Avid Pro Tools | First Free DAW review

Started by Jim Williams, August 17, 2015, 04:49:43 AM

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Jim Williams

When I first herd that Pro Tools was making a free version I was very excited but didn't know what to expect. What sort limitations will there be?

The most noticeable limit is the number of tracks. You get 16 audio tracks (mono or stereo) and 16 midi tracks. For a free version that's not bad. You get a decent set of plugins and you can go to the Avid marketplace and get more. Most of the other stuff is basic stuff that is limited in most free DAW's. Here is a comparison chart.
https://www.avid.com/US/products/pro-tools-software-comparison-table

You get a free instrument called Xpand!2 multitimbral music workstation and it is nice but I prefer Sample Tank 3. and this brings me to the fact that it has AXX plugin support but the plugins remain hidden. You can't use you cool AXX stuff like Sample Tank, EZ drummer and Bias. I was disappointed to see it scan all the plugins and not be able to use them.

The one thing this has over all other Pro Tools versions is you don't need an iLok device. If you want to make some cool home recordings this is a great way to getting you started with learning Pro Tools. If you want a professional DAW for your studio umm.... not so much.

It has a nice simple basic interface but seems a bit CPU intensive and I hat the long startups like in most DAW's you have to wait to scan all your plugins every time and then you have to name the project and select a template, I just want record without waiting when creativity strikes.

I will not compare it with other DAW's but nothing I have tried compares to using Reaper. I have tried them all and it is just the best.

That being said one of the features that Pro Tools and many other DAW's provide is the "Cloud" but Pro Tools first only lets you store 3 projects but I believe you can buy more. I personally don't cloud my projects but it's nice to have.

All and all this is a good free DAW. Try it yourself but don't be misled by the Pro Tools name and the fact that it has been the industry standard for years. Select your DAW to suit you needs.





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Everything from modeling to the real deal, my house looks like a music store.

Neardark72

I got the Pro Tool first today (free with the purchase of the Scarlett from focusrite).

I have to give them an award for being the most enjoying program to install.
4 hours and still no sound with a couple of errors that I was able to fix but new errors appears.

Since I love my computer, i'll stick with Cubase for a while. I had to hide the baseball bat that was in the corner of the room, to release the temptation to swing my whole studio with it 😂

Elantric

#2
QuoteI got the Pro Tool first today (free with the purchase of the Scarlett from focusrite).

I have to give them an award for being the most enjoying program to install.
4 hours and still no sound with a couple of errors that I was able to fix but new errors appears.

Installing Protools and getting it to make a sound  is always a bit of a maze - I do it once every three years, and Avid keeps changing the procedure. ( my last install was Protools 12 this past October - after dealing with  Avid Customer Service for over 6 months 

Assuming you have Windows, getting the free Protools First working with your Focusrite Scarlett Gen 2 is  a bit more involved with your Scarlett Gen2 on Windows, as there exists a special Protools First USB driver for Scarlett interfaces which must be installed (separate from the main Windows USB driver for Scarlett

Only indication is reading ALL documentation and Drivers for your specific version Scarlett at Focusrite site
https://us.focusrite.com/downloads?product=Scarlett+18i20

FreeTime

I waited patiently for 9 months (coincidence?) after they announced FIRST to try it with my Command|8 control surface. Sadly its not supported by FIRST, even though its an Avid product. For me its about making music, not poring over manuals and faqs to make things work.

admin

for MAc Protools users


This might prove a godsends when Protools gets hosed

http://petegates.com/pg-pt-prefs.html

Free Pro Tools preference file deletion / backup utility software

PT Prefs is a utility program for Mac OSX which can delete / backup / restore various preference and support files - Pro Tools preference trashing in other words! It doesn't delete any essential system files, they are all just settings which at worst can be manually re-entered. Sometimes Pro Tools benefits from having these files cleared out (after a crash/blackout etc) - Pro Tools remakes them with default settings when it is run next. Therefore if you are unsure which options to check it is safe to check them all, in fact if you are running this software due to a problem rather than as a matter of course I would recommend trashing all preferences, it's more likely to solve the problem.


Release notes:


1.6.22 Added some extra Pro Tools 12 / 2018 files. Fixed Backup / Restore crashing

1.6.19 Trashing speed increased. Nil dereference bug fixed

1.6.17 Changed .plist to allow running on MacOS/OSX 10.8

1.6.16 Fixed version checking.

1.6.15 Removed Eucon preference trashing for now. I follow Avid guidelines for deleting Eucon prefs but have had two reports of it breaking the S6 Eucon control app.

1.6.14 Actual fix for situation where Boot drive has been renamed following PT Prefs having had custom backup path set.

1.6.13 Tiny tidy ups. Possible fix for situation where Boot drive has been renamed following PT Prefs having had custom backup path set.

1.6.12 Tiny tidy ups, no need to update from 1.6.11 if not wanted

1.6.11 Better plugin version checking code, can cope with binary .plists now. All but one of the plugins I have reads properly now. Found some more data that Avid had tucked away that could be handy to clear when there are problems. Added Eucon user key sets backup/restore - I don't have Eucon here so this has not been tested yet.

Elantric


pod

Freaky as I dumped ProTools yesterday at about 2pm (before this post)... for Studio One ..  ;D