reaper dude. nearly free (i paid $40 for it iirc), massive support forum, many lads n lasses on the forum use it, easy as pie to use for midi/vsti and live instrument recording, supports a wide range of sound cards, etc. also, if i'm not mistaken, you can also use it along with video. comes loaded with a whole whack of vst effects and supports many more.

best thing is you can use a fully functional, unrestricted version for 30 days without paying a cent, so you can evaluate it risk-free. (i think you just can't export your tracks, that's all, but i stand under the correction tree.)

give it a bash
dh|

Logic Pro - especially with the video thing. Very creative and very portable to other pro audio and film studios.

Protools is another option, but not so great on the MIDI side. I also have problems with supporting Avid these days if there is any other option.

Cubase on the less expensive side, Reaper on the next-to-nothing side and apparently the freeware Audacity is preet good (but not really for pro production, I don't think).

I'd not use Audacity but certainly give Ardour a try. It impressed the heck out of me and it's a totall free/opensource DAW:
http://ardour.org/

(And from the looks of things, has improved a HECK since I last used it.)

oh ja, logic is also something i've used before and enjoyed. they dropped logic express - the light version - about 2 or so years ago - which is why i switched to reaper. logic is cool, i like the, ahem, logic of it.

here's a neat article for ya
dh

domhatch wrote: oh ja, logic is also something i've used before and enjoyed. they dropped logic express - the light version - about 2 or so years ago - which is why i switched to reaper. logic is cool, i like the, ahem, logic of it.

here's a neat article for ya
dh

Quite informative stuff - thanks Dom

Also Check Sony ACID Pro 7

http://www.sonycreativesoftware.com/acidpro

Seem as you have a mac, seriously have a look at the new garage band... I have just downloaded it this week and the session drummer feature is blowing my mind.... I have battled with Drum plugins for a while but this is the answer for me! and the sound quality is great and alive... If you download it, make sure you are on Uncapped ADSL though (you will need the latest Mac Os download which is 5GB and the Garage bands loops etc are around 10GB)!

http://www.apple.com/mac/garageband/

I also have Logic which uses the same session drummer , but quite a bit more advanced to use...

Thanks for the advice everyone, really appreciate it.

I am going to give Reason a look through, it is free for 30 days, may as well.

I'm also quite keen on Logic Pro, mainly because of the price and functionality. But, will definitely give new garageband a try first. Previous versions of GB just haven't had enough in them to keep me satisfied, TI does the new version give more?

new GB is way better, but in all honesty, it is still logic's little kindergarten brother.
new GB is free, so as far as that, nothing comes close.
R39 for the addons.

R1599 for logic. not a single software on the market does what this does, and you'll need to spend 4 times the price to cubase\protools or other things that come close.

reason is anything BUT a recording software in a sense of
a DAW that we're talking about. it is great for what it is, really.
but a DAW, a recording station it is not.

I think, as of Reason 6, it is pretty much a full on DAW with the exception of being able to use whatever 3rd party plugins you wish, there are the new Reason Rack Exensions plugin's which quite a few big 3rd party devs have catered to, as an all in one solution with a buttload of content it seem like quite a good option.

I personally ditched Pro Tools and Sonar for Reaper and will never look back.

I've been messing around with Ableton and it's "different" but I think it could be a pretty good option to check out.

I would go with Logic if u have a mac. Logic X is pretty sweet. well priced too. great bundled samples, loops, VI's and plugins. I stress... really great plugins. like you wont need to get any third party plugs to get good sounding production.

I have used logic quite a bit.. but recently fallen in love with Pro Tools after a long and turbulent relationship with it. but it just makes so much more sense to me now than anything else, so im just gonna use that exclusively now.

Thanks for all the help guys. i eneded up biting the bullet and paid the money for Logic ProX. A friend has it and after sitting with him, it seems like what I was after and at a good price. Reaper looked cool, the interface was a little confusing though and I liked Logic's video capabilities.

Am still in the process of downloading the 30gigs of add on's.. :O

Good choice man, i dont think you will regret it. Logic is alot easier to get around as a beginner and you can go as deep as you want.
Make sure you watch a load of tutorials to get you started and if you have any specific questions dont be shy to drop me a line. ?

Use Garage band if you are only dabbling with recording. Reason is for making hip hop and dance tunes.

Reaper is a great free option. Otherwise Cubase / Logic / Pro tools. but thats a whole other debate all together.

Do you have decent sound card / interface?

Why has no one given much due credit to Ableton? I use Ableton. Its a heck of a program once you know whats going on.

Ableton is amazing software... wish i could get into it tho, but just cant - Too used to linear sequencing. but i use t sometimes to jot down ideas and jam! but it is very powerful

Only downside i would see is its audio editing and multi track recording capabilities compared to Pro tools. CB or Logic....
its not really deisgned for that but more as a compositional tool.

Audible Anarchy wrote: Use Garage band if you are only dabbling with recording. Reason is for making hip hop and dance tunes.

Reaper is a great free option. Otherwise Cubase / Logic / Pro tools. but thats a whole other debate all together.

Do you have decent sound card / interface?

Reaper ain't free. There is a trial evaluation period after which you are expected to purchase a license for a very reasonable fee.

doc-phil wrote:

Audible Anarchy wrote: Use Garage band if you are only dabbling with recording. Reason is for making hip hop and dance tunes.

Reaper is a great free option. Otherwise Cubase / Logic / Pro tools. but thats a whole other debate all together.

Do you have decent sound card / interface?

Reaper ain't free. There is a trial evaluation period after which you are expected to purchase a license for a very reasonable fee.

+1, especially given the depth of reaper as a daw. not that i've had the opportunity to stack it up against, say, protools; i'm not at that level. but someone like tomcat is (where is that chap these days anyhoo?), and he and many others would vouch for reaper at much more than its price level
dh|

domhatch wrote: +1, especially given the depth of reaper as a daw. not that i've had the opportunity to stack it up against, say, protools; i'm not at that level. but someone like tomcat is (where is that chap these days anyhoo?), and he and many others would vouch for reaper at much more than its price level
dh|

And they had a bit of a workshop with Tomcat as well. Maybe we should organize another DAW workshop?