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Simon Wood, London, UK

I use Protools and Logic and I get issues with both. I use a firewire Mbox factory pro and also a Command8 controller for the protools side (windows). I get nothing but headaches when it comes to tracking. Hit record and it goes into RECORD PAUSE. too many plugins and it goes into a freeze. one way I found of solving this forever is to close protools every time before you open up another session. this seems to clear the cache and starts afresh. If I do this (takes an extra couple of seconds) I dont get any problems. As for Logic I don't play with it much and my only problems are fluency with it. As I am faster on protools it makes sense to use it. who wants to be in front of a client going "uuuh ummm errr I think it's in the view menu, noo uuurrr, I know how to do it in protools!"
We recently went and got a Fostex LR16 and it's awesome but you still need a mouse driven DAW to to finite editing, time shifting, plugins etc.
in favour of protools they do have some fantastic plugins and I am willing to put up with the compromises.

If microsoft developed a DAW then we should all get out of the music business and go sell fruit or something. it would definately be the end of the world, can you imagine the pop up messages? "you've selected the record enable button, are you sure YES NO CONTINUE" - "Microsoft DAW has encountered some low frequencies that is not recognised by your nearfield monitors, would you like to send Microsoft a message or do you want to continue tracking the hiphop teenager that keeps dissing his mom - who is picking him up in an hour, YES NO CONTINUE ANYWAY" - "Microsoft DAW has encountered a much better engineer than you would you like to skype him now YES NO JUMP"

Delton, New Orleans , USA

I have used Logic ( version 7 with Apogee hardware) since just after Katrina... oh yeah, 2005. I have used Cubase and a few others. I work with about 98% audio tracks (24-40) very little MIDI. Never had a real problem with Logic. In fact, the problems I have had were traced back to bad RAM, something stupid that I did or Universal Audio plugs that needed an update. Can't live without my UAD stuff though, so well worth it!

I update my OS and all programs willy-nilly and do live in crazy town, but it just works! I also have quite a bit of outboard gear and with Logic's plugin delay compensation (PDC) I am able to use all the outboard stuff with little effort, well worth it for that alone!

Logic Pro 9 is another step in the right direction! Flex time, drum replacement, quantize audio and notes to name a few. I am a professional live sound engineer and find the mixer very simple and straight forward... laterally haven't been in Logic's environment since version 7/early days; Logics environment used to scare many folks away back then. In summary, I think there really is something to the one company designing the hardware and software, at least you have a fighting chance!

Tim, Jacksonville, Us

I have been a long time Cubase user (vst to 5) and have been able to run on every computer I've owned x86 to x64. Often exporting (lowering bit rate and converting to mono) so PT LE users can work with projects without a problem.
This past year I picked up a Mbox mini with PT8LE and for the 1st time I own a DAW that gives me OS compatibility problems. Luck would have it I do have a dated XP machine to dedicate to PT but, running PT with 3gb of RAM next to Cubase with 8gb...well I just turn off the PT machine. The truth is outside of popularity the LE platform offers me no advantages and introduced limitations I had not dealt with previously. It is still a decent system but TDM would justify a DAW change for me LE no way.

Craig, England

I have been using Cubase SX3/4 for a good few years, then half way thorough uni i changed to Logic Pro 8 (got it for £99 student discount), i have problems with cutting to the bar most of the time but not all, it will cut a nudge to the left or right of the bar and can not find a solution.
Apart from the above problem it runs like a dream.

Mark, Zurich, Switzerland

i am using logic pro as a base for music recording, with add-ons, sometimes rewire with other daw software.
i emphasize on getting qualified pre-sales advice and on learning to really use your equipment efficiently.
tiny little menues, configurations where success can be enabled.
hardware that works smoothe and effortless, natural keyboard dynamics lossless transmitted into the daw.
you and your full skills having a ball while doing it, composing, playing, recording.
available techniques to refine the sound while you are working and listening.
i am curious to read from you about improvements with the new software versions and perhaps new hardware.

Andrew Liley, Skye, Scotland

I haven't used Logic since it stopped being available for PC. Apple hardware is too expensive to be worthwhile.

I use Sonar 8 on an ageing XP box, not had a single problem even with complex mixes.

Mracus In Hotlanta, Atlanta, Uas

I been useing protools for 3 years now
and i keep running into problem afther problem more now then ever as far as it goes with tracking out your beats thru protools it sucks!!! A*@ I can never get to sync right I need something I can relye on better.So as of now im looking for a DWA that fits my need

Steve Cates, South China, Maine, USA

I'll add an hearty amen! to Island Time Productions, St-anicet, Canada. I have been using Mackie Tracktion since version 1 came out. I now have version 3, but in honesty I have several computers at different locations with (separate licenses) of Tracktion 2. I can't see why anyone needs anything else. It's so fast to use, stable and has the same recording capacity as Pro-Tools HD- up to 192KB! Plus unlimited track count, a bundle of plug-ins and Final Mix mastering suite. And here's the kicker- You can buy Tracktion 2 online for $29.95!!!!!!!!!!
Need I say anymore.

Rob, Fayetteville, USA

Well, I've been using Logic since Pro 7, and they're right, "it bloody well just works." A few years back there was an update that enabled you to run Pro 7 on the intel macs. Well I never updated, however, I'm running Pro 7 on an intel MacBook. My point is that the system is solid. I love Logic and will be updating to 9.1 soon, however, I suggest that whatever DAW you choose, just learn how to use it and push it to its limits.

Sige, Brenham, USA

After 2 years of trying to get Logic pro to work right and finally finding out some deeper problems with Intel and after spending 200.00 bucks a pop on stuff Apple wasn't even clear on until I talked to the top dog, I aborted. I switched to LE pro tools but latency still drove me nuts so I'm finally using HD where I wish I had just started out with. 3 or 4 years later. Protools is so much simpler and logical, to me anyway.

Dave, Columbus, U.s.a.

There are other DAWs out there, that in my opinion, are as "good" as Logic, Cubase or PT. What about MOTU, Ableton and Sonar? I use Sonar 8.5.2 and haven't had a hiccup with it yet. As a matter of fact, Sonar led the way in Vista compatibility and 64-bit DAW versions. For me, it is rock solid. If you go to any DAW forum, you will see loads of positve and negative comments, not usually the satisfied "silent majority" of users. I've been using Sonar since version 1.0 and have never had a problem with it - it is the premier Windows DAW platform and was the first, to my knowledge, to be compatible with Windows 7, 64-bit to boot. This is all great software, so as most people have said, do what works for you.

Tumwesigye Bob, Kampala, Uganda

I need you to send for me music recording software on this adress p.o box 24652

Scott Burford, Balgownie Nsw, Australia

I have been a long time Cubase user in my own studio, but have recorded on various other platforms in other studios.
All DAW platforms have good and bad points; I simply decided I knew Cubase and would stick with it no matter what, instead of trying to learn my way around another programme.
I recently switched to a Mac after solely using PC. It has been a revelation. The integration of files and programmes has been wonderful. The OS is very solid, and the machine far more powerful than any PC I have ever used. I don't think I shall be going back to PC any time soon.

Jason, Townsville, Australia

I bought an MBOX 2 Mini, it came with Pro Tools 7.something, I didn't really look into it about which DAW software to buy, I'm happy with Pro Tools, it does what i want, Im just a home recording artist, at this stage not a perfectionist, I'd leave that up to the Recording companies and producers, my focus is on songwriting and Pro Tools enables me to do just that. And I use it on a laptop with ASIO plus MIDI OX, I have a pretty good understanding of PC's and there tweaks and can do some pretty funky stuff with VSTi very easily in Pro Tools, I Think its the most 'versatile' System for mix and match in terms of audio technology and exploration, something you cant do on a Mac. I'm not paying out Mac and Logic, there the the best for Audio, but its very definitive. The learning curves Ive gone through using a PC and pro tools has been great too, most these skill a definitely transferable to Mac and Logic. Its more of a matter of using the technology to achieve the goals your setting :)

Marcone, Burlington, Ontario

1.Partition
2.Install and setup
3.LEAVE IT BE
4.Surf your porn or fun times on the other partition where you can update all you want to whatever suits your needs and leave your studio seperate just cause!

Pro tools is Bloody solid...
P.s. Ill challenge ANYONE to an editing race. Ill use pro tools.. you use Logic.. lets see who wins.. LOGIC sucks for any of that stuff..

:)
Just my opinion LoL

Dan Again, Utrecht, Netherlands

One more thing... I am quite sure that if Digidesign/ProTools was still for sale (before Avid bought the company) that Apple would have tried to get ProTools instead of Logic. Logic was second choice, PT is much more an Apple application from a user interface point of view than Logic, especially when you look at Logic at the time they bought it.
They're trying to fixing it up now...

Mezz, Dayton, USA

I have Pro Tools M-Powered and Logic 8 and I quit using Pro Tools in favor of Logic. Logic is way more stable with a better selection of plug-ins, higher track count, and more flexibility. I still use Pro Tools to open and export projects that come from other studios but that's about all!

Olayimika Akindele, Lagos, Nigeria

This topic really trasfromed my life. And give me more oppurtiunity to kwon better about the topic. And i will also like get more about some other topic. thanks

Island Time Productions, St-anicet, Canada

I know that you're all going to look down your noses at me but I run a medium sized studio and have been working with Mackie's Tracktion for the past five years. I do only a small amount of MIDI work with drum loops, but I have to tell you that Tracktion has never let me down, NEVER. Tell me what I am missing.

Tim, Newport, U.k

it took me 18 months of research to overcome this problem. A friend of mine bought a new computer specifically to run music production software and after a lot of time trying to get it to work gave up on it and installed tractor instead,it was on a windows machine.So after a lot of talking to other musicians who use different systems, a lot of hours spent trawling internet forums reading what others had to say and old style leg work around some music shops. I dicovered some truths of my own:-

1 I am nor computer literate so the whole thing had to go together and just work from the off no problem. i have niether the time or the inckling to become a computer geek.

2 I don't think it is a good idea to be tied to a single manufacturer for all my needs

3 The best the system for the money i could get

so i bought an Imac and paid extra for a faster processor and more 3 gig RAM

Logic 8 and a duet interface and ADAM p11a monitors
these also came after a period of time
not all in one go

Also yet to upgrade from tiger os 10.4

The moral here is time spent on research is never wasted has saved me more money(to spend on other equipment) in the long run and a sytem that has crashed no more than 3 times in 4 years. nothing is perfect but i'm not complaining, for me this is as good as gets.

Mikael, Oakland, Usa

We use both pro tools and logic. For me pro tools is a much easier to use program for recording editing and mixing audio. Some may disagree but my point is that it comes down to what platform you are most comfortable working in. Reliability is important but pro tools is not as unstable as the article suggested and to be honest logic isn't as trouble free either. Both have their strengths and weaknesses. For what we do we really benefit from using both. The truth is no matter what program you run or what platform you run it on to do so you have to have a certain amount of computer saviness. No daw is trouble free they all have problems and quirks and that includes logic.

Rob, Nottingham, UK

Surely the point here is stability. It might be a great big fuss not to randomly install updates on your machine, but Avid clearly publish what OS versions match which software releases, as well as known hardware conflicts, so its not exactly hard. Most people don't struggle with putting the right fuel in their cars, fitting the right tyres or bulbs etc.

Yes, sticking with Logic SHOULD in theory ensure its always compatible with the latest version of the OS because its made by the same people, but the truth is I only care about having a stable version of Logic - I really couldn't care less about whether I'm on the latest version of OSX that fixes some graphics anomaly when playing certain Java games!

But in practice, even this doesn't happen. Logic 9 is no less riddled with bugs than any other software, and there were bugs in Logic 8 that were never resolved. Digidesign's entire reputation depends on the stability of its Pro Tools systems and software whereas Logic is a tiny part of Apple's offering. The latest 64-bit release of Logic emerged knowingly breaking at least a dozen features that are probably critical to the exact users who would have benefitted from 64-bit support, which I feel probably demonstrates that they are more concerned with thing like the iPad and iTunes store than with Logic.

Whatever you use - just find a combination that works and stick with it! Don't upgrade until you have tested the new upgrade to destruction and can be as sure as possible that its not going to cause you a whole heap of pain!

Turb0, London, England

Logic Pro can be just as 'unreliable' as Pro Tools if the spec you are running is not similar to Pro Tools requirements. Logic Pro can also crash/quit when asking it to do processor-intensive calculations, whereas Pro Tools is usually rock solid once set up as per DigiDesign's recommendations (all based on testing). Also, Pro Tools is better laid out and faster to use and more sympathetic to the audio files you create/edit. Pro Tools is also Mac/PC, and backwards compatible.

I see where you are coming from and did buy Logic Pro last year to try. It's fine, but still not as good as Pro Tools if you're after a system that mimics a tape machine and mixer... If you're prepared to set your machine up right (buy decent storage for audio files, keep a minimal amount of superfluous software on it, back up data, etc.) Pro Tools is 'better' for multi-track audio recording and editing than Logic. If you mainly sequence, using midi/loops, etc., then there is still a choice to make, but that is a different story altogether.

Dan, Utrecht, Netherlands

Hi,
been working with Logic since v1.1 and with PT since v3 or so. I use them both, I enjoy them both, but when it comes to stability I'd stick to PT any day. But they both have their pro's and cons.
I do not only work with them, I also support studios that use either one or both of them. So my experiences are not limited to my own system.

I do agree that Digi is very picky with OS-es, and that you always have to wait before you can use the newest OS, newest Macs, etc. That can be very annoying, I agree. But they do that to assure that the system runs stable and reliable. (I always assumed)

I also agree that FCP is a very stable program, but you can not automatically assume that that is true for any Apple program. Logic was developed by Emagic, and later continued by Apple. (FCP also was bought by Apple, but in a very early stage)
Logic is a weird combination of old Emagic way of doing things, and Apples UI guidelines.
(and check out Apple’s own Audio Midi setup which is as buggy as an app can be, although in Snow Leopard it seems to have improved)

Logic is nice, and has some unique features, but it is way way buggier than PT (which is not bug free either, nothing is) and there are many very things in Logic which are not ‘logic’ at all. But yes, it will always run on the newest OS and newst Mac.

But I dont know what is more important, overall stability and reliability (before I get a hundred reactions saying that PT can crash as well: yes PT can crash as well, but if I work 80 hours in Logic and 80 hours in PT then PT will have done 5 weird things, and Logic 25 on average. Especially in big sesssions, with >40 (audio)tracks and dense editing. Logic seems to be better with midi and softsynths than real audio)

And dont forget, both Logic and PT stability still depend on third party products. Your story would be true of you would run Logic on the built in (optical)audio and not have any 3rd party plug ins. But most people will have a 3rd party audio interface, and many will have 3rd party plug ins. I have seen problems in both ProTools and Logic that could be fixed just by just taking out a PI or or replacing the audio interface driver/brand/model or firewire/usb drive/order.

I don’t think the only option (as you seem to suggest a bit) is to, once you have a stable system, not to update it anymore.
You just have to be careful with what and how and when you update your system. You can either gather the necessary knowledge yourself, or, if you are too busy (and hopefully making money with being very busy) hire someone who does this for you.

This has been quite a normal procedure for many years and many professions. Most people do not repair or maintain their own car, their own washing machine, or any other piece of equipment. Only with computers people have the idea that they can do everything themselves.
No matter what you try to maintain, you always need to have the right knowledge otherwise it will only lead to more problems. Computers are still a young technology and they evolve and develop very fast, which means that there are still a lot of things that can go wrong. Especially when you combine multiple technologies/brands (plug ins, audio interfaces, midi, remotes, etc) which some are more up to date than others.

In an ideal world you are right, you should just be able to install anything and everything should keep on working. But unfortunately computers are not at that stage yet. That’s just the way it is. ProTools, Logic, Audition, or whatever. It might work well on one machine, and not on the next one.
(had a recent incident where a guy bought a new Mac, Logic Pro 9, and nothing else. Installed latest OS, installed Logic, and Logic crashed on startup... I am sorry, at the moment there is no guaranteed system...)

Think that someone years a go already said something like ‘If cars have developed and evolved in the same way as computers did, then a car would run 1000 miles on one gallon, would costs 500 USD, and explode spontaneously every once in a while’ No matter if you would use only one brand...

If you work with computers, you have to live with the fact that shit happens. You just have to limit the shit, by keeping yourself informed, or get someone to do it for you.

Thotsaporn, Pitsanulok, Thailand

i,m used soundcard protool Digidesign 002 rack with LOgic 9 ,Protool is a best sound but Not work in midi
But Logic is No.1 of all creat music software

C.g. Productions , Littleport, U.k.

I'm a huge supporter of apples logic pro. to me it's the best daw you can have on a mac. my reason for saying this is why would apple make a daw that isn't the best for their computer. they know the INS and outs of they're os, so why would logic be the best for an apple computer. I think people like pro tools so much because you can learn everything about it just by working with it logic on the other hand is not as simple. you learn alot about logic from working with it but unless you get some education behind you won't know the full extent of logic. once you learn what logic has to offer it becomes a beautiful masterpiece. logic has to be one of the most flexible and power daws I've ever used.

Mpmusic, The Netherlands

Take a look at Adobe Audition 1.5, 2.0 and 3.1 No problems for more than 5 years.

Greetings,

MPMusic