Pro Tools - First ? Or some other DAW?

[EskimoArapaho]

So, I continue to take my make-do lashed-together studio and update it with more compact and better quality stuff. Monitoring is sorted and the XR12 does all physical mixing and interface.

The next step is deciding how to record (PC laptop). I'm not doing 96-track symphonic compositions, but I like the flexibility that modern DAWs offer. I'll be recording guitar, bass, vocals, connecting an external MIDI synth, with some virtual instruments.

I get a free Tacktion licence with the XR12, but I tried that and the interface didn't really gel. Also tried Reaper - seems very powerful, but also not so easy to get to grips with quickly. Both are now uninstalled.

Mixcraft looked not at all bad - will spend a bit more time with that.

But now I've seen that Avid is doing Pro Tools First. For free. But with some cloud-related storage subscription, I think. It's more limited than the full version (which I can't justify even on the new annual plan), but I don't think I'd encounter those limits - see here: http://www.avid.com/US/products/pro-tools-software...

Main limit is no video. I don't really want that right now, but might one day want to do the inevitable YouTube clips.

In which case is Pro Tools Express (bundled with some equipment) a good bet?

[EskimoArapaho]

Thanks fellas, interesting that MIDI is something of an afterthought in Pro Tools. I'll check out Cubase next then.

Somehow I found Reaper a bit impenetrable, but there are so many positive reviews, I should perhaps persevere.

[EskimoArapaho]

Thanks for all the input. Definitely seems that Cubase is the PC choice, although I did find some gripes about the 7.5 update. I will probably buy the Steinberg UR22 audio/MIDI interface, too, and that comes with a cut-down version.

But I do rather like Mixcraft, so will keep it on this machine for a while yet.