as a Cakewalk/Sonar user for the last century it gets my vote on this pole hahaha.... it is IN MY OPINION ONLY >>> the most straight forward easiest DAW to learn of them all... it was at the forefront of alot of features such as 64bit support >>>24/96k >>>comping,and shorty after Studio one's Melodyne ARA ...Sonar adopted this Feature... >>> But long before Studio one was even a DAW Sonar had V Vocals editor/pitch correction forever... I wont go as far as to say its the best cause many have already stated this is a matter of personal taste >>> true >>>i Use and love Sonar,Cubase, Protools, and now one of my personal favorites is Reaper for its stability so cheers Drink more beer and make great music

 

I would like to point out that Cakewalk and Cubase were not the only ones at the time. Besides Cakewalk, I was using C-Lab's "Notator" on my Atari ST. Notator developed into Logic. Even before Cakewalk came out MOTU had Performer. Performer developed into Digital Performer. Steinberg's Cubase did'nt show up until 1989 and but that time I was so familiar with Cakewalk and Notator that learning a new DAW was not worth it.

 

Its funny, I first got a copy of Notator but never could get my head round it. It wasn't till Cubase that it clicked, a few years later I tried Logic but same result just didn't work for me, then Cubase went VST.... ohhhh, I recently gave Ableton a shot, but never really gave up Cubase.
I guess some things just work for you..

 

ugh, kinda weird poll. Which daw is better at what maybe. And the poor people who choose pro-tools. Try ANY other daw please. Even reaper than you can make it look and act like noob-tools...

 

Fl studio for Midi, Reaper for replacing almost every other daw on this list because it can replicate the look and functions... Studio One for mixing/mastering.

I mean honestly Reaper can replicate Ableton, Pro-tools, sonar and cubase better than the actual programs. I did laugh out loud that Logic isn't on here. Mostly because its a horrible daw with the most ironic name ever. Since nothing in Logic is done logically... And samplitude? Even with logic being a joke i think it deserves more respect than samplitude lol.

 

You are right, when it comes to a DAW what matters is how comfortable you feel using it. If a DAW is getting in the way of your creative process you need to switch DAWs. As simple as Cakewalk 1.0 was I was able to accomplish more with it in the same amount of time that my partners who switched to the Windows version. I remember walking into Criteria Recording Studios in North Miami and other producers surprised and making fun at my DOS DAW.
There is a learning curve for everything that is unfamiliar or different from what we are used to and sometimes it hampers your creativity.That is the reason why I always advise others to stick with what they know how to use and dedicate some spare time to learning a new DAW or VST.

 

so basically reaper? true true.

( jokin, I have used most of them long time but reaper is the best for reals homies.)
IMHO the best daw is the one that gets the hell out of the way

 

LOGIC PRO X

 

I have a lot of friends that like Ableton. It's certainly solid in many ways.
Anything good that has competition in its field will always have a large degree of opinion from the people that buy them | use them.
A computer is a workstation and the three primary ones as you well know by your vocabulary being Linux | MAC | PC in no hierarchical order is not worth comparing. It is just a computer and it too is called like a DAW, a workstation. Then again so is a carpenter's bench.

My main point is actually that a person gets what works best for them. A DAW is not a particularly great label to me.
"DRS" would have been more accurate - "Digital Recording Studio", because it is only a computer emulating the past analog reel-to-reel counterpart.

As for still being in the reel-to-reel era, it still sounds better and there are not a great deal of people that disagree, but it's not practical anymore. If that statement was inaccurate there would be no analog studios around anymore with Neve desks and Studer machines still booked up on a weekly basis or digital people trying to create ARP2600's digitally or Mini-Moogs suddenly getting bought before they arrive in stores.

As for DJ's, no serious musician that has been around for more than 30 years will ever consider a DJ anything other than someone that has learned to manipulate technology and make money out of music that other people made and are a laughing stock when they call themselves musicians. This is probably because 90% of them when put in front of piano or handed a guitar could not play a tune all the way through to save their own life. There are some DJ's that are fine musicians, but not many of them.

And yes, the most used DAW in major recording studios is ProTools. I did not make the rules, but it is the DAW of choice. Nor would I call it industry standard but the sheer volume of its presence in studios everywhere, has done just that.

Hypocrite? Pffft.... I am a baby boomer pal. I am too old to be a hypocrite. If you said "You might get a senior moment occasionally" - I probably would not argue with that.
Have a nice day

 

Having started my music career as a DJ in the 70's in NYC and Miami, I take offence to what you said. My answer is very simple: if it wasn't for "DJ's" there would be no Rock and Roll. There would be no Dance Music today.
Everyone contributes to the music world in different manners. It takes more than a musician to make a record. Playing an instrument does not grant you a free pass to a "Platinum Record". You need more than your piano playing expert. You need more than your guitar virtuoso. Synergy my friend. It is all about synergy and lots of luck and perseverance.

 

Of course you do.
Simple solution.
Record yourself playing an entire song just playing guitar or piano and nothing else at least at the level of a 21 year old music graduate without any digital click or DJ tools to help you and then tell me how offended you are.
This by the way has arisen due to DJ's calling themselves musicians and musican's taking offence to them for doing that. If you are talking about the contribution to the music industry nobody argues that. In saying that a musician plays an instrument. A turntable is not an instrument that requires a musician to create music from nothing. It requires something that already exists to create anything.

 

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I don't even know why I have decided to reply to you but I just remembered some of Martin Luther King's words of wisdom:

Nothing in all the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.

 

And 40 of years of conscientious study as a professional in the discipline you purport as being knowledgeable in is my foundation.
You are a DJ. That says it all. You were spinning records in the 70's? I was touring playing an actual instrument then and I bought a house from it.
You are kidding yourself if you think any musician that truly knows their craft will ever call you a musician.

 

Wow Anon, respect! Now that we know what makes a musician, let's give this some context, see how DJs rate ...hold on...
According to this https://wealthygorilla.com/top-20-richest-djs-world/ ...huh, says here this DJ's worth $190 million ...and this one $150 million.
But ...you bought a house? Like 67.4% of Americans? Nice.

 

The day money equates to the value of art the world is screwed.
How many DJ's are in History as creating a legendary piece of music? - NONE lol
In 100 years nobody will remember them.
As for the house I am a nobody musician. Nobody DJ's can say the same thing? - and as for money no DJ has made what Paul McCartney, Jackson, Presley and pile of others I could name have so that throws that argument out the window. By the way I should have said paid for in cash with no mortgage. In the 70's a house was under 50K. I could not do that today however.
\

 

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But you brought up your pride in making enough cheddar to buy a house ...to what end?

Not sure what you mean by legendary in this context, but if anyne is making "legendary music" nowadays, it's DJs.

You just can't help yourself, can you?

Thanks for contributing

 

Let us get this thread back on topic, we owe that much to the OP.

 

The mere fact you replied when you say "you just cannot help yourself" says a lot more about you than it does about me.
Intelligence would say that you be more like Tony and say nothing. While I do not agree with him, or he with me, he left it alone. In saying that by me replying here makes me no better either.
No musician will agree with a DJ on a regular basis. I did not make the rules, it's the way it is.
So next time you point, remember there are three fingers pointing back.

 

Not sure what you mean? Are you telling me I'm wrong for fingerpointing & laughing?

Let's hear the product. Post links to your legendary music, Anon

 

As I said you guys need to get back to the topic chosen by the OP. @Lambchop be the better man and let it go.