Best Multi-Track Recording Software For Newbies, Simple, effective, inexpensive, for OS X Options

[td3k]

Hands Down Tracktion. I have' nt tried it, but from the looks of what it supports it seems pretty cool. VST and VSTi Support and ReWire.
... Then go buy your self a copy of "Computer Music" magazine.

Includes a cd w/ their free VST instruments that include some real cool soft synths and samplers you can use with Tracktion. ...fo free!www.computermusic.co.uk

[editbrain]

i have an idea...

to save money the lastest computer musiic mag seems to have a sequencer and some vst's and an audio editor package for free.
they say they are all full versions. hmm... who knows?

[Dadoo]

Great feedback and suggestions!

[td3k]

I DL'd the Demo of Trackion, it is a very cool prog. The interface feels a lot like Ableton Live. I tested out rewire w/ Reason and Ableton Live Digidesign edition, both worked. All of my VST plugins were available.
...Very very cool for $80 US.

[dmrkh]

Dadoo, thanks for doing this poll. I've been something of a fence-sitter myself. The irony is I had just stumbled across Tracktion when you began your inquiries. As others have weighed in I've gone back and taken a second look at my MetaSynth app.'s (something I had given up on as being terribly complex- Logic should be a breeze after this!), and started playing with Tracktion in conjunction w/GB to get the best of both worlds, Vst/AU.

Whenever I thought about starting from scratch w/ one of the BigBoys (Cubase-PT-etc) I've kept plugging w/ the minor-leagues. When the opportunity knocks, i.e.- some money comes into my mitts, this "practice time" should pay off. Beats sittin' with my thumb up me bum

[Dadoo]

thanks for the reply. I'm not sure if you voted or not, but it sounds like you are using Tracktion now and it is going well. Fair assessment? I'm sitting on the fence, as you say, , since my time is limited and so I need something easy to use, but also with enough features that I can do SOMEthing with it. The big boys seem to have way too much for me anyway and I'm sure I would have to have large blocks of time to put my effort into learning them, especially the jargon and terminology. At this point I need something I can dive into with relative ease and start to use intuitively without spending days pouring through manuals and menus, etc.

[digikid]

If your computer will run OS 9, partition the hard drive and go with the Mbox that comes with Pro Tools LE or better yet create another user in OS X.2 and make a PT User from there. I find it to be straight foward and trouble free. Unfortunately, the Mbox doesn't work the way you'd expect in Garage Band.

[Dadoo]

I've downloaded Tracktion for OS X and have just started to dabble with it. I hope to have had more experience with it before the week is out. It seems more people are voting now for Tracktion. I'm giving it a good "Newbie" look. Will let you know my feelings about it afterwards.

Keep recording!

[Dadoo]

Have had a bit of time to try out Tracktion for Mac. So far, it has been fairly easy to use and seems to produce good results, although the demo puts in a periodic "hiss" which interrupts the recorded sound occasionally. I like the ease of adding filters or effects to tracks or individual clips. It seems to have a very easy learning curve, based on my very limited experience in this and the short length of time I have had to work with this program and achieve some results.

A couple of questions, though, if I may. The sound level seems to be low. I'm putting my bass and guitar directly into my Audiophile USB interface. Should I be running it through a pre-amp first? If so, what pre-amp works well for computer recording? I do have a PA system, would that work as a pre-amp or is it too powerful?

Also, how do you get the recording to go on both left and right of the stereo sound when you only have individual left and right input jacks on the USB interface?

Thanks again!

[Meneudo]

As far as Getting started, with no music experience, I'd recommend Inteum. I've downloaded all three and by far it seems to be the easiest to use. I have some issues with its layout, but overall it does the basic stuff I need it to do.