Digital Performer Or Logic?, Which app is the way to go... Options

[eMedia]

Hello,

I'm just getting started with Digital Performer on Mac OSX. I have noticed it's a bit buggy here and there. It has quit a few times out of the blue which is unusual now-a-days with the more sturdy OS, and it has trouble with my multiple monitor setup. For instance, pull down menu's for patch lists appear on one screen when I try to access them from another. I've read a lot about Logic. It appears to be the industry favorite and wonder if it's worth investing my money in or should I just stick with DP4... bugs and all. I also can't stand MOTU's slow development/product support - it has to be the worst in the industry. The one thing about Logic however is that it doesn't appear as elegant as DP4's interface. I wonder now that Apple owns the company if they will re-do the interface so it becomes more Mac like/friendly?


eMedia.

[dixiechicken]

Your description doesnt quite sound like bugs in DP to me, it might have to do with your computer and OS X. ( I'm by no means sure )

Creativity and work flow are much more important than a particular piece of technology. Use what you feel comfortable with.
If you work with both midi & audio in DP4, check that you haven't recorded any midi-exclusives in your midi-tracks. If so - remove them.
( has cleared up my midi-related problems in DP4 )

All major DAW:s on Mac OS X, Logic, Cubase DP, ProTools, Ableton etc -- have had their share of problems during this transitition to Mac OS X.
( check the various forums on the web )

The fact that Apple has has bought up Emagic does not automatically transfer any magic inside knowledge from Apple to Emagic.

Remember Opcode:s Vision & Studio Vision sequencers -- a couple of the best products of their time. Gibson bought them, nuked the development of Vision & OMS, dragged several of the former Vision employees to court, put one of them into the loony bin.
( by this example I DONT mean to imply that Apple will use Gibsons tactics/methods )

Cheers: Dixiechicken

[eMedia]

Thanks - I'll check out the other forums as well. = )

eMedia.

[minglemangle]

I'm using DP4.1 on Os X.2. I was using DP3.x and 9.2 for quite awhile. After some initial bumps in the road, I have DP4.1 working smoothly and am satisfied with the results. The biggest thing for me is how intuitive an interface is, how quickly I can do what I want to do, and how well I can customize it for shortcuts, etc. As with all software, the problem is, you don't really know until you use it for awhile.

I guess the question is, how long have you been using DP and what were you using before? I've never used Logic, so I can't give an opinion on it vs. DP.

I use a two-monitor setup and haven't had any problems with it.

[eMedia]

I'm using DP4.1 on Os X.2. I was using DP3.x and 9.2 for quite awhile. After some initial bumps in the road, I have DP4.1 working smoothly and am satisfied with the results. The biggest thing for me is how intuitive an interface is, how quickly I can do what I want to do, and how well I can customize it for shortcuts, etc. As with all software, the problem is, you don't really know until you use it for awhile.

I guess the question is, how long have you been using DP and what were you using before? I've never used Logic, so I can't give an opinion on it vs. DP.

I use a two-monitor setup and haven't had any problems with it.

I've just started to use DP4 and I'm slowly getting up to speed on it's features. It is quite intuitive I agree although I do get frustrated now and then. On my two monitor set up, if I try to select a patch from a pull down menu on one screen - the list of sounds often appear on the second screen. It's very odd. The only way around it I have found is to move the window I'm working on to the monitor where the patches appear. The program also tends to choke when I record audio. Not sure why though because I have loads of disk space, a gig of ram and a nice G4 Titanium Laptop.

Thanks for the feedback MingleMangle. = )


eMedia.

[BobbyA]

I say stick with Digital Performer.
MOTU has always created very elegant software, some of the most ergonomically-designed Mac apps I've ever worked with (and I've worked with many).

As far as your comment:
"I also can't stand MOTU's slow development/product support - it has to be the worst in the industry."
MOTU is definitely NOT the worst in the industry. I've seen some of the worst and MOTI isn't even close to them in the way of customer support. They usually answer by email in a timely manner with helpful info.

MOTU thinks of everything in the way of features for DP.
If DP is having some growing pains (as all the Mac software manufacturers) associated with Mac OS X, I'm riding it out until things smooth out with OS X, because MOTU has never let me down...
and I've been sequencing with Performer/Digital Performer since 1986.

Good luck.
-BobbyA

[boze]

bobbyA must have never tried running a 2408mk1 under osx (no offense, b- but that has been a _big let down from MOTU imo and they've been saying nothing but 'check the website periodically' since march).

that said i think eMedia's question is a hard one to really answer. i haven't used logic lately and i'm not the best at dp by any means, but folks are always on boards like this reiterating the old 'whatever works for you' angle. strange behaviors like that pulldown thing are annoying, but the transition to another daw sw is a pretty big hassle and an expense as well. if there were tricky midi things you wanted to do with dp and it was holding you back then maybe that'd merit a move to logic since it's environments have always been hailed as really flexible for that sort of thing.

i think motu makes good products, but i don't agree that it supports them well. still, unless you have specific requirements that dp doesn't meet i think it's hard to argue in favor of a crossgrade.

good luck hassling MOTU to correct the problem in an update though. i dare you to try to call them on the phone

[Rayzen]

I use Logic and know people who use DP and love it... download demo's. Both have a time investment to learn.
I don't like Apple buying Emagic. Now I've got to goosestep to AU. I have a ca-gillion vst's. that sound just fine. big business sux.
Power To The People

[pahji]

Hi
Been using DP since 1989 (in its perferomer v3 avatar!!) till V4.11 now and also using Logic from PlatinumV6 onwards.

Lets just say....its like having two different cars! They both do the same job but have different engines, gear-mechanism, tyres and bodies. So test drive.

DP is very user friendly and you can get up-2 speed very quickly on it. Nice GUI and well laid out. It is a bit unstable right now and can get bogged down but I am sure they are working on it even as we say " Hey...what's happening" They did a major number on existing users changing the layout from earlier versions and now with V4 too That can throw one off(me2!!) Takes a while but then you get up and go again. I love the fast & easy cutting, copying, pasting function as well as the time-stretch and putting fades facility a la Pro Tools. Nice! Still the inability to open more than one seq is a bummer(yes I know the chunk route guys!) You cannot make a stereo track mono just by clicking on it (like in Logic)

Sure, Logic has a staid GUI but is very stable right now with the latest version. It still has some quirks like muting a track in environment or track mixer will not show it as muted in the arrange window! And you wonder why ? It somehow integrates the VST plug-ins better than DP, even though they are both AU converted. If someone else has had a different experience, please share. Its feature allowing you to check how much you are drifting out of sync with timecode or sample rate is great for post users. Logic's power actually lies under the hood. You can really tweak the sucker and make a twenty-wheeler truck out of it!

Another thing you could do for a fair test is to have similar short cuts command for both. That way you do not have to learn new commands but just dive into creating music, which is what they are made for. I have similar sets for DP, Logic and Pro Tools.

And then again both these bentley manufacturers can learn a thing or two from the mini-coupe manufacurers...like Sonar, Pyramix and Nuendo. How about any track being whatever you drag and drop into it ?

And yes...whatever works for you.....but you will only know once you give it a fair ride, no?