Number of Licenses for DAW - I need more then two

[mtelesha]

Do you think that the current DAW license system works? I see how people will want more and more dedicated machines. I mostly perform in churches, heck most people don't realize how much computer is apart of the services music when I am perform with a full band. I am just hitting a wall with the number of license I have. I own Cubase Artist, Bitwig 1x, Waveform 9 and Reaper. None of them legally give you the right to use multiple instances so I ended up sometimes using all three.


Live Performances:
I have a Raspberry Pi Running Waveform 9 and doing PADS or audio loops on one side. I have my laptop connected to my keyboard and I now want to throw in a mini-PC to run my beats (I can either have it clip launching from a controller or throw someone on the pads to do it live). I just want them sync together and work. Instead I have Waveform on two machines, Bitwig on the other and I could just throw a VST Host (I use Elements) and be done. I could even see doing this with four computers just to have one that does lights and projector and be a backup computer for my keyboard.

Backup Computer I would love to have a backup machine running in Sync and I just have them on the standby so when something crashes I can just turn on the audio of the backup machine.


Music Production:
Sometimes I do contract work on the side (Mostly Video because it is 2019 and many video guys still suck at audio!) When I am in their studio I would love to throw on one of my DAWs onto a machine and make some background music for the video while I wait for something getting processed. Most places I work with frown on personal devices on their network.

[whyterabbyt]

Sounds like you're using multiple full-blown hosts where you dont need that at all.

[Spencer Maddox]

Do you think that the current DAW license system works? I see how people will want more and more dedicated machines. I mostly perform in churches, heck most people don't realize how much computer is apart of the services music when I am perform with a full band. I am just hitting a wall with the number of license I have. I own Cubase Artist, Bitwig 1x, Waveform 9 and Reaper. None of them legally give you the right to use multiple instances so I ended up sometimes using all three.


Live Performances:
I have a Raspberry Pi Running Waveform 9 and doing PADS or audio loops on one side. I have my laptop connected to my keyboard and I now want to throw in a mini-PC to run my beats (I can either have it clip launching from a controller or throw someone on the pads to do it live). I just want them sync together and work. Instead I have Waveform on two machines, Bitwig on the other and I could just throw a VST Host (I use Elements) and be done. I could even see doing this with four computers just to have one that does lights and projector and be a backup computer for my keyboard.

Backup Computer I would love to have a backup machine running in Sync and I just have them on the standby so when something crashes I can just turn on the audio of the backup machine.


Music Production:
Sometimes I do contract work on the side (Mostly Video because it is 2019 and many video guys still suck at audio!) When I am in their studio I would love to throw on one of my DAWs onto a machine and make some background music for the video while I wait for something getting processed. Most places I work with frown on personal devices on their network.

I'm Confused, I have 2 activations for the same Bitwig Licence in my User Account. One for my Windows system and One for my Macbook. Was Bitwig 1 different then that? (I didin't buy Bitwig until 2)

[Spencer Maddox]

I'm Confused, I have 2 activations for the same Bitwig Licence in my User Account. One for my Windows system and One for my Macbook. Was Bitwig 1 different then that? (I didin't buy Bitwig until 2)

[mtelesha]

I'm Confused, I have 2 activations for the same Bitwig Licence in my User Account. One for my Windows system and One for my Macbook. Was Bitwig 1 different then that? (I didin't buy Bitwig until 2)

Well what I am specifically talking about is having possibly 4 or 5 computers running.

[mtelesha]

Sounds like you're using multiple full-blown hosts where you dont need that at all.

It is extremely valuable for backup and for working with several people. I have a rotating band of a bass player, keyboards, drums, guitars (elc and/or acoustic and/or rhythm). I have been trying to have it so I can have different people have one or two jobs to during a song. Pads is easy but transitioning from chorus to verse and breakdowns that are spontaneous and not route is where the difficulty is at. So I am trying to turn the DAW into a supportive instrument for multiple of people. Hard to explain this without showing it or just having me sit there clicking launching buttons. In the perfect world I am playing bass and doing the pads and the drummer and/or percussion guy is in-charge of the rhythm loops etc.

[BertKoor]

[...] Reaper. None of them legally give you the right to use multiple instances [...]

That's plain wrong:

The Fine Print
If you own multiple computers, you may install the same license key on all of them, as long as you only use REAPER on one computer at a time.

from https://www.reaper.fm/purchase.php

[whyterabbyt]

Sounds like you're using multiple full-blown hosts where you dont need that at all.

It is extremely valuable for backup and for working with several people. I have a rotating band of a bass player, keyboards, drums, guitars (elc and/or acoustic and/or rhythm). I have been trying to have it so I can have different people have one or two jobs to during a song. Pads is easy but transitioning from chorus to verse and breakdowns that are spontaneous and not route is where the difficulty is at. So I am trying to turn the DAW into a supportive instrument for multiple of people. Hard to explain this without showing it or just having me sit there clicking launching buttons. In the perfect world I am playing bass and doing the pads and the drummer and/or percussion guy is in-charge of the rhythm loops etc.

So what is it about an all-singing all-dancing DAW each of those 5 systems needs that a simple barebones VST host isnt sufficient for?

[jabe]

....

Waveform will let you have at least three and you might be able to get four before further authorisations start being refused, in which case the Tracktion people will reset them all on request and you can authorise whichever ones you use afterwards. That means you don't have to unauthorise ones from computers that have died or that you're just not going to use again.

[elassi]

When I am in their studio I would love to throw on one of my DAWs onto a machine and make some background music for the video while I wait for something getting processed. Most places I work with frown on personal devices on their network.

Just to make clear I understand this: You want to install software on their machines because they don't let you use their network?

[mtelesha]

Just to make clear I understand this: You want to install software on their machines because they don't let you use their network?

I usually run non-Apple hardware and OS. Yes it is much easier to say I am throwing on Bitwig and a few VST then to hook up my system to their workflow. Video shops can have very intricate networking and collaboration systems. So me throwing on a DAW and a few VST is much easier to do then to ask for me to hook up my computer. Typically I will throw something together and email the file but I have done a bunch of audio things with sampling and pads in studio because who likes to wait for video files to render and be cataloged? Also they can stop in and give a quick listen to what I am planning on doing and mix it right there with them there.

My main job (Non-music and video related) has me do most of the company's audio and video work (Some goes to news outlets, or marketing and for internal training) I work in three locations and I run everything through three different desktops. So it is very common to have me working on these projects on three different machines throughout the week. It works extremely well when you organize for projects like this since you can throw in another collaborator easily.