Powerbook G4 1.33 Ghz, 768 mb RAM
(in about a week!) M-Audio Keystation Pro 88 MIDI controller
Reason 3.0, with various free and bundled sound libraries
Finale 2005
Virtual Midi Keyboard (freeware software for when I'm on the go)

However, none of this matters if you don't have TRAINING!!! If you don't know your theory, learn it. Learn it, learn it, and then for a change of pace, learn it. Anyone can put some Apple Loops together in Garageband--it takes a little more talent to write for a live orchestra.

and ps, you suck, H_o_p_s. You and your dang...free software thing. Grrrrrr....

Quote: Original post by superdeveloper
ok, am I the only one who still uses Sound Recorder?

I can't afford the music systems mentioned above...

Audacity is a free multitrack sequencer that is LIGHTYEARS beyond Sound Recorder. There is no reason to use Sound Recorder, ever. ;)

Indeed, FL is an amazing program. I don't think I could live without it!

My current list of gear (pasted from my website) -

Computer(s)
* Custom built 3.02ghz P4 Prescott Windows XP Pro machine with 2GB RAM, dual 80gb and 250gb hard drives, ATI Radeon 9200 128mb graphics card, and EMU 0404 soundcard. All of my work is done on this machine.
* Mac Mini 1.25ghz G4, 512MB RAM 40gb HD w/ Tiger. Used for Infinity.
* Dell Inspiron 1.86ghz Pentium M Windows XP Pro machine with 1GB RAM, 100GB hard drive, nVidia 256mb graphics card, and generic soundcard. This machine is for song sketches and mobile recording.

Hardware
* Behringer UB802 Mixer
* Behringer UB502 Mixer
* Edirol PCR-30 MIDI Keyboard Controller

Monitoring
* Sennheiser eH2200 studio headphones

Software (Hosts / Sequencers)
* Image-Line FLStudio 6
* Propellerhead Reason 3
* Steinberg Cubasis VST 4
* Mackie Tracktion
* Magix Music Maker deLuxe 2004

Software (Synthesizers / Samplers)
* Korg Legacy Digital Edition
* Hartmann Neuron VS
* Native Instruments Pro-53
* Native Instruments Kompakt
* Native Instruments Kontakt 2
* Native Instruments Intakt
* Native Instruments Reaktor 5
* Native Instruments B4
* Native Instruments fm7
* Native Instruments Absynth 3
* Native Instruments Battery 2
* GMedia impOSCar
* Spectrasonics Stylus RMX
* IK Multimedia SampleTank LE
* White Noise Additive Synth
* White Noise ZeroVector
* Image-Line Wasp
* Image-Line WaspXT
* Image-Line Simsynth
* Aciddose Xhip
* Andreas Ersson polyIblit
* antii Asynth
* antii Augur
* Big Tick Cheeze Machine
* Big Tick TickyClav
* Brooks & Stegner Arppe2600va
* Brooks & Stegner MinimogueVA
* buzzroom BB303i2
* ConcreteFX Rock
* e-phonic Drumatic
* e-phonic Invader
* ExperimentFour Fontaminator
* Green Oak Crystal
* Ichiro Toda Synth1
* mda JX-10
* Land of Cockaigne Oberon
* Land of Cockaigne Panzertank PM4
* Land of Cockaigne Quantum 64
* Land of Cockaigne Satyr
* Oxe Oxe FM Synth
* paulnasca ZynAddSubFXM
* rgc:audio sfz
* rgc:audio Triangle II
* Simple-Media Silkworm
* SK Vivaldi
* SK Ganymed
* Steinberg Neon
* Superwave Superwave P8
* Tweakbench Monomate
* Ugo Motion
* Ugo Texture
* Ugo String Theory
* Vovoid MonoMonster

Software (Processors / Effects)
* Waves Renaissance Channel
* Waves Renaissance Compressor
* Waves Renaissance Reverberator
* Waves Renaissance Equalizer
* Waves Renaissance Vox
* Waves Renaissance Bass
* Waves Renaissance DeEsser
* Native Instruments Spektral Delay
* Native Instruments Vokator
* PSP Nitro
* izotope Spectron
* izotope Trash
* iZotope Vinyl
* Big Tick Hexaline
* Blue Cat Chorus
* buzzroom FilterONE
* DaSample GlaceVerb
* digitalfishphones Endorphin
* digitalfishphones Floorfish
* Kjaerhus Audio Classic Effects Series
* mda Effects Series
* Mutagene Mukoco
* Mutagene qWarpFilter
* Oli Larkin Grainfreeze
* Prosoniq Northpole
* Smart Electronix Ambience
* Smart Electronix Cyanide 2
* Smart Electronix KTGranulator
* Smart Electronix NyquistEq
* Subtek lofi PLUS
* Tiny God Murmur

Software / Other
* Antares Infinity
* Zero-X Seamless Looper

Soundware / Samples
* East West Quantum Leap Symphonic Orchestra Gold Edition
* Quantum Leap Stormdrum
* Quantum Leap RA
* Bela D Media The Giovani Edition
* Bela D Media Lyrical Distortion vol. 1
* Bela D Media Studio B
* Bela D Media Diva: Extended
* Bela D Media Diva by Design
* Garritan Personal Orchestra
* Garritan Orchestral Strings
* Spectrasonics Symphony of Voices
* Best Service Blue Box 16-CD Sound Effects Set
* Ueberschall VCP120 Vintage Chord Progressions
* Ueberschall Liquid Instruments: Bass
* Roland L-CDX Volume 4 (Strings and Orchestral Percussion)
* Sonic Reality Acoustic Guitars Capsule
* Sonic Reality Eletric Guitars Capsule
* Sonic Reality Bass Guitars Capsule
* Sonic Reality Studio Drums Capsule
* Sonic Reality Eclectic Drums Capsule
* Sonic Reality Groove Capsule
* Doru Malaia Super Percussions FX
* Doru Malaia 230 Ethnic Drums & Percussions
* Doru Malaia Superdrums 8000
* e-LAB Smoker's Delight
* e-LAB Foundation
* e-LAB Obsession
* SampleLab Drum Fundamentals
* Bob Clearmountain Drums II
* Steve Smith Rhythmic Journey
* Gota Yashiki "Groove Activator"

I do use a good chunk of this stuff, amazingly, and I feel it gives me lots of creative flexibility. Of course there are some areas where I think I could actually use even more stuff, believe it or not (eg. guitars)..

Here are a few examples of my work.

http://www.zirconstudios.com/CCLastBoss.mp3 <- final boss theme for a simple adventure/puzzle game I am doing the soundtrack for - it takes place in a Aztec ruins sort of setting.

http://www.zirconstudios.com/CCTemple.mp3 <- the first level theme for the same game. The first level takes place in a huge temple.

On the other end of the spectrum..

http://www.zirconstudios.com/audio/Ingame%20Theme%201.mp3 <- a song I did a little over a year ago for a developer here. It is the level music for a space shooter game.

http://www.zirconstudios.com/audio/zircon%20(%20Andrew%20Aversa)%20-%20Hourglass.mp3 <- a song from a recent album which, while not specifically written for a game, is in a similar style as artists like Prodigy or The Crystal Method. Electronic music is becoming very popular as licensed music in many games, and that is an avenue of income I am pursuing, so I thought this track would be relevant.

Here's what I use:


---- Computer
Mac G4 867mHz Quicksilver

--- OS
Mac OS X Panther 10.3.9

---- Input
E-MU Xboard49 Midi Controller
Logitec USB Desktop Microphone

---- Output
Creative Inspire T3000 2.1 Speaker System

---- Software
Apple Garageband 1.1
Native Instruments Kontakt
Audacity

--- Sounds/samples
Garritan Personal Orchestra
Lots of free sound fonts

I'll throw in my two cents:

Computers:
* Gateway 7426GX notebook for mobile recording/recording when I'm at the dorm
* Custom built PC when at home (nothing special.. 2.4 GHz AMD, 1GB RAM, etc)

Recording Gear:
* Presonus Firepod
* Presonus HP4
* Samson Resolv 65a monitors
* Sennheiser HD280 pro (for late night work sessions so I don't piss off my roommate)
* Shure SM57 dynamic mic
* Pair of Behringer C2 condenser mics

Guitar Gear:
* Schecter C1 Classic electric guitar
* Alvarez acoustic guitar
* Tech 21 PSA-1.1 (guitar preamp)
* Vox AD60VTX combo amp
* TC Electronic G-major (it's a guitar effects processor, but I've used it as just a general effects processor)
* Vox wah pedal
* A whole slew of single effects pedals

MIDI Gear:
* Edirol PCR-M50 MIDI controller w/ Roland DP-10 damper pedal
* Behringer FCB-1010 (absolutely necessary for controlling multiple pieces of MIDI equipment simultaneously.. mainly I use it for controlling my preamp and effects processor)

Software:
* Cubase LE for sequencing and recording
* Garritan Personal Orchestra
* NS Kit free for drum samples
* Uncountably many other VST instruments - basically anything that I find cool on KVR and is free, I download
* Cool Edit (or now known as Adobe Audition) for sound editing
* Power Tab for guitar notating
* Finale Notepad 2006 for all other notation purposes

Well, here I go. I own a large collection of samples and software. Many people own stacks of software but have no clue how to get the best sounds out of it. I have also heard some people that can make 300$ software sound better than 3000$ sfotware. Some of the more3 expensive software does have more bells and whistles though.

EW Symphonic Choirs
EW Colossus
EW Quantum Leap RA
Percussive Adventures 2
Storm Drum
Hardcore Bass
Bos. 290

EWQLSO Pro Plat
EWQLSO Gold
EWQLSO Silver

EWQLSO Plat. Pro
EWQLSO Gold Pro
EWQLSO Silver Pro

Afrolatin Slam
Wired
Adrenaline
The Operating Table
Vapor
NU Jointz
DFH 2
Koncept and Function
Groovy 70's
A.S.L.
Beats Working in Cuba
Morphology
ARtist Drums
Artisi Grooves
Meiko
Lola
Leon
PLP120
BPM120
VCP120
Cult Sampler
DFH:Superior
DFH:Custom and Vintage
Galaxy 5.1
Liquid Bass
Liquid Sax
Altered States
Albino
Real Guitar
Apple Loops Dance Pack
Appel Loops World Pack
Apple Loops Pro Pack
YT Majestic
YT Candy
YT Culture
Kontakt 2
Reacktor 5
Stylus RMX
Monzter Guitars
Slayer 2
Albino
Blue
VSL Epic Horns
VSL Opus 1
Absynth 3
Notre Dame de Budpest Organ Samples
PMI Emperor
PMI Old Lady
PMI Hybrid Pianos
Divas
SAM Trombones
SAM Trumpets
SAM Horns

I also own a lot of other samples and effects/plugins, but unless you know how to use the software, it won't do you any good.


Sean Beeson

Sean out of curiosity, why would you get Silver, Gold, AND Platinum.. and then the Pro versions of each? Platinum has all of Silver and Gold's content, same goes for the Pro editions..

I programmed some of it, and was a tester, and demo writer. Sometimes when I write, I sketch with Silver, and then bump it up to Platinum or Gold.

Sean Beeson

That's quite an excessive list. Colossus in a whole compilation of many different samples, which is nice to have.. when you don't already have the counterparts which it covers, yet you have them. Are all those softwares really necessary? That's like 30k+, and several hard drives worth of samples. You'd need a very very powerful network of computers to handle all that, which makes me question why you would need to sketch your work in silver when your system can handle anything. The only explanation for that is that silver is portable, meaning you can play with it on your laptop while traveling. But then when bumping up the quality, you'd only need platinum, with gold being a useless middleman. I dont understand your logics!

I prefer to work on two or fewer machines. And until they develop a machine that can truly can handle any full symphonic lib on the market, the only solution is to have a multiple computer setup. I have multiple machines, and I don't save that much time using 3 machines. I use silver one machine to sketch, and the load up the HQ patches and mix down. The process is illogical for most people :) yes. But I have tried the multiple set up and until I can also afford 15 PC's, I will have to stick with a few computers. I guess I should say that I do more skecthing with gold and platinum anymore though, but ocassionaly I use silvers staccato patches,choirs, and organs. I also use Colossus.

I also am a dealer with East West, so I can get these products at a great price.

Sean Beeson