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Posted by: Nick325 Nov 30 2007, 11:46 PM

my birhtday is real soon and i want to get a recording program besdies audacity. should i get cubase or reason. and do these have VST's or should i get one of those too.

Posted by: Twibeard Nov 30 2007, 11:59 PM

I would recomend Cubase. Any external VST software can be used with Cubase.

Posted by: Pavel Dec 1 2007, 12:01 AM

I had experience with Reason, and i don't use it at all. It's not worth the price so go for Cubase. I only use Cubase as a sequencer and any VST works with it.

Posted by: Nick325 Dec 1 2007, 12:02 AM

ok i liked that one better anyway just asked for opinoins. is there anything else or is that good?

Posted by: Twibeard Dec 1 2007, 12:05 AM

Only if your computer hardware is Macintosh, then you should go for Logic. If not Mac, then its Cubase

Posted by: Nick325 Dec 1 2007, 12:07 AM

ok does it have VST's on it or no

Posted by: Twibeard Dec 1 2007, 12:10 AM

Steinberg's Virtual Studio Technology and its acronym VST refer to an interface standard for connecting audio synthesizer and effect plugins to audio editors and hard-disk recording systems and also giving the plugins a Graphical User Interface (GUI) for easy manipulation. VST and similar technologies allow the replacement of traditional recording studio hardware with software counterparts. Thousands of plugins exist, making VST the most widespread audio plugin architecture. The technology can be licensed from its creator, Steinberg.
And yes ... you can use all VST plug-ins and synths with Cubase.

Posted by: Nick325 Dec 1 2007, 12:19 AM

k and one last question i no theres a couple of them. which one is best or newer version

Posted by: Twibeard Dec 1 2007, 12:22 AM

Newest is Cubase 4 ... here: http://www.steinberg.net/983+M52087573ab0.html
I personaly still use Cubase SX3

Posted by: Milenkovic Ivan Dec 1 2007, 01:35 AM

+1 for Cubase, the ultimate "small-big" DAW software.

Posted by: tonymiro Dec 1 2007, 11:32 AM

Reason is a very different program to CUbase. Cubase is what might be called a more traditional type of DAW where there is perhaps an emphasis on recording and mixing, and to a lesser extent manipulating audio and midi. Thus Cubase has a well featured and extensive mixer. It also comes with some pretty good virtual effects and instruments.

As Twibeard says Cubase4 is the latest - but it comes in several different forms, from the full progam down through various versions to the more limited (in terms of the number of tracks you can record and added bells and whistles that come 'free') but considerably cheaper 'lite' versions. For instance do you need unlimited track count, full convolution reverb, 7.1 surround sound, video sync and so on or can you get by with less/without? Before you commit to something like Cubase you need to sit down and decide whether or not you really need the full version or if one of the other versions is more than sufficient for your needs.

A downside of Cubase is that it does not yet support side-chaining - though I dare say that most users are unaware of this. Side chaining is a neat studio trick that allows you to do certain things with effects like gates and compressors. Some software effects get round this by implementing side-chaining in a workaround way for Cubase and there are soem workaround but not ideal solutions for those that don't.

Reason is a very different concept to Cubase. Whereas the latter arguably focuses on recording and mixing external sources alongside a number of vsts, Reason is more a 'all in the box' type solution. That is in Reason you use and record with the instruments that are built in - drums, synths, sequencers, samplers - all of which can import sounds and files if they are in the correct format. Reason does this integration exceptionally well but is focused on integration - ie it's not for you if you want to record yourself playing your guitar. If you want integration then Reason is now at V4 - just released. Reason also only comes in one form - but , and this is a big but, is considerably cheaper then the full version of Cubase - about 400USD vs about 900USD.

One neat trick btw is if you have both Reason and Cubase you can 'rewire' one into the other. That allows you to play the samplers etc in Reason and record them out into Cubase, or vice versa. I've mentioned this as one possibility for you is if you don't need all the functionality of the full Cubase then you might be able to get both Cubase and Reason and 'rewire'.

As regards vsts - I'd suggest getting to know the ones in whichever DAW you get first. After that there are lots of very good freeware and shareware vsts and vstis available - have a look at the lists that Andrew has pinned at the top of the Recoding Forum. TBH because of the sheer number and differences between vsts and vstis you would need to narrow down your options quite considerably before we could answer the question - ie do you want a synth, a sampler, a romper, a drum machine etc or are you after effects. If its a synth what type - DA, Vector, FM, Analogue, original or emulation and so on.

Final bit - the best solution for you is to go to a good music technology shop and try out various DAWS including CUbase and Reason. At this end of the market most do very similar things BUT what differentiates them is how they do it. It's about work flow and you may find that you like and find working with one DAW much more then another. So apart from these two take a look at Sonar, Ableton Live!, Sequoia and if your on a Mac Logic and ProTools.

Cheers,
Tony

Posted by: Pavel Dec 1 2007, 11:25 PM

Also - Cubase supports REWIRE so you can have both and use Reason as VST sampler applied to midi tracks in Cubase.

Posted by: Hisham Dec 2 2007, 01:09 AM

sonar producer edition version 5/6/7 +windows XP 64mb.

Posted by: Bogdan Dec 4 2007, 10:38 PM

I recomend cubase , very good and not to dificult to use software!