New DAW: Propellerhead’s Record
Ok.. I think this constitutes News! Propellerhead coming out with a new DAW?! Err, but does the world really need a new DAW? And what of this DAW, is it any good? Who’s it For? What’s the Deal?
Propellerhead gives us this video to answer some of our questions:
More info can be be found at there website here.
What seems cool
SSL
They would seem to have modeled out an SSL consoles.. complete with EQ, Compression, and interface? If you don’t know.. the SSL sound is a much wanted sound.. Waves put out a plug in emulation that retailed for a grand.. so this is no small thing.. but how good are these emulations?
Line 6 Bass and Guitar Amp and Effects modeling
Line 6, while not being beyond criticism.. is very popular, and pretty well respected, for the amp end effects modeling.. This is pretty good stuff.. I haven’t payed too much attention to Line 6 because.. A, They supported PCs more then Macs early on.. and B, before they got around to supporting Macs.. I had gotten myself into Native Instruments Guitar Rig..
Word has it that Record only comes with a small handful of amp, speaker, and effect emulations.. and if you want more you gotta buy some stuff from Line 6.
Reason Integration
If you have Reason.. all of Reason’s effects and instruments show up in Record.. no ReWire required. You can also open up Reason projects in Record.. and they become Record projects. Perhaps most exciting is that you now have this very modular system to apply to you’re recording in a whole new way.
Other stuff
You get recording, arranging, sequencing.. including stuff for comping. Comping is a process by which.. you’d record, say, a couple vocal takes.. and composite the vocal line out of the material of the various takes
Price
When it comes out it’ll be $300 list, $150 for Reason owners, and $63o when bundled with Reason. It maybe that on a price performance basis.. Reason plus Record might be the best thing out there.
The Down Side
No Plugin architecture
Record is a closed system.. you get what you get, and thats it. This perhaps has advantages, but in this bloggers view.. It’s a serious limitation.. What is on offer is.. not unsubstantial by any measure.. especially not when coupled with Reason.. but the limitations look substantial.. though these are issues more high end-ish pro types would feel effected by then.. folks are a more basic level.
Because it’s a closed system, all the bases it has to cover need to come right out of the box.. and there’s def stuff missing.
As I said before, I use Guitar Rig.. Guitar Rig has certain issues that are fairly true of all amp modeling technology.. so in addition I also have Speaker Phone which offers convolution based emulations of a number of amp speakers.. if there was anything I would add to this set up it would probably be Peavy’s Revalver.. not something from Line 6! The point I’m trying to swing at here is that.. I have a hell of a lot more guitar software tools then what’s on offer / what you’re limited to inside of Record.
Other essentials that are missing
There’s no pitch correction, or anything like that.. say if ether you’re vocalist isn’t hitting the right notes, or you want to get creative about pitch correction.. you’ll have to export the vocal takes to do something about them.
I like the reverb found in Reason, but I think if you’re really serious about recording.. you probably want a convolution reverb.
Audio Editing
There is no audio editing to be found in Reacord.. there’s just “lets move clips around.” So.. record is weaker then every other DAW out there in the market today.
The Dongle
Yup.. Record needs a dongle.. though, as dongle systems go.. I think this is not as bad as many.. it will operate in demo mode with out a dongle.. where you can do everything but open a saved project.. if you have internet connection you can work without the dongle..
Considering how often Reason is used in live situations.. via laptops.. I think this is a bigger issue then.. it might be with other software. .but no one really likes dongles ( with the exception of some Avid users who are upset with Avid getting rid of the dongle… just can’t please anyone sometimes, ha? )
Question Marks
Is there any limitation on sample rate resolution? How good are these emulations? What’s the work flow feel like in practice? These and other questions will no doubt be answered if I’m allowed in on the Beta program.
Conclusion
I think.. with Reason and Record together.. what you get out of the box, for the money.. $630.. in terms of instruments, effects, work flow, the SSL stuff.. could make Reason plus Record the DAW to beat.. The trouble.. the only trouble.. it would see.. is the lack of support for plugins. If this was worked out.. Propellerhead could wind up dominating the DAW market.
All this is not to say that other DAWs don’t have.. other virtues.. with Reason and Record you sacrifice certain things for there simplicity.. so I guess what this means is this could be a real game changer.. really changing the way the various DAW makers position them selves in the marketplace…
Without pluggins.. The more high end producer types.. I really think are the only folks who wouldn’t likely feel this covered there needs ( well that and ableton users ) …and still, if you do electronic music on a serious level you probably have Reason.. so for $150 more.. I think you’ll have Record to.
One last word
It maybe that records weaknesses aren’t really that big an issue.. that what it’s really about is a different kind of work flow.. Another words.. you render out.. or get the audio out of Record.. and bring it to a DAW that does support all you’re plugs.. that between this and ReWire you can sorta compensate in not to painful of a way.. We’ll surely see.. and if I get into that Beta.. I’ll surely have more to say.