Kara-Moon Forum

I'm totally ignorant when it comes to the topic of digital music editors ... so :)

I've tried to use ardour on linux but got confused and frustrated pretty fast. So, I've decided to just use/learn audacity. Seems to do everything I need it for.

Mind you, I'm not really into electronic composition, etc. So, my needs may be different.

But, the real question is: what do expensive tools like pro-tools or compicated (to me) things like ardour offer that audacity doesn't? More plugins? Easier cut/paste? Or something I just don't understand.

I'm not looking for complex details. Just some general comments. Besides, I'm not going to buy pro-tools, etc. so it doesn't matter that much :)

Thanks.

Audacity is a spectacular digital audio editor, will multi-track, works well converting to various file formats, is an excellent mix-down tool, and an excellent mastering tool. With Steve Harris's collection of LADSPA plug-ins and the Lame codecs, it is a complete digitial audio workstation. (If you are working with MIDI, Rosegarden would be a better choice.)

As to your "real question", ProTools and Ardour allow a user to specialize, automate much of the work, and provide numeric verification for each process. Also, more complex digital audio workstations like Ardour will interface effectively with other audio and video applications for movie/video soundtrack work and special-purpose audio projects.

For an example of what it can accomplish, listen to the songs Jimi Pocius has on the Artist Section - all recorded, mixed, and mastered with Audacity. It has a few quirks and takes some patience, but I already know you have scads of that! And with improvements being suggested/supplied by users on a daily basis, it gets better and better.

Highly recommended,

Oren.

Sounds like I'm not-so-wrong in using Audacity then. I did my album, Cedars, with it and really didn't feel like I was scratching features very far down ... hey, I'm a musician, not an electronics/audio guy.

I was just wondering if I was really missing much by not spending mega-bucks on that shiny Mac with Pro-tools I see advertised in the latest catalogue from Sweetwater :)

Linux and Audacity will serve you well.

(I have heard of some ProTools user switching to Audacity/Ardour/JAMin in Linux - still a Unix O/S, but with much more versatility)

<drumbeating mode = 'on'>

One of the things that attracts me to all FOSS programs is that they are rooted in someones need to solve a problem, with the add-on that, 'Hey! some other people might find this useful'.

Contrast this with commecialisms approach of 'What can we convince people they need, and how much can we get out of them for as little effort as possible.'

<drumbeating mode = 'off'>

Parts of life I just don't understand :)

There are entire books written for programs like ProTools, windowsXX, etc. so people can learn how to use such complicated programs ... seems to me that if one needs a book to figure something like a software program out (especially at a "dummy" level) there is something wrong somewhere.

If I live long enough I'll figure out where that "somewhere" is :)

You can make chicken soup by tossing a chicken bone in water, but it's noy going to taste like grandma's chicken soup.

Complexity offers more options, but the true skill of a software designer is keeping the interface intuitive.  That's why I use what I use, and why so many people 'own ProTools' but don't use it much.
 There are quite a few over at Powertracks that that own protools...

If you're comfortable with Audacity- use it!  Make music and have fun.

It always comes down to that doesn't it?

Huh? Have fun??? ... guess I've been in way too many groups to believe that one anymore :)

Really, isn't it amazing how much "music" is made in groups that really aren't having any fun at all. I'm old enough now to know to run like hell when I get involved in those situations ... but it took me a long time to learn. Gotta get me a BIG sign saying "Remember: Music is FUN" and hang it up whenever I play!

 ;D LOL  ;D

I must go get one too...  ::)