Why Most of modern DAWs actually sucks big time

Discussion in 'DAW' started by Peter N, Oct 21, 2025 at 8:49 AM.

  1. Peter N

    Peter N Newbie

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    Hello, with this post I want to share my observations about the software we use every day. There are many things that are absolutely wrongly done. If you ask me why this is so, my answer would be because all programs are made by programmers. They do not have the knowledge that a person who has undergone proper musical training has. And what's worse is that they don't even consult the people who have it.

    If you try to say or ask for a fix on the forums, the usual answer is that the software in question has millions of users and if there was a problem, someone would have noticed. After extensive communication with such people on the forums, my observations are that such users are even more deluded and have no idea what they are talking about even more. Let's get to the topic.

    Pan knobs and pan lows:

    In many of the programs, these relationships are totally wrong. The ideal scenario is when they lead to absolutely no changes in volume, but as I will explain, this is far from the case in most programs. The only thing that should change the volume of a track is the volume fader itself, as we turn off equalizers and compressors of coerce.

    Why pan nobs are wrong made:

    In ideal mixing scenario lest say that i have mono bass guitar track and mono guitar track. Lest say that i mix them, have a good balance and at some point i need to pan one of them lest say 40 % left. If i work in Reaper on 0 lan law like its the default setting when i touch the pan fader there will be volume drop most of you will say " use you are ears " and readjust the balance. Sure i can try to do that but its just unnecessary complication and not to mention that the perception of loudness will be not the same as the 2 tracks are not anymore in the same space. And all this work is just for 2 tracks imagine that u must mix 100 mono tracks imagine how much times u must readjust the balance again if u touch the pan knobs on most of them. There are lot more downsides of mixing on 0 db pan laws but i will stop here for know.

    Ideal scenarios and in which program u just cant mix normal because of this:

    Where u cant and why :

    Cubase - professional audio bla bla next time. There is a project setting that says equal balance but at the moment that u send something via aux/group bus its loader at the center again... no matter on what pan low u are working. Bad very bad. Second critic there why the build in mixer still exist its useless u have 2 eqs there one before and one after the compressor but they control both just 4 band in the build in eq. Remove it no one is using it anyway.

    Reaper - Here its doable but with a lot of work so much work that in some moment u can forgot that u are mixing and just start tinkering the program. First step project pan law -3 second step every time u route something to a bus u must make manually the bus to 0 pan law again. If u dont its and u have lets say folder in folder in folder its -3 + -3 + -3 lower volume in the center. Again very very bad. Just give the people true mono track with just one channel of audio not 2 and bus tracks that dont touch the pan laws just sum the signals. Programmers...

    Cakewalk Next - 0 db pan law for default no way to change it. Bad very bad. Only stereo tracks again like in reaper ...

    Studio one - there is a plugin that can change the pan laws i experiment a bit with it but i am not 100 % that u can mix there with no problems at all. Not to mention that the gui is crazy stupid at the moments. I dont want to open my plugins with 2 clicks i dont like fast access to some of there futures. I want to be able to move my bus tracks what ever i want to.

    Harrison mixbus - again bad pan laws ...

    Bitwig -same as studio one plugin for pan laws kinda shady that its doing

    The only 2 pieces of software that are actually made in a good way :

    Pro tools - yes bad company i am not a fan boy but there is 0 critic that i can make against them audio related

    Ardour- sadly just for linux windows and mac versions are paid - excellent pan laws by default. You can group send make buses all day 0 changes. Too bad that there are not many plugins makers for linux most i am missing saturators amp sims and kontakt like vsts.

    How to test all of this in you are Daw:
    Make mono track put signal generator on it put loudness analyzer on the master and watch the rms or loadness -m ( momentary ) When u pan 100 % left or ride and in center the numbers must be the same all day long. Second step if there is no change congrats you are working on the most appropriate settings but dont start to be happy route the mono track to a bus/aux/folder track and watch the numbers again when panning if they not change - good you are daw is fine if they change just do like me delete them all !
     
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  3. PulseWave

    PulseWave Audiosexual

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    Today he signed up and this is his first post. Is that you, Foster?
    Rarely have I read such nonsense!
     
    Last edited: Oct 21, 2025 at 9:09 AM
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  4. Will Kweks

    Will Kweks Audiosexual

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    Do you know why it's "pan laws", plural? Until you figure that out I'd recommend staying silent in your ignorance.
     
  5. shinyzen

    shinyzen Audiosexual

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    You didnt mention Ableton, which obviously means that Ableton has the number 1 panning law.
     
  6. nmkeraj

    nmkeraj Producer

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    Pan laws! King rules!
     
  7. jhagen

    jhagen Platinum Record

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    Welcome to the forum!

    Just set the pan law to your needs in DAW settings.

    No question is a wrong question here, feel the freedom of audiosex, a forum where users do sex with audio.

    A place where all the inputs are good holes for your outputs.
     
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  8. triggerflipper

    triggerflipper Audiosexual

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    This is mainly a DAWless jam forum, so nobody will disagree with you on that one.

    I personally sequence my electronic drums using collarbones from dead babies buried in Baltimore projects.
     
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  9. Xupito

    Xupito Audiosexual

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    :lmao::lmao:
    :rofl::rofl::rofl:
     
  10. Dimentagon

    Dimentagon Rock Star

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    Maybe empty your bedpan instead of drinking it?:thumbsup:
     
  11. Dan Fuerth

    Dan Fuerth Producer

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    They did suck until at least Reaper finally kicked off the "VCA GROUP" automation train where everyone under the sun then rushed to add it to almost all Daw's.

    This was once an exclusive "Protools" thing.
     
    Last edited: Oct 21, 2025 at 3:58 PM
  12. Semarus

    Semarus Producer

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    RTFM.
    Screenshot_146.png

    And you are unequivocally wrong, the Channel EQ is used overwhelmingly.
     
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