What's a good program for compsing music?

joe360 · Feb 1, 2005, 03:05 AM

I'm looking at Reason 3.0 by Propeller Head, anyone know if it's any good? I'm looking for something along the lines of Garage Band...but for the PC. I've tried Fruity Loops, and I found that one pretty hard to use. Also tried Adobe Audition, didn't exactly find that one was the easiest to use either. Im also open to any other suggestions you guys have. Thanks! (mostly be making rap beats)

MindlessOath · Feb 1, 2005, 06:27 AM

i have used fruity loops and acid in the past. nice stuff, also used soundforge too.

i find that if u know how to compose music its easy to do, if you DONT know how, then its going to be the worst time of your life.

i used to be in the "Modual" scene... we made mod music using trackers on the commidor64 realy good stuff, i suggest if you want to compose real music use that, you need to basically make samples or find free ones and make with it.

i would say the "ACID" community is the best.... cause its got a HUGE resource of royalty free samples and loops. the application is not that bad and works with soundforge (which their are better and more advanced).

i think if your having a hard time with this other stuff, you need to rethink this project of yours, but thats just me, dont listen to me cause i dont know what im talking about now (im really rreally tired).

**dj_stick** · Feb 1, 2005, 12:25 PM

Acid is probably good for beginners, aswell as the lower versions of Cubase, or FL Studio.

for rap beats which is pretty much looping with no major changes throughout the track - Acid's loop structure (best i've seen) is probably the way you should go

pr0digal jenius · Feb 1, 2005, 05:21 PM

if you want something overly simplistic, look into E-jay for a beginning, and then maybe move on to fruity loops from there.

joe360 · Feb 2, 2005, 01:35 AM

Okay I tired the Acid demo, and I'm still having trouble. I think my problem is just getting started. I just dont know where to start. I also tried E-jay, I found that one a little too simple and primitive, basically it's just drag and drop then pre-recorded beats. Just out of curiosity; how did you guys get started? Is there a good beginners guide you guys know of? Or does anyone want to give me some pointers? Any help is greatly appreciated.

**dj_stick** · Feb 2, 2005, 03:47 AM

i just got taught the basics by someone i knew, and then started from there

search the web for user forums and guides

Sam S Z · Feb 12, 2005, 12:41 AM

If one is looking for simplicity, one can better build something with lego.
Making compo's is still a lot of work. Maybe some things are nicely done by computers now, but the field of efforts is just shifted. One can now finetune the compo's on a microlevel. So no excuse for sloppy things.
Mindless Oath is right here. If you're a bit serious about this, try ModPlug Tracker. With trackers you have precise control over how you want it, and how it should sound.
It's available from my website. Plus player, browser plugin, and a small, but growing tutorial :
http://www.xs4all.nl/~samzen/links.html#mods

MindlessOath · Feb 18, 2005, 08:17 PM

its good to hear tracking is still alive to some people

and still an art form for serious composers

Sam S Z · Feb 20, 2005, 12:09 AM

I suppose you're not cynical here. When I expanded my tools from analog synths to the computer, I chose from the start for the tracker concept, instead of Midi. Besides that I couldn't afford expensive keyboards and soundboxes, I found the available sounds of Midi a serious restriction. Basically only 128, rather classical instruments, leading to the hassle of switching banks, which leads to different playback on different machines of the same piece.
With tracking one uses samples, which can be anything, so no restrictions on used instruments. Even more sounds at the same time can become one instrument, like a spoken word with a note from a saxophone. Or four whole bars of a band. Tracking isn't just a tool for the cliche techno or covers by the way. I also composed 'abstract' soundscapes with it, without any rhythm involved.
What do you think, Joe360 ?

joe360 · Feb 26, 2005, 04:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sam S Z

I suppose you're not cynical here. When I expanded my tools from analog synths to the computer, I chose from the start for the tracker concept, instead of Midi. Besides that I couldn't afford expensive keyboards and soundboxes, I found the available sounds of Midi a serious restriction. Basically only 128, rather classical instruments, leading to the hassle of switching banks, which leads to different playback on different machines of the same piece.
With tracking one uses samples, which can be anything, so no restrictions on used instruments. Even more sounds at the same time can become one instrument, like a spoken word with a note from a saxophone. Or four whole bars of a band. Tracking isn't just a tool for the cliche techno or covers by the way. I also composed 'abstract' soundscapes with it, without any rhythm involved.
What do you think, Joe360 ?

Ummm....I have no idea

.. new to this kinda stuff...

*Looking up cynical*

Sam S Z · Feb 27, 2005, 10:42 PM

Well, everybody has his or hers own version of favourite tools and proclaim them 'good'. So, in the end, you'll have to find out for yourself, by checking out and trying things, learn more about it and choose the hammer that feels good in your grip.
With tracking at least you'll need some knowledge about the hexadecimal counting. On the other hand, there are tens
of thousands of MOD- or XM-files (trackers) on the Net, so, after downloading, you can import such a file in the editor and see how it's done and play around with it.

Feb 1, 2005, 03:05 AM	#1
joe360 DriverHeaven Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 78 Rep Power: 0	What's a good program for compsing music? I'm looking at Reason 3.0 by Propeller Head, anyone know if it's any good? I'm looking for something along the lines of Garage Band...but for the PC. I've tried Fruity Loops, and I found that one pretty hard to use. Also tried Adobe Audition, didn't exactly find that one was the easiest to use either. Im also open to any other suggestions you guys have. Thanks! (mostly be making rap beats)

Feb 1, 2005, 06:27 AM	#2
MindlessOath DriverHeaven Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 1,121 Rep Power: 0	i have used fruity loops and acid in the past. nice stuff, also used soundforge too. i find that if u know how to compose music its easy to do, if you DONT know how, then its going to be the worst time of your life. i used to be in the "Modual" scene... we made mod music using trackers on the commidor64 realy good stuff, i suggest if you want to compose real music use that, you need to basically make samples or find free ones and make with it. i would say the "ACID" community is the best.... cause its got a HUGE resource of royalty free samples and loops. the application is not that bad and works with soundforge (which their are better and more advanced). i think if your having a hard time with this other stuff, you need to rethink this project of yours, but thats just me, dont listen to me cause i dont know what im talking about now (im really rreally tired). __________________ ATI Radeon X800XT PE <---- LOOK UPDATED!! AMD Athlon 2Ghz, nforce2, 512mb ddr3500 LINKS U SHOULD KNOW!!!! DriverCleaner - use every time u install new drivers! ATI driver feedback - to report driver problems Tacticalcenter - my Gaming website and forums ATI 3rd party Optimized Driver Compairison

Feb 18, 2005, 08:17 PM	#8
MindlessOath DriverHeaven Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 1,121 Rep Power: 0	its good to hear tracking is still alive to some people and still an art form for serious composers __________________ ATI Radeon X800XT PE <---- LOOK UPDATED!! AMD Athlon 2Ghz, nforce2, 512mb ddr3500 LINKS U SHOULD KNOW!!!! DriverCleaner - use every time u install new drivers! ATI driver feedback - to report driver problems Tacticalcenter - my Gaming website and forums ATI 3rd party Optimized Driver Compairison

Feb 1, 2005, 05:21 PM	#4
pr0digal jenius Delete Me Join Date: Mar 2004 Posts: 14,648 Rep Power: 0	if you want something overly simplistic, look into E-jay for a beginning, and then maybe move on to fruity loops from there.

Feb 2, 2005, 01:35 AM	Thread Starter #5
joe360 DriverHeaven Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 78 Rep Power: 0	Okay I tired the Acid demo, and I'm still having trouble. I think my problem is just getting started. I just dont know where to start. I also tried E-jay, I found that one a little too simple and primitive, basically it's just drag and drop then pre-recorded beats. Just out of curiosity; how did you guys get started? Is there a good beginners guide you guys know of? Or does anyone want to give me some pointers? Any help is greatly appreciated.

Feb 12, 2005, 12:41 AM	#7
Sam S Z DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Netherland Posts: 19 Rep Power: 0	If one is looking for simplicity, one can better build something with lego. Making compo's is still a lot of work. Maybe some things are nicely done by computers now, but the field of efforts is just shifted. One can now finetune the compo's on a microlevel. So no excuse for sloppy things. Mindless Oath is right here. If you're a bit serious about this, try ModPlug Tracker. With trackers you have precise control over how you want it, and how it should sound. It's available from my website. Plus player, browser plugin, and a small, but growing tutorial : http://www.xs4all.nl/~samzen/links.html#mods

Feb 20, 2005, 12:09 AM	#9
Sam S Z DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Netherland Posts: 19 Rep Power: 0	I suppose you're not cynical here. When I expanded my tools from analog synths to the computer, I chose from the start for the tracker concept, instead of Midi. Besides that I couldn't afford expensive keyboards and soundboxes, I found the available sounds of Midi a serious restriction. Basically only 128, rather classical instruments, leading to the hassle of switching banks, which leads to different playback on different machines of the same piece. With tracking one uses samples, which can be anything, so no restrictions on used instruments. Even more sounds at the same time can become one instrument, like a spoken word with a note from a saxophone. Or four whole bars of a band. Tracking isn't just a tool for the cliche techno or covers by the way. I also composed 'abstract' soundscapes with it, without any rhythm involved. What do you think, Joe360 ?

Feb 27, 2005, 10:42 PM	#11
Sam S Z DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Netherland Posts: 19 Rep Power: 0	Well, everybody has his or hers own version of favourite tools and proclaim them 'good'. So, in the end, you'll have to find out for yourself, by checking out and trying things, learn more about it and choose the hammer that feels good in your grip. With tracking at least you'll need some knowledge about the hexadecimal counting. On the other hand, there are tens of thousands of MOD- or XM-files (trackers) on the Net, so, after downloading, you can import such a file in the editor and see how it's done and play around with it.