Re: OT: New MBP... or not? (Firewire still necessary?)

[Per Boysen <perboysen@gmail.com>]

On Sun, Apr 18, 2010 at 7:15 PM, Louie Angulo
<louie.angulo@googlemail.com> wrote:
> Pro tools
> Logic Pro
> Nuendo
> Cubase
>
> since i have an RME FW 800 soundcard protools is at this point out of the
> question
> so which one would you say is the most professional intuitive and 
>complete
> so there is no need for me to get xy tra pluginis,mastering sw etc.?

--> "Professional"
Not sure what you mean with "professional"? If understood as "used by
producers that get paid for delivering on a deadline and usually cause
a lot of problems if not able to estimate how long time is needed for
a production to get ready" I would say that Pro Tools and Logic are
the two that are most used by professionals, but in two completely
different ways. Pro Tools is more like hardware in the sense that
anyone that comes to a studio can sit down and start working right on
the spot if knowing Pro Tools from before. Cubase and Nuendo also
share this layout. Logic is different, and "professional" in another
way: a producer can optimize his own workflow to make Logic extremely
fast for a particular workflow within a special phase of a project
(like editing drums or vocal tracks, syncing up composition to video
etc etc). Drawback here is of course if he is sick one day and someone
else has to take his place at the editing computer, because they may
not be used to the absent guy's personal quick key command setup. So
typically in the pro world Pro Tools guys know the usual Pro Tools
workflow and Logic guys bring their personal quick-commands on an USB
stick to import at the studio they go to work at. In recent years
Nuendo has taken over some area from Pro Tools among radio stations,
especially in Germany.

--> "Most complete"
Logic Studio by no means! Not much more than that package is needed
for the whole production process, from recording and programming to
Redbook compatible CD mastering. Great support for video sync and
surround mixing as well. Effects and instruments can be set to work in
surround mode as well as stereo or mono. Read up at Apples product
page to see what is included. I think it is four or five applications
in total and a huge library of synths and sampler sounds and loops
that auto sync to tempo (or not, if you turn that off).

--> "Most intuitive"
I have been using all four and think Logic is the moste intuitive. My
reason for this is the high level of customization allowed. I love
being able to set up my tools to work the way I want to use them. I
think "there are no rules in music production" so every time you take
on a new piece to mix, record or compose you may want to set up your
tools differently - to get inspiration and work fast (the classic
trick to not loose inspiration). But I know people that do not think
Logic is "intuitive" because it is not fixed to always work in the
same way (like for example Cubase is). So the answer to this question
depends a lot on the user's personal preferences. I have also spent
time in the past in traditional analog studios and find Logic very
logical because it draws on that concept; (1) a multi channel sound
source, (2) a mixing console and (3) an effect rack - all three levels
instantly inter assignable by a patch bay.

I started out using Cubase but sold it and picked up Logic instead
because I found its loop handling more intuitive and I noticed that it
sounded a lot better in the MIDI timing department. This was long ago
an Cubase may have gotten tighter by now, but the difference was huge
back then, the same MIDI parts sounded flat and dead when played back
from Cubase but groovy and alive when played back from Creator (the
first version of Logic, before the name change). I once made an album
programmed in Cubase and when copying over parts to analog 24 track
tape we had to delete all other parts than the one to be copied in
Cubase, as well as merging all the regions on the Cubase track, only
to make it stay rhythmic and not flicker in tempo every time a new
MIDI region started. That took a lot of expensive studio time but
ended up sounding musically ok on the 24 track analog tape. A lot of
extra Cubase work only to reach the level where Logic starts, as for
programmed MIDI instrument's timing accuracy.

Greetings from Sweden

Per Boysen
www.boysen.se
www.perboysen.com
www.looproom.com internet music hub