Music making/editing programs

[Yamaneko]

My brother uses a combination of Reason 2.5 (which lacks VST support) and Nuendo. I wouldn't touch that Sony stuff with a ten foot pole.

[ZeZipster]

I wouldn't touch that Sony stuff with a ten foot pole.

It's a good learning ground. And by that I mean it's almost completely idiot-proof. That means alot coming from me. I'm on to bigger and better things now though.

[IceAngel]

I only use Cubase SX.... not a lot to offer on there .... ok for sequencing i guess....

[eestlinc]

Cubase is basically a cheaper and less powerful version of Nuendo.

[Samuraid]

My brother uses a combination of Reason 2.5 (which lacks VST support) and Nuendo. I wouldn't touch that Sony stuff with a ten foot pole.

The only Sony stuff I'm willing to touch is SoundForge and CD Architect. In their respective fields, they are 2 amazing pieces of software.

Most of Sony's other software is easily dwarfed by other products out there.

[-N-]

I used to use Logic Pro, but my friend took back the USB key necessary to use it and so now I can't use it anymore. :\ Too bad, because it really was a great program. Now I use Finale 2006 (thanks nik!) to compose, as well as record input from my USB keyboard, and it works great, it just screws up the notation when I input from a keyboard. I didn't realize it still stored it as I played it until later. I tried FL Studio and it's interface is nasty. I didn't like it at all.

Oh, and who could forget Csound? My god that program can do exponentially more than any other sound software program in existence. It is the best in terms of functionality, open source, versatility, and flexibility, but oh man the learning curve is steep as hell.

[ZeZipster]

Ok, this question might seem really weird.. but which program is unproffessional? Like I can pretty much make a techno song with synthesized voices and all in Fruity Loops (FL studio?) but I don't know how people actually make songs? Like if I publish a pure FL song as in no original material I personally played on an instrument and put in a demo or whatever, will some DJ backhand me and tell me to get that <img src="/xxx.gif"><img src="/xxx.gif"><img src="/xxx.gif"><img src="/xxx.gif"> outta his junk?

Do you have to use Pro Tools to get any credibility is what I'm asking I suppose. That and are prerendered loops/whatnot professional? Uhh.. yeah I should probably stop asking much question and just test the water out for myself, huh? The problem I'm facing is that I'm not planning on pursuing a career in music and have no place for training.

[Samuraid]

The truth is, it doesn't matter what you use. It ultimately matters what results you get. Anyone who rejects fine musical work simply on the grounds that it isn't made with protools is a snob.

[eestlinc]

I know some people with tons of "professional" programs who still use Fruity Loops.

Csound is great, but it's more a synthesis program and you really have to know what you're doing. Of course that means you have much more power if you know how to get things done.

[Yamaneko]

FL is good maybe for a first album, but you won't want to make a career out of using it. I haven't kept up with the product in years, but the plugins and generators seemed limited. The cool thing though, is that you can use the interface in other VSTi's, thus extending its functionality.

[eestlinc]

it just depends on how complex you want to make something.

[Yamaneko]

I'm not particularly fond of generic techno or trance.

[eestlinc]

well me neither, but if that's all you want to do then fruity loops works fine.

[ZeZipster]

Heh, I like how generic techno was EXACTLY what I made. I'm checking out Cubase and Reason now. The plugins for all of them should be compatible right? It's all VST 3.whatever? FL Studio feels like it doesn't give much individuality to songs, but I really like the Slayer VST and speech synthesizer it has... Although I used the templates to make some stuff so that could be an attribute of the unoriginality.

[Perducci]

Audacity and Fruity Loops.