Stable is very important. (relatively speaking considering the Windows environment/OS)

Easy to use is important. Don't need to be looking up complicated function procedures in the middle of tracking. 

Enough features to be able to do what I want to do when I want to do it. 

 second thoughts....  yeah,,,, the same things.

Most important thing is that it doesn't get in the way of creativity.

 
Good answer.
 
J

More and more I'm trying to stick to what's in my DAW. I like the idea that, if tomorrow my computer dies on me, I can walk into a Mac store, buy a new Mac, download Logic from the App Store and be up an running w/in a blink, resuming the session exactly where I left it. No need to worry whether or not my DAW software will give me problems w/ this or that component of my new computer or to re-install and authorize a bunch of things and update this and that.

 
That certainly is compelling.

My initial response was 'Does it work'.  In the sense that does this new DAW allow me to just get on and do my stuff which is sitting in my head before the inspiration evaporates.

After a few minutes thought the same response applies.

Sonar is pretty good, but I still find plenty of cases where by the time I've got things set that vibe has already gone.  Why does Sonar insist I name a track before I can fire up a new song? No other app does that - and worrying about naming a piece that early on has quite often killed it for me - even the act of putting in 'asdf'! Stuff the folders into a temp location until I hit save, and that way I don't get left with odd empty orphan pieces to delete later on.

Sometimes I just wish there was a tiny midi 'notepad' that I could fire up, drop straight into record and play the keys.  No declaring a file name, no click track, no messing about adding a softsynth or selecting a patch (ust default to a raw piano).  Sort of thing I'd want is a macro on the desktop set to launch the app, apply a template, take off the metronome and drop straight into record.

Wood67


My initial response was 'Does it work'.  In the sense that does this new DAW allow me to just get on and do my stuff which is sitting in my head before the inspiration evaporates.

After a few minutes thought the same response applies.

Sonar is pretty good, but I still find plenty of cases where by the time I've got things set that vibe has already gone.  Why does Sonar insist I name a track before I can fire up a new song? No other app does that - and worrying about naming a piece that early on has quite often killed it for me - even the act of putting in 'asdf'! Stuff the folders into a temp location until I hit save, and that way I don't get left with odd empty orphan pieces to delete later on.

Sometimes I just wish there was a tiny midi 'notepad' that I could fire up, drop straight into record and play the keys.  No declaring a file name, no click track, no messing about adding a softsynth or selecting a patch (ust default to a raw piano).  Sort of thing I'd want is a macro on the desktop set to launch the app, apply a template, take off the metronome and drop straight into record.

Chris:
for the MIDI thing, here are some options
1) set up a template with one MIDI track and TTS-1 (it will default to GM Piano 1)  - you'll still have to name it something but every thing else will be up and ready to go for you.
2) you could do what I do:  don't use softsynths for recording!  I monitor via my keyboard and record the MIDI only.  you don't have to have a softsynth inserted in order to record MIDI!

jamesg1213


Most important thing is that it doesn't get in the way of creativity.

Bing

I immediatley thought 'ease of use' like you.

Followed by stable,

then low latency, around 12ms round trip latency is good enough for me.

Ability to export to mp3 built in.

Everything else is down to plug-ins which need the same merits as those for the DAW.

I made the assumption that, if I learned how to use the package properly (from the tutorials, etc.), then it wouldn't get in the way of creativity.  Silly me!

craigb


I made the assumption that, if I learned how to use the package properly (from the tutorials, etc.), then it wouldn't get in the way of creativity.  Silly me!

Temped I was

I once had a DAW with an Un-Suck button.

It blew me away.