic Pro X to Reaper, but I find that v6 fixed a lot of my frustrations.
@@composercode I haven't. How does it compare to Cubase (or Logic Pro)?
I think it's pretty weird to just dismiss studio one and Reason. They are fully featured and Reason is quite well known.
I use Cubase and Reason. Reason is by far the best for composing imo.
Kinda curious to play with Ableton Live sometime.
What is your *reason* ? 🤗 (Seriously)
You’d recommend Ableton, Pro Tools, and REAPER for composing over Studio One?!? 👎🏾
Yep, I sure do
I don’t get it either.
E R Yeah that’s why I gave the video a thumbs down/dislike.
@Matt Prince Cubas is GARBAGE for mixing the fact that you think otherwise is hilarous.
I gotta ask and any help from anyone would be great!
Whether is logic, reaper, studio one or pro tools, does it really matter which daw u use? Like does the daw u choose do any change in audio quality? I’m asking Cuse I want to get reaper but I want to know if it can achieve professional level quality like pro tools or logic? Any help would be appreciated thanks!
No DAW has any audio advantage over the other, just workflow advantages to each.
@@StevenMelin so I can use reaper and get the same pro mixes like any daw correct?
@@bolodmata Yep!
@@StevenMelin great! Thanks for the info! Looks like I’m getting reaper
Studio One 5
S1 is kind of a Cubase clone, not bad at all.. but try out Cubase pro 11 and Nuendo from steinberg for one week and you will understand. Take Care.
It is quite different, I move from cubase to studio one. The thing that I don't like is studio one playback sounds worse. The mixdown however is identical
@@jannatinkarlen8702 maybe in your system sounds different, in my system i hear no difference in sound quality/perfomance between all of them, FYI my desktop computer is no slouch do, its a workstation class built ... I also have trialed Cubase and Nuendo 11, and they're nice and so but since am more into Media production, mixing and conceptualizing than music creation am honest to say that I can accomplish with studio one pro 5.1.1 what cubase or nuendo or both combined can do (except for dolby atmos), but since I also work with Da Vinci Resolve Studio 17 as my main media compositor, fairlight now includes Dolby Atmos mixing and encoding and it should be enough for what I do, they are both a lot easier to work with imho.
Which daw has best quality stock instruments and sample library ? Only one question
Definitely Logic Pro
@@StevenMelin thanks brother
Hi Steven, loved this video.
I currently have 12 DAWs installed on my computer (not counting wave editors)..
Since I jump between them I can't easily remember the details.
Consequently, I started www.dawtrek.com and I'm building out the details I've found confusing or missing in the user manuals.
I'm focused on DP because as you said it has the steepest learning curve and the fastest forget curve.
I've got maybe 10 articles under construction on DP not yet published (mostly deep diving on MIDI).
Some of these will be complex how to examples and clearing up details of routing when a song chunk is active.
Maybe you will find what's already published helpful as a quick reference.
John
Awesome, thanks for sharing! What are your top 3 most-used DAW’s & why?
DP (Digital Performer) is my main DAW for laying out out a composition and arrangement that I already have in mind. DP also has nice sounding summing and automation too.
Reason is the DAW I used most for noodling with when I'm trying to come up with musical composition and arrangement ideas. Worklfows are extremely fast in Reason. Quick quantizing, groove application, pitch correction. I can get an idea into the ball park faster than in any other DAW - good enough for song demos. But for final tracking I use DP (Digital Performer). It's smooth. sounding and has a subtle coloring that I like more than what I get with third party plugins or other DAWs.. If I want a more vintage smooth sound and super fast mixing I use Harrison Consoles Mixbus 32c. Mixbus 32c is the fastest kid in town for mixing stems with a vintage sweet/smooth sound IMO. BUt that doesn't work on everything.
Samplitude is the DAW I use for mastering because it has the cleanest sound - no coloring. Bundled plugins were engineered for practically zero phase distortion. Most DAWs will past the null test but that doesn't tell you anything about the plugins (EQ/dynamics) or volume automation coloring. That's where I rate DP the best sounding to my ears. I have been using WaveLab pro but I've gone back to Samplitude for mastering. I also have T-racks and Ozone but if I have the time I use Samplitude (it's windows only) The Magix Sound Forge is pretty nice for wave editing.
I have 9? other DAWs besides those mentioned that I occasionally use. I'm not doing any game music. But I believe the future of commercial audio is a convergence of multi-media where Cubase/Nuendo seem to be highly focused on. I keep my Steinberg versions up to date for this reason. I haven't gotten very far into Dorico yet (or Notion and Studio One) .
Studio One continues to improve - the last version is getting better sounding to my ears. It's the one DAW I never had to crack open the user manual for. I have Pro Tools but I do a lot of MIDI and I don't use PT anymore. I'd rather use Reaper for Pro Tool like duties in any case.
Having multiple DAWs are like having more than one guitar. Each inspires you to play and compose differently. I'm thinking of FL Studio at the moment.
Another thing I do with all these DAWs is I figure out which workflows they favor and then try porting that workflow back to other DAWs.
Like if I do something in FL Studio I ask myself how would I do the same thing in Reason or DP? This gives you great insight into each of these DAWs.
Just like traveling to a foreign culture gives you greater insight into your own culture.
For learning about internal MIDI architecture, FL Studio is a great - FL Studio is to MIDI what Reaper is to scripting.
I understand stuff going on in DP under the hood because I got access to it in FL Studio and learned from that.
Also workflows that are easy in FL Studio or Reason I might not have thought of in DP ever. So I bring that knowledge back and increase my composing workflow bag of tricks.
DP has some really quirky ways of doing things that take multiple steps and require understanding different aspects of the DAW to pull off. You probalby would never figure this out unless you already knew what you were trying to accomplish. Once I figure it out in DP I document it so if I haven't used it for a month or so I can turn to DAW Trek and read what I wrote to quickly recall how to do it. DAW Trek started out with my notes numbering in hundreds or thousands of pages. It hit me one day that I should share these notes and make easy to access even for myself. I've been referring to DAW Trek for DP. :) Having multiple DAWs is akin to listening to different genres of music in different eras to expand your musical mind.
Learning the second DAW is the hardest because you keep falling back to your first DAW when you hit a road block. This is where most DAW users stop. They convince themselves unwittingly that learning a second DAW takes too long. If they didn't have a fall back DAW they would have learned the second DAW at least as fast as they learned their first DAW. But they only remember the pain of trying to learn the second DAW. After you learn your 3rd DAW you would be surprised how fast you can learn other DAWs. There are deep functions any DAW has to implement. How the vendor implements their user experience on top of this core functionality is another matter. Each DAW has a forte which is the reason each has its following. And the continue trying to service this user base knowing it will take tremendous resources to curve out another market niche. In an effort to streamline the favored workflow they hide non essential functionality. This is unfortunately because you never piece together all the common functionality of DAW until you have learned at least 3 DAWs. When you have this deep functional knowledge and you hit a road block in a new DAW you know what functional process you want to accomplish and can quickly scan the user manual trying to pick up the vendors terminology and the DAW's primitive functions at the core upon which their interpretation of a DAW favored workflow is built upon. You can usually blow through this in a couple of hours on any new DAW. A few DAWs are radical in there departure like FL Studio or Renoise. But once you figure out the MIDI to virtual instrument routing for layering, multi-timbral, and multi-virtual instrument outputs the complexity of the DAW begins to crumble rapidly. The only other thing you have to figure out about a new DAW is its audio point point architecture. (DP and Pro Tools audio patch point architectures are surprisingly similar but you won't know this at first glance.)
A major trend in composition is incorporating non-linear composition methodology. It started way back with Song Acid. But Acid inspired Reason, FL STudio, and Ableton Live (and as of late Bitwig). Reason took Acid loops to the next level. FL Studio perfected combinatoric composition. And Ableton adapted it for live performance. Other DAWs have been influenced by the rise of non-linear composition. Mixcraft has the same performance grid you now see Logic Pro, Bitwig, etc. I don't know how much of this came from Renoise. I doubt most vendors know of Renoise or its approach to sampling and virtual instruments. But EDM tends to sound inorganic without a great deal of humanizing automation. Loop based music also suffers in the opportunities of inter-key modulation, etc. This is one reason so much has gone into complex modulation presets on modern 3rd party synths including the latest Native Instruments Massive X and Bitwig turning their DAW into a modular synth/sound-design DAW. BUt I think this is unnecessary. There is only so much animation space available in a mix.
If you add more than one synth part with extensive modulation it immediately degrades the arrangement and the composition in my opinion.
So in the final analysis if you have a genre that consumes your creative desires go for the DAW that most closely matching those creative juices. After you move on to taking music as a business too you are going to have to drastically expand your music vocabulary. Learning multiple DAWs could help with that. But eventually you will learn to move their required workflows to a couple of DAWs or 1 DAW in particular.
The reason I started on DAW Trek is because I wanted to move between DAWs quickly. And vendor manuals run from just barely okay to horrible. I would be hard pressed to reduce my DAWs to even 4. But then again I only have one guitar. :)
DAW Trek Wow, quite the reply! I’m curious why you mention that each DAW colors the sound differently - how is this differently with digital audio? They all sound the same to me at core value.
The DAW don't color the sound if no processing is applied to the tracks.
But when you use the stock plugins, the sound between DAWs starts to change.
For example, EQ's unless they are linear phase will phase shift the audio when EQ is being applied.
When tracks are summed at the Mixbus these phase shifts will start to sum differently.
It's very subtle.
The math applied by automation increasing or decreasing linearly are going to introduce subtle differences also.
In electronic music you probably are never going to notice the differences.
I guess I shouldn't have brought it up because it is becoming less and less important every year.
DAW Trek interesting points!
do you mix in that springy room, no treatment
Yep, lol. I mostly use headphones in this small untreated space.
I'm not sure how the Film Scoring options are Limited in Cubase? I mean I don't do film scoring myself so I don't really know what is specifically needed there, but isn't Cubase a staple with huge film score composers/producers like Hans Zimmer & Co and Tom Holkenborg? What is limiting them with Cubase?
I’m truly astounded that they use Cubase! I love the software for all things except film Scoring.
@@StevenMelin I'm thinking maybe they actually use Nuendo (which to my understanding is Cubase Pro with extra features for film/video etc), but they use the Cubase name because that's generally the more widely known name... 🤔
Just to be sure, I didn't want to cast doubt on your video and experience; I was just slightly puzzled by that bit 🙂
@@jaydy71 Great point! Nuendo has many more features.
I dont care whats the best, so Ableton works fine for me! :D
Great answer!
Presonus studio one with spliter ❤️ limitless creative signal chains ❤️ melodyne integration, most user friendly interface
I'm a DP fan. Started originally on Studio Vision in the 1990s...anyone remember that one?