Seven years ago, when I started digital audio editing, I really wanted to start with THE BEST.
However, at that time, the industry standard was available for native hardware only and the newly integrated M-Audio was not up to my standards.
I started the long way:
S1E1: Audacity
Since I was committed to create a Linux open source audio editing workflow, I really pushed the boundaries on Linux thing.
Really.
However, other than basic editing and lots of crashes, got not so much contentment and much frustration. With the freshly appearance of my Mackie ONYX 1620i in my case and my interest in live multitrack recording I was pushed to move to the next level.
S1E2: Reaper
Cockos’s Daw was flying in the zone for some time, especially on some experimental theatrical performances I was involved in. It used to be famous for being very stable, especially for live events.
Here we find out about the visual side of any sound lover.
Well, Reaper did performed quite ok (on PC and Mac) for live events, but the latency was not really in the ballpark.
And the plugins look so…well… let just say the programmers choose to make them fast. But even for an engineer-shaped mind, the way I felt in front of my Reaper console was not flattering.
On the other hand, since musicians are all easily detecting latency over 10ms (that will add to the one millisecond/feet distance to the closest speaker), Reaper was kind of doomed for live events.
My reaper experience was good later on when working with some national radio stations (Radio France is one) where Reaper proved to be popular.
It does have flexible routing capabilities, it does recognize VST2/3 and Avid plugins (at least in theory), but the way it looks and the non-intuitive interface, menus and philosophy made me think about moving to the next level.
S1E3: Cubase
Since Steinberg was (still does) offering Cubase LE free with some audio interfaces and having quite a few licenses around, I said…why not?
Well, I must say, Cubase (version 5 at that time) was the #first (and last) Daw I never needed to read a manual for.
Nor watch a single tutorial on youtube.
Or buy a training.
It proved to perfectly fit like a glove. It took me a few weeks to hack and tweak my Windows XP (yes, XP was/still is a great platform on PC for audio low latency). Live multitrack recordings on 16 tracks, editing with over 40 tracks, OMF import for filmmaking, working with Waves plugins, all got smooth and sound.
Not one crash.
However, lately, working with some indie filmmakers and being in the need of teaching them basic sound editing techniques to get their film sound from the “streight out of the camera” level to “sound is half of picture” (George Lucas) level I needed to get another jump. I would not call this a step forward, I would say “more I learn, more opportunities ahead”.
S1E4: Audition
I must admit, having already some experience with Waves, Steinberg, Diamond Cut and Izotope RX noise reduction, I was quite amazed by Adobe youtube noise reduction demos.
Working with Audition on real life audio tracks I discovered that their plugin never behaves that great like in commercials. Well, after another few years I’ve learned that Izotope’s commercials are the same.
Later on, when I was hired to “produce” payed reviews for internet I’ve learned how the business work.
But this is… another episode 🙂
The strange thing is, every time I start Audition I have the exact same feeling: it sounds (and also looks, but only a little) like the software was made by video editing software developers.
The plugins look and – worse – sound like they are just not made by somebody who really works with sound. They do not sound musical and they behave somehow unpredictable. The noise reduction, unfortunately, produces artifacts way too soon, making the noise reduction quite a pain (compared with Izotope RX).
At this “shall we go back Cubase or shall we stay in painful marriage with Audition” somehow weird moment in life I took the short way.
Finally.
S1E5: Avid Pro Tools
Wow.
It was like WOOOW !
If seven years ago somebody would be telling me that THIS is how it FEELS staying on a beach, in the sand (literally), feet in the playful sea, headphones on, naked girls around, editing vocals and mixing live tracks, I would surely be “please play me Frozen (Best Achievement in Music 2014) for the next seven years and Wake me up (Avicii, 2013) in 2017.
This is one single experience I can’t reproduce in words.
It was like #First (Tools, Pro) time (for the best or worst).
Don’t get me wrong.
Pro Tools IS not something one can love at #First 😛 sight.
Especially coming from Cubase.
Keyboard shortcuts are so different, customization is a pain, some simple operations on Cubase are more difficult here…PT is more like a love/hate relationship.
Many nights I said to my self: can’t live with you, can’t live without you.
Pro Tools is the kind of bumpy relationship that make’s you crazy.
But then again.
Love-hate-love-hate-love-love-hate-love-I go to my mother-I changed my mind-love.
After one year together we are still fighting from time to time.
Especially since I keep saying “with Cubase it was like …”. PT does not like that.
We are not yet like married, but we are getting there 😉
Is the #First time I feel like it.
I wish I knew this in the beginning.
I did not.
This is why I tell you this, so you don’t have to take the long way: go Pro Tools #first. You are not alone.