AKARSH SHEKHAR
THREE ADVANTAGES OF USING MORE THAN ONE DAW
1 . You can learn how to work on multiple DAWs with a little effort
You don ’ t need to be a studio wizard in order to learn how to use multiple DAWs . Also remember that you already know how to use a DAW , it ' s not like you have to learn " cut and paste " one more time . Just like if you know music , it ' s a lot easier to become a multi-instrumentalist , even if you ' re better at a particular instrument .
Additionally , many DAWs have customizable keyboard shortcuts . If you want to go deep into a program , you ' d better learn the native shortcuts of the program . However , for the common functions you use every day , it is generally possible to have a common set of keyboard shortcuts for different DAWs .
Note that this feature can be really useful when evaluating trial versions , because it is easier to quickly get comfortable to see if you like the program . Even if your DAW does not provide keyboard shortcut " presets ", you can usually create and save your own .
2 . Transferring projects from one DAW to another isn ’ t that difficult
FL Studio and Propellerhead Reason have a strong MIDI orientation and make it easy to create MIDI-based compositions quickly and efficiently . You can develop parts in those DAWs and then export the MIDI data as a standard MIDI file or render the MIDI tracks as audio files , which you can then import into a DAW that you find more suitable for mixing . Or suppose you use Windows and for composing you prefer Ableton Live to create loop-based projects in your Session View , or PreSonus Studio One due to its unique features like Harmonic Editing and Scratchpads , but you prefer mixing in Pro Tools , because Your Slate LaRAVEN control surface is not ( yet ) compatible with Studio One or Ableton Live on Windows . When it ' s time to mix your song , export the audio files as individual tracks or tracks , import them into Pro Tools , and then you can mix them in your preferred mixing environment .
The time you gain working in a familiar environment will almost certainly make up for the time it takes to transfer files between DAWs . And if your DAWs support AAF ( Advanced Authoring Format ) or OMF ( Open Media Framework ) transfer protocols , you can even transfer reasonably complete projects with just a few mouse clicks . However , keep in mind that , like MIDI , not all AAF and OMF compatible applications implement the same set of functions . As an analogy , even if a MIDI keyboard controller doesn ' t support the relatively rare polyphonic aftertouch feature , it is still considered a MIDI keyboard controller . As a result , it is often best to make project transfers relatively early in the composition process .
3 . OMF and AAF aren ’ t terrible
AAF is more predictable and capable than OMF , and it is true that the process is not necessarily easy to put into operation . That is why you can always resort to exporting and importing audio files . However , once you figure out which AAF ( or OMF ) preferences to use , the process itself is simple .
For example , you can create a loop-based song in Studio One using their Impact XT instrument , but might want to process the guitar tracks with Digital Performer amp simulators and other guitar processors . The transfer process won ’ t work until you check the Studio One " Legacy " box for AAF exports to accommodate older versions of the protocol .
After you apply the guitar effects , you can export the DP project as AAF . When reopening it in Studio One , the only " downside " is that you need to confirm that the exported files were actually the ones you wanted to import .
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