Forums - Computer music & technology
Subject: Total amateur! Help me setup!
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Original Message 1/25 25-Nov-03 @ 05:50 PM - Total amateur! Help me setup!
Badmanspirits@aol.com
Message 2/25 25-Nov-03 @ 06:34 PM - RE: Total amateur! Help me setup!
you need:
sequencer (cubase is one, logic, performer, sonar, yamaha RS7000, akai MPC series)
sounds (synths and or a sampler. a sampler is a good way to start)
a controller keyboard
a way to record/mix/burn cds (a PC/MAC with a good audio interface)
you can do it all with software, all hardware, or a combination of both. If youre PC savvy then SW is the way to go, if you dont know how to work out PC problems on your own, then HW is a better starting point perhaps
Message 3/25 25-Nov-03 @ 06:35 PM - RE: Total amateur! Help me setup!
Best advice I can give you.
-Craig
Message 4/25 25-Nov-03 @ 08:29 PM - RE: Total amateur! Help me setup!
good point
also check out Sound on Sound website...
Message 5/25 26-Nov-03 @ 09:20 AM - RE: Total amateur! Help me setup!
There is loadsa free sequencers, syths and samplers availble through this mag and across the web. And they are not low quality either. In fact if you can find a copy of Computermusic where you are they include a decent set of these on the free CD with each mag + guides etc.
If I remember back to my days as I started out, SOS (although an excellent mag and resource which I now buy monthly) can blow your mind a little .
Good luck mate.
Message 6/25 26-Nov-03 @ 03:04 PM - RE: Total amateur! Help me setup!
frankly you can chuck out good drum and bass with either a PC and a few freebie softwares plus a host sequencer (which can start low in price for something like Orion or Fruity etc)
or you could do it with a few bits of outboard
___________________________________
I had an idea for a script once. It's basically Jaws except when the guys in the boat are going after Jaws, they look around and there's an even bigger Jaws. The guys have to team up with Jaws to get Bigger Jaws.... I call it... Big Jaws!!!
Message 7/25 26-Nov-03 @ 06:33 PM - RE: Total amateur! Help me setup!
I wanna do d'n'b/jungle and I think (hope) I've been DJing long enough to know what sounds pukka. I just need something that's simpleish to get to grips with. Is it Cubase that I'm looking for? I've also heard a little about Fruity Loops. Crackin name but any good?
Message 8/25 26-Nov-03 @ 07:51 PM - RE: Total amateur! Help me setup!
For now I would concentrate on software. Read all you can about the software that's available. There are many classes of software music applications. Something like Kontact or Pro-52 is a plug-in software synth, which require host sequencers to use. Fruity Loops and Acid are compositional tools that are fairly easy to work with for building songs out of loops or hosting plug-in synths. Stuff like Reason or Project-5 are kind of all-in-one sequencing and synth apps, a step up from Fruity and Acid. Sonar, Cubase, and Logic are big packages. They have features for doing things like recording guitar bands and the like.
You should read enough about all the stuff above until you can identify what kind of software a particular package is, how it fits into the picture, and whether or not you have a use for enough of the features it provides to know if you need it or not.
I'm not trying to turn you off like "You gotta know all this shit"! I'm trying to help you find the knowlege to make informed decisions so you don't waste money or give up trying because you bought something too complex.
-Craig
PS - If I were to take the extreme easy way and just recommend something to you, I would advise you to look at Project-5 or Reason.
Message 9/25 26-Nov-03 @ 07:58 PM - RE: Total amateur! Help me setup!
but all the classic Drum N Bass was done with midi and some synths and samplers
Message 10/25 26-Nov-03 @ 08:54 PM - RE: Total amateur! Help me setup!
Message 11/25 26-Nov-03 @ 10:58 PM - RE: Total amateur! Help me setup!
PS What's a host sequencer?
Message 12/25 27-Nov-03 @ 12:25 AM - RE: Total amateur! Help me setup!
cut-up audio is surely a big part of drum&bass ?? - it's that sound you get when the part is choopped into bits - like the reverb suddenly changing/glitching at the edit point etc
Message 13/25 27-Nov-03 @ 12:42 AM - RE: Total amateur! Help me setup!
Message 14/25 27-Nov-03 @ 02:04 PM - RE: Total amateur! Help me setup!
people like Aphex twin use cut-ups for example - making original beats using samples/sampler and other instruments, then recording them as audio and chopping the audio up and arranging it into chunks etc - that is the oriigin of jungle & drum&bass - it originated in the Uk being created on old audio programmes like SAW 4-TRACK
You don't HAVE to make drum&bass that way - you can do it fine using only VSTI's in programmes like Project5 or REASON or ORION or FRUITY-LOOPS PRO etc - but, the cut-up technique gives it that extra edge to some peoples ears.
___________________________________
I had an idea for a script once. It's basically Jaws except when the guys in the boat are going after Jaws, they look around and there's an even bigger Jaws. The guys have to team up with Jaws to get Bigger Jaws.... I call it... Big Jaws!!!
Message 15/25 27-Nov-03 @ 03:33 PM - RE: Total amateur! Help me setup!
That being said. Stick around here for a while and read some of the posts. If something doesn't make sense, ask what it means. Just don't go out and buy stuff without having a clue first. That's not a good way to do it.
There are a bunch of different ways to produce drum and bass. Like was said earlier, folks used to take beats of records, sample the beat, the chop it up and rearrange it. It was tedious but the results speak for themselves. Since technology has improved in the last 10 years, folks are doing more and more on their computers. There's lots of good s/w out there for free or shareware that will get you started. Just keep in mind that it takes a long time to be able to actually MAKE good music - in spite of your experience. Just because you know a good beat when you hear it does mean you can recreate it - unless you are the second coming, or something. Just be patient, take your time, and learn as much as you can. This website is as good source of info as you will find. Just don't start talking politics.
Message 17/25 05-Dec-03 @ 02:39 PM - RE: Total amateur! Help me setup!
Anyway.....
fruityloops
Acid 4
Soundforge
Fruity is great to make your own loops (drums and synth) and sounds from scratch. I use soundforge as a sampler basically (although it isn't actually a sampler - not that i see any difference). I use it to sample sounds and make loops from MP3's and CDs etc. I use Acid to sequence everything together, by saving the loops/sounds i've made in fruity/soundforge and exporting them into Acid. Thats basic stuff that you'll get to grips with in no time. Then you'll move onto learning about the effects and twiddling all the knobs in fruityloops to make different sounds etc!! Its fun once you get past the first few times of total bewilderment (even the most basic stuff is confusing at first).... But really, its just about easy enough for a beginner to learn a lot.
I'm all pretty new to it myself, but i hope the above helps.
Message 18/25 09-Dec-03 @ 11:02 AM - RE: Total amateur! Help me setup!
Message 19/25 23-Jan-04 @ 12:32 PM - RE: Total amateur! Help me setup!
Message 20/25 23-Jan-04 @ 12:48 PM - RE: Total amateur! Help me setup!
Message 21/25 23-Jan-04 @ 01:04 PM - RE: Total amateur! Help me setup!
Message 23/25 23-Jan-04 @ 04:17 PM Edit: 23-Jan-04 | 04:25 PM - RE: Total amateur! Help me setup!
FACT of the matter is, PCs are a viable (AND MORE COST EFFECTIVE) means on which to run your DAW of choice and to come in here banging on about go mac only, "PCs belong in an office etc."
[yawn]
..more "my computer is better than your computer" blather which is getting pretty boring now... Its obvious you've had good results with your mac system.. bravo mate.. I'm happy for you and now everyone else knows too.. There's mac heads and PC heads and linux heads and hardware heads and Atari ST heads and Amiga heads alike here, you're not impressing anyone.. (whether that's your intention or not)
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