This may have been said before, but in that case, it bears repeating:
It's not the tools, it's how you use them.
I mostly use Cool Edit Pro 2.1 (the last version of that name before it became Adobe Audition, which I've never bothered to figure out.)
Now, if I did a lot of midi stuff, I would need something else, such as Pro Tools LE, Logic Pro, or something like that, but since I mostly just record "live" instruments or mix audio tracks others have recorded for me, CEP 2.1 works for me.
Some people have made kickass music using free tracking software (as in, modfiles, that sort of thing) while others only need one mic and some way to capture that on the computer, so they can record a guitar or piano, then their voice.
This is true. I was suddenly reminded that I made this in ModPlug Tracker. But then again I did this in Fruity Loops 3 (although last version I used was FLStudio 4). So yeah, it really comes down to knowing what you want to do and then knowing the software you're working with.
FLStudio is a good piece of software on its own. Remember that you can layer patterns so you can have different sections of a beat, or different beats that are meant to go together, on different patterns and layer them together easily. Give your song distinct sections (in other words come up with a progression) instead of just building in instruments (which was my mistake when I first started making electronic music, although I don't make much of it at all anymore).
Also, if you would like I can post an IT file for the first song and the FLP sequence file for the Fruity Loops track, although I guess I can't guarantee we have the same samples, or that you'll even have much luck opening it on that one.
Unfortunately I'm on Linux now, so I can't help you much beyond that unless you have Hydrogren Drum Machine (which is free), which is fairly similar and is still good for learning the fundamentals of beat construction.
The thing to be aware of is that most songs have more layers of instrumentation than you might imagine, at least including the basics: Beat, Bass Line, Rhythm Line, Lead Line.
Bolded part: I think this is one of the things I do wrong when trying to put stuff together, perhaps you could go into a bit more detail on this?
Okay, you have to think of the average song progression. Think of it split into parts.
The most common progression in a song is ABA (basically verse/chorus, bridge, verse/chorus). A good example is any early Beatles song.
I think of songs I write (rock songs) as AABABCB. In other words, two verses (A), a chorus (B), one verse (A), chorus (B), bridge/solo (C), and chorus (B). It's not always that but in my case it's common.
This kind of structuring easily applies even in instrumental music.
Your basic goal is this:
Create an "intro" that is suggestive of elements in the song. From there within a few measures you should build to the "verse" section, where you introduce your main melodies. After a few measures of that you should hit the "chorus" which is a crescendo of elements and is the part that people will latch on to. Then you calm it back down to the "verse". From there you have two options, you can either create a "bridge" which is just a change up of elements, or you can go straight to the "chorus" and then have a "bridge" after. Either way you go your "bridge" should, by the end of it, be ready to explode into the "chorus". The final "chorus" should bring in a whole lot of elements in a big explosion of sound all at once that causes people to really be taken off. It would generally extend at least twice the length of a normal "chorus". And then you would have an "outro", which would bring everything back down to the ground.
Obviously you don't have to follow that exact setup, but it's a basic one that's used a lot and a good framework to start from.
Here's a good example (with a slightly altered structure):
Finale handles all of the music that I cannot record live, since I don't play every instrument I write for, and I don't feel like hiring musicians to come in for quick demos I'm throwing out. Also Finale once I do have a demo and I need sheet music, I can have it really quickly, and send it off in a PDF, or print it out, whatever. The quality is not perfect, but with GPO it's a hell of a lot better than MIDI.
Protools obviously is the best damn recording software there is. I have it hooked up to a nice preamp/"audio interface device" with a Perception-200 Condenser mic. I can record vocals or instrumentals through the mic, but I can also plug some instruments directly into the pre and record straight from it. I can then mix to my hearts desire with the best damn software there is, plus the ability to mix on the fly a bit, and I can do it all just through my normal computer.
With the two of them combined I can pretty much pump out incredibly clean demos with whatever instrumentation I need. It's not as good as having them all in the room, but it's about as close as possible with current programs. This is great for when I want to send off concept demos to a company or someone I'm working with, because I can actually have recordings of the songs or pieces with the lyrics and instrumentation in, instead of having to try to represent them all on a piano or having some MIDI voice doing things.
The problem? We're talking about a $1,500 setup with all the upgrades I've gotten through the years and the equipment.
EQ, man. It is all about EQ. Learn to love the mixer. Set every drum channel to its own mixer channel, then tweak the sound using the built in controls, or loading an EQ plugin. Once your drums sound good in relation to each other, you can set each mixer channel's output to send to another channel instead of the master. This new channel becomes the volume control for the entire set of drums, making it easer to blend them in with the rest of your music.
Honestly? I've never tried that, but it does look simple compared to the rest of the crazy shit poster here so far.
I fucking love GarageBand. Whether you're sequencing MIDI, recording live instruments, mixing the two, creating a beat with canned loops, making your own loops or even just throwing together some sounds in a multitrack environment, I've never used a program with this much power that's so easy to use. The only real shame is that it's part of iLife, so it's Mac only with no prayer of a port unless Apple seriously shifts their business model.
[IMAGE]
So yeah, if you own a Mac or even have access to one. Try it out. It's pretty great.
Truth. There's a lot that GarageBand can't do, but what it can do it does completely effortlessly. I use ProTools LE and Logic Express on a regular basis, but unless I'm doing something particularly complex I just try to use GarageBand because the interface is just lightyears ahead of anything else out there in terms if intuitiveness and ease of use.
I too am learning FL Studio right now, mostly making hip hop beats. I've decided that as long as I can produce better sounds then this guy (who literally made all his beats with the demo of FL Studio), then I'm set. I guess the best advice I can give is just look up tutorials on You Tube and watch all of the ones that interest you, learning how to use all the nifty toys like the scratcher and the slicer.
So this seems like the proper thread to post this, what should one look for in a relatively cheap MIDI keyboard?
What's your price range? Are you looking for just a midi controller keyboard, or one with on-board voices? I things like assignable knobs, levers, buttons, pedals important? How many keys (full size, mini?). Do you want an actual synthesizer?
Thanks, Mblackwell, I'll have to give that a shot and see how it comes out. This is definitely the stuff that helps me a bunch.
I've been playing around with different filters as well to see how they affect sounds and what I can do with synths to create stuff that sounds even better, and it's been a blast. Really appreciate the advice you guys have given me.
I compose most often in Logic Studio 8, which has a much improved work flow and interface compared to earlier versions. The learning curve is a little steep , but is extremely versatile. It also comes packaged with some excellent software instruments and effects, especially the Space Designer plug-in, which is easily one of my favorite software reverbs.
I still think Pro tools is the best for sound editing and mixing, but is not quite there in terms of midi sequencing and creative workflow.
For brainstorming I think Ableton live is excellent. The workspace allows you to quickly create and evolve different musical ideas and blend them together. Reason is also alot of fun, especially for someone who is used to using a more traditional hardware setup. Though I'm not really fond of the sound of reason, especially the sampler instruments. I haven't heard 4 though, so I'm basing my opinion on Reason 3.
When it comes to software instruments, I use mostly Reaktor and FM8. Reaktor is a large collection of good quality synths, effects, sequencers, and samplers. You can also build your own software instruments which is a lot of fun. The Grainular synths are my favorites.
Overall, the best advice I can give is to do the tutorials, learn the hotkeys, and just keep practicing. Work on your songwriting, or your keyboard technique, and listen to a large variety of music. I find that really helps my creativity. Just keep working at it, don't get discouraged if it doesn't sound like what you hear in your head. Eventually you'll play a melody, or come up with a drum loop that makes you nod your head. Then you take it from there.
I don't think I'll ever stop learning about music and audio, there is always new software or equipment, or a new jazz chord that catches your ear, so don't give up if what you make initially sound like poo.
Also, when it comes to controllers and keyboards, there are many cheap, small, usb keyboards. These will often have a good selection of knobs to twiddle and sliders to slide. Personally I like the Novation products, though they are priced a little higher than average. http://www.novationmusic.com/
Speaking of inputs, I picked up a cheapo adapter for a 1/4 cable to go into a 1/8 input and I'm just going to run my Les Paul through a 24 bit sound processor and start using that Guitar Rig thing I got for Christmas last year.
How's the audio loss going to be? This is just a temporary solution until I can afford an actual line in for the guitar that's lossless.
BornToHula on
Origin is the exact same as my Steam, in case you're needing a Support or Assault in BF3.
It won't sound professional, but after distortion and compression and delay, it'll be pretty hard to notice the difference.
I've been playing around with a bandmate's Line6 Toneport, and it's absolutely excellent. It's functionally the same as a Pod, except it does all its processing on your computer, which makes it $150 cheaper for the same sounds.
FL would be the only program I use for composition if only it could record audio in a not-completely-stupid way. As it is, making loops in FL and then exporting them and loading them in Reaper is working really well for me.
I just wanted to mention for anyone that uses Linux like I do, some great programs are out there.
I've started using Hydrogen Drum Machine to make beats. It's very simple and similar to FLStudio in interface. It allows you to load entire kits which are usually already mixed in stereo and then you can further tweak them via a mixer, and add humanizing. There's a windows version but I hear using different kits is buggy. Never tried it so I don't know.
Then for a DAW I've been using Ardour, which is similar to things like Cubase and Protools and has a lot of nice features.
These aren't necessarily my usual "style", but they are what I've recorded so far:
So this seems like the proper thread to post this, what should one look for in a relatively cheap MIDI keyboard?
What's your price range? Are you looking for just a midi controller keyboard, or one with on-board voices? I things like assignable knobs, levers, buttons, pedals important? How many keys (full size, mini?). Do you want an actual synthesizer?
My price range would be sub-500$. I was preferably looking for a full sized keyboard but for the most part I just want something to play around in Garage band with.
http://www.novationmusic.com/products/midi_control/remote_sl/
The Remote SL is the same thing, but beefed up with an auto-configuring set of midi-controls (also manually assignable) that you can use you interface with your VSTs or Sequencing software. I already had a keyboard, so I bought the Zero SL which is this thing, except without a keyboard. I love it to death.
http://www.m-audio.com/index.php?do=products.family&ID=USBkeyboardcontrollers
M-Audio makes great keyboards, and they have a pretty good selection. I'd recommend looking through here and seeing if any catch your eye. I have This and it's great. Perfect size, and the keys feel awesome. There's an 88 key version, and a smaller one as well. This one has virtually no controls on it, though. This may not seem like a problem at first, but down the road you may find yourself wanting more. But then you can always purchase a midi-controller later on if you find that to be the case. Also, it's simply a midi-keyboard, so there are no on-board voices. It must be hooked up to a synth or external source of some kind to make noise (PC etc.)
This isn't vital if all you're interested in is making drum beats (although it'll make your beats more interesting), but for anything with a melody you're really going to need to learn how basic chords are built, how chord progression works, how key changes work. 12-bar blues rotations are easy as hell to learn, and you can shoehorn most anything into one starting out and have it sound good.
Now, there are two ways to learn this. You can either go out and buy a book, which will at least serve as a very good reference. Or you can sit down at a keyboard and hit random conglomerations of keys until you figure out what works. Some combination of the two is generally recommended; I dicked around on a piano, found out what worked, then ran upstairs and read why, then back down to the piano to try something else. It was good exercise, if nothing else.
I have a Line6 POD XT and it's great for lead, yet for some reason none of the sounds seem to come up particularly for rhythm or anything too bassy or heavy.
This is being recorded into a M-Audio Delta 1010LT, which is a pretty good card.
I also have a cheap "ZOOM GM-200" Modeler. And this is superb for rhythm. So shop around. Lots of cash doesn't necessarily mean it's the best for what you may want it for - very much like real life amps in that regard.
I'll shop around for a decent pod unit. As ideal as a Line6 POD would be, I'm more a rhythm player than I am lead. I'll just hit up Harmony Central later on and see what I can find. I wouldn't mind getting the Kontrol pedal for Guitar Rig. That seems the most ideal solution. But for the same price I can get the Jaguar I'm eyeing at the moment.
BornToHula on
Origin is the exact same as my Steam, in case you're needing a Support or Assault in BF3.
I have a Line6 POD XT and it's great for lead, yet for some reason none of the sounds seem to come up particularly for rhythm or anything too bassy or heavy.
This is being recorded into a M-Audio Delta 1010LT, which is a pretty good card.
I also have a cheap "ZOOM GM-200" Modeler. And this is superb for rhythm. So shop around. Lots of cash doesn't necessarily mean it's the best for what you may want it for - very much like real life amps in that regard.
Digital effects can be great, but you are right, the low end is lacking. If you want that thick heavy sound, I really think you need to run the signal through an amp. Large and with tubes. They just haven't been able to digitally simulate that warmth you get from analog circuits.
I don't have access to a tube amp at the moment, funds have been a little tight with school. Line 6 markets a tube amp as far as I remember though, might be worth a look.
BornToHula on
Origin is the exact same as my Steam, in case you're needing a Support or Assault in BF3.
Digital effects can be great, but you are right, the low end is lacking. If you want that thick heavy sound, I really think you need to run the signal through an amp. Large and with tubes. They just haven't been able to digitally simulate that warmth you get from analog circuits.
That's true, but if you finagle with a modeler enough and EQ it correctly, it gets really hard to tell the difference. A simulation is never gonna be 100% as good as the real thing, but in my eyes, amp modelers make up for it with versatility. I use a V-Amp 2 for guitar and general DI use, and it doesn't really do anything particularly well, but it can do a lot. Also you can get them for south of a hundred bucks these days.
I have a Line6 POD XT and it's great for lead, yet for some reason none of the sounds seem to come up particularly for rhythm or anything too bassy or heavy.
This is being recorded into a M-Audio Delta 1010LT, which is a pretty good card.
I also have a cheap "ZOOM GM-200" Modeler. And this is superb for rhythm. So shop around. Lots of cash doesn't necessarily mean it's the best for what you may want it for - very much like real life amps in that regard.
Digital effects can be great, but you are right, the low end is lacking. If you want that thick heavy sound, I really think you need to run the signal through an amp. Large and with tubes. They just haven't been able to digitally simulate that warmth you get from analog circuits.
I have to say, my little second generation MG15DFX amp gets close to the sound of a tube amp, while being fairly cheap (and solid state so you can toss it around a bit). It's also loud and small. It and the newer 30's (although not necessarily all of the newer 15s) sound very good due to the FDD circuits. Strangely nice for recording (and of course you can use PAs and other things for an even bigger sound).
For guitar, I guess I've really found miking up amps to be preferable than direct, due to the difference in response you get through the amp circuits, gain, etc. I have gotten some great results plugging acoustic/electrics in directly though, although I generally mic those now as well.
I'm actually a bit happy with it, despite it not being all that good. What do you think of it?
What I would like to request from you more talented folk, is if one or many of you could create something in FL using the basic samples (or something you can share), and then upload the FL file itself for us to pick apart to learn from. Whatever you can share is more than welcome with me, as learning just about anything in this is very fun to me.
As always mods, feel free to move this thread if you feel it shouldn't be here.
I don't use fruity as its not available for my current platform. But I have been making a variety of music for over a decade using a variety of different tools and things. If you want tips, or things to read etc, please feel free to hit me up on pm. You can hear my stuff at http://www.icompositions.com/artists/rhythmsickness, if you need some kind of idea about where I am at. Good luck.
further edit: I have often found that it helps to have someone to collaborate with, as misery as they say does love company, plus there is the fact that you can bounce ideas off each other and teach each other what you know.
further edit: I have often found that it helps to have someone to collaborate with, as misery as they say does love company, plus there is the fact that you can bounce ideas off each other and teach each other what you know.
This is a good idea.
Also, thanks for the theory link, but that sort of stuff just goes straight over my head, and about the only bits of it I can understand is at the near end when it's put simple with things like "thud thud thud thud" :oops:
further edit: I have often found that it helps to have someone to collaborate with, as misery as they say does love company, plus there is the fact that you can bounce ideas off each other and teach each other what you know.
This is a good idea.
Also, thanks for the theory link, but that sort of stuff just goes straight over my head, and about the only bits of it I can understand is at the near end when it's put simple with things like "thud thud thud thud" :oops:
yeah dont worry about it it took me ages to get theory too, I think its cause I have taught myself and I dont really play anything. The thing I linked you to is specifically for people like us, its a very basic introduction.
I really should get new software. What would be a good complete package? I mainly just need a good sequencer and a well-rounded collection of semi-decent software instruments (real instruments mostly). Not going to be using loops or recording. Garageband sounds pretty nice, impressed with the quality of the builtin sounds and the additional packs, but I can't get a Mac right now. Anything affordable on the Windows side?
It does everything FL does and better. And it's so much easier to take beyond generic house. This program is creativity in a box. It'll have you building your own synths and all sorts of crazy stuff in no time.
It does everything FL does and better. And it's so much easier to take beyond generic house. This program is creativity in a box. It'll have you building your own synths and all sorts of crazy stuff in no time.
+1 ableton live is the shit, but honorary mention for reason as well for a complete package that doesn't cost quite as much.
I ADORE Abelton Live 7. I've used Fruity Loops on and off for years but never really 'got' it. Always got caught up on the interface. Recently I migrated to Live, and couldn't be happier. The workflow freedom is amazing. I don't feel boxed in like I can get with other programs. You can be spontaneous, work in little pieces here and there, and grab shit from months ago and throw it into your project with 2 clicks...
Plus, I think Live SOUNDS phenomenal. You can splurge and get the instrument collection for some really superb sounding samples. The program does a great job of keeping things in tempo, and giving you the control to get things on the beat.
I am a music teacher and use Live with my young students - the interface is very intuitive to them, and we are able to get to the music making in no time. I have a Korg padKontrol to trigger sample, and of course, a digital piano.
Tried out Ableton Live, it's much tougher than FL for me; it feels like editing your drums and whatnot is much more difficult than in FL, especially since a lot of it for me is trial and error at the moment.
Anyway, still looking for people to create some basic stuff in FL to share the file so that I may pick it apart. Something I would love to learn is how to make the basic psytrance sound, and possibly hardstyle/jumpstyle too.
Quick example of psytrance bass/kick that I want to create:
A lot of it is probably some more advanced stuff that I don't quite have the grasp of yet, but I love would to at least get the basic sound down, and how to create them just eludes me.
Posts
Bolded part: I think this is one of the things I do wrong when trying to put stuff together, perhaps you could go into a bit more detail on this?
The most common progression in a song is ABA (basically verse/chorus, bridge, verse/chorus). A good example is any early Beatles song.
I think of songs I write (rock songs) as AABABCB. In other words, two verses (A), a chorus (B), one verse (A), chorus (B), bridge/solo (C), and chorus (B). It's not always that but in my case it's common.
This kind of structuring easily applies even in instrumental music.
Your basic goal is this:
Create an "intro" that is suggestive of elements in the song. From there within a few measures you should build to the "verse" section, where you introduce your main melodies. After a few measures of that you should hit the "chorus" which is a crescendo of elements and is the part that people will latch on to. Then you calm it back down to the "verse". From there you have two options, you can either create a "bridge" which is just a change up of elements, or you can go straight to the "chorus" and then have a "bridge" after. Either way you go your "bridge" should, by the end of it, be ready to explode into the "chorus". The final "chorus" should bring in a whole lot of elements in a big explosion of sound all at once that causes people to really be taken off. It would generally extend at least twice the length of a normal "chorus". And then you would have an "outro", which would bring everything back down to the ground.
Obviously you don't have to follow that exact setup, but it's a basic one that's used a lot and a good framework to start from.
Here's a good example (with a slightly altered structure):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kqjpoZ2C3HM
Finale handles all of the music that I cannot record live, since I don't play every instrument I write for, and I don't feel like hiring musicians to come in for quick demos I'm throwing out. Also Finale once I do have a demo and I need sheet music, I can have it really quickly, and send it off in a PDF, or print it out, whatever. The quality is not perfect, but with GPO it's a hell of a lot better than MIDI.
Protools obviously is the best damn recording software there is. I have it hooked up to a nice preamp/"audio interface device" with a Perception-200 Condenser mic. I can record vocals or instrumentals through the mic, but I can also plug some instruments directly into the pre and record straight from it. I can then mix to my hearts desire with the best damn software there is, plus the ability to mix on the fly a bit, and I can do it all just through my normal computer.
With the two of them combined I can pretty much pump out incredibly clean demos with whatever instrumentation I need. It's not as good as having them all in the room, but it's about as close as possible with current programs. This is great for when I want to send off concept demos to a company or someone I'm working with, because I can actually have recordings of the songs or pieces with the lyrics and instrumentation in, instead of having to try to represent them all on a piano or having some MIDI voice doing things.
The problem? We're talking about a $1,500 setup with all the upgrades I've gotten through the years and the equipment.
Truth. There's a lot that GarageBand can't do, but what it can do it does completely effortlessly. I use ProTools LE and Logic Express on a regular basis, but unless I'm doing something particularly complex I just try to use GarageBand because the interface is just lightyears ahead of anything else out there in terms if intuitiveness and ease of use.
What's your price range? Are you looking for just a midi controller keyboard, or one with on-board voices? I things like assignable knobs, levers, buttons, pedals important? How many keys (full size, mini?). Do you want an actual synthesizer?
Steam: Ashengor
I've been playing around with different filters as well to see how they affect sounds and what I can do with synths to create stuff that sounds even better, and it's been a blast. Really appreciate the advice you guys have given me.
I still think Pro tools is the best for sound editing and mixing, but is not quite there in terms of midi sequencing and creative workflow.
For brainstorming I think Ableton live is excellent. The workspace allows you to quickly create and evolve different musical ideas and blend them together. Reason is also alot of fun, especially for someone who is used to using a more traditional hardware setup. Though I'm not really fond of the sound of reason, especially the sampler instruments. I haven't heard 4 though, so I'm basing my opinion on Reason 3.
When it comes to software instruments, I use mostly Reaktor and FM8. Reaktor is a large collection of good quality synths, effects, sequencers, and samplers. You can also build your own software instruments which is a lot of fun. The Grainular synths are my favorites.
Overall, the best advice I can give is to do the tutorials, learn the hotkeys, and just keep practicing. Work on your songwriting, or your keyboard technique, and listen to a large variety of music. I find that really helps my creativity. Just keep working at it, don't get discouraged if it doesn't sound like what you hear in your head. Eventually you'll play a melody, or come up with a drum loop that makes you nod your head. Then you take it from there.
I don't think I'll ever stop learning about music and audio, there is always new software or equipment, or a new jazz chord that catches your ear, so don't give up if what you make initially sound like poo.
Also, when it comes to controllers and keyboards, there are many cheap, small, usb keyboards. These will often have a good selection of knobs to twiddle and sliders to slide. Personally I like the Novation products, though they are priced a little higher than average. http://www.novationmusic.com/
A couple of my ideas are on myspace if anyone cares to listen. http://myspace.com/justindesnoyers
Anyway, sorry for the long read and poor grammar.
How's the audio loss going to be? This is just a temporary solution until I can afford an actual line in for the guitar that's lossless.
Origin is the exact same as my Steam, in case you're needing a Support or Assault in BF3.
I've been playing around with a bandmate's Line6 Toneport, and it's absolutely excellent. It's functionally the same as a Pod, except it does all its processing on your computer, which makes it $150 cheaper for the same sounds.
FL would be the only program I use for composition if only it could record audio in a not-completely-stupid way. As it is, making loops in FL and then exporting them and loading them in Reaper is working really well for me.
Shameless plug!
hitting hot metal with hammers
I've started using Hydrogen Drum Machine to make beats. It's very simple and similar to FLStudio in interface. It allows you to load entire kits which are usually already mixed in stereo and then you can further tweak them via a mixer, and add humanizing. There's a windows version but I hear using different kits is buggy. Never tried it so I don't know.
Then for a DAW I've been using Ardour, which is similar to things like Cubase and Protools and has a lot of nice features.
These aren't necessarily my usual "style", but they are what I've recorded so far:
http://mb.mirage.org/Juxtaposed.mp3
http://mb.mirage.org/Dust_In_The_Bag.mp3
hitting hot metal with hammers
I had some problems at first interfacing it with my Projectmix I/O (http://www.guitarcenter.com/M-Audio-ProjectMix-I-O-103516597-i1166592.gc) but Ive used it for about 2 years now with little to no problems. I dont go really in depth with it compared to some people however.
My price range would be sub-500$. I was preferably looking for a full sized keyboard but for the most part I just want something to play around in Garage band with.
The remote LE is great keyboard that comes with a few assignable knobs, but nothing overboard. Semi-weighted keys are great.
http://www.novationmusic.com/products/midi_control/remote_sl/
The Remote SL is the same thing, but beefed up with an auto-configuring set of midi-controls (also manually assignable) that you can use you interface with your VSTs or Sequencing software. I already had a keyboard, so I bought the Zero SL which is this thing, except without a keyboard. I love it to death.
http://www.m-audio.com/index.php?do=products.family&ID=USBkeyboardcontrollers
M-Audio makes great keyboards, and they have a pretty good selection. I'd recommend looking through here and seeing if any catch your eye. I have This and it's great. Perfect size, and the keys feel awesome. There's an 88 key version, and a smaller one as well. This one has virtually no controls on it, though. This may not seem like a problem at first, but down the road you may find yourself wanting more. But then you can always purchase a midi-controller later on if you find that to be the case. Also, it's simply a midi-keyboard, so there are no on-board voices. It must be hooked up to a synth or external source of some kind to make noise (PC etc.)
Or for $500 you can get this.
Steam: Ashengor
Learn theory.
This isn't vital if all you're interested in is making drum beats (although it'll make your beats more interesting), but for anything with a melody you're really going to need to learn how basic chords are built, how chord progression works, how key changes work. 12-bar blues rotations are easy as hell to learn, and you can shoehorn most anything into one starting out and have it sound good.
Now, there are two ways to learn this. You can either go out and buy a book, which will at least serve as a very good reference. Or you can sit down at a keyboard and hit random conglomerations of keys until you figure out what works. Some combination of the two is generally recommended; I dicked around on a piano, found out what worked, then ran upstairs and read why, then back down to the piano to try something else. It was good exercise, if nothing else.
Soundblaster Audigy, I think it's a 24 bit card as well.
I tested it out earlier, and the loss isn't so bad, with a little tinkering around in Guitar Rig it comes out sounding amazing.
I don't care what Image Line and ReFX try to say, a guitar synth will never be a match for a real guitar.
Origin is the exact same as my Steam, in case you're needing a Support or Assault in BF3.
I have a Line6 POD XT and it's great for lead, yet for some reason none of the sounds seem to come up particularly for rhythm or anything too bassy or heavy.
This is being recorded into a M-Audio Delta 1010LT, which is a pretty good card.
I also have a cheap "ZOOM GM-200" Modeler. And this is superb for rhythm. So shop around. Lots of cash doesn't necessarily mean it's the best for what you may want it for - very much like real life amps in that regard.
XBL/PSN/Steam: APZonerunner
I'll shop around for a decent pod unit. As ideal as a Line6 POD would be, I'm more a rhythm player than I am lead. I'll just hit up Harmony Central later on and see what I can find. I wouldn't mind getting the Kontrol pedal for Guitar Rig. That seems the most ideal solution. But for the same price I can get the Jaguar I'm eyeing at the moment.
Origin is the exact same as my Steam, in case you're needing a Support or Assault in BF3.
Digital effects can be great, but you are right, the low end is lacking. If you want that thick heavy sound, I really think you need to run the signal through an amp. Large and with tubes. They just haven't been able to digitally simulate that warmth you get from analog circuits.
Origin is the exact same as my Steam, in case you're needing a Support or Assault in BF3.
That's true, but if you finagle with a modeler enough and EQ it correctly, it gets really hard to tell the difference. A simulation is never gonna be 100% as good as the real thing, but in my eyes, amp modelers make up for it with versatility. I use a V-Amp 2 for guitar and general DI use, and it doesn't really do anything particularly well, but it can do a lot. Also you can get them for south of a hundred bucks these days.
hitting hot metal with hammers
I have to say, my little second generation MG15DFX amp gets close to the sound of a tube amp, while being fairly cheap (and solid state so you can toss it around a bit). It's also loud and small. It and the newer 30's (although not necessarily all of the newer 15s) sound very good due to the FDD circuits. Strangely nice for recording (and of course you can use PAs and other things for an even bigger sound).
For guitar, I guess I've really found miking up amps to be preferable than direct, due to the difference in response you get through the amp circuits, gain, etc. I have gotten some great results plugging acoustic/electrics in directly though, although I generally mic those now as well.
How's this been going for you, Trevor?
Anyway, here's my newest creation: http://rapidshare.com/files/130527974/nitoffspin.mp3.html
I'm actually a bit happy with it, despite it not being all that good. What do you think of it?
What I would like to request from you more talented folk, is if one or many of you could create something in FL using the basic samples (or something you can share), and then upload the FL file itself for us to pick apart to learn from. Whatever you can share is more than welcome with me, as learning just about anything in this is very fun to me.
As always mods, feel free to move this thread if you feel it shouldn't be here.
edit: for the linkage of http://www.scribd.com/doc/2100236/Ravenspiraleguidetomusictheory
further edit: I have often found that it helps to have someone to collaborate with, as misery as they say does love company, plus there is the fact that you can bounce ideas off each other and teach each other what you know.
This is a good idea.
Also, thanks for the theory link, but that sort of stuff just goes straight over my head, and about the only bits of it I can understand is at the near end when it's put simple with things like "thud thud thud thud" :oops:
this link has some stuff that might be useful. Youtube is also a decent resource if you wanna watch someone work.
I'd written some tutorials years ago, I wonder if they're still sitting around here somewhere...
Steam: Ashengor
yeah dont worry about it it took me ages to get theory too, I think its cause I have taught myself and I dont really play anything. The thing I linked you to is specifically for people like us, its a very basic introduction.
Very slow. I haven't really messed with it in a while, but I'm pretty sure I'm still just making noise.
BAM!:
http://www.ableton.com/live
It does everything FL does and better. And it's so much easier to take beyond generic house. This program is creativity in a box. It'll have you building your own synths and all sorts of crazy stuff in no time.
+1 ableton live is the shit, but honorary mention for reason as well for a complete package that doesn't cost quite as much.
Plus, I think Live SOUNDS phenomenal. You can splurge and get the instrument collection for some really superb sounding samples. The program does a great job of keeping things in tempo, and giving you the control to get things on the beat.
I am a music teacher and use Live with my young students - the interface is very intuitive to them, and we are able to get to the music making in no time. I have a Korg padKontrol to trigger sample, and of course, a digital piano.
Anyway, still looking for people to create some basic stuff in FL to share the file so that I may pick it apart. Something I would love to learn is how to make the basic psytrance sound, and possibly hardstyle/jumpstyle too.
Quick example of psytrance bass/kick that I want to create:
Hardstyle examples:
A lot of it is probably some more advanced stuff that I don't quite have the grasp of yet, but I love would to at least get the basic sound down, and how to create them just eludes me.