idiot-proof DAW software?

hollywood_steve · 29th March 2003, 04:01 AM

My live recording biz has suddenly gotten busy and I find myself having to burn CDs almost everyday, either from the original DAT recording or from the CD dupe of the DAT. In almost all cases, the CD that I'm giving to the client needs to be re-ordered, or the songs need to be properly spaced, or maybe even something fancy like a fade-out or two. I'm even considering the occasional request to add an overdub or two. Short of the overdubbing, I know that I can handle most of the other tasks with the CD burner software and some basic Windows file management. But the workload keeps increasing and my amount of available time keeps decreasing, so I could use some real audio software. I don't need 48 tracks or a sack full of plugins, but a very basic editing package that also allowed me to record 4 to 8 tracks would be GREAT! Pro Tools Free would almost be overkill, but it doesn't run on Windows 2000 pro, which is the only OS that I use on any of the home and/or work computers. Is there a simple alternative to Pro Tools Free that runs on W2000? Free is always fun, but a super simple package that doesn't cost too much would be fine. Suggestions?

Thanks.

Steve
lex125@pacbell.net

mdbeh · 29th March 2003, 04:43 AM

Wavelab sounds like it would fit pretty well, though you might be limited by the fact that it can only record 2 tracks at a time. It's really solid for editing, sequencing, and CD burning. I use it with the Waves Masters bundle for psuedo-mastering. (No more "It's kind of quiet" for rough mixes.)

Works with Windows, and it's around $500. I've been really happy with it.

heinz · 29th March 2003, 07:55 PM

CoolEdit Pro might be worth a look.

littledog · 29th March 2003, 08:18 PM

Slightly off-topic:

I use Pro Tools fairly successfully. So I guess, by definition, that makes it idiot proof!

hollywood_steve · 30th March 2003, 02:48 AM

I went with N-track from FaSoft, a shareware utility that costs something like $45 if you want all the nasty "buy-me" pop-ups turned off.

It seems remarkably like a big league editor (at least when based solely on screen shots) and I wanted something that I could download immediately via a slow dial-up connection.

So I fire it up to help me re-order some DAT tracks prior to burning the client a quick review copy CD. And I notice this nifty "Normalize" utility that promises to make the world a happy place - by avoiding the "why isn't my CD as loud as the last Mega-Naughty release" problem. I know that a ten minute explanation of compression and relative volume levels will still need to take place, as it does with every client, but I thought that this "Normalize" utility might just postpone that classic client concern. Should I expect any nasty effects from these Normalize magic buttons?
They swear that no compression is involved, they just add a user-defined amount of gain to bring the peaks up towards zero. They also warn that tracks recorded too low will show an increase in noise when the overall level is boosted. But if my peaks(on a live club gig 2trk recording) are running around -4 / -5dB, am I getting some "free" level boosting by running this sort of utility? I'm doing this at home on an old notebook with with absurdly bad speakers, so I can't let my ears be my guide. Do they do anything other than just boosting the whole track up a few dB based on the gap between my highest peaks and 0dB?

thanks

steve
lex125@pacbell.ne

imacgreg · 30th March 2003, 05:01 AM

I think that when you normalize something with N-track, the program just makes the wave file louder (gain wise) until the peak is as loud as you specify that you want it. For the best answer to your question you should email Flavio, the writer of the program. He responds pretty quickly to emails. Try finding and emailing the guy(s) who wrote Pro Tools!

Ian

ultima · 2nd April 2003, 04:36 PM

The easiest and most underrated DAW of all time is Vegas from Sonic Foundry.

Lightning fast editing is its strongest point..

Try it!

ExistanceMusic · 6th April 2003, 02:11 PM

I'm running, amongst many other things, Cool Edit Pro 2.0 for really basic stuff where I can't be bothered waitng for ProTools to load.
Unlike Wavelab or the older versions, it'll run up to 128 tracks without blinking, provided your processer is up for it. And it's dead easy to learn.

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29th March 2003, 04:01 AM	#1
hollywood_steve Lives for gear Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: uh..... Hollywood Posts: 1,170	idiot-proof DAW software? My live recording biz has suddenly gotten busy and I find myself having to burn CDs almost everyday, either from the original DAT recording or from the CD dupe of the DAT. In almost all cases, the CD that I'm giving to the client needs to be re-ordered, or the songs need to be properly spaced, or maybe even something fancy like a fade-out or two. I'm even considering the occasional request to add an overdub or two. Short of the overdubbing, I know that I can handle most of the other tasks with the CD burner software and some basic Windows file management. But the workload keeps increasing and my amount of available time keeps decreasing, so I could use some real audio software. I don't need 48 tracks or a sack full of plugins, but a very basic editing package that also allowed me to record 4 to 8 tracks would be GREAT! Pro Tools Free would almost be overkill, but it doesn't run on Windows 2000 pro, which is the only OS that I use on any of the home and/or work computers. Is there a simple alternative to Pro Tools Free that runs on W2000? Free is always fun, but a super simple package that doesn't cost too much would be fine. Suggestions? Thanks. Steve lex125@pacbell.net

30th March 2003, 05:01 AM	#6
imacgreg Gear maniac Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Silver Lake, LA Posts: 294	I think that when you normalize something with N-track, the program just makes the wave file louder (gain wise) until the peak is as loud as you specify that you want it. For the best answer to your question you should email Flavio, the writer of the program. He responds pretty quickly to emails. Try finding and emailing the guy(s) who wrote Pro Tools! Ian __________________ ---------- Ian MacGregor www.standard-audio.com

6th April 2003, 02:11 PM	#8
ExistanceMusic Gear addict Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Melbourne, Australia Posts: 479	I'm running, amongst many other things, Cool Edit Pro 2.0 for really basic stuff where I can't be bothered waitng for ProTools to load. Unlike Wavelab or the older versions, it'll run up to 128 tracks without blinking, provided your processer is up for it. And it's dead easy to learn. __________________ Jesse Mahoney ExistanceMusic :at: hotmail dot com

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29th March 2003, 04:43 AM	#2
mdbeh Gear addict Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Chicago Posts: 433	Wavelab sounds like it would fit pretty well, though you might be limited by the fact that it can only record 2 tracks at a time. It's really solid for editing, sequencing, and CD burning. I use it with the Waves Masters bundle for psuedo-mastering. (No more "It's kind of quiet" for rough mixes.) Works with Windows, and it's around $500. I've been really happy with it.

29th March 2003, 07:55 PM	#3
heinz Lives for gear Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: seattle Posts: 1,011	CoolEdit Pro might be worth a look.

29th March 2003, 08:18 PM	#4
littledog Lives for gear Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Boston area Posts: 872	Slightly off-topic: I use Pro Tools fairly successfully. So I guess, by definition, that makes it idiot proof!

30th March 2003, 02:48 AM	#5
hollywood_steve Lives for gear Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: uh..... Hollywood Posts: 1,170	I went with N-track from FaSoft, a shareware utility that costs something like $45 if you want all the nasty "buy-me" pop-ups turned off. It seems remarkably like a big league editor (at least when based solely on screen shots) and I wanted something that I could download immediately via a slow dial-up connection. So I fire it up to help me re-order some DAT tracks prior to burning the client a quick review copy CD. And I notice this nifty "Normalize" utility that promises to make the world a happy place - by avoiding the "why isn't my CD as loud as the last Mega-Naughty release" problem. I know that a ten minute explanation of compression and relative volume levels will still need to take place, as it does with every client, but I thought that this "Normalize" utility might just postpone that classic client concern. Should I expect any nasty effects from these Normalize magic buttons? They swear that no compression is involved, they just add a user-defined amount of gain to bring the peaks up towards zero. They also warn that tracks recorded too low will show an increase in noise when the overall level is boosted. But if my peaks(on a live club gig 2trk recording) are running around -4 / -5dB, am I getting some "free" level boosting by running this sort of utility? I'm doing this at home on an old notebook with with absurdly bad speakers, so I can't let my ears be my guide. Do they do anything other than just boosting the whole track up a few dB based on the gap between my highest peaks and 0dB? thanks steve lex125@pacbell.ne

2nd April 2003, 04:36 PM	#7
ultima Gear maniac Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: iceland Posts: 166	The easiest and most underrated DAW of all time is Vegas from Sonic Foundry. Lightning fast editing is its strongest point.. Try it!