n-track Studio (DAW)

[DannyRayMilligan]

Okay, I use a very old version of n-track... 2.3. Why? Because I have it NAILED! After 10 years of playing with this software, when I sit down to work on a song, I can make it do everything except wash my dishes (still trying to figure that one out, heheheh!)

The neat thing I've found about this software, is that I"m constantly discovering new things that it will do. For years and years I used it, and didn't know that I could automate volumes and pans by means of the timeline (using positionable nodes). You can also assign an effect (direct x or vst) to an aux send, then draw your envelopes on the timeline so the effect will only affect PARTS of the track. The aux is also useful in that if you use a specific parameter of an effect (like a standard chorus), you can assign that to multiple tracks at the same time, cutting down on the cpu needed to cope with each individual track.

Last year, I learned that I could copy and paste parts of tracks to other parts or other tracks, could cut pieces out and move them around. If I'd bothered to read the manual for the software, I could have learned this YEARS AGO, and all my earlier recordings would be so much better now. There are tons of things this software does that I don't even know about, because I haven't had the occasion to need them, but it's reassuring to me that the capability is there, if I need it.

For $35 measly bucks, you can't beat what this software does. Yes, some of the higher-end software has all kinds of extra bells and whistles, but I would never use them, anyways, so what do I care? I'm able to do with this program EVERYTHING that modern hardware studios can do, and have capabilities that they didn't have back in the sixties and seventies.

It's available in 16 bit or 24 bit versions. 24 bit is DVD quality audio, which doesn't matter to me, unless I decide someday to make a soundtrack for a DVD. All music CD's and mp3's are 16-bit, so even if you record in 24-bit, when you master the final product, it is GOING TO BE 16-BIT, unless it's on a dvd. Test me on this and you'll see I'm right. There are no 24-bit CDs, MP3s or WMA files out there, everything is in 16 bit format.

In addition, it is fully digital, so if the music is good, going in, it will be good going out.

I also have another plus about this: I run two monitors on my computer, so I can have my timeline on one screen, and my control window in the other (showing volume and effects controls, etc.)

Not only will it edit midi tracks, it will allow you to WRITE MIDI by means of the piano roll. Time consuming way to do it, I know, but it still saves you having to buy a separate midi controller and learn how to program the thing....

I've tried many other programs, and it seems to me that most of them are designed for looping and deejay applications. This will do all that, on top of being a stand-alone recorder. Audacity may be free, but it's too limited. Programs like Adobe Audition are better suited for the hip-hop/rap crowd, and none of those have any features which aren't also in n-track.

Why haven't I upgraded to the 6.x version yet? It doesn't have anything I need, lol. If I run across a feature I can use, then I will upgrade. Until then, what I have is more than sufficient for every possible use I've had for it....

-Danny

[mickbrit55]

I'm very happy that n-track is working out well for you Danny The operations and functions that you describe are pretty standard for most DAW's. I use Sonar 8.5 64-bit on a 64-bit Windows 7 machine. Does everything that you describe and a whole lot more. Don't dismiss the operations that you don't think you need though. You may find out later that you are missing some things that could save you tons of time 

Mick.

[CosmicDolphin]

Danny, if it ain't broke then don't fix it but it did make chuckle as like Mick says these were all standard features way back on pretty much any DAW out there and I remember using Cakewalk pro audio 9 when it introduced vectors and vst support in 1999.

I guess we have it good now and forget how basic stuff was, my first studio was based around an Amiga,  some MIDI instruments and a 4-track recorder plus reverb unit

Btw, 24 bit is beneficial for recording,  mixing, and mastering. More headroom so we don't need to record so close to zero DB and risk any clipping, and we benefit from that extended dynamic range by having a lower noise floor. There's 256 times more information at 24bit so it's better to work at higher quality until you actually have to dither down to CD quality as the end result will sound better than if you went 16bit from the start. 

PS. You can get 24bit CD's like SACD

Cd

[mickbrit55]

I guess we have it good now and forget how basic stuff was, my first studio was based around an Amiga,  some MIDI instruments and a 4-track recorder plus reverb unit

omg ... me too! In fact me and Steve (Songsparrow) first met up by being writers for the OctaMED users group magazine. We had so much fun on our Amiga 1200's.

Mick.

[CosmicDolphin]

I guess we have it good now and forget how basic stuff was, my first studio was based around an Amiga,  some MIDI instruments and a 4-track recorder plus reverb unit

omg ... me too! In fact me and Steve (Songsparrow) first met up by being writers for the OctaMED users group magazine. We had so much fun on our Amiga 1200's.

Mick.

OctaMed..bah..I spit on you !  Music-X all the way 

[DannyRayMilligan]

LOL, I remember when all I had was a fostex 4-track that used cassettes. You could access more tracks by mixing down, but then you were stuck with the mix, and the noise ceiling grew higher with each mixdown to where all you could hear after 2 was tape hiss...

[DannyRayMilligan]

PS. You can get 24bit CD's like SACD

Cd

That is true, CD, but you have to have a 24-bit cd player or dvd player to play those discs back in, standard CD players are only 16 bit.

What you said about extra elbow-room with the 24 bit is true, but I never saw the point when I lost it all back on the mixdown, and as far as clipping goes, that's what I use a limiter for, HAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAA!!!!!