Hi, I''m a programmer but I''d really like to get into composing some music on the side. I used to do it in high school but I got a different computer now and when I try to install Cakewalk (yes, I paid for it) it screws up my computer... I guess I''ll keep trying but anyway I was just wondering what you musicians out there use to make music, and if you recommend using any particular software? Thanks a lot! Rajan

I personally swear by Cubase VST/32. You also might want to check out Pro Tools, Logic Audio, Nuendo, etc, whichever one feels the best to you. You can find a demo of Cubase here.

quote: Original post by Mister Anopo
You also might want to check out Pro Tools...

Isn''t Pro-Tools mostly a (very expensive)hardware solution, with only control functionality handled by your PC/Mac?



"O Lord our God, help us tear their soldiers to bloody shreds with our shells; help us to cover their smiling fields with the pale forms of their patriot dead; help us to drown the thunder of the guns with the shrieks of their wounded, writhing in pain; help us to lay waste their humble homes with a hurricane of fire; help us to wring the hearts of their unoffending widows with unavailing grief; help us to turn them out roofless with their little children to wander unfriended the wastes of their desolated land in rags and hunger and thirst, sports of the sun flames of summer and the icy winds of winter, broken in spirit, worn with travail, imploring Thee for the refuge of the grave and denied it..."
Mark Twain

I also use Cubase, though my wallet''s a bit light, so I only have Cubase VST 5.0 and not VST/32. It''s great, but it''s not necissary. Midisoft Studio Ensemble is a great program at it''s not very expensive -- http://www.iddincgermany.com/products.asp?id=60&cat=Midisoft%AE+Studio+Ensemble+2001

--------------------
Matthew Calabrese
Realtime 3D Orchestra:
Programmer, Composer,
and 3D Artist/Animator
"I can see the music..."

For music,

Power Tracks Pro Audio 7. (They''re on 8.0 now) It is superb and only $49. (They also have a special until the end of the month so you can get it for only $29).

Of course, you need a good sound font or external MIDI receiver for it to sound good, but that goes for any MIDI sequencer.

You can buy it and download it online at www.pgmusic.com

Hope this helps!

quote: Original post by Arild Fines
Isn't Pro-Tools mostly a (very expensive)hardware solution, with only control functionality handled by your PC/Mac?

The digidesign hardware isn't necessary, there is a stand alone multitrack recorder/mixer with plugin support and midi sequencing.

You can check out Pro Tools for free at the digidesign website.

[edited by - Mister Anopo on July 11, 2002 3:54:38 PM]

I personally use Cool Edit Pro 2 to do everything I do. It helps to have a lot of real instruments and actually be talented enough to play all of them. I pump everything through a Korg Triton (the best effects processor I''ve ever used), and record it all track by track in CEP. It works quite well.

-Chris

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[Edited by - D2 on September 24, 2008 5:31:23 PM]

Wow, I didn''t expect so many responses. Thanks everyone! Well, I''m just an amateur who''d do it for fun so I guess I''ll try checking out some of those cheaper software packages. I actually got cakewalk to work but it only works on Win98 (I have both OS''s on comp) so it''d be nice if I could find something working for XP.

Anyway thanks again I appreciate all the ideas!!

Rajan

Wow, I didn''t expect so many responses. Thanks everyone! Well, I''m just an amateur who''d do it for fun so I guess I''ll try checking out some of those cheaper software packages. I actually got cakewalk to work but it only works on Win98 (I have both OS''s on comp) so it''d be nice if I could find something working for XP.

Anyway thanks again I appreciate all the ideas!!

Rajan