Music production software

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Bluelighter
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Oct 29, 2012
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Im currently using Ableton Live 9 Suite but theres other software out there like Logic and Reason but they are for Mac and Im using Windows do you have suggestion for me I want to try different software.
 
It really depends what you want to do. Ableton Live can be used for a multitude of different purposes, but it can be complicated for certain things, i.e., tracking live instruments, mastering, meticulous editing etc. That's not to say it can't be used, just that some might find it unnecessarily difficult based on Live's GUI.

I'd recommend trying Cubase, FL Studio or Reaper if you only have access to a PC and don't want to go the Pro Tools route. My preferred DAWs are Ableton Live and Logic Pro, but as you said, the latter can only be used on Mac. However, I'm fairly certain you can use Reason on a PC, but I'm not 100% sure of that.
 
I would say try out lite/demo versions of a bunch of different DAWs ranging from Ableton, to Cubase, to Reason, to Logic, and so on. Whichever one looks most appealing to your workflow, and dependent on whether or not you will be using external VSTs, (Reason I'm pretty sure doesn't allow you to use external VSTs. yet...), pick one and learn it. Trying to learn multiple DAWs will just slow down your workflow and learning curve. If you master one of them and understand it inside and out, you will be much happier and much more productive than just having a basic understanding of 3 DAWs.
 
you can use external VSTs in Reason 7....I agree that trying to learn multiple DAWs at the same time will slow down progress, but i also believe the more you have the better....I personally use Ableton Live 9 and Reason 7.......i like Reason for synth building and i like Ableton for arrangement and live playback
 
try KVR would be a first port of call.
as said above demo all the software your can, once you learn one daw you pretty much know what stuff does, midi, audio, tempo, click.
as far as I know only logic doesn't have immediate access unless you first set up presets in the 'environment' and the modular workstations for ableton..... psycle?
live is a pain to record into, unless I guess you have one of the myraid of compatible control surface.
I'm not sure what midi is like in Pro-Tools these days, in my experience for rock solid timing logic is good, for real-time midi effects, tweaking many velocity, pitch bend, attack, decay, sustain, release. Filter low pass, with resonance.
Any midi parameter you can think of has presets for transitions, upward, downward, sine waves... whatever.
Cubase or Nuendo; rewired with ableton or reason (for audio)
I think the .rex file player in reason is now called Dr. Octagon.
Consider Spectarsonics Stylus and Omnisphere. Stylus slices up beats or has a real time preview of it's own database of 'sliced up' beats 3GB's worth.
These beats can be re-arranged in real time through the VST software as well as taking advantage of Steinbergs own real time midi effects.
This really only means you can create cool sounding stuff in a loop right?
Once you layer your midi to create the perfect sequence, hit the midi meltdown button, it may be called bounce, mixdown midi, combine.
 
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hey i'm just getting into working with fl studio on a friends laptop but have no laptop right now myself all ive got is a piece of shit tablet and an android i was wondering does anybody know any good apps that could even remotely compare to say ableton or reason for my tablet its not a mac tablet its some cheap ass android tablet so i know options may be limited but you guys seem to know your shit and i was hoping somebody knew of one or two good ones i could try out btw ive used fl studio mobile and caustic on my android phone both of which are alright i have to say caustic is much better but its had to find it on torrents thanks.
 
FL Studio OP. Shit loads of cool VST plugins and very easy learning curve. You can make some impressive stuff in FL.

Phildo: Nothing worthwhile on Android iOS yet. There is FL Studio Mobile and its okay for making a few loops, but it's nothing compared to the software on a computer. You'll just have to get a computer for it man, I have even seen pretty cheap computers/laptops be able to run FL Studio though, so if you are worried about performance...meh....you don't need way too much. Sell that android tablet towards a more worthwhile laptop or something. Craigslist or ebay, guaruntee you will find a decent laptop for an awesome price. Then you can always "pirate" fl studio. haha jk...WHO ON EARTH WOULD EVER PIRATE ANYTHING?!?!?
 
I bought FL for android after hearing the demo on the google store.
You can do pretty much everything on FL, they give you 15 minutes to try it out. It all depends if you like the interface; I never liked fruity loops, it's a full package with step sequencers, some cool effects.
Just depends want you wanna do, I believe FL has basic audio tracking these days.
If you bought ableton, stick with it; it's great for loops provided. Rewire it to reason and start a .rex file collection.
If you like to play with midi, get cubase and rewire them all together.
The thing is to make stuff less complicated, get cubase; mess with midi to you don't have to adhere to a tempo, straighten the tempo midi, or audio, then feed it into ableton. Reason is great if you don't know about all the old synths, hit the tab button.
If you have hardware via scsi good luck..
 
If you want a decent step sequencer buy an atari, or a roland with step sequencing. The atari comes with midi built in, computers still can't handle the code.
Are you trying do drive an arsenal of synths?
Buy a CV converter.
It just depends on what you wanna do, drive midi or track audio.
 
pro tools is cool for audio, but lacking in midi.
the full package is ableton with the ultra expensive loops and their shite, odd ways that always change to a different way of processing audio files.
If you've bought the package, rewire it with reason by propellerhead; use DR REX,
If you have a mac, then use Phatmatic.
 
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Im a Reason user since 4 years now. Just love it. And i got it for Windows. Give it a try ;) Theres a free demo version on their homepage
 
Wasted_talent said:
pro tools is cool for audio, but laocking in midi.
the full package is ableton with the ultra expensive loops and their shite, odd ways that always change to a different way of processing audio files.
If you've bought the package, rewire it with reason by propellerhead; use DR REX,
If you have a mac, then use Phatmatic.
Click to expand...
I dig ableton but most of the loops in the pimped out version are worthless imo
I'm not much of a loop user tho i make my own shit other than sampling old.songs from time to time. You still need suite tho for all the plugins and max for live.
 
The great things about computers is their not limited, a terabyte will do the job; just jam and edit the sections you like. This may include a midi foot petal so not to disrupt the flow. When you hear a good section just hit the pedal, a midi note or whatever; after a 2 hour session of just jamming you'll always know where to come back to.
A full on Digital Audio workstation will do this, or anything that can multitrack midi and audio. It's just nice to jam and not break up the flow.
The main point is; don't limit yourself to one loop and repeat over and over.
Just jam, have a midi foot pedal at hand to mark out the best bits.
 
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