Program battle! What should I use?

[SeanSparks]

Assume I know nothing about pro audio. I have a macbook and would like to use it for making sounds. What is a good program, or combination of programs, to have? I also have an oxygen trigger board, if that's useful at all.

-Sean

[SeanSparks]

I want to hear specific pro-con's that people have with them. Especially since I'm a noob.

-Sean

[Tyler J]

I heard ableton was good start.

[Sinner]

Originally Posted by SeanSparks

I want to hear specific pro-con's that people have with them. Especially since I'm a noob.

-Sean

If you want to "make" sounds, then Logic is top of the line and comes w/ great softsynths. Get ready to spend a grand on the software.

Cubase does VST and is very powerfull as well, but doesn't come w/ many synths bundled w/ it. Which can be good or bad... You can pick which softsynths you want to use and taylor your own sound. It's around $500 for the software, then anywhere from $150-$400 for most softsynths.

Both those you can hook hardware synths up to and control them via the software.

and then...

Reason is a virtual synth if you want to keep your cost down. There are compatiblity issues (in regards to/from control from other software), but again, if you just want to "make beats", then that's what it's made for. Something like $450 for it?? You can also get refills for it if you want more sounds, but it can't control hardware.

[Tyler J]

Originally Posted by MicahB

If you want to "make" sounds, then Logic is top of the line and comes w/ great softsynths.

Cubase does VST and is very powerfull as well, but doesn't come w/ many bundled w/ it. Which can be good or bad...

Reason is a virtual synth if you want to keep your cost down. There are compatiblity issues, but again, if you just want to "make beats", then that's what it's made for.

I concur.

[claydoh]

i stick to these...



reason 3.0 (propellerhead)
recycle (propellerhead)
live 5 - (ableton) (they released 6 late last year...so...)

oh. and make SURE you get a decent MIDI controller. lots of choices. imo, you can trust most anything you buy that says m:audio on it. if you're just starting out, i'd go with one of the models that has the intergrated soundcard. it makes figuring this shit out so much more fun.

[Sinner]

Originally Posted by Tyler J

I concur.

lol, sorry, i deleted that post. but, basically, reposted it.

[Tymeless]

To stay at least professional sounding, the lowest program I would go with is reason for production. As for ease of use, and being really versitile, Ableton Live 6 is really the way to go and won't break the bank. You can even add VST's to it so you can add your own soft synths. It also comes with a variety of premade loops you can fool around with till your comfortable with the program

Right now its one of my favs.

As you get the hang of the program, You can move up to Cubase 4 or Logic Pro for more involved production. The nice thing is with Cubase and Logic is it is a full DAW and is very useful if you plan on recording multiple live tracks and comping them

[Tyler J]

Originally Posted by claydoh

i stick to these...



reason 3.0 (propellerhead)
recycle (propellerhead)
live 5 - (ableton) (they released 6 late last year...so...)

oh. and make SURE you get a decent MIDI controller. lots of choices. imo, you can trust most anything you buy that says m:audio on it. if you're just starting out, i'd go with one of the models that has the intergrated soundcard. it makes figuring this shit out so much more fun.

upgrade to 6... it will make you

[Tyler J]

midi controller list... needs to be updated but close enough

http://www.dallasdancemusic.com/foru...ontroller+list

[Sinner]

Originally Posted by SeanSparks

I also have an oxygen trigger board, if that's useful at all.

-Sean

he's got a controller.


but if that just has pads, then yeah, that's more for abelton.

[Darren Afrika-ka-ka]

Originally Posted by SeanSparks

Assume I know nothing about pro audio. I have a macbook and would like to use it for making sounds. What is a good program, or combination of programs, to have? I also have an oxygen trigger board, if that's useful at all.

-Sean

Sean there is a lot out there to choose from.Personally i use Reason but am incorprating Ableton because of its Mastering capabilities.GO to dandont.com for some wicked free video tutorials on various software.Once you have seen the ones on Cubase,Reason,FL,Ableton,Pro Tools, then you can tell which one will be a bitch to use and which is easy.

Reason is the simplest but it is limiting regarding hardware(thats where Ableton comes in for me)I have the 3 hr video tutorial on it and once made a link for it on here for somebody(can't remember who but he stil owes me a beer..lol)



Welcome aboard M8

[Deff Gordon]

i'd go with digital performer over cubase any day of the week. and 3 times on thursday.

[Stefan Anion]

Ableton is great for sound design, especially in combo with NI Reaktor. It's a good sequencer, but it hogs your processor quite a bit after a while and the output is both muddy and a lot quieter, not when rendering though. for mastering you can use peak, or t-racks although i personally recommend izotope Ozone and the BBE Sonic maximizer

[Sinner]

Originally Posted by nitetripp

i'd go with digital performer over cubase any day of the week. and 3 times on thursday.

You know, I was just thinking "how did I fro-gets DP??".

I've been on a PC to damn long.

I stopped using DP back on verson 4.5 I think. Maybe 3.something....
Have they figured out the softsynth thing yet?

I was suggesting Cubase because he said "make sounds" and as far as softsynths go, Cubase has been a lot more successful for me.