Recording using Garageband

[PeterJames]

Hi,

In would like to be able to multi track record from a dLive. I am not at all keen to purchase an expensive product such as ProTools. My primary goal is to use Virtual SoundCheck so wont be spending ages in production – just good enough to use in VSC.
I am using a Mac so am thinking os using something like Garage Band. If there is a better option that is free or low cost (non subscription based), that may work. I am assuming I can use a Dante Card and the Dante Virtual Sound Card on the PC? Or is there a better / simpler / cheaper option than Dante?

Any thoughts and help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

[RS]

For free but not supported anymore: Waves Tracks Live. Recording only, no processing. Easy to setup, streamlined interface.
Low cost (70 bucks) and very good support: Reaper. A full DAW. Setting up a minimal recording setting can feel a bit clumsy, especially when you are not doing it regularly.
More expensive (200 bucks, unless you find a special deal. Then maybe 99): Nuendo Live. Recording only, very easy to setup. Most Streamlined interface of them all.

I have used and still use the first 2, with more tendency towards Reaper now. But I regret not having jumped on the BlackFriday deal for Nuendo Live…

[PeterJames]

Thank you for the detailed response.
I assume that all will over Dante from the dLive? and the the apps. will work with the Dante Virtual Sound Card? Is this similar you your setup?

[RS]

I record exclusively over Dante with my setup. That is with DVS on Mac and Win10 computers. DVS is selectable like any other soundcard.

[PeterJames]

Thank you. Sounds exactly what I need. Nuendo looks good so will look for a discounted price. I am in no massive rush.

[Chris]

Reaper will allow you to “evaluate” their software pretty much indefinitely. It is a bit more complicated to use but at the cost of being very flexible. A license is super cheap in comparison to the other big boy software as well. I have loved using Reaper to record and do all of the VSC functions on the cheap.

[PeterJames]

Thanks for the reply.

What aspects make Reaper more complex to use?

[Chris]

Steep learning curve. Built in plugins are decent but will make you want to look elsewhere. Its very powerful but it will more than likely require someone to visit their help videos (which are great) to get set up and going. Having said all that, I got my recording setup, created a template, and it just works.

The best way to figure out if it is for you or not is to just go download it and start playing. No account to setup, no limitations. You can’t say that for all full featured DAWs.

I “evaluated” the software for over a year and finally purchased a license. I should have purchased it sooner because the developers really created something special.

[PeterJames]

Thank you for the help.

[Jasen]

I’m going down the same path. We have a dLive with Dante at my church. I installed VSC on an older MacBook and set it up for 64×64 channels.

I pulled down Waves’ Tracks Live and was able to get audio flowing. One thing I don’t think I like about it is that the inputs are mapped 1-to-1 with the recording tracks. That is, if you want to record channels 32 & 33, then you have to create 33 tracks, and then record enable just the two tracks you want. A nice thing, though, is if you want all 64 tracks, you can quickly add 64 tracks and get all the channels – although stereo ganging is lost. Also, best I can tell, you can’t rearrange the tracks. They are locked 1-to-1 to the input channels. For example, if you wanted to pull 32 & 33 to the top of the track list, you can’t – they would wind up mapped to input channels 1 & 2.

GarageBand looks like the opposite. You have to manually add each track and map it to an input. This may take a little time to get a full 64 track session setup, but once done, you can reuse the project and “Save As…” for each session.

For Virtual Soundcheck I think Tracks Live will be simpler. But for a recording session where you intend to do post-processing, GarageBand looks better.

[Author]

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