I need a new DAW program for OSX

[will.record.for.food]

I need some advice from you guys. I'm a former Tracktion user (both 1 and 2) and spent many great years of my life making music and recording with it on XP machines. I love what it did and still can do under XP.

I just graduated college in May and I'm married with 2 kids (3 year old and 5 month old). I havent done really any recording for the last 3 years.

Well, I'm looking forward to getting back into it. My old XP machine is no more, and all I've got are my wife's vista machine and my 13 inch aluminum macbook (snow leopard).

Tracktion will not run right with either of these, so I'm looking at some new software. I don't want to break the bank. I'd rather use my computer, so I'm looking for something that works well with OSX.

My interface is an edirol UA-1000.

I've already got a gig in the works with a friend's band, so I need to do something sort of quickly. I know Pro Tools 9 isn't locked to a device, but its out of my price range. Tracktion is really all I've ever used...(well, besides N-Track waaaay back in the day), but I'm thinking either Cubase, Logic (probably express), Reaper...or anything else?!?

I don't/won't need midi heavy stuff, just audio. I also don't see myself incorporating what I do with other studios, so compatibility with the big boys isn't a high priority

What would you guys recommend?

[Nick Sevilla]

PRO TOOLS 9

[calaverasgrandes]

Logic runs great on lesser Macs, as well as its little brother, garage band. Yeah Garage band. It's based on Logic and it can do 8 tracks at once of recording. If you need more Logic Express is about $200.
As an example of what I mean by lesser macs, my secondary DAW is a mac mini with a core duo 1.6ghz and 60gb internal drive. It has worked flawlessly since I installed it last year. So much so that I upgraded my Mini to a faster chip, more ram and bigger faster drive. I am also gonna buy a macbook soon as well and ditch my crusty old Sonar rig.
I actually find some things in Logic a lot harder than Sonar or Cubase or PT, but it doesnt give me driver headaches all the time. And it runs on middling hardware.
I think there is a version of reaper for the mac, but I find reaper to be ugly and hard to use.

[lancebug]

Harrison Mixbus might be fun and its crazy cheap.

[dgrieser]

Reaper's definitely the lowest cost way to get a full-featured DAW and you can try it for 30 days (uncrippled version) before you buy it. It's worth giving it a try. I use Reaper for some things and Logic Express for other things. Both have their strengths and weaknesses.

[John Jeffers]

If you're interested in Reaper, now is the time to get it. The price is going up when Reaper 4 comes out, which should be Real Soon Now. Buying now at the currently lower price gets you a free upgrade to version 4. Details here:

http://www.reaper.fm/purchase.php

(Scroll to the bottom of the page for the price increase info.)

[apropos of nothing]

If you're interested in Reaper, now is the time to get it. The price is going up when Reaper 4 comes out, which should be Real Soon Now. Buying now at the currently lower price gets you a free upgrade to version 4. Details here:

http://www.reaper.fm/purchase.php

(Scroll to the bottom of the page for the price increase info.)

+1.

I've taken my session files from XP->OSX->XP in Reaper with absolutely zero hassle and a faithful reproduction. Comes with a nice set of plugs, and boy is the price right.

[niccolo gallio]

I'm a Digital Performer user myself BUT if i'd be you I'd probably want to check Reaper: I'm looking at it and it seems to have a lot of bang for the buck
PLUS it's made by a small group of coders and not an ugly-faceless-greed-filled-big-name-company.

[mjau]

Another plug for Reaper, which I use for tracking and editing before exporting a mostly complete mix to Mixbuss, which I use to get me the last 25% of the way there.

[Gentleman Jim]

Happy Logic user here, but if I was starting out/starting over I'd probably go with Reaper.

[egr]

Here's another vote for Reaper. It's an incredibly deep and customizable program but if you focus on learning only the essentials first you'll be up and running quickly. I haven't looked at the system requirements for a long time but I've only ever had lowest-end machines and it runs great.

[analogcabin]

I'll be the odd man out here.

Ableton Live 8.

Love. It.

Grab the trial.

[will.record.for.food]

Thanks for your suggestions so far guys.

I've used reaper a little, but I don't like it much so far. The workflow of Tracktion is so unique, and I'm used to a more visual layout of stuff (rather than logical).

I might have to check out Ableton

[John Jeffers]

Well, since you said that Pro Tools was out of your price range, I didn't bother suggesting the more typical stuff because of price.

Live, Logic, Cubase, and all the usual suggestions are all great, but are all in the $500 price range, which you implied was out of your budget. I think that's why you got so many suggestions for Reaper. Personally, I think Reaper's UI is a trainwreck, but it's a great application for the price, and I really admire the developer's ethic.

I just checked Live's page, and it looks like they're running a special right now for $380, which is a pretty amazing price for Live. I don't know if that's a Cyber Monday deal, or some longer promotion, but if you want Live, I don't think you're going to find it much cheaper than that.

https://www.ableton.com/shop/categories/full

I really dig Live as a songwriting/sketchpad type of app, but I wouldn't want it to be my main app for production. But then, I'm a Pro Tools whore. YMMV.

Best of luck.

[analogcabin]

Ableton's track grouping and general workflow still are beyond easy.

It's funny because it started out as a Live DJ Electronic type deal..... but as a DAW I think it's far more intuitive that most.