I'm thinking of dropping Pro Tools

1698 Views 20 Replies 18 Participants Last post by Jeembo, 13 d ago

JsXLine6

Discussion Starter · 4 mo ago

I recently bought a new laptop so I could have a portable power house to record with... I have been using pro tools 12 for a few years now... I've had versions 8-12. This last installation was absolutely a nightmare... It took me 2 days and formatting twice to get the damn thing to work. And the newer version of pro tools is unfortunatly a subscription instead of owning the license... So I would have to pay a minimum of $100 a year and I am not down with that. I'm curious of any suggestions any of you might have? Even if it's telling me to just suck it up and use the subscription haha. Let me know what you guys are using and how you like it.

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Mr_Scotia

· #2 · 4 mo ago

Ive personally used FL Studio and Audacity for anything audio related. Some people like it and some people dont, its always subjective at the end of the day.

FL Studio has a pay once policy, which means once you buy the product you get life time free updates, they have followed this model for 25 years and they're still in business. No idea if that might change going forward but if other companies are moving to subscription based services it might push users to FL Studio which might boost their growth and income.

I think you will see this pattern repeating over other apps and industries, operating systems will be next i imagine.

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diablomozart

· #3 · 4 mo ago

i use reaper...never liked the subscription service...if subscribing is an option and you can still outright purchase? no problem, but sub only? no thanks, i'll just give reaper 60 bucks and be done with it...d.m.

Reactions: 2

ZXIIIT

· #4 · 4 mo ago

I use Logic on my mac but also suggest Reaper. Used the trial version live for a few shows to automate all my patch switching and it was great.

OCDemon

· #5 · 4 mo ago

I use Logic, I have for about ten years now and I'm really happy with it.

Reactions: 1

jemboyee

· #6 · 4 mo ago

Never had an issue with Logic

Formerly Given To Fly

· #7 · 4 mo ago

JsXLine6 said:
I recently bought a new laptop so I could have a portable power house to record with... I have been using pro tools 12 for a few years now... I've had versions 8-12. This last installation was absolutely a nightmare... It took me 2 days and formatting twice to get the damn thing to work. And the newer version of pro tools is unfortunately a subscription instead of owning the license... So I would have to pay a minimum of $100 a year and I am not down with that. I'm curious of any suggestions any of you might have? Even if it's telling me to just suck it up and use the subscription haha. Let me know what you guys are using and how you like it.

I first bought ProTools in 2012. At some point between now and then, Avid introduced ProTools as a subscription in a very convoluted way. Basically, I went through what you are going through. I decided to subscribe for 1 year so I could figure out what I wanted to do. It turned out the subscription version of ProTools worked a lot better so I subscribed for another year. Then Avid raised prices and since I use a Mac, Avid was unable to make ProTools compatible with the new Apple OS for 3 months. I decided not to renew my subscription. ProTools worked really well. Avid made life difficult.

I bought Reaper as a replacement DAW. It is not as intuitive as ProTools. With that said, I can't think of a more capable software program (not just DAW's) for so little money. If I were using Windows, I would try Samplitude Pro X7: Samplitude Pro X7: Music Production for Audio Pros

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angryification

· #8 · 4 mo ago

Buy Reaper for $60 and happiness will follow.

Reactions: 1

Donnychops

· #9 · 4 mo ago

Don’t underestimate the value of the years of habits and muscle memory you’ve built up in PT.
Editing tricks you’re used to, the fact that you can execute some function immediately without having to think about it, all the accelerators you currently have for your work, these will be gone.

You won’t exactly go back to square one but switching DAWs is not as straightforward as it seems.

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pingfloid

· #10 · 4 mo ago

Tip: Cakewalk is now 100% free, but that doesn't make it cheap. It is at least as good as the best DAWs you can buy with money

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logicbdj

· #11 · 4 mo ago

pingfloid said:
Tip: Cakewalk is now 100% free, but that doesn't make it cheap. It is at least as good as the best DAWs you can buy with money

I was going to say the same thing. I have limited experience... been using only Cakewalk. I did try the Presonus program (don't recall the name) as I was reviewing it with a guitar sim package. It was fine and worked like any DAW, but being used to Cakewalk, I stuck with it (I was a purchaser before it was free).

Reactions: 1

JsXLine6

Discussion Starter · #12 · 4 mo ago

Thanks for all the input guys. I have some thinking to do... If I can get PT 12 to work for me for a while longer that would be ideal... Although it runs at the moment, I haven't had a chance to record anything yet, only play back old recordings... When I get a chance to record something then I'll know if I am moving on.

Michael_LIS

· #13 · 4 mo ago

I'm using Reaper 2 years absolutely hazzle free. 60 bucks and ready to roll

Reactions: 1

JsXLine6

Discussion Starter · #14 · 4 mo ago

What plugins does it come with?

daustin

· #15 · 4 mo ago (Edited)

JsXLine6 said:
Let me know what you guys are using and how you like it.

I used Protools for about 14-15 years. The last version I bought (pre-subscriptions, I think) was PT 11. In 2015, I purchased Reaper and started using it while still using ProTools when I needed it.. I eventually switched to Reaper and have been using it since. I never looked back to Avid. For writing, I use Ableton Live Suite often. In the early days of digital recording, ProTools was the only real option. Now, there are many great options that offer a better solution than Protools.

Reaper comes with plenty of plugins but they don't have the skeuomorphic look that a lot of plugins offer. They have all the controls you need but without images underneath the controls. It has all the stuff you'll need to get started. You can also use any other plugins you have such as VSTs.
Some included are:
EQ, Compressor, Limiter, Sampler, Surround, Pitch, Gate, Vocoder, Synth, Reverb, Delay, and more.

You can download it for a free trial, full version, not limited. Might as well try it and see for yourself.

EDIT-Added Link:
There are great tutorials for Reaper. Here's a link to start: https://www.youtube.com/@REAPERMania

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smokinguns908

· #16 · 4 mo ago

pro tools no thanks.. it came bundled with my scarlettstudio bundle it worke4d for about month until microsoft updated my versiom of w10 went the pt site besides being vary expencive and the xtra found out that tehm the programers and whom owns pt decideds what opertating system nand what version you can use with it so they are coosing what system can use it . i installed aplteon12 now its been 2 year5s qand still havent used it more t6han3 times andor have figured it out.. nope they cant make crap easy nope kinda like floyd and kahler your either a lfoyd guy or a khaler guy.shoot the main reson i got the scarlettv ois soi could use the as a radio /hpme stero system

aoresteen

· #17 · 2 mo ago

Reaper.

smokinguns908

· #18 · 2 mo ago

ablotteon is what i have . how ever u spell it ,beshides what i said opro tools its the money have to keep putting oputy its not cheap..

joeydego

· #19 · 2 mo ago

If you don’t need big studio compatibility dump their asses fast. I use studio one and I’m thrilled with it.

clubturbo

· #20 · 1 mo ago

UbuntuStudio Is Pure Magic.
And 100% Free.

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