logic or cubase?

[andreasvanharen]

I am looking around for a good software sequencer for my mac. I am using Garageband now, but am wonder how it would be to work with Cubase or Logic instead. Anyone have experiences with them? Are they easy in use? Which one is better suited for doing orchestral work recording?

[VicDiesel]

Logic generally gets praised for its Midi facilities, and dinged for its Audio editing, which is a bit behind the times.

You seem to be doing mostly piano works (and apparently some orchestral) so you won't need too much synthesis or effects processing. Otherwise Logic would be completely unbeatable: its built-in synths and effects are an incredible package.

Victor.

[Nigel Keay]

I'd recommend Digital Performer over both logic or cubase. Both audio and MIDI work very nicely in DP. I used Cubase LE for audio for a little while, but i think DP is hugely better.

[stevel]

Originally Posted by Nigel Keay

I'd recommend Digital Performer over both logic or cubase. Both audio and MIDI work very nicely in DP. I used Cubase LE for audio for a little while, but i think DP is hugely better.

I like Cubase. Nice interface, well written program, does everything well, etc.

I was reading a thread similar to this on another forum and one of advantages of Digital Performer being mentioned was its ability to work in "chunks" in a timeline - this means you can write an A section, then write a B section, then order those sections in big blocks instead of copying and pasting a group of measures like you do in virtually all other programs. I remember this being a great feature of DP back when it was just Performer.

However, they're all good programs (Logic, Cubase and DP).

My experience has been:

Apple users prefer Logic. Con though is it's Apple only.

Cubase users are fairly widespread - 2nd program in use after Pro Tools and Logic.

DP seems to be bringing up the rear. I'm not sure why but it seems like it's never been as popular. I think they might have been late getting into their latest upgrade and people opted for "fresh" programs rather than something that was last updated in 2003 or something (don't know the exact details). Interestingly though, DP was one of the first ones to integrate audio with sequencing in a program that actually worked! Electronic Musician had a full back page ad with Michael Giocchino using DP if that means anything.

I'll say that I tend to hear people who work with video tend to favor Logic more than Cubase, and people who work only with Sequencing or Audio and Sequencing use Cubase. And again, I'm not hearing DP mentioned as much.

Obviously there's a bunch of people out there using Pro Tools as well.

You can't really go wrong with any of them. I think it may come down to price, features, virtual instruments that come with it, platforms it will run on, etc.

Do some checking around and decide what features you absolutely need and make sure the software makes those things easy to use.

HTH,
STeve

[chckn8r]

DP seems to be the application that is in use by "old guard" film composers. It still has a lot of unique tools that support and facilitate that genre.

I used CuBase WAYYYY back on the PC (before the "SX" version). I liked it, but it really couldn't get out of the "ported to PC as an afterthought" feel to me.

Now, I'm on Mac, and use Logic. That seems to be the de facto platform for at least film / TV composers these days. I like it - easy interface and nice workflow. The notation component of the app is quite good actually - one of the best in a DAW I've seen - you wouldn't want to score for an orchestra in it, but it could do in a pinch. The only beef I have is that it is REALLY geared towards using soft-synths and samplers. There are a lot of hoops to jump through to setup hardware synths.

[Thorolf]

For heavy duty studio work and expandability, ProTools should be considered.

Regards

[chckn8r]

Originally Posted by Thorolf

For heavy duty studio work and expandability, ProTools should be considered.

Yes - if you're focused on the audio end of it. Although, that's a matter of opinion as a lot of DAWs out there do phenomenal jobs at Audio mixing. ProTools was the first big fish in the water at professional studios in the '90's and there hasn't been any compelling reason for folks to switch off of it.

ProTools unfortunately lacks a lot of the MIDI workflow tools that other DAWs have... It's not really the choice as a composing tool...

[PeterG]

Ok guys,

I've been following this discussion with great interest and am now wondering what a ProTools, Logic, Cubase, DP can bring me on top of my (now fully legal) Finale 2008?

I mean, I'm putting all the notes into Finale and it plays it quite nicely (most of times anyway, but that may be my composing skills in the way...) and I've found Ambiance Reverb thingy on top of it to really add to the sound. and for the fun of it I added some aplause on one of my pieces once using a Garageband sample. But what more can I do when I'd have ProTools (or whatever other one you'd like to comment on) ?

[Thorolf]

What you seem to want, PeterG, is a tool that “speaks MIDI” and is up to whatever you throw at it electronically. I think Logic might be your ideal weapon of choice:

Digital Performer is good, but lighter than the rest of it, so if you go for hard core tweaking, it might bring you limitations you don’t want. On the other hand, it’s relatively easy to use, and has a certain “general compatibility” that is nice.

Cubase is very good and can do all you want, relatively hard to learn, but that shouldn’t be a problem for you, as you seem to be content with the also-relatively-hard-to-master Finale. Keep in mind that it’s built for VST.

ProTools is in its own league, craving dedicated hardware, and being perfect for audio recording and editing. There are no general compatibility, all plugins have to be ProTools own RTAS/TDM or wrapped as such, but a lot of high-end mastering etc. plugins from eg. TC are avaliable only in RTAS/TDM. The MIDI capabilities can be tweaked, but is not really at home in ProTools.

Logic is very good and has a built-for-mac feel that is in it’s own league. In additions, it got an unbeatable pack of high-end plugins bundled with it, so if you are ready to delve into massive routing and tweaking possibilities, it’s all there, included. Keep in mind that it’s built for AU’s.

Regards

[Nigel Keay]

The predecessor of Digital Performer was called simply "Performer" which was a MIDI-only sequencer. Performer was one of the very first Mac MIDI sequencers; i got version 1.22 in 1987 and followed the upgrades through to version 5.5 (still MIDI-only). DP started around 1990 as a separate option.

One feature that Performer had (and DP5 has) was the ability to hold the wiper on mousedown and sustain MIDI notes, then drag to any other point and sustain the notes at the new point. I found this a useful feature for scanning harmonic progressions. I used Cubase LE for a while for audio but never saw this MIDI feature, almost for that reason alone I never got used to the Cubase environment, the point being that it seems even one thing can have quite a big impact on workflow depending on how one likes to work.