Cubase vs. GarageBand

I have been a longtime fan of Cubase and would recommend it to anyone, whether they are just starting in recording or a seasoned professional. I find that it is really strong in the pre-production and production phases of a song. Tools like the arranger track, track versions, and the chord track make writing and experimenting very easy. I have used these tools on almost every song that I have started from the writing phase. I am able to experiment with different variations of a song, different channel settings, and even completely different arrangements all with just a few clicks. My writing process and speed have improved so much over the last few versions of Cubase. We have also enjoyed working with the mixing process. The mixers in Cubase are laid out much like a regular console. So for an old timer like me, the learning curve is very low. Cubase did a very good job with layout and labeling. Things are labeled what you would expect them to be and laid out in an order that makes sense. The other part of the mixer that makes it great is the ability to color code and organize tracks. My mix time has drastically decreased since using Cubase.

Incentivized

Honestly, switching to Garage Band from Audacity for my podcast was a game-changer in the editing. I can do it so much faster with the tools that are available in editing--especially when you are dealing with more than one track to edit. I also think Garage Band could be fantastic for recording a whole album initially before sending it to be mastered elsewhere. And I think Garage Band could be perfect for sync music licensing because it's still relatively easy to use!

Incentivized

• Ease of use
• Clear, user-friendly interface
• Stable and glitch free

Incentivized

• It has a quite simple UI that has a low learning curve for beginners.
• It's impressively feature-rich for a free application.
• The help documentation and user community are very helpful if/when you get stuck with something.

Incentivized

• Shortcuts aren't easy to learn
• Can be a bit of a resource hog
• Upgrades don't necessarily have enough features to make the worthwhile

Incentivized

• Can't save the preferences for the tracks such as turning off reverb etc.
• Project files are large, a 30-minute podcast episode with only 4 tracks is typically around 1 GB
• Auto feature to silence guest not talking
• Optimize for podcasters (I use the old version 6 as new versions hasn't had podcast options)

Incentivized

GarageBand has just a few clunky settings--otherwise, it is a very user-friendly program with lots of functionality. Beginners can get started pretty quickly with the program, while more advanced users can dig around and find plenty of other tools to use to tweak things within a recording or editing session

Incentivized

Any time I've had to reach out to customer support, they've been fast to respond and answered my questions to the best of their ability. Authorization of the software is easy, and the company is great about emailing you promptly. Overall, they do a great job.

Incentivized

I have never tried it. It's just simple, and you should be able to navigate most of it via self-exploration and Apple Help.

Incentivized

The reason I find Cubase is best suited to my needs compared to other DAW software is primarily the ease in which the software can be edited. The MIDI integration, editing and composing aspects, in my opinion, is far superior to other software which is great when creating and / or editing projects. As I use Mac, the CoreAudio side of things works seamlessly too which provides a stable work environment for both myself and clients when working remotely over video links etc

Incentivized

Because GarageBand is included on macOS and iOS purchases, and we already use an Apple environment at our office, it was an easy decision to go with the 'free,' included program for our basic audio editing needs. We did also purchase Logic Pro X, since it is the 'big brother' to GarageBand, but our volunteers tend to use GarageBand first because of familiarity and ease-of-use

Incentivized

• Using Cubase over something like Protools means that new users are more likely to be successful during training and due to this, decrease training time.
• More trained staff means that we are able to complete more projects faster instead of waiting for a more skilled staff member to become available.
• Implementation on-site for on-site recording has been very reliable and has decreased the amount of failed recordings during events.

Incentivized

• It definitely has reduced costs since it's completely free.
• Having the mobile app also increases the efficiency in our workflow.
• We get great feedback on our videos and podcasts because of the audio.
• The lack of effects and pre-sets lets our audio quality down a little bit, but it's manageable.

Incentivized