cool edit pro (adobe audition) v pro tools

[Appfro]

so, i still use adobe audition (which is the same as cep) i use it basically because i'm familiar w/ it and i know how to do a lot of crap w/ it. but EVERYONE i talk to says that i should get pro tools. pro tools came w/ my digitech pedal, i've just never used it and i'm afraid of it because i'll have to relearn everything over again.

so my question is, is protools really that much better than cep that i should drop cep and get to know protools?

[sunglassesatnight]

Drop CEP, probably not. This is considering that your version of ProTools that came with your pedal is definitely a "lightened" version. The full version is very expensive, and the addons to the programs are as well.

I say give that version a shot. No harm in trying it. It has a very steep learning curve, and is certainly the industry standard. However, the sound of your recordings will not necessarily improve. Both of these softwares are going to be recording the same sounds.

Very good recordings can be had from both softwares. What you run into the computer is going to make more of a difference on the sound.

ProTools is better software for the professionals. Yes. Better for you? Can't say for sure.

[Appfro]

Drop CEP, probably not. This is considering that your version of ProTools that came with your pedal is definitely a "lightened" version. The full version is very expensive, and the addons to the programs are as well.

I say give that version a shot. No harm in trying it. It has a very steep learning curve, and is certainly the industry standard. However, the sound of your recordings will not necessarily improve. Both of these softwares are going to be recording the same sounds.

Very good recordings can be had from both softwares. What you run into the computer is going to make more of a difference on the sound.

ProTools is better software for the professionals. Yes. Better for you? Can't say for sure.

well what do you think about my recordings? http://www.myspace.com/mitchacoustic i guess that's more of what i'm going for. i guess my real question is, Will using protools instead of cool edit increase the quality of my recordings? you touched on that, but i'm wondering if pro tools won't increase quality, why is it the standard? anyway, if you have a second, the first three songs on myspace were recently recorded w/ decent equipment and cep. if you don't have a second to listen, it's cool. i'm just trying to pull hints, advice, opinions, stuff like that

[eliot1171]

Drop CEP, probably not. This is considering that your version of ProTools that came with your pedal is definitely a "lightened" version. The full version is very expensive, and the addons to the programs are as well.

I say give that version a shot. No harm in trying it. It has a very steep learning curve, and is certainly the industry standard. However, the sound of your recordings will not necessarily improve. Both of these softwares are going to be recording the same sounds.

Very good recordings can be had from both softwares. What you run into the computer is going to make more of a difference on the sound.

ProTools is better software for the professionals. Yes. Better for you? Can't say for sure.

well what do you think about my recordings? http://www.myspace.com/mitchacoustic i guess that's more of what i'm going for. i guess my real question is, Will using protools instead of cool edit increase the quality of my recordings? you touched on that, but i'm wondering if pro tools won't increase quality, why is it the standard? anyway, if you have a second, the first three songs on myspace were recently recorded w/ decent equipment and cep. if you don't have a second to listen, it's cool. i'm just trying to pull hints, advice, opinions, stuff like that

It doesn't improve quality, it just provides more features and preciseness. It has more to do with you entire setup (mics, cables, room acoustics, ect.) than the program you use to mix it down with.

[sunglassesatnight]

What ProTools is great at is handling professional audio equipment and tons of it. It is also great at supporting plugins and add ons. This type of thing makes it fantastic for digital recording for people who need high levels of expandability and compatability.

Your recordings sound quite good, especially for your setup (I saw it mentioned in the SM58 thread).

If you're looking to really improve the quality of the recordings, look at outboard hardware too. Good mic preamps, mics, analog/digital converters, etc. will make the difference. You can always build a serious setup and use it with ProTools. But I can't imagine the software itself will provide any better raw sound than does CEP. The included effects might be better, but effects only can do so much to help.

Another thing to consider: stereo. As I listen, it seems like everything is panned dead center, creating a mono recording. Developing an ear to mix channels left and right, depending on the sound of the different instruments/voices will really help spice things up. Listen to a professional album with some headphones closely and think about where each of the instruments is.

Learn about stereo micing techniques too. Recordings of guitars frequently sound much better when recorded with multiple microphones. Different positioning of those mics will make them pick up different sounds. I like to record with one pointed basically at the bridge and one at about the tenth fret. I record the bridge mic panned hard right and the fretboard mic panned hard left. The left mic picks up the treble much better and the right picks up the bass. Then, since I have two separate tracks, I can apply the effects to the channels separately and mix the tracks down to my liking in a single, stereo guitar track. Then I do vocals with only one mic and play with the effects for it and its position in the mix until I like it.

Just something else to think about, almost all those concert recordings you hear are recorded to a digital tape deck or Creative Nomad Jukebox, which is just an mp3 player that can record WAVs. Some of those are the best quality reproductions out there, and there's no fancy software involved in the recording at all.

Some considerations, at least.

[RunsWithBuffalo]

As far as I knew, you needed some sort of interface, like and MBox made by digidesign to run pro tools. M Audio also has a line of products that support pro tools "M powered" so you cant just buy the program and then record into it, you also need hardware, which sucks. The biggest complaint i hear from people about pro tools is that digidesign is very shitty with agressive updates and they lock you into their line of products due to compatibility issues. No your recordings will most likely not improve because you use a different program. You need better outboard equipment to do that as well as a good knowledge of mic placement, room acoustics, mixing and mastering.

I guess you have to think about what you hope to do with your music, the great thing about pro tools is that many pro studios use it so you can bring your tracks in and they can upload no problem. You cant do that with Audition or CEP that i know of.

The MBox Factory bundle would be a good way to get started. It has all sorts of plugins like compressors and reverbs but its $549.

[Appfro]

Another thing to consider: stereo. As I listen, it seems like everything is panned dead center, creating a mono recording. Developing an ear to mix channels left and right, depending on the sound of the different instruments/voices will really help spice things up. Listen to a professional album with some headphones closely and think about where each of the instruments is.

i actually do have some stuff panned. i have a plugged in track on both right and left w/ different effects and a mic'ed clean w/ just a tad of reverb down the middle. i'd like to expirement w/ panning more, but it's just a guitar and vocals right now. when i get my studio up and running (in the next year) i'll start playing w/ it more. then i'll be able to do drums, bass, rhythm and lead and vocals. maybe even keyboard if i can buckle down and learn how to play the damn thing. but good advice, i appreciate it.