I archived it, so it’s not public anymore. I hold a lot of my darker stuff back. Put it up for a few days to gauge response to the sound. But yeah, I really liked that one. Kick is from one of the newer kits GarageBand added. Both their keyboard and new drum kits have opened up my possibilities even more now. However, I am approaching the limits for what I want to do and it is time to commit to another DAW.
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ynwtf already knows I been wrestling with this decision for awhile now. I have narrowed it down to two options: StudioOne 5 and Waveform 11.
I want to like StudioOne. I really do. Every time I read the feature list it makes me feel overwhelmed by all the **** I gotta learn to get to the professional sound. And since everything looks the same I can’t distinguish stuff, so the interface intimidates me.
Then there’s Waveform which is just beautiful to me. Visually I can understand how things work. The EQ tools and mastering tools aren’t as overwhelming. Plus, it’s half the cost of StudioOne but still affords me access to Melodyne, AutoTune, and timewarping tools. There instruments seem far more expressive, too. I just get the distinct feeling that I will create faster and better in Waveform.
I still see myself using GarageBand but the EQ and effects plug-in chain is starting to limit me.
I'm definitely drawn more to the darker stuff, but I get you. I've put a year into an entire album, and withheld it because it was too personal.
I think some people place too much emphasis on competing DAWs (akin to tribal PS/Xbox folks). They're sound canvasses, and the flagship ones all pretty much do the same fundamental things. I think the main thing to consider is workflow, and the best way to know for sure which DAW has the most desirable layout/key commands for you is to experiment with them.
I'm far from an expert or pro, but I would recommend against choosing a DAW just based on what plugins they come with, because as time goes by, you'll probably want to start using better third party plugins anyway. They'll likely have a much bigger impact on your sound than choice of DAW.
I use the infamous FL Studio (almost entirely with third party plugins and samples). It was the first DAW I'd even heard of years ago, and I immediately downloaded it (I own it now) without bothering to research any alternatives. The reason I'm still using it is because I know the workflow like the back of my hand. A few years ago I thought FL may have been no good just because of the reputation, so I tried the lauded Ableton, expecting it to do my laundry and repair the dishwasher, but was disappointed when I realized that they essentially do the same stuff in slightly different ways. My music sounded the same either way.
From what else I know, Pro Tools is industry standard (if you feel like sending project files to other pro engineers and whatnot), Ableton is popular with electronic musicians, and Cubase is popular with orchestral composers (I think it has staff notation software). Logic, Reason, and Studio One are other big ones I hear tossed around. After a quick youtube peek at Waveform, it looks cool too. Whatever you get, you will make dope sh*t.