Hi Guys
I am seriously considering buying Multitrack pro plus. I currently use Cubase VST 5.0. I would seriously like MultiTrack users honest opinions of Multitrack pro plus.
About to buy Multitrack pro plus
Welcome to the BEST.
I know, I've already tried all the rest.
If you want a sequencing software that has world class sound and effects, a software that does not get in your way but enables you to create, rather than forcing you to have to learn all sorts of commands, settings, etc. then MTS is THE ONE.
We also get personalized service directly from the developer.
Check this out, MTS released fully working Vista-ready version on the same day that Vista released, can any other software company really say that?
--Mac
I know, I've already tried all the rest.
If you want a sequencing software that has world class sound and effects, a software that does not get in your way but enables you to create, rather than forcing you to have to learn all sorts of commands, settings, etc. then MTS is THE ONE.
We also get personalized service directly from the developer.
Check this out, MTS released fully working Vista-ready version on the same day that Vista released, can any other software company really say that?
--Mac
-
NystagmusE
I agree with what the others have said.
I have only minor issues with MultitrackStudio:
1) the quantize function currently quantizes note endings as well as note starts. there is a workaround for this: click each note while holding down the Q key. that will quantize just the note start according to the zoomed note resolution; however, this is tedious depending upon how many notes you need to quantize.
The good news is that I have the feeling that Giel is working on improving this feature and others. Till then, what you can do is close MultitrackStudio, open up the MIDI track you want to quantize in another MIDI editor, quantize and save, then reload MultitrackStudio. To make sure that the MIDI files work in both programs, use 480 PPQ resolution in the preferences/settings of both programs.
2) there is no realtime recording of automation in MultitrackStudio. There is no "write" function for automation. You can draw and edit automation curves which work quite well, but you can't record your mouse gestures and then play them back. But, VST instruments and effects can have parameters automated as well as various elements of the MultitrackStudio interface.
I have spoken a little bit with Giel on this one and he implied that to have realtime automation would effect the overall efficiency of the program and couldn't be implemented without significant sacrifices of some sort. However, he didn't totally rule it out it seemed like. But the efficiency of the program is one of the best things about it. It installs simply and with stability. It is configured and run with stability and simplicity. It's light on the CPU and RAM. It can be run on fairly old computers or new ones.
On the positive side, MultitrackStudio does work with control surfaces of varying types, including the generic MIDI types. There is a MIDI-Learn function that makes assigning controller buttons, knobs and faders very easy. A lot of the newer VST instruments respond to MIDI CC events (continuous controller messages), and these work just fine in MultitrackStudio too.
Another feature that MultitrackStudio has is the realtime recording feature.
With this feature you can tweak knobs and buttons and faders and change stuff around while listening to the results. What you hear is the same as what gets recorded. So you can still do something like manual automation with knob-twiddling, etc and record the results to a new audio track. You could take the best results and edit them together into a composite. It's kind of an oldschool technique, but it still works.
Check this page to see which versions support automation and to see all th e other features: http://www.multitrackstudio.com/feature.php
Overall, MultitrackStudio Pro Plus is very competitive with other DAW softwares and does have a lot of flexibility in the plugin department. A few VST plugins won't work with MultitrackStudio. Those are typically the ones that are both instruments and effects at the same time instead of being just an instrument or just an effect. Such VST plugins are offen MIDI-controlled effects. I don't have much experience with those, but from what I can tell, they can't be used as intended in MultitrackStudio or in a few other VST host/sequencer softwares. Nevertheless, ususally there are other ways of implementing those kinds of effects using other VST instruments and/or effects.
You'll find that MultitrackStudio Pro Plus doesn't need to run a bunch of soundcard configuration/test routines like Cubase does. It also doesn't need to scan and load all your VST/DirectX plugins at startup like Cubase and Reaper do. I'm pretty sure you could have an unlimited number of plugins in your plugins folder and not worry about MultitrackStudio crashing on startup because you have too many plugins taking up RAM.
MultitrackStudio seems to respect what standards there are for VST instruments and effects. Both commercial and freeware plugins work with MultitrackStudio for the most part. There are a few bad apples out there that were programmed poorly and those might not work, but those are a risk for any DAW program and when they do crash or fail to load, it's not a total catastrophe. Even plugins that write to the registry or thier own data files are typically OK to use with MultitrackStudio.
You can even rename the .DLL VSTplugin file of many plugins and they will still run. This is particularly useful in MultitrackStudio in the VST browser window. You can type the (partial or full) name of any VST instrument or effect and the list will filter out everything else not containing the text that you typed. You can use this to your further advantage by renaming all EQ VST's to contain the phrase "EQ" in their name. That way, all you have to do is type "EQ" into the plugin browser and you'll see a list of all your EQ VST plugins. I did this with EQ's and Limiters and Compressors and Stereo (expander) effects. I have done this with a few VST synths too, but I use MultitrackStudio synth presets (in the "shelf") as a list of the VST synths installed.
I often test new VSTi's with freeware SAVIhost before I install them in my main VST plugin folder. So far, if they work wtih SAVIhost, they work with MultitrackStudio. Some plugins that don't work with SAVIhost still work with MultitrackStudio.
You can do noisegate and compressor side-chaining in MultitrackStudio. You can do track grouping. You can "snap to grid"/edit according to BPM, bars and beats. You can do varispeed adjustments. You can use many different types of file formats. You can freeze and unfreeze VST instrument tracks. You can store presets (on the "shelf") of mixer tracks and all their effect settings, or of VST instruments and their settings and mixer and effect settings. You can use high sampling rates and high bit resolutions. You can compose in some odd meters such as 7/4 time. You can load SoundFonts. You can use the built-in sampler (and/or use VST samplers). You can tap in the tempo to get a BPM. You can manually enter in very precise decimal point BPM's.
MultitrackStudio, doesn't have a beat programming grid, but it does have a MIDI piano roll that you can use for VST or DirectX instruments or for the built-in sampler. You can also view and edit MIDI data in music notation format or as drum maps.
If you deal with audio .WAV loops (like I do), you can import them in "snap to grid" time. All that is required is that you create a (blank or used) MIDI file or click track and tell MultitrackStudio what BPM it should be. Turn on the grid and now you can edit your audio (as well as your MIDI) on bars and beats.
Because of this, you can still use FruityLoops or Tuareg or TunaFish or Orion or a tracker, ETC. for beatmaking. Just make a note of the BPM you are using and export your beats to .WAV or .AIFF and reload them as audio tracks in MultitrackStudio. Once in MultitrackStudio, you can shift them around and duplicate them and edit them non-destructively. And of course you can apply effects and automation to them non-destructively. FruityLoops as a plugin works in MultitrackStudio too (as a plugin), as does EnergyXT as a plugin, and others.
Giel is still currently working on the next version of MultitrackStudio, so we can expect it to get better. But the current version is already pretty user friendly and stable.
Reaper is pretty popular, but if you take a look at the support website, there are still plenty of bugs in each and every version of it. Reaper's preferences/settings windows are very very complicated. Even though preferences/settings are supposed to make computing easier and more empowering, I find that I'm afraid to make changes to the preferences/settings in Reaper, for fear of messing something up and forgetting which setting I changed out of the dozens. With MultitrackStudio, you are pretty much always in control and you won't get lost in the setttings. If you do somehow, just press F1 and you'll get the contextual built-in help.
At the very least with MultitrackStudio Pro Plus, you get a lot of features and stability for not too much money. So you'll have money left over to contribute to other stuff such as pro VST instruments or controller or monitors or whatever.
I hope I have shed some light on this topic. Sorry for rambling a bit.
I have only minor issues with MultitrackStudio:
1) the quantize function currently quantizes note endings as well as note starts. there is a workaround for this: click each note while holding down the Q key. that will quantize just the note start according to the zoomed note resolution; however, this is tedious depending upon how many notes you need to quantize.
The good news is that I have the feeling that Giel is working on improving this feature and others. Till then, what you can do is close MultitrackStudio, open up the MIDI track you want to quantize in another MIDI editor, quantize and save, then reload MultitrackStudio. To make sure that the MIDI files work in both programs, use 480 PPQ resolution in the preferences/settings of both programs.
2) there is no realtime recording of automation in MultitrackStudio. There is no "write" function for automation. You can draw and edit automation curves which work quite well, but you can't record your mouse gestures and then play them back. But, VST instruments and effects can have parameters automated as well as various elements of the MultitrackStudio interface.
I have spoken a little bit with Giel on this one and he implied that to have realtime automation would effect the overall efficiency of the program and couldn't be implemented without significant sacrifices of some sort. However, he didn't totally rule it out it seemed like. But the efficiency of the program is one of the best things about it. It installs simply and with stability. It is configured and run with stability and simplicity. It's light on the CPU and RAM. It can be run on fairly old computers or new ones.
On the positive side, MultitrackStudio does work with control surfaces of varying types, including the generic MIDI types. There is a MIDI-Learn function that makes assigning controller buttons, knobs and faders very easy. A lot of the newer VST instruments respond to MIDI CC events (continuous controller messages), and these work just fine in MultitrackStudio too.
Another feature that MultitrackStudio has is the realtime recording feature.
With this feature you can tweak knobs and buttons and faders and change stuff around while listening to the results. What you hear is the same as what gets recorded. So you can still do something like manual automation with knob-twiddling, etc and record the results to a new audio track. You could take the best results and edit them together into a composite. It's kind of an oldschool technique, but it still works.
Check this page to see which versions support automation and to see all th e other features: http://www.multitrackstudio.com/feature.php
Overall, MultitrackStudio Pro Plus is very competitive with other DAW softwares and does have a lot of flexibility in the plugin department. A few VST plugins won't work with MultitrackStudio. Those are typically the ones that are both instruments and effects at the same time instead of being just an instrument or just an effect. Such VST plugins are offen MIDI-controlled effects. I don't have much experience with those, but from what I can tell, they can't be used as intended in MultitrackStudio or in a few other VST host/sequencer softwares. Nevertheless, ususally there are other ways of implementing those kinds of effects using other VST instruments and/or effects.
You'll find that MultitrackStudio Pro Plus doesn't need to run a bunch of soundcard configuration/test routines like Cubase does. It also doesn't need to scan and load all your VST/DirectX plugins at startup like Cubase and Reaper do. I'm pretty sure you could have an unlimited number of plugins in your plugins folder and not worry about MultitrackStudio crashing on startup because you have too many plugins taking up RAM.
MultitrackStudio seems to respect what standards there are for VST instruments and effects. Both commercial and freeware plugins work with MultitrackStudio for the most part. There are a few bad apples out there that were programmed poorly and those might not work, but those are a risk for any DAW program and when they do crash or fail to load, it's not a total catastrophe. Even plugins that write to the registry or thier own data files are typically OK to use with MultitrackStudio.
You can even rename the .DLL VSTplugin file of many plugins and they will still run. This is particularly useful in MultitrackStudio in the VST browser window. You can type the (partial or full) name of any VST instrument or effect and the list will filter out everything else not containing the text that you typed. You can use this to your further advantage by renaming all EQ VST's to contain the phrase "EQ" in their name. That way, all you have to do is type "EQ" into the plugin browser and you'll see a list of all your EQ VST plugins. I did this with EQ's and Limiters and Compressors and Stereo (expander) effects. I have done this with a few VST synths too, but I use MultitrackStudio synth presets (in the "shelf") as a list of the VST synths installed.
I often test new VSTi's with freeware SAVIhost before I install them in my main VST plugin folder. So far, if they work wtih SAVIhost, they work with MultitrackStudio. Some plugins that don't work with SAVIhost still work with MultitrackStudio.
You can do noisegate and compressor side-chaining in MultitrackStudio. You can do track grouping. You can "snap to grid"/edit according to BPM, bars and beats. You can do varispeed adjustments. You can use many different types of file formats. You can freeze and unfreeze VST instrument tracks. You can store presets (on the "shelf") of mixer tracks and all their effect settings, or of VST instruments and their settings and mixer and effect settings. You can use high sampling rates and high bit resolutions. You can compose in some odd meters such as 7/4 time. You can load SoundFonts. You can use the built-in sampler (and/or use VST samplers). You can tap in the tempo to get a BPM. You can manually enter in very precise decimal point BPM's.
MultitrackStudio, doesn't have a beat programming grid, but it does have a MIDI piano roll that you can use for VST or DirectX instruments or for the built-in sampler. You can also view and edit MIDI data in music notation format or as drum maps.
If you deal with audio .WAV loops (like I do), you can import them in "snap to grid" time. All that is required is that you create a (blank or used) MIDI file or click track and tell MultitrackStudio what BPM it should be. Turn on the grid and now you can edit your audio (as well as your MIDI) on bars and beats.
Because of this, you can still use FruityLoops or Tuareg or TunaFish or Orion or a tracker, ETC. for beatmaking. Just make a note of the BPM you are using and export your beats to .WAV or .AIFF and reload them as audio tracks in MultitrackStudio. Once in MultitrackStudio, you can shift them around and duplicate them and edit them non-destructively. And of course you can apply effects and automation to them non-destructively. FruityLoops as a plugin works in MultitrackStudio too (as a plugin), as does EnergyXT as a plugin, and others.
Giel is still currently working on the next version of MultitrackStudio, so we can expect it to get better. But the current version is already pretty user friendly and stable.
Reaper is pretty popular, but if you take a look at the support website, there are still plenty of bugs in each and every version of it. Reaper's preferences/settings windows are very very complicated. Even though preferences/settings are supposed to make computing easier and more empowering, I find that I'm afraid to make changes to the preferences/settings in Reaper, for fear of messing something up and forgetting which setting I changed out of the dozens. With MultitrackStudio, you are pretty much always in control and you won't get lost in the setttings. If you do somehow, just press F1 and you'll get the contextual built-in help.
At the very least with MultitrackStudio Pro Plus, you get a lot of features and stability for not too much money. So you'll have money left over to contribute to other stuff such as pro VST instruments or controller or monitors or whatever.
I hope I have shed some light on this topic. Sorry for rambling a bit.
Been trying out the Lite version.
Question: 1. Is there a Mixdown section - Like a Virtual Mixing desk, I couldn't find one if there is?
2. When trying to close the program it will not close without rebooting the computer and tells me that the program isn't responding - any ideas on that one good people.
Question: 1. Is there a Mixdown section - Like a Virtual Mixing desk, I couldn't find one if there is?
2. When trying to close the program it will not close without rebooting the computer and tells me that the program isn't responding - any ideas on that one good people.
No that is the beauty of MTS, it does not need a console view and a tracks view, and a ----- view. Like other DAW products. I have Reaper, Cakewalk, Vegas, Acid Pro, Power tracks, you freakin name it I got it, what a waste of time. I hardly ever use any of them now I do it all in MTS. That one screen does it all, you have the tracks view in each track just click the edit button and you can see either a wave form, or a piano roll, or a staff view , what ever. Plus the effects bins, sends and volume faders are right there as well. it is a true drop and drag environment.
-
NystagmusE
1) The main window is like a virtual mixing desk, only it goes horizontally instead of vertically. Other track elements such as effects sends and groups, etc can be added by dragging them from the "shelf". The shelf pops up when you move your mouse over the left-most edge of the MultitrackStudio window. If you click on one of it's "screws", it stays in place and doesn't disappear.dustbin wrote:Been trying out the Lite version.
Question: 1. Is there a Mixdown section - Like a Virtual Mixing desk, I couldn't find one if there is?
2. When trying to close the program it will not close without rebooting the computer and tells me that the program isn't responding - any ideas on that one good people.
MultitrackStudio is capable of mixing down whatever tracks you have loaded and enabled and unmuted to play. You can do a realtime mixdown where you move faders and knobs and stuff like an old-fashioned sound engineer (especially fun with a control surface), or you can do a non-realtime (very fast) mixdown which you don't listen to until it's finished.
2) It sounds like the demo isn't cooperating quite like the actual program does. I haven't experienced what you are describing. However, MultitrackStudio has to have playback or recording stopped before it will let you quit. Just hit the space bar on the computer keyboard to stop the "transport" and then it should quit without complaints. I think this is essentially a safeguard so that you can't accidentally quit the program while you're recording. You just click the stop button or spacebar instead.
Let me know if it turns out to be something else.
Bear in mind that the demo is very very feature/time limited.
Seems extremely easy to use - however still getting the 'Program is not responding' message when closing the program - I also get this message when trying to close Cubase 5.0 - Now this doesn't happen on any other applications on the computer, just these two applications - Any thoughts on this one. I don't know too much but I am wondering if this could be VST plugins as they are the only link between these two programs - but if you have any ideas how to fix this (Short of 'Nuking the Harddrive and doing a complete new windows XP install) I would love to know ???
Yes, this kind of problem can certainly be because of a VST plugin.dustbin wrote:Seems extremely easy to use - however still getting the 'Program is not responding' message when closing the program - I also get this message when trying to close Cubase 5.0 - Now this doesn't happen on any other applications on the computer, just these two applications - Any thoughts on this one. I don't know too much but I am wondering if this could be VST plugins as they are the only link between these two programs - but if you have any ideas how to fix this (Short of 'Nuking the Harddrive and doing a complete new windows XP install) I would love to know ???
Only way I know to find the culprit is to remove them one at a time and check to see what happens.
Also can sometimes be caused by certain softsynths that will load with a recording program too, but may not be of the VST type (DXi or standalone).
--Mac