In the world of recording, a lot of water has passed under the bridges in terms of technology and in recent years the manufacturers have tried to refine their software making them more accessible and user friendly.
Specifically, even the most “minimalist” sequencers have long been truly mature to deal with any type of production according to the needs and skills put in place. I still often hear people asking around which is the best sequencer ever. However the right question should be:
What is the best software for your needs?
I personally grew up with Cubase since the earliest days when I started getting interested in home recording many years ago. I have always thought of Cubase not as a simple sequencer, but il sequencer par excellence. From the very first versions I have loved it basically for one big reason: the simplicity e intuitiveness of use. I have never had a technical approach and, all in all, not even an impeccable technical preparation.
Once I learned the technical rudiments of recording frequency, sampling bits and singing company, I always appreciated the Cubase philosophy for its immediate and ready-to-use interface. I've always been interested in making my productions with as little effort as possible. I'll explain. I have always tried to reduce the gap between the ideas I had in mind and the technical difficulties in realizing them in a decent production. Especially for someone like me who, like most users, records their stuff in a bedroom home study, For instance.
I'm not the type who fiddles with parameters, faders or plug-ins for a long time. Having a approach as a musician and not as a technician I used Cubase as a "Swiss army knife" suitable for all my production needs. Thus he remained my faithful ally for many years. The marriage, however, had a violent crisis this year. One day I download the trial version of Reason 11 and it's…. love at first sight.
I quickly begin to fiddle with the buttons and icons and after an hour I realize that I have the draft of a song ready. In the following days I am passionate about the mixer, the racks, the multiple sound libraries and the essentiality of the recording section. Even the sound performance seems to me to be really excellent. In short, the affair with Reason goes on for a couple of weeks. To the point where, as in any marriage in crisis, I am forced to admit my clandestine relationship to Cubase. And that's how consensual separation happens, but in a civil way. However, I still have most of my Cubase projects that I often return to as a separated husband who periodically returns to visit his children.
Reason
Going back to Reason, if I had to choose an aspect that won me over, I would undoubtedly identify it in the mixer which represents the beating heart of the software. Faithfully modeled on the famous mixer SSL 9000K, legendary analog counter that has dominated the record productions all over the world for years. All the controls regarding equalization, low / high pass filters, send and insert are positioned so ergonomically that I can “sculpt” a track in a really immediate way.
In my opinion, it is a "creative mixer”Which makes you feel like you are in front of a real desk, it allows you to manipulate the sound without having to constantly switch between windows. Here's another thing I like about Reason, there'graphic interface based on having everything in sight. I will be hurt or just too lazy, but if I have to have an operation I want the tools to be all within reach and a click away. After all, even the logic of the racks gives a similar sensation.
The tools supplied such as, for example, the drum machine, synthesizers, effects they are immediately configurable as well as preset management. And they sound very good too, I must say! The library supplied is the version Intro and Standard fully satisfies the needs of any type of production. Therefore it is no longer vital to be looking for this or that vst in desperate search for a plugin that sounds good.
At first I didn't like Reason, in its very first versions, because it was clear that it was oriented only to the productions of a certain type of electronic music based essentially on synths and grooves, but since the recording section was implemented everything has changed. Reason 11 is like a virtual recording studio, moreover the possibility of using it as a vst within another sequencer is also very convenient. I won't be here to list all the technical features of Reason, so there are already countless tutorials on the net. Mine is just a testimonial from an average user satisfied with having taken the plunge.
Of course, in the end I think that it is not the sequencer itself that decrees the quality of a production since the musical ideas always count and not (only) the technique to make them. I'm not even part of the array of serial hardware and software accumulators who think this is enough to churn out a great piece of music. In the end it comes down to choosing the most suitable instrument for your productions and therefore I don't even want to appear as a detractor of Cubase.
After all, the latest releases of Cubase, in particular version 10, have really become very interesting and performing. Just think that it features a large park of sound, effects and tools libraries, plus its audio engine, intuitive workflow and advanced features make it a powerful production center. It is no coincidence that it is used by internationally renowned artists, such as Hans Zimmer, just to name one. In conclusion, everyone makes their own assessments and draw conclusions. In the end it is always and only good music that counts.
Lorenzo Sorbo
