My Go To DAW, Studio One.

             I was 16 years old when I first started recording digital audio. Cakewalk Sonar Home Studio was my first DAW that had been recommended to me by a friend. I loved Sonar in the beginning and started using it along with Fruity Loops, a couple Zoom drum machines and a giant Casio keyboard. I had purchased a Lexicon interface and I thought my setup was superior. However, it wasn't long before I had grown highly interested in virtual instruments. I would make regular visits to Guitar Center in Boise, Idaho with my father. 

            I remember when Studio One had first been introduced and it had won awards for best new recording software. They had recommended it to me several times at Guitar Center but I was hesitant at first. I thought Sonar was everything. It took a little while for me to warm up to the idea but I did feel like Sonar was lacking in MIDI features. So I took a shot with Studio One and bought an Audio Box interface that came with the free version of Studio One Artist. At first I thought it was just a scaled down version of Sonar. It just looked simpler. But over time I noticed I was opening the program more and more. Before I realized it, I wasn't even working in Sonar anymore. 

            The Drag and Drop feature of Studio One was so much easier. It seemed to be a much faster workflow. As an aspiring beat maker, I automatically loved Impact Drums and Presense. I no longer had to link audio and midi tracks. Just drag and drop an instrument, arm and record. Within the first year I had decided to upgrade to the Pro version. Again I was impressed. I found the mastering features to be extremely useful. I was hooked. I felt so empowered by Studio One. 

            It has pobably been about 15 years and I still feel that Studio One is my confort zone. I have used Cubase, Reason, Pro Tools, Ableton, FL Studio and Mix Craft but Studio One is still the winner in my mind. The only program that I don't have much time with is Logic. I normally run PC instead of Mac. This may change in the near future but I doubt I will be switching from Studio One anytime soon. I am still running version 4 Pro. I will be looking to upgrade to 6 soon. I haven't even been introduced to the video features yet. I'm sure that will save a lot of time. So in conclusion, if you are looking to get serious with audio production or beat making, Studio One is a weapon of mass destruction and should not be overlooked. It's worth the money. Take my word for it and thank me later.