DP10 for Mac and Windows, unveiled this spring, brought breakthrough features to the long-standing favorite DAW called Digital Performer. So now it’s time to dig in and start using the new stuff.
DP has never been short on updates, but some of them certainly felt iterative. And the software had to make the jump from Mac to Windows, which initially got tricky with Windows’ archaic high-density display support and left the screen hard to see.
DP10 is interesting because it brings some genuinely new ideas. There’s a Clip View that looks an awful lot like Ableton’s Session View, but with some new twists – and in a more traditional DAW, with stuff like proper video and cue support which Live so sorely lacks. There are more ways to manipulate audio and pitch without jumping into a plug-in. There’s a substantially beefed-up waveform editor. If you missed it before, I covered this when it debuted in February:
DP10 adds clip launching, improved audio editing to MOTU’s DAW
Or watch Sound on Sound‘s breakdown of the upgrade:
I’m a great fan of written tutorials, but some of this stuff really does benefit from a visual aid. So let’s get started. As it happens, while it’s a bit hidden, you can now download a 30-day demo – enough time to try finishing a project in DP and see if you like it. They’ve got a US$395 upgrade from competing products, so DP fits nicely in a mid-range price point when some competing options have crept up to a grand or more. (Cough, you know who you are.)
First, Thomas Foster will hold your hand and walk you through a total-beginner walkthrough of how to get started with DP10. And unlike MOTU’s own videos, this one is also oriented toward in-the-box electronic production – so it’ll be friendly to a lot of the sorts who read this site.
From the absolute beginning, here’s a look at actually creating something, using the Model12 and the BassLine instruments:
(If you want to get more advanced with BassLine, check the MOTU videos below.)
And also at the 101-level, importing audio and applying audio effects to vocals:
VCA Faders are one of the more unique new features – here’s a walkthrough focused on that:
Lastly, round about March MOTU posted a huge trove of demos and tutorials from seminars at NAMM. It’s maybe doubly interesting for including some industry heavyweights – Family Guy composer Walter Murphy, LA producer/composer David Das, Mike McKnight who programs and plays keyboards for Roger Waters, music tech legend Craig Anderton, and more.
It’s easier to navigate what’s available from MOTU’s blog than in the distracting maze that is YouTube, so have a look here:
I expect some CDM readers out there are DP users, so I’d love to hear from you about how you feel about this update and how you use the software in your work.
And as always, if there’s a tool you want to see featured, don’t hesitate to write.