Any good sound editing and music making software?

Az · May 18, 2003, 13:33

I am bored as hell, and can't think of anything interesting to download, so I decided to get back in touch with my musical side. I need a strong sound program, that would enable me to edit and make music easily. A program that would allow me to use the regular keyboard as a piano keyboard. Any recommendations?

MRT144 · May 18, 2003, 13:35

buzz tracker. its basicly a modular music program. its a good start but it might be too hard to grasp at first. do a search on trackers...

i could suggest other stuff but its way out of your budget and interest probably

Az · May 18, 2003, 13:40

Suggest, suggest! By all means! EVERYTHING you got!

I expected your reply, actually! ( who would know better than you, right?

)

MRT144 · May 18, 2003, 13:59

the two best retail beginning programs i would suggest are reason made by propellarheads and fruityloops made by (i think) imageline. reason is way more expensive than fruityloops though.

things to consider though. do you have a semi decent soundcard? and are you willing to spend money?

heres a rundown.

when you compose with fruityloops basicly you are arranging with premade loops that you can make yourself or use premade ones in the program. you can also use something called VSTs which are virtual synthesizers. there is also the ability to load sample(sounds that are in .wav format) into fruityloops and use them.

i havent dealt with reason hands on, but from what i hear its not as limiting as fruityloops. it doesnt have support for VSTs but has some very good synths of its own and also the ability to load samples.

buzztracker can also do all this and you can actually use your Qwerty keyboard for it. Buzz is actually what i started out with and its kind of confusing at first but i could help explain it to you and there are also tutorials and message boards out there. did i mention it was free?

the way the buzz tracker works is you create patterns in one window, arrange the signal flow of the synths, and a final window where you arrange your premade patterns. you can actually record what you play on your keyboard too.

I actually used buzz when i first started 4 years ago at the tender age of 15.

What i use now is Cubase VST/32 which is a professional sequencer/recording/VST host. For instruments i use reaktor which is a modular synth program(allows you to create your own synths from the ground up), pro-53(recreation of a classic synth the prophet 5) and battery(a software sample player). i also have a midi controller keyboard cause there isnt anything more fun than playing what you feel.

if im going to fast or you need further explination, please ask, cause i know this might not make sens the first time around

Az · May 18, 2003, 14:05

what's a sequencer?

Az · May 18, 2003, 14:07

Also, can you get me some links for those downloads, as well as some links for samples?

MRT144 · May 18, 2003, 14:20

a sequencer is what sends all the music data (pitch, volume, etc etc) to the instrument. also it can be used to arrange audio clips and etc etc. as for samples they will come with whatever program you choose.

http://download.com.com/3000-2102-15...ml?tag=lst-0-3 heres a link to buzz
and to a helpful website

fruityloops and reason can be bought on most music sites(musiciansfriend.com, sweetwater.com) or through more nefarous means.

Az · May 18, 2003, 14:32

Quote:

Bzzz is a frantic point-and-click game that will put your mouse skills to the test. You control a frog and use your mouse to catch flies with your long tongue

Cruddy · May 18, 2003, 14:46

2 older programs that are OK for composing (I wouldn't say great, just OK) are Cakewalk (for keyboard sequencing) and EJay (for sample mixing).

Both have been bundled and distributed on magazine cover CDs so are pretty much embedded into the download scene. Getting an original on E-bay is feasible and inexpensive.

As for messing about with samples, SoundForge is OK as an introductory program but there are stacks out there.

I regret I have been out of the PC composing scene for YEARS so these selections are dated. They are, however, fairly available (and more to the point, Windows 95 onwards compatbile).

EDIT: Sorry, Cakewalk is more for those with a MIDI keyboard and interface. I should read posts before answering!

MRT144 · May 18, 2003, 14:48

so sorry, ive been up for the last 20 hours and now my computer has gone in the fritz...stupid deskstar hard drive.

http://www.buzzmachines.com/

there ya go. well im gonna go to sleep now, and hopefully when i wake ill be all together again.

Az · May 18, 2003, 16:22

Holy ****, even using Buzz is like fricking slaving in the mines. There are thousands of those little 1337 gadgets there, and I have absolutely no idea how they work together.

Modular was supposed to be good.

Grrr · May 18, 2003, 18:24

e_jay and soundforge are the programs I tend to use.

Nubclear · May 18, 2003, 18:25

Music Masterworks.

MRT144 · May 18, 2003, 21:36

Quote:

Originally posted by Azazel
Holy ****, even using Buzz is like fricking slaving in the mines. There are thousands of those little 1337 gadgets there, and I have absolutely no idea how they work together.

Modular was supposed to be good.

modular is good, if you understand how to work it. I suggest fruity loops or something simpler to start out with.

Urban Ranger · May 19, 2003, 00:05

Is there any program that would do a good job of accepting my vocalisation of a tune (i.e. humming) into the mike, and covert it into MIDI?

MRT144 · May 19, 2003, 00:10

google search it UR. for the most part though the audio to midi convertors are at best pretty weak. the fact that they cant deal with polyphonic music is a serious liability.

i think that maybe youd be able to do vocalizations but i dont know how well they deal with micro tones considering that you might not be on key

Urban Ranger · May 19, 2003, 00:50

Quote:

Originally posted by MRT144
i think that maybe youd be able to do vocalizations but i dont know how well they deal with micro tones considering that you might not be on key

You got it arse backwards. I created the song, I am the key.

Urban Ranger · May 19, 2003, 00:52

I often get some music/song/tune etc. playing in my head, so I have been looking for ways to record them before I forget.

MRT144 · May 19, 2003, 01:09

but the audio to midi converters might not see it that way. :P

you should get a minidisk player and asmall mic

DarthVeda · May 19, 2003, 01:12

I like CoolEdit

Urban Ranger · May 19, 2003, 01:17

Quote:

Originally posted by MRT144
you should get a minidisk player and asmall mic

That's an idea, but I still need to be able to translate it into musical score or something, so it can be edited.

MRT144 · May 19, 2003, 01:21

do a google search.

or train your ear and learn some theory

Az · May 19, 2003, 02:17

It was easier for me with the fricking soundrecorder.

Fruityloops, here I come.

Urban Ranger · May 19, 2003, 03:12

Quote:

Originally posted by MRT144
or train your ear and learn some theory

I could do it by hand in something like Cakewalk, note by note, but that's such a pain that, after a few minutes I completely forgot what it was that I wanted to record.

MikeH · May 19, 2003, 06:23

You can do it with Reason I think.

SpencerH · May 19, 2003, 07:05

Quote:

Originally posted by Urban Ranger
I often get some music/song/tune etc. playing in my head, so I have been looking for ways to record them before I forget.

why record them as a midi file? Wouldnt it be easier to save them as wavs for which there is lots of software.

MRT144 · May 19, 2003, 07:09

spencerH, i dont think anyone wants to listen to the mongolian throat music of urban ranger

Japher · May 19, 2003, 14:38

most of my friends that write music professionally use Encore. I have a copy of it, but have never tried.

Az · May 20, 2003, 03:29

Fruityloops is rather cool.

I'd rather have it with the manual, though.

Urban Ranger · May 20, 2003, 06:25

Quote:

Originally posted by SpencerH
why record them as a midi file? Wouldnt it be easier to save them as wavs for which there is lots of software.

Okay, not necessary MIDI, but something like sheet music that can be created by Catwalk, so it can be edited and modified.