Personally I can't see one reason not to be excited by this. The act of emulating the summing of a console is something i've seen discussed here many times, and now someone has done it. And hell, I'm with some of the other posters here, I'm GLAD it doesn't do everything. I am proud of my studio and its console/hd rig/etc etc but who f'n cares. I'm actually a songwriter and a musician. And you know what I record my song ideas on? The voice recorder on my blackberry, cause its fast. Faster than opening anything. Mindless, too.
Isn't that the reason everyone wants to use a console, quick, easy, sounds better faster? Isn't that even one reason why people use summing boxes? The way I see it, this thing puts the fire under the asses of every software company, big or small. This is a concept, and you can be damn sure that it will be seen as a revolution, whether you think its a step back or not. I don't think the DAW, for all of its usefulness, is the greatest way to make music. I think it works. But if I were to tell you that it was my favourite way to make music, I'd be lying. I've been using PT HD for years and its certainly integral to what I do, but truly, nobody will care soon, including myself. Native, TDM, real, emulated, its getting really really close to not mattering anymore. Even some of the "kids" are annoyed with it, and I guess at 28, I'd venture to say a lot of you would call me a kid, and I'll accept that. But maybe that's what gives me the perspective to see how much this matters. Of course the slutz are always going to want everything to do everything, but what do the people who make music want? I want quick, great sounding, relatively flexible, and reliable. Oh, cheap is nice too.
On paper, this would appear to do that. Granted, its missing some features many would call key features, but that doesn't stop it from being a great tool for a good majority of people, including "pros" and "slutz". It certainly doesn't stop me from being highly interested in seeing what it can do. I remember having Rebirth eons ago and making loops and printing them to my 4 track out of the 1/8" jack and having a ball. I mean, I still have just as much fun with HD and my Neotek, but honestly, lets get to the core here....this is about music, right guys? I mean I know this is gearslutz and all, and lord knows that's why I'm here, but as a fellow gearslut/nerd, lets look at this objectively. I think that a product like this is steering more towards what computers and music should be doing together correctly for the sake of MUSIC, not audio. There's plenty of audio options, and via rewire, this thing works with all of them. So what's the problem?
Is it perfect? No, its 1.0 silly. How will they sell 2.0 without all of the features you want left out? They weren't born yesterday, and either were you, so to assume it will do everything on first version is naive. It will grow, and I'd venture to say, so will its userbase. Hell, I'll go out on a limb and say it will grow even if it sounds nothing like an SSL purely based on the fact that it IS Garageband HD. If everyone in this world has to be an engineer instead of a songwriter, who the F is gonna write songs? Hell, the only reason I became an engineer was to record my own songs well and not to need anyone else. I know I'm not alone.
And in looking over its features and build, it does seem like they got a few things right from the get go. 64 bit mix bus, had the balls to make a mixer look like a mixer (for better or worse), went ahead and emulated an entire SSL (for better or worse), kept everything familiar to their userbase. You can always open a Reason session somewhere else and its the same thing, this brings that to audio. Not bad for a couple of songwriters who are working together, IMHO. Uses any audio interface via Core Audio or ASIO, multi-core support, simple but innovative screen switching! I think the screen switching alone is a pretty brilliant move...ever try to use Digital Performer with their crazy window thing going on? Garbage. This looks like it can work! Look, its like they built the universe view from PT into every window...genius! You can use this on a small screen. That stuff is priceless even if just to throw gas on the fire of the digital audio world. SMARTER! Abelton did this once upon a time, and still does in some ways. But I also feel like Live is the other end of the spectrum of something like this. The beat nerds will re-wire this to Live. Guy with guitar? Plugs in. Oh it has a pod built in? Not bad. I use the pod on the demos anyway, now its there.
Oh and low latency? Wait, did you say low latency AND delay compensation? I hope Digid...AVID is paying attention. As a staunch PT HD/LE user, I am afraid they're going to start looking like fools instead of the kingpins sooner than they had anticipated. I really need another HD rig to keep up with the workflow that my partner and I have, but you know what I don't want to do? Buy another HD card(s) and interface just so he can open the sessions correctly, with delay comp and the amount of tracks. But guess what I have to do if I want that? That can't and won't last in this world or this economy, but sadly, its my only option and I'm highly considering it because I have to get work done. Programs and ideas like Record are going to prove to be one of the biggest reasons why this sort of thing dies. All its going to take is a simple move like, "Record: Universal Audio Edition" BAM. Death By (digital) Audio. Putnam Console, 1176, LA2A, blah blah blah. UA endorsed even. 500 extra bucks. Same framework. better plugs. Interchangeable consoles, eventually, using different consoles with different master sections. Neve Strips with an SSL Master section. Its endless. And its inevitable.
Everyone stops caring about the shit that doesn't matter and starts making better music, and the reign of wasting all your time instead of making more music ENDS. This is the future, and its here. Join up. Consoles are awesome, hardware is awesome, but don't look at this and laugh. Its the way its gonna be and you know it.
They know what they're doing, and the more you think about it, the more genius it becomes. They can make a front end controller/console that has pre's, soundcards, and the whole 9, and make it a total package. Native, simple, reliable, cheap. THAT IS the future, you can bet on it. Who does it first doesn't matter, but I have a feeling this is the beginning of a whole other chapter to digital audio. Before you know it, they team up with Apple, and they make a damn mac mini that boots natively to Record. Apple Record: Runs 192 tracks of audio, at 192k 24 bit (but you don't use that anyway cause nobody cares but your hard drive), use whatever interface you want, and make some damn music. Does everyone want this right now? NO. Will lots of people? I bet they might. And whether they do or not, its a game changer, and personally, I think we all benefit from that. Especially since the only place that this progress can go is up. Everyone is going to bring their two cents to the table now, or end up looking like Cool Edit Pro.
I like technology and innovation, and when people push it to be something different, that RULES. People pissed on PT for years too, look at it now? Pro Tools is the Kleenex of audio. Yes it has the best editing and prob the best internal mixing, but you can piss on all of that too. If you don't suck at what you do you'll make anything sound good, and anyone who's good will tell you that cause that's what they do. If you're not, get better. Pro Tools won't make you better, hell, delay comp won't make you better! The tools are obviously important, and I'm not here to downplay that or tell you that the Beatles would have used Cool Edit Pro instead cause they only need 4 tracks. Bugger off with that crap. We are pros here, we want "pro" tools, mind the pun. But if when the going gets weird, the weird turn pro, what happens when pro gets weird? Innovation my friends, that's why we're here. That's why I'm here, anyway. Not cause I'm chasing down a really expensive Blue Stripe 1176 or something (not that I wouldn't like one!).
I watched a great interview with Bruce Swedien yesterday and he said "its all about the music, its all about the music. If the music can be good and inspire me, I'll kill for it." Which, is what HE was about. And to illustrate my point, I can't even tell you how many times I've heard the Harrison Console he used ripped to shreds as a horrible sounding console on this web site....you'd think it was a Behringer! But its pretty obvious what he did with it. So who cares. Great music will be made with this software, and hopefully they'll lose less sleep over setting it up. That's the reason I'd like to try it. Not cause it will replace me going to Avatar and mixing my record, but hey, never know. Last time I looked at most of the plugins I use, they're emulations and approximations of everything I like. This is just one big plug-in. Sounds good to me! I say let the games begin. The real mixoff is going to be between the coders. I would like to make music. I can do that on anything, but currently I use Pro Tools HD. Honestly, that's just cause of the editing for the most part. Its easier. Give me the same ease of editing and something native that sounds as good, and I'll switch. I don't care. I don't think most people do either. Making it harder to use is ********. Look to Logic if you want your life more complicated (no offense Logic...we're cool). Or while I'm at it, DP if you want stability...just kidding! (about it being stable that is...its not). Maybe I should be a Nuendo user....haha. Ok, I'm done. I should have gone to sleep long ago but this intrigues me.
I'm excited for this, no matter what happens. You should be too
