Pro Tools: Does Everbody Use it Now?

However, the DAW I use the most happens to be Pro Tools. Prior to that, my main DAW was Cakewalk Pro Audio 7 through 9. Again, this is not intended to be an advertisement or promotion for Pro Tools, Avid Technologies or Digidesign. I first tried 'Pro Tools Free' about 7 years ago. This was a limited version of Pro Tools that Digidesign gave away to allow potential customers to take a test drive before purchasing the full program. The free version worked on pre-Windows XP operating systems, came with 8 audio tracks playable at once, basic plug-ins, and up to 256 MIDI tracks. Other than the limitation of 8 audio tracks, the program was fully functional with no time limits to use it.

The primary reason Pro Tools continues to be my main DAW is, as with most people, it serves all of my digital audio recording and mixing needs, and after years of easily adapting to each upgrade, I've become accustomed to it.

Now, I'm sure some of you are wondering why, then, do I still also use Cubase, Sonar and Nuendo if Pro Tools works so well for me? Well, the simple answer is software compatibility with other recording studios.

Which brings me to the main point of my article. In my studio I get projects brought in to me that were put together on DAWs other than Pro Tools. I also start new projects in my studio that are to be completed in another studio that does not use Pro Tools; that's rare, but it happens. Most of the projects I work on in my studio are not 'in-house' projects; meaning they're not my own projects, but are for paying clients. I won't loose a customer because he has a project he wants to bring to me that was done on a popular DAW software that I'm not comfortable with.

So, what am I getting at? If you are working on projects where all preproduction, recording, and post production is being done in one place, you can use whatever DAW software you want. Compatibility in this case won't be an issue. However, if you are taking outside clients who have started projects on other DAWS, or working on projects that are going to be completed on another DAW, it's best that your studio setup be as versatile as necessary.

Even if Pro Tools was not my DAW of choice, it would likely be my main program anyway because most studios I've shared projects with use Pro Tools. This is why I would suggest that you have it, even if it's not your main DAW.

Let me put it another way: Say your car breaks down on the interstate, and the closest tow truck was driven by a guy named 'Bill'. It really won't be important WHAT the driver's name is, but you need the nearest tow truck, which in this case happens to be Bill.

What I'm saying is that you need to be compatible with the most popular DAW out there, regardless of what it's called. Only in this case that happens to be Pro Tools.

Thanks for reading, and happy tracking!