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

[Dadoo]

Wanting to make decent multi-track recordings at home with my own music equipment and software and computer. I have an iMac 600 MHz with 512 MB of RAM and I'm running OS 10.2.8. I have the Audiophile USB sound interface. Would want to record music with vocals or without sometimes. Would like to be able to burn to standard CD format (AIFF). Thanks for voting, and thanks for any additional comments!

[Dadoo]

I voted myself for Tracktion but this is just from reading the features and seeing what each program is all about. Jasmine seems fine but there are very few details about the program and I get no answer from the e-mails I've sent to them.

Metro looks good too, but seems like a stripped down and somewhat complicated version of the more "professional" versions of Metro

Intuem looks very good too. I would have to say I'm tied between Intuem and Tracktion. One feature of Intuem that I don't know if it comes on Tracktion is the ability to convert MIDI to audio. I have read some negative comments about Intuem, but they have been mostly about earlier versions. I would hope that they have some of the bugs cleared up with this newer version.

[zelen0]

I suggest Garageband for simple recordings, and some interesting effect works, for loop based work.

[Dadoo]

thanks for the suggestion of garageband. Unfortunately, it will barely run on my iMac (according to the system requirements from the Apple website) and I will not be able to use any of the garageband instruments unless I have a G4.

[editbrain]

for a beginner...if they had a medium grade computer G3 or whatever, and they were running os 9. i would suggest ebay and buy a copy of logic 4 or something like that for like 50 dollars. you would have a seriously good application plus you would be learning to use industry standard daw and technique.

happy recording,

jeremy

[zelen0]

can't vote, your options don't include Garageband, nor "none of the above", so I can't vote, since I haven't tried any of the above...

[Dadoo]

thanks zelen0. I appreciate the feedback. I only put those 4 choices because that is what would seem to work best on my system and with my level of skill, interest, and time. Hopefully those who have used these programs or are familiar with the use of them will vote. Have a great day!

[Dadoo]

So far only Tracktion and Metro have received votes. I have had discussions about Intuem on my other topic on Multi-track software and some of the pitfalls to watch out for. Anyone voting or browsing this poll, please comment if you feel you have some wisdom to impart to a newbie like me! Thanks!

[rcase]

Just wanted to second or third the previous Tracktion recommendations. I downloaded the demo for curiosity's sake due to a blurb on osxaudio. I was completely blown away by how intuitive everything was. It even looks good to me. I think Live users will like the way the app 'looks', if that matters to you at all. You do end up staring at these things for hours on end..

It also seems to be very 'lean and mean' to me. Example: I run a 400mhz G3 Pismo Powerbook (500+RAM) with a 7200rpm external Firewire drive and a US428 interface. Using DP (my preferred app for over 10 years), I'm lucky to get one iteration of Stylus and a Sampletank running before the system chokes. I didn't really mind; I understand my PB is older, and luckily there's freeze tracks to ease the pain somewhat. But I fired up Tracktion and just starting adding plugins to see what would happen. I've had 6 Stylus plugins, a Sampletank, and 4-5 Plugsound modules running, unfrozen in Tracktion before the processor bar starts to go into the red. Further, latency- both MIDI and audio- is, to my ears, non-existant in Tracktion. Definitely not the case in DP. And this is on a Pismo PB.

That's all great, but what really sold me is how easy it is to use. Adjust volume, add filters (plugins), change MIDI/Audio inputs...even the track freeze is simpler. Now for disclaimers. 1) I think Tracktion will appeal most to people like myself who want pretty much everything they need on one screen. It is definitely setup for that purpose. If you prefer seperate windows, multiple popups, etc., it may not be for you. 2) It does have a way to go in terms of power-editing. I don't think even its creator would put it up against Logic and the others in that department. That's not to say however, that it is a toy; it definitely isn't. And it is continually being improved upon by the designer, but I think his plan is to do so without bloating it. Fine line I guess! 3)No Audio Units yet; just VST. 4) No video window for scoring, yet.

This topic is about software for newbies. I'd say if you're new in the young sense, and growing up with Reason, ACID, Live, etc., you'll love Tracktion. Traditional Pro Tools-types might not, I don't know. Having said that, I'm in my 30s, grew up with 4-tracks, mixing boards, and Peformer on a Mac Classic, outboard synths, etc., I write a lot of country and pop in traditional song-format. I'm not Loop/Dance/DJ guy (although I am a closet-ambient guy). But I love this thing. I don't ever plan on going back. Tracktion doesn't have a 'mixing board screen', and I don't miss it. I don't feel like it is necessary. You can achieve the same things, but they are handled a different way (in my opinion, a superior way).

I beg any of you who haven't tried it to download the demo and give it a go. No blanket statements that everybody is going to love it. I think some will say "That's not for me". For others, I think it might change the way you work with music software.

[lepetitmartien]

Dadoo, can you stop bumping this thread?

I'm going to pin it, so it'll be on top till I unpin it… No need to post to bump anymore, I'm sure everyone knows now that you are thanking them

Sorry not to comment, But I don't know all these softwares…