Are you looking to set up a home or portable DAW (Digital Audio Workstation)? We can help. With all of the software options out there, it can be hard to figure out which one works best for you and your setup/workflow.
My personal preference is Avid’s Pro-Tools 9. If you’re like me and have Pro-Tools running at home on a desktop but want to throw a mix on a laptop to take on the road, or to rehearsals, you can now easily do so.
In conjunction with iLok, the Pro-Tools team have created a system that makes working on your session easier than ever. Just plug in your iLok to any machine running Pro-Tools 9 and launch your session. No hardware interface plugged in? No problem. You can now mix straight from the headphone port. Your iLok authenticates your Pro Tools license so you can mix anywhere with any interface, or on the go with a laptop running Pro Tools 9. Now you have the freedom to work on your mix wherever and whenever. In addition to iLok, there are many other advantages to using Pro-Tools 9.
Automatic Delay Compensation is another internal improvement that really puts this software suite ahead on the rest. No matter what interface you’re using, Pro-Tools 9 automatically compensates for any and all delay in your monitor mix. In the past, latency in the monitor mix has been a nemesis for LE users—no longer is this the case. Now when you hit the record button, you’ll hear your mix loud and clear with no delay.
Although Pro-Tools 9 includes a range of excellent features, it is important to keep in mind that it is a powerful software suite, and its performance is entirely dependent on the machine running it. Here is a list of hardware guidelines that will help you put together the DAW that’s right for you:
Portable DAW Recommended Minimum Requirements:
- 13” base level MacBook Pro with a 500GB 7200RPM internal HD upgrade and 4GB RAM. (8GB recommended)
- 500GB 7200RPM FireWire External HD for writing Pro-Tools files to. It is not recommended to write to your system drive—Pro Tools’ manual specifically indicates this.
- 9 to 6 Pin FireWire cable for connecting your Pro-Tools interfaces to drives and computers.
Desktop DAW Recommended Minimum Requirements:
If you’re setting up a home DAW, A Mac Pro is advisable. The additional drive bays, RAM bays, video cards and extra FireWire ports will make plugging in all of the different components a snap. Keep in mind the bigger your session gets, the more CPU power your going to need. That said, the recently updated iMacs are also fully capable of running Pro Tools 9 if you’re seeking a more affordable option.
- 21.5” or 27” Intel i3, i5, i7 iMac with 1TB 7200RPM internal HD and 4GB RAM. (8GB recommended)
- 1TB 7200RPM FireWire External HD for writing Pro-Tools files to. It is not recommended to write to your system drive—Pro Tools’ manual specifically indicates this.
- 9 to 6 Pin FireWire cable for connecting your Pro-Tools interfaces to drives and computers.