The TelenatorI was about two months into my use of Podium when I went through a season of discontent with it. I’m referring to the paid version and about a year and a half or two years ago.
The thing is, I’ve used several of the other paid/commercial versions of DAWs, and I came away from each one with a list of shortcomings and complaints from each. I discovered — horror of horrors! — there is no perfect DAW. Also, you have to figure in here that I won’t go out and pay $400 to $599 or variously hobbled demoes to go through the experience again with the handful I haven’t tried yet either.
I keep saying, if I can ever find the time (and remember the issues with each) that I want to post the whole list of ‘problems’ in each DAW all in a thread sometime. I’m surprised we don’t see a little more of this. The biggest shortcoming I’d say with Podium Free is that you are stuck on using a single core for all your processing. I think all free or trial editions of DAWs have some significant limitation, some rather severe. Regardless, it is hard to complain about limitations when you are using anyone’s software for free, so I’ll focus on some other things.
Clearly, the paid version of Podium has a few features that I feel are important omissions, but to be honest I have to say the same about every other DAW I’ve personally dealt with. Then there are a few of them that simply have ‘workflow’ that I find hard to cope with or just plain wrong.
I always hope that each person eventually hooks up with the DAW or DAWs that suit best. For those of you using the free Podium, I have to ask, GOT $500 to play around with? If so, I can show you a couple that may suit you better than Podium Free. If not, then this limits the conversation and worth of the complaints.
Some people have moved toward Reaper or Traction, two examples of cheaper options, but Traction has been through a row of troubles and fixes lately. I think people are saying it is fairly stable now. I also own Reaper, and note it is about the same price as Podium. You can try Reaper unlimited for a gracious 60 days now, extended recently from 30, but after that you need to pay for it or else you are technically ripping them off. I bought mine on Day 33, back when the trial was 30 days. I find Reaper a rather good choice, but I still find myself using Podium as much or more. I think if you took more time to study the other DAWs and try out any you can, you return to this point where you see the advantages and shortfalls of each. For advantages, I find some in Podium that stop me dead in my tracks from running out and getting started all over again with one of the expensive ones. In fact, I just recently got rid of Ableton Live 8 instead of upgrading to their new Live 9. I found it was an interesting way of recording but didn’t suit me nearly as well as Podium.
I certainly won’t go into all the virtues and problems, but I would point out the graphics — the GUI — and the extreme ability to customise that; I think in some ways the entire structure and resulting workflow of Podium is ‘smarter’ than many other DAWs. This may not be the exact best way to describe it, but there it is. It does take plugins very well; there are really only about a half-dozen Podium has regular issues with, but the same is true or worse on other DAWs. Live had all sorts of crash issues with more plugins. Reaper I found to be the best in this area; however, when Reaper locks up on one it goes down hard — whiteouts all around and hard to escape!
I think my main point in all this is that you haven’t seen enough of the troubles in others, and then throw into that what it would cost you to ‘purchase a DAW more worthy‘ [emphasis mine] if even you could, dollar for dollar.
The TelenatorYou are very welcome, as always.
A coincidence, but my second favourite of all compressors, the TDR Feedback Compressor, has just announced it has reached Final Release and is out today in version 2.0! I tell you, Fabien went through so much (9 betas!!!) to take what was a rather good creation in the first place and make it so much better.
Details: Just in case this compressor is unfamiar to you and perhaps wanting to know the justifications of adding yet another to your comp folder, this is a lookback-styled and RMS-type compressor, rather rare in the freeware world. I haven’t installed the final 2.0 yet, as I just now received the news, but he had the last, beta 9, working a real treat. Enjoy!
The TelenatorSorry to hear of your current trouble. My guess is that somehow the project file has become corrupted. Anyone using any DAW long enough will have a hassle like this at some point, one reason I always click SAVE often and also make a completely separate copy of any serious project I’m working, whether for others or myself. Personally, I find it rare in my use of Podium; other DAWs I’ve used, such as earlier version of Cubase, did it routinely and was an almost daily frustration.
I hope you keep this file in question. While any several of us here could inspect it for you, it will be best if Zynewave analyses it for you. You could PM it to Frits or contact Zynewave directly via mail. There will certainly be great interest in examining it.
Or, you could just sit tight and work on something else for the time being, as Frits follows all posts and should contact you shortly.
Good luck! Cheers!
–Tele
The TelenatorSay, while I’m at it, my friend Daniel (aka INTERRUPTOR) has just released one of the best and most powerful string synths/string machines I have ever played. Unlike most others, it is really a full-fledged synth, just geared for all manner of strings sounds from mellow to forceful ensemble.
It is called Night Flight, after a Bob Marley tune that features some synthesised string that he just had to capture for himself. I bought it immediately, and here’s partly why — he is offering this lovely VSTi for a mere $9 until April 15 to celebrate its release. If you have been using all freeware synths up to now (and, certainly, no shame in that!), well, here is your chance to say you use commercial synths as well. Hehe!
Seriously, though, it’s free for demo and I really do suggest you at least take it for a spin around your block. BTW, while you’re there, he is the maker of a couple of well-known classic plugins and, even more interesting, a killer FREE bass synth called TwinBass which I have relied on for ages to get various unique and mix-cutting bass sounds. So, you might want to grab that while you are there, also. Have a click around the site.
http://www.interruptor.ch/vst_overview.shtml
Cheers!
–Tele
The TelenatorI must admit, I gave up on Kontakt and all NI products. Podium is not alone — NI products can act up in other hosts. I had issues in Ableton Live 8 also, before I gave Live to a musician friend of mine. I’ve read the forum threads elsewhere, too. It seems like if it wasn’t one thing, it was another. Certain issues in Reaper as well.
Whenever you have a plugin that is liable to bring along a gig or more of memory-filling stuff, it just begs for troubles (not saying it guarantees it, though). Also, licensing flukes have turned up for some users in other DAWs. I don’t recall the details, but redoing the NI licensing was required.
The very last straw for me, after a string of other odd events, was one day with Kontakt in standalone, it decided to open a new instance of my ASIO driver each time I added or switch instruments in its framework. Suddenly, my PC is very unhappy, and I notice in the corner of my taskbar 4 icons for my ASIO. Then, to make matters worse Kontakt won’t shut down. End of story — no more Native Instruments anywhere near my PC. Funny, but I don’t miss it much. I never owned its Massive synth or any of the pricey, better instruments. Most I had were the 2nd-rate free or cheap ones. I found 137 leftover reg entries after a full uninstall, too. Not happy about that at all, but they’re gone now.
The TelenatorJiri,
I get your points, and those just happen to be the same in some I posted over at the PT11 thread when I first responded there.
To answer —
Some of the ones who are still hanging on to their old and dear-to-them various low-CPU XP computers will have issues with running loads of VSTs and VSTis, but these ones won’t be attempting to use the latest, most demanding products in high multiples of instances anyway.
Meanwhile, so many PCs now come with 3.5 to 3.8 Intel quads and so on — seeing more with 7200 rpm HDDs stock, too. Many of us have something less than this but are moving toward upgrading when budget allows (my next big investment). These latest can handle what PT is boasting about in their PR release.
Meanwhile, and in reference to your mention of external FX, PT11’s new advantage is still limited just as all other DAWs are by what each user’s interface will allow. You want 8 separate channels loaded with external FX coming in? Well, be prepared to lay out $2000 for an interface that can give you that.
Somewhat lately, the fools have rushed in as far as setting up these (to me) ridiculously large projects. I see it on a regular basis, and it almost seems like some kind of competition as to who can have 200 plugins in use on a project. I almost dread to hear the end results, and interestingly I rarely see a finished project linked to their posts.
I’m quite enjoying their posts. They set up these massive projects, then become confused or start having other problems, and they report in for help. One chap, having 108 plugins loaded, asked why his CPU meter was ranging 85% and having regular dropouts. I explained that at 85% he was actually getting regular 100% peaks in his CPU that he wasn’t able to see, and that he should go back to square one and learn how to use a DAW properly. It was not received well.
I prefer and greatly enjoy working only a few tracks at a time. I find I can render various ones and be done with the basic track’s sound, free up CPU and move on.
Last, some DAWs are still lacking in metering options, the best example I have mentioned before in this forum is Reaper’s lack of pre-fade metering. This means in mixdown you are going into the master from your channel half blind and difficult to control what FX may be adding in output on your track. Not good.
The TelenatorFunny story, that.
I’m considering setting up a special rubbish bin in my work area just for these ‘bundled’ software disks. Last week I had to go out and purchase a bit of guitar gear and included was Steinberg’s Cubase 5 AI; before that it was my 3rd disk of NI’s Komplete 8 (player versions only — half useless unless one pays hundreds to upgrade to full edition).
One great feature about this latest from PT is that a hot thread is ongoing about it over at Reaper, which gave me the opportunity to mention how Podium has had several of these ‘advanced’ features that PT owners are now raving over for quite some time. Worth noting here, too, is that Podium’s metering options way outstrip Reaper’s as well.
The TelenatorHey, you’re very welcome, adimatis. I’m up to something here, in case you didn’t know.
First, I pretty well finished off searching far and wide for the best of the best free and inexpensive plugins. I love quality stuff, but I’ve also learned as you have that great recordings can be made without having to buy each plugin for $200 and only the ones that attract all the snobbery on some forums. So, part of my effort is myth busting as much as it is a desire to share the booty. The other part to this is that I spent a ridiculous amount of time searching and learning. Any time I became busy, especially last year, earning that almighty quid to keep my own pursuits going, in between I would suss out plugins and items on the Net, since trying to work on my own projects became difficult when having to give my all to do quality work for others. So, I’m also the sort who likes to get the most ‘mileage’ out of my efforts, and the ideal thing to do, then, is to get that by sharing them here on this forum.
The other big factor is that the nature of Podium itself, being of quality yet inexpensive, attracts many of us who are discerning yet on tight budgets. At the same time, I don’t see the sort of person here who is only clowning around with digital recording and half serious. The ones here all seem a bit more serious and really trying to get work done. At the same time, like so many others, I’ve had one bad experience after another on several other forums from the usual assortment of trolls, jerks, and a few that I am certain have some type of mental disorder. In the last few years I’ve watched, and it seems the sociopaths have come out en masse on certain ones. Fortunately, we don’t see really any of that here, and since they don’t come here hunting for software or troubles, I can share discoveries and a few unique news items here, meanwhile avoiding giving aid to the miscreants. Last, I thought posting cool free and cheap software here would make for a nice add-on bonus for Podium users. Works a treat, aye? Cheers!
The TelenatorOkay, it’s time (oh, and Hi Kim!) . . .
I don’t remember seeing it linked in any other Zynewave thread, though I may have missed it, but here is the absolute best guide to disabling unneeded little programmes and processes on your PC that I’ve ever seen on the Net. In fact, I’ve searched several times before and believe it may be the only complete one. Everybody loves Viper.
Do note that he has separate huge pages full of XP help offering the same help as well! You’ll have to look around there a bit. My last word on this subject, though, is having been through this thoroughly, the savings in CPU gain are nothing that should knock you off your chair; however, a few percentage points ARE a few points, and it can make all of the difference if your project has grown and you find yourself ‘up on the edge’ of potential dropouts and related dodgy business.
Also, and on another tack, although I almost always keep my Windows 7 Aero look up and running, I did long ago set up one theme I go to in Personalise that gives me a blank screen for colour, NO sound from the W7 system, and kills process on a couple of other things.
I’m sure some of the above will help. Sorry you had the ‘loud and dangerous Windows sound’. This happened to me once and I vowed never again! Cheers! –Tele
The TelenatorThe TelenatorGreetings jag!
First post? Welcome to the Zynewave Podium forum. I hope you are enjoying Podium too. I came to Podium from Cubase sometime in 11/2011 when Cubase went into v5, which turned out to be a rather bad version. So bad, in fact, that Steinberg had to make a hotfix for it, and then turned around and tried to charge users for it! Well, not me, as I had one foot out the door already. Now, Cubase is in v7.5 now I think and vastly improved, but there have always been certain features about Cubase that felt a bit like wearing a straight jacket. This is old news, though.
I am better off by far since I came to Zynewave. I just finished what I call my annual ‘spring cleaning’ and this year it was a large one! Some plugins bit the dust this year from non-use or finding similar that work better. In fact while I’m talking VSTs, so many of mine, even many freeware, do 64-bit internal processing, plus I keep Podium on 64-bit float as well — it just doesn’t make a big CPU difference for me. I only do processing and recording a couple or 3, 4 tracks at a time and render down various tracks and move on. I use the 32-bit DAW, though, as no good reason to change.
Biggest thing this spring cleaning is I put Alchemy Player (free) version through the shredder because the sound packs are way too expensive. Then my Kontakt and Reaktor Players were acting up greatly in standalone, so . . . you guessed it . . . the shredder, because they wanted hundreds to buy the full Komplete deal. They weren’t that great anyway and I don’t like NI in the first place. Gave away Ableton Live 8 to a former bandmate who has been without a day job for 1 1/2+ year now . . . fun DAW but not my cup of tea. Then I went broke last month buying some top synths I had always wanted.
Are you new to digital recording or only Podium? There are many threads here with tips, advice for Podium, and many linking free plugins, so have a look around if you are needing to build a collection. I finally tested the ones from Synthescience and they are quite excellent. Those folks make two very fine free Juno-type synths too.
Enjoy your edition of Podium!
Cheers!
— Tele
The TelenatorI’ve always wished there was a better word for it than ‘workflow’, but at least most people understand what is meant.
Yeah, you are spot on here. It’s the most important criterion.
[Edited to add:] Whoa! Excuse me, but I was so taken in by the article itself that I failed to see that you authored it. Very nice work indeed! I like that it also gives your experiences leading up to the discovery of Podium; thus it is a narrative as well. I expect every reader old enough to remember the Commodore had to break out a smile when coming upon that (8) bit!
The TelenatorWOW! Thanks so much for finding and linking.
Weird, though — I’m having a DEJA VU. It seems like someone else wrote an almost identical story a couple of years ago, including Podium too.
Anyhow, THIS is what I tell people anywhere I post when the subject of lessor-known DAWs and software comes up. Because it is all true, and I really hate to see people — especially the younger chaps just getting going in recording — spending many hundreds of dollars because someone told them they have to if they want to compete with the big studios. My career was in the ‘big studios’ and, sure, a $125k hardware compressor usually does work/sound better than a $100 software comp, but it never did sound $125k better!
Finally, everybody take note that DAW engines have been scientifically tested and compared side-by-side so many times now that it will make your eyes roll. The constant result? ALL well-built DAWs sound the SAME if set FLAT. The engines are virtually identical. Pro Tools cannot ever sound ‘better’ than Podium, assuming same settings.
As we all know by now, the field of digital music is SO full of MYTHS and sometimes outright lies that many of us spend a fair part of our free time running around posting articles and threads debunking all this nonsense. Everybody should keep up telling friends and colleagues the truth in these matters so that maybe 50 years from now it may even go away! (But don’t hold you breath!)
The TelenatorThe TelenatorHi, Frits. For what I am requesting is exactly what can be found on Reaper, which is free to demo in full version unrestricted for 60 days. Any other DAW ought to be almost identical. Most have more parameter choices but it could be kept simple.
Before the cursor starts to move, you can check the box and you get the normal metronome sound for at least 2 full measures. Reaper also will let you run the the numbers backward from minus 2 or whatever chosen number of measures/seconds/samples to zero, then the cursor starts to move and actual recording begins.
One thing I really love in some DAWs is you can choose the metronome to Pre-Count ONLY, just like having a real drummer start you with his drumsticks, and then it goes silent when recording starts. That way the player gets synced to the tempo and beat, but doesn’t have to hear the metronome through the entire track. Personally, unless a tune is really tricky, I don’t like a click track running when I record. I find it annoying.
What I’m getting at is just like I believe Levendis was saying. You know the drummer who clacks his sticks for X measures to start the band up at the beginning, but that stops on beat before the very first one of the tune’s start. He has to start his part playing too right then. You could go as many options and as fancy as you care to, but a player needs that very minimum of two measures to start his part. This should be available at punch-ins as well.
Wherever you intend to start recording/playing, metronome begins at the top of measure -2 and beats until last beat before the top of the very first measure (assuming you choose a 2-measure pre-count). Works like a charm. I would so love a pre-count only metronome option.
I hope all that makes sense! Cheers!
(By the way, if you ever do take a good look at Reaper, please click on any track panel and examine its outrageous routing options. Podium doesn’t need all of that really. I think no DAW is as flexible — an often mentioned topic, but more choice, such as the ability to run any mic’d instrument into a real-time audio-to-MIDI converter plugin, THEN run the MIDI out of that to your favourite softsynth on that same or any track you can offer to record the results — all in realtime live. Realtime audio to MIDI is the hot topic everywhere it seems right now, and it is here to stay. The ability to run a top notch synth from ANY instrument is the ultimate ability. Think about it. Ableton just added it in 9, but some others haven’t yet but will before long. Can you get the jump on the rest of the DAWs?)