Quoted from Martyn on Friday, 22 April 2022

Anyone still cruising this thread?

They will be now

Unfortunately, I can't help with the survey, as my use of DAWs is 99.9% limited to that one time a month ago I tried Ableton Lite and decided it's way too complicated for what I use MIDI for, that one time a month ago I tried Reaper and decided it's way too complicated for what I use MIDI for, and MAGIX Music Maker (demo) for a verrrrry brief stint way back in the early 2000s.

I don't create any music per se, I tend to edit MIDI files that already exist, and MIDI-specific editors are better suited to it than a full-fledged DAW.

Anyone still cruising this thread?

I'm doing a survey on DAW choice and preference for a University degree in Music Tech.

It would be seriously appreciated if anyone has a couple of minutes to fill it out!

https://forms.gle/MQy5ZipsjrXp2xnn8

I have used Cakewalk and the Sonar in the past. But for some years I am working with Reaper. It's light, but powerfull. Its design is simple, but very functional.

I have only ever used Cakewalk as a MIDI sequencer, so I can't compare it to other sequencers/DAWs, however it does everything I need, so i have never had the need to try other software.

As John mentions, it is free and it does come with some free VSTs. Just click on the "Install Add-ons" menu item in the BandLab Assistant.

I've been using a version of Cakewalk since 1990, and have grown with it. Back then it was only MIDI and required the MPU-401 by Roland (or a very close clone like the one I had a CMS-401). Cakewalk today is now Cakewalk by BandLab, still has active development and is more stable than it has ever been, and is free. It is fully featured (though at the moment does not come with many VST and none that are fully function third party - I think).

What does it do right? The MIDI functionality is still very good. The Audio processing engine is great.

What doesn't it do right? I think, and this is just a guess on my part, Third Party VST support. Most of the crashes Cakewalk SONAR ever had were related to VST plugins. It isn't as bad now, but can still happen.

~ jbs

Logic Pro X, for it was easy to learn and has many hidden capabilities for its price! Also it was the first DAW that got me into all of this audio and MIDI adventure that I have now made my career!

I really like Ableton. There's a learning curve, of course. But I feel like I really know my way around it now.
I'm sure other DAWs are great but I chose Ableton and it's what I stuck with and got proficient with.