How is RiffWorks different than other recording applications (DAWs)?
From Guide
Contents |
Short List of Differences
- Fun and easy to use.
- Focus is on playing guitar, not engineering.
- Sketchpad that quickly captures ideas and complete songs.
- Great sounding drums and effects.
- Inspirational "real-world" interface - it looks like gear!
- Set the tempo and start recording by strumming a guitar using the Junt feature.
- Built-in RiffCaster instant song posting to RiffWorld.com.
- Built-in RiffLink online music collaboration has no issues with latency or distance issues.
Longer Explanation of Differences
RiffWorks is an inspiration platform. The interface inspires people to write songs using a familiar "real-world" interface - it looks like gear! The focus is on playing, not engineering.
With RiffWorks, recording musicians can keep their hands on their instrument and minds on their song, rather than on a computer. RiffWorks requires minimal set-up time with no need to continually refer to a manual. Also RiffWorks is the only program available with a feature called "Junt" that lets you set the tempo and start recording simply by strumming your guitar.
Using an intuitive backups interface, musicians can select one of the many authentic backup InstantDrummer sessions that were recorded live by professional drummers in high-end sound studios by recording engineers. Most recording applications require drum programming or searching through endless folders of drum loops with confusing names. If this is their preference, users can import drum tracks from a ReWire application into RiffWorks. Or they may choose to use RiffWorks' unique InstantDrummer to select a sweet-sounding drummer from a variety of fun styles. We have partnered with the best drum companies (Drums on Demand, Discrete Drums and Submersible Music) to bring our users an ever-expanding selection of real drums. These drummers are normally available within large libraries that cost hundreds of dollars. Our partners are offering their drum content to RiffWorks users in smaller pieces that are convenient and affordable, only $9.99/session.
RiffWorks is the only commercial audio recording application with built-in online collaboration. Like other recording apps, RiffWorks allows musicians to exchange projects via email like some other applications that require users to bundle up a project and email it to someone else, and wait for them to send it back in order to hear what they've done, then add more. RiffWorks goes a step further, by allowing musicians to share a song session at the same time and chat while they're at it. Thanks to RiffWorks looping capabilities, users can be playing along with collaborators tracks in what feels like real-time with no worries about latency. New tracks show up as soon as they are finished streaming and are always perfectly in sync. Songs are saved on the server so users can add to songs at the same time or when they have time.
What Reviewers Have to Say
Jim Dalrymple of MacWorld Magazine says, "There are a lot of applications available for Mac-using [and Windows-using] guitarists to create songs. Most have a very similar interface design and for the most part work the same way. One company has taken a new approach to helping musicians create music and, in the short time I’ve been using it, I have found that it really works for me."
"RiffWorks has changed the way I think about building a song. Instead of the interface I’m used to seeing — the audio and instrument channels on the left side and the timeline on the right, like GarageBand — RiffWorks presents itself as a collection of riffs split into three parts: Riff Recorder, Riffs and Song. The Riff Recorder is where all of your layers are recorded and where effects can be added. The Riffs section shows the collection of your recorded riffs and the Song section is where you put your different riffs together to build your song."
"RiffWorks is a brilliant application that is a must-have in my collection of music applications. With its built-in effectsand drummer, RiffWorks has everything you need to create killer songs." Complete Review
What Recording Artists Have to Say
Michael Elsner (Guitar player for Chasing Saints was lead guitarist for 2 time Grammy Nominated artist Sarah Kelly) says, "RiffWorks is opening up a whole new world. It allows you to easily take your ideas and put them down to drums beats in the program or use REX files. You can record quick vocals and bass guitar very quickly without having to get into the big production aspects of ProTools. You can get your ideas down quickly. RiffWorks is a great value. You should check it out."
More RiffWorks Reviews by Artists
What Users Have to Say
pbbobkanobi, a RiffWorks user says, "I have been playing music for almost 30 years, and RiffWorks has inspired me to write more songs in the past 18 months than I have written in the past 18 years. Its user friendly interface and incredibly intuitive workflow allow me to lay down idea after idea without wrestling with complicated software. This is like a marriage of looped based recording with real time audio recording."
