I am currently designing a game formed from one of my ideas and I have a mate who writes music. he just uses guitar pro 5 so u can see it in notes and tabs. problem is I cant export it in real sound so it sounds like its for Gameboy Colour. I was wondering if there was music writing program that can also export the sound into an mp3 or other sound format, in real sound. and if there is, which one is better. Also looking for a sound effects creation program for weapon clashes, magic spells and the like. - The Supplanter

This is a broad field. Digital Audio Workstations (DAW) range from a few bucks up to several thousand dollars. For example, a reasonable priced DAW is Reaper http://www.reaper.fm/

If you buy a music production sound card there are sometimes light versions of professional DAWs included, so you don't need to spend extra money for the DAW. But beware, you'll first need to master these tools before you get something useful out of them.

For effects creation you could use a software synth (again a broad field) or a ready made sound effects collection.

How much money do you want to spend?

Quote: Original post by Miguel Bohley

How much money do you want to spend?

It really doesn't matter at this point. But most likely not the most expensive one out there. I just need a decent quality one for its price.

Sounds to me like you'd want a cheap version of a sequencer (eg. Cubase, Sonar, Reaper) and a collection of cheap VST instruments. Then you export your MIDI from Guitar Pro into the sequencer and route it to the VSTis. Which instruments you want will depend on the music you're writing, but you're very unlikely to get a guitar line written in MIDI sounding like a real guitar unfortunately.

Quote: Original post by Kylotan...but you're very unlikely to get a guitar line written in MIDI sounding like a real guitar unfortunately.

Too true! Getting a realistic guitar sound without actually recording a guitar is next to impossible but I do use a cheap solution for getting a decent sound when I want to test out ideas or have a background guitar track that's not particularly technical.

I'm using Orion (virtual studio software) which provides a sampler that has the option of using .sf2 files (and audio tracks if you want a real guitar sound). SoundBlaster cards usually come with the Vienna software for editing SoundFonts (.sf2) and you can choose/record your own samples to be loaded. You can set your guitar up for the sound that you want and literally record each single note of the range you'll be using (one sample per 3-step range should suffice). However, chords sound too clean/synthsized so I usually create a second sf2 containing seperate chords that I'm using for the song along with other sounds (percussion notes, palm mutes, dives, etc.) IIRC, you may even be able to download Vienna for free.

So...

- Find a reasonably priced software that supports .sf2, .mid import, .mp3 export and VST (huge plus for effects, synths, etc.)
- Get a recording software (Audacity is free)
- Get Vienna or some other SoundFont editor.
- Record samples (if you don't have a mic, then plug in direct WITH amp simulation. Record dry. You can add in effects from the software and make adjustments it in real time.)
- Create your Sound Font.
- Import MIDI from Guitar Pro and load sound font.
- Tweak the hell out of it!

Good luck!

reason4 and cubase...
you can rewire reason with cubase and run these two programs together, reason is enough for you, but u can use cubase for vst support and recording...
u can download reason demo on propellerheads site...

I use Reason 4 without Cubase (only because I haven't gotten that far - and don't know if I want to).

The reality of music software is that the demos out there don't capture the full potential of both the software or the sample libraries that are available. There will always be considerably more hobbyist composers than serious/ambitious composers using these types of software.

Reason comes with a very good set of startup sounds and libraries, and some friendly interfaces. I have enjoyed it very much over the past year and a half.

Quote: Original post by facher83
There will always be considerably more hobbyist composers than serious/ambitious composers using these types of software.

???

Pros don't use Reason or Cubase (or Nuendo)? I beg to differ.

Quote: Original post by nsmadsen

Quote: Original post by facher83
There will always be considerably more hobbyist composers than serious/ambitious composers using these types of software.

???

Pros don't use Reason or Cubase (or Nuendo)? I beg to differ.

I'm not sure what you're begging to differ on.

I'll restate it.

"There will always be considerably more hobbyist composers than serious/ambitious composers using these types of software."

I'm not sure where you got "Pros don't use Reason or Cubase" from. I'd be dissing muself in the process.

I guess I see your point. I guess to me the comment was a bit odd because there will always be more amateurs than pros in almost every situation.