Best DAW for beginner

[werdna]

Hi, can someone please suggest the best DAW for someone who is just starting to record at home, and is using a PC. I don't know what DAW stands for.

[Bg]

digital audio wankery

[robthemac]

Not fucking Ableton. It's powerful and has so much control in it, but completely inaccessible. Kinda like a racecar that you'll stall a dozen times before you can get around the first corner.

[Jay]

What audio interface you got?

[Kris]

reaper, hands down

[jeremyb]

Not fucking Ableton. It's powerful and has so much control in it, but completely inaccessible. Kinda like a racecar that you'll stall a dozen times before you can get around the first corner.

Yeah its strength is in live performance and DJing not really recording guitars and other instruments

Reaper is cool if you want a free (or cheap) DAW that has plenty of tutorials out there and supports everything and anything, if you want something prettier then check out Studio One, I dig it.

[MikeC]

This one - discount of course to an NZG member: https://www.trademe.co.nz/a/marketplace ... f=t4bt1H5B

[bender]

reaper, hands down

Reaper is cool if you want a free (or cheap) DAW that has plenty of tutorials out there and supports everything and anything...

This cannot be overstated. There is a huge amount of community support for Reaper, so it's a great one for a noobie.

That being said, Reaper users seem to be like Vegans or Cross-Fit trainers. Hard to get them to shut up about it.*


*(Tongue planted firmly in cheek here)

[Green Bastard]

Reaper. Free trial for as long as you want (I paid after using for over 5 years),easy to get started. I'm no expert so don't know how much it can do, but definitely isn't a trimmed down starter daw that you'll have to upgrade from after a while.

[jimi]

I use Audacity because Im an absolute simpleton.

I looked for a comparison on Reaper vs Audacity and found this:

"Right, so Audacity is easy to learn, but it has a fairly low ceiling on it's capabilities. When you're starting out, this is fine. If your project stays simple, that can stay fine. If your project gets more complicated, when you against Audacity's limitations you may not even know it. Also, learning new software sucks no matter what, but if you get super fast and comfortable on Audacity, moving to Reaper can be really painful--not only is it frustrating not being able to do the thing you're used to doing, there's a tendency to try to make the new software work like the your old software, and it can be like using a hammer on a screw because you haven't learned to use a screwdriver yet.

(FWIW, most of the pros I know of who use Audacity use it for pretty basic things, like recording narration and sending the file to someone else.)

If you're looking for the long term, learning Reaper (or any other full fledged DAW) upfront will probably serve you better a year from now."

[codedog]

If you're looking for the long term, learning Reaper (or any other full fledged DAW) upfront will probably serve you better a year from now."

This was mostly the sentiment for me too. I don't have complex needs and couldn't be arsed learning twice.

[Bg]

Garage Band /thread

[codedog]

Garage Band /thread

Dude! He's on a PC!

[Capt. Black]

reaper, hands down

Reaper is cool if you want a free (or cheap) DAW that has plenty of tutorials out there and supports everything and anything...

This cannot be overstated. There is a huge amount of community support for Reaper, so it's a great one for a noobie.

That being said, Reaper users seem to be like Vegans or Cross-Fit trainers. Hard to get them to shut up about it.*


*(Tongue planted firmly in cheek here)

Bendy, is Reaper the DAW that Dan Worrall works in?

If it is, his YouTube channel is a great resource!
Even if it isn’t, his YouTube channel is a great resource!

[Zaulkin]

Reaper is great and can do anything you need it to.

The best DAW is the one you know how to use.