Music Production and Editing Software

JBC · Post by **JBC** » Thu Jun 19, 2008 11:52 am

First, hi guys i'm alive. Most importantly - i need recommendations on music production and editing software. Price is not an issue - i just want the most professional applications i can find. Peez

worstplayer · Post by **worstplayer** » Thu Jun 19, 2008 12:25 pm

Depends on what do you want to do with said software. There isn't single "best" program for everything.

Anyway, if you want something that's reasonably good at everything and cost really isn't an issue, try Cubase.

Post by **Shatterhand** » Thu Jun 19, 2008 4:46 pm

I would like a program that would make music automatically to me. I give it some numbers, and PRESTO! A music is made. I've used a program that did that for midis. I've read about another one that does that, I'll download it someday and see if it's really good

I know the songs created by those programs would probably be soul-less and all too similar, but for someone who has zero talent to make music, it could be useful.

gavin19 · Post by **gavin19** » Thu Jun 19, 2008 5:57 pm

Goldwave is a very useful tool when it comes to manipulating music files.

Tracktion 3 and Cakewalk are on a par with Cubase. You really need to try them for yourself though.

Ceph · Post by **Ceph** » Thu Jun 19, 2008 6:10 pm

Interesting topic. Back in the Amiga days I used Soundtracker to make music. Is there a good tracker for Windows?

MX7 · Post by **MX7** » Thu Jun 19, 2008 6:39 pm

Renoise is a great tracker. There's also a few free, open source trackers for windows. Need to spend some more time with it, but I'm still having fun with lsdj, and might well be messing around with Nanoloop soon as well.

Daigohji · Post by **Daigohji** » Thu Jun 19, 2008 7:24 pm

I use Cakewalk Home Studio 2004 in conjunction with sample libraries from EastWest and Quantum Leap. Be warned that buying sample libraries is a slippery slope. There's always "one more" that you need to give you that perfectly rounded tool-set. Much like collecting PCBs, you can run out of money real quick. On the other hand, with some skill and patience you can produce impressive results.

Ozymandiaz1260 · Post by **Ozymandiaz1260** » Thu Jun 19, 2008 7:58 pm

Ableton Live is great, Reason has some great sounds but you can't use VSTs and it kind of makes you use/play a keyboard since programming the notes is so boring and tedious, but really what I usually use is fruity loops and about a billion free VST instruments and effects. It works well for me.

P_HAT · Post by **P_HAT** » Thu Jun 19, 2008 8:10 pm

http://www.2flashgames.com/f/f-548.htm

nimitz · Post by **nimitz** » Thu Jun 19, 2008 9:22 pm

First, you need a midi controller of some sort. or else its useless.
someting like that: http://www.korg.com/gear/info.asp?a_pro ... egory_id=1 (and stay away from M-audio controllers)

Then depending on what genre and how much time you want to dedicate to the whole thing will influence greatly what choice is the best for you.

Cubase is great. but in the end you will spend A LOT of time messing around with VST plugins and tweaking stuff and it can take months before you get anything done.

I really like Reason 4, It has EVERYTHING in one program: sequencer, mixers, samplers, synths, effects and so on. And its pretty versatile you can simply plug some preset instruments and effects in and start composing.

indstr · Post by **indstr** » Thu Jun 19, 2008 9:27 pm

MX7 wrote:Renoise is a great tracker. There's also a few free, open source trackers for windows. Need to spend some more time with it, but I'm still having fun with lsdj, and might well be messing around with Nanoloop soon as well.

+1 for Renoise. It's certainly the most professional and best sounding of the trackers. Some professionals even use it, such as Venetian Snares

Ex-Cyber · Post by **Ex-Cyber** » Thu Jun 19, 2008 10:29 pm

nimitz wrote:First, you need a midi controller of some sort. or else its useless.

Please explain. The mod scene strongly suggests that talented composers can get away with regular input devices.

it290 · Post by **it290** » Thu Jun 19, 2008 11:04 pm

ProTools.

lgb · Post by **lgb** » Thu Jun 19, 2008 11:06 pm

FL Studio.

Joe T. · Post by **Joe T.** » Thu Jun 19, 2008 11:59 pm

This all seriously depends on what you're doing. If you're editing existing audio, you could go with something like Soundforge. If you want just a basic sequencer and interface for vst etc you could get something like FL studio. It's cheap and easier to learn than a lot of other stuff. People often laugh it off as less than professional quality but I know from experience there are a lot of producers that have used it and put out records produced entirely in FL studio.

The next thing I'd recommend is Ableton Live. Probably the most versatile software out there for editing, sequencing, mixing, and loads of other stuff. If analog gear isn't something you're interested in, Native Instruments makes a ton of really good soft synths and drum machines.

Also, check out http://destroyfx.smartelectronix.com/ for the best compilation of totally free VSTs you can find pretty much period.

You may even want to look into a nice soundcard and some type of midi controller as some others have suggested but I wouldn't say it's absolutely necessary.

nimitz · Post by **nimitz** » Fri Jun 20, 2008 1:11 am

Ex-Cyber wrote:
nimitz wrote:First, you need a midi controller of some sort. or else its useless.
Please explain. The mod scene strongly suggests that talented composers can get away with regular input devices.

What do you mean by "regular input devices"? mouse and qwerty keyboard?

and yes if you only plan on editing audio. Then you can get away without a controller. But if you want to input notes, this is a no-brainer. especially when "price is not an issue"

freddiebamboo · Post by **freddiebamboo** » Fri Jun 20, 2008 1:22 am

This is a good start:

http://www.sonicspot.com/index.html

Lots of reviews of the software you'll need - some pro, some freeware. Like people said - FL studio, reason, protools and acid pro are a good start.

Also, good sample site here:

http://www.looperman.com/

KBZ · Post by **KBZ** » Fri Jun 20, 2008 5:51 am

REAPER!

Of course, as an open source fanatic, I'm a big fan of Ardour, though it might not be as professional as some of the commercial stuff.

dpful · Post by **dpful** » Fri Jun 20, 2008 9:18 pm

I've always enjoyed using sony's vegas. I heard that reaper was essentially a hack of vegas? I've heard great things about reaper but havn't tried it.

JBC · Post by **JBC** » Sun Jul 06, 2008 5:51 pm

Thanks guys! I've ended up with ProTools, FL Studio, Sony Acid Pro, Cubase and Reason 4. Basically i'm turning my room into a studio for my own music over the next year. I have to put the actual instrument collecting on hold for a month though as next week i'm putting a big ass HDtv in here. Thank God.

worstplayer · Post by **worstplayer** » Sun Jul 06, 2008 6:28 pm

circuitface wrote:Thanks guys! I've ended up with ProTools, FL Studio, Sony Acid Pro, Cubase and Reason 4. Basically i'm turning my room into a studio for my own music over the next year. I have to put the actual instrument collecting on hold for a month though as next week i'm putting a big ass HDtv in here. Thank God.

Nice selection, i think you have all editors you'll need.
Now get ready to spend even more on VST:)

indstr · Post by **indstr** » Mon Jul 07, 2008 4:50 pm

You fucked up because you're going to use all that shit instead of Renoise

...

MX7 · Post by **MX7** » Mon Jul 07, 2008 4:59 pm

indstr wrote:You fucked up because you're going to use all that shit instead of Renoise

...

True say, but it depends what he's doing. I'm going to be recording a grindcore album over the next few weeks, and I sure as hell won't be using renoise, as much as I like it.

zinger · Post by **zinger** » Mon Jul 07, 2008 5:08 pm

Yeah, I love Renoise too but it's pretty damn limited. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone besides those who are used to trackers and don't want to bother learning more advanced software.

Lordstar · Post by **Lordstar** » Mon Jul 07, 2008 5:12 pm

no love for reason?

indstr · Post by **indstr** » Tue Jul 08, 2008 9:09 pm

zinger wrote:more advanced

???

What makes the other ones more advanced?

kemical · Post by **kemical** » Wed Jul 09, 2008 1:13 am

a bit late but i recently started using Ableton Live 7 and it is great, prior to that i'd been using floopz since 1.0. Switched because I needed something multitrack (love Vegas for video) and something that allowed for alot of experimentation, it is non destructive and really easy to record and work with ideas naturally.
Now my next requirement is a good portable recorder and a stereo mic setup....

Never_Scurred · Post by **Never_Scurred** » Wed Jul 09, 2008 1:29 am

I use Renoise in conjunction with several softsynths and whatnot. As far assoftware is concerned, Renoise is perhaps the most inuitive to use. I love how unlike other programs, it actually knows how to get out of your way so you can get your tracks done. I hated dicking around in programs like FL and reason doing all kinds of unnecessary bs to get my beats made. Even if you've never used a tracker in your life and have no idea what hex is, Renoise is very easy to use.

Never_Scurred · Post by **Never_Scurred** » Wed Jul 09, 2008 1:32 am

MX7 wrote:Renoise is a great tracker. There's also a few free, open source trackers for windows. Need to spend some more time with it, but I'm still having fun with lsdj, and might well be messing around with Nanoloop soon as well.

Renoise is practically free. The demo is fully functional save for one feature that you can pretty much ignore(some weird saving function that you don't need). I've been using it free for two years and plan on buying it when my chips get right. If you're into DnB/breakcore or whatever, Renoise is a great tool to move you right along the creative process.

Never_Scurred · Post by **Never_Scurred** » Wed Jul 09, 2008 1:41 am

indstr wrote:
zinger wrote:more advanced
???

What makes the other ones more advanced?

When it comes to music softwarea, advanced usually means "Messy and completely unintuitive interface which favors unnecessary fluff over a more efficient workflow". Renoise is one of the few programs to get it right. Sorry if it seems like i'm Renoise evangelist, but after using it for awhile, everything else seems like pulling teeth to use.