Program and AU plugin suggestions?

[zippy]

I'm having a bit of trouble finding a good program to use. Currently I already use finale and I'm getting sibelius in the next few weeks, so I'm pretty set on the music notation side. The problem is though, I can't really decide on a program to use for electronic music since they all seem so damn good. I was looking at Logic 9, but I was hoping someone here could recommend some other programs. Basically, I just want something for mac that has a lot of drum beats and synths that can be used with a keyboard and a drum pad.

I swear, my quest would be SO much easier if image-line made a mac version of fl studio.

[Lelangir]

I base this on absolutely no experience, but I heard Reason is really excellent for electronic music. Renoise might also be another option, although trackers are pretty much the opposite of midi controller-based functionality (and then you could just learn Milkytracker if you really wanted).

[Nyu001]

Logic is one of the best choice you can make for Mac. With it you can get all the important tools you need to shape your music.


Another good options would be:


Digital Performer

http://www.motu.com/products/software/dp/

Ableton Live

http://www.ableton.com/live-8


For synth and drums plug-ins there are a bunch of these stuffs, cheap, expensive, and free around the internet (which usually are not of high quality). It will depend of what you want/need. If you have something in specific in mind, maybe we can help you better to direct you to a synth or drums?


You can go to Big Fish Audio and check products' info and demos from many famous brands:

http://www.bigfishaudio.com/


If you want accoustic drums, BFD2 is one good choice and I have seen a lot of composers using it and talking very good of it.

http://www.fxpansion.com/index.php?page=53&tab=148

Toontrack is another good choice if you want to go crazy with drums. It offer a HUGE variety of drums:

http://www.toontrack.com/products.asp?item=7

And more drums, from XLN Audio:

http://www.xlnaudio.com/?page=home

[Solaphar]

I was looking at Logic 9

You might wanna go with that one. It's a really really nice program. <--- You've probably read that already

It is expensive though (but many DAWs are).


I know that if I could afford a Macbook, as well as an expensive DAW, that's the one I would get.

[zippy]

Thanks for the links. I really had no idea where to look for this stuff, lol. I'm not really looking for a specific brand or anything when it comes to the sounds, I just want a decent quality library of acoustic and synth drums that I can use that don't sound too computerized.

After looking around, I think I am definitely getting logic 9. Is it good for both classical and electronic though?

[Zero]

Damn, Logic's score editor looks mad. If I wasn't using PC I'd get Logic.

Pros like Yuki Kajiura and Kenji Kawai uses Digital Performer in conjunction with Pro Tools. I'm guessing it's not that they're better instead they're simply used to them.

But yes Zippy, Logic can do everything.

[Nyu001]

Logic is good for any type of audio production. You will be happy with it. If you are referring to existent sounds that comes with logic, probably will not sound so great. Most DAW does not have a really good bank of sounds implemented. Some are decent, but not the best nor detailed.

[deathraider]

I will also recommend Logic! I know the version on our school computers came loaded with all sorts of sweet plugins like SpaceDesigner (impulse response for a realistic reverb), Sculpture (modeling synth), and UltraBeat (which has many possibilities), along with some really nice virtual instruments, but I am not sure which of those come standard with Logic.

[zippy]

Logic is good for any type of audio production. You will be happy with it. If you are referring to existent sounds that comes with logic, probably will not sound so great. Most DAW does not have a really good bank of sounds implemented. Some are decent, but not the best nor detailed.

Really? I was listening to some of the sounds that come with it, and they weren't too bad.

[Nyu001]

If you start comparing with other VI or the real instruments you will see that it may not be enough detailed. I am excluding synths there. And I have not heard all sounds that come with Logic, so it is my assumption of it by experiencing other DAWs and comments from other composers. Let me note that I am not saying the sounds would be worthless.

[brncao]

Damn, Logic's score editor looks mad. If I wasn't using PC I'd get Logic.

Pros like Yuki Kajiura and Kenji Kawai uses Digital Performer in conjunction with Pro Tools. I'm guessing it's not that they're better instead they're simply used to them.

But yes Zippy, Logic can do everything.

You should check out Cubase. It has a score editor too. Works on both PC and Mac. I've looked at several youtube/nico nico douga videos, and a lot of Japanese people use Cubase (owned by Yamaha). Of course that might be generalization lol, but I didn't come across any other DAW so far from Japan.

Is it good for both classical and electronic though?

I should probably dispel this myth. From the developer's view, their DAW should never focus on specific genres. It needs to be very versatile if it is going to compete with other DAWs. It is in the beholder of the user that uses it. For example, I can create an orchestral score out of FL Studio no problem, but others feel comfortable using other DAWs for that. FL Studio is "known" as a childish DAW that just makes beats and patterns, but that status quo has long changed, and they are always improving with each release.

It's all about the workflow and whichever is comfortable for you. Since it runs great on mac, Logic seems to be a good choice for audio and sequencing. I used to research this stuff long ago, and Logic and Mac makes a good pair. Go for it and give it a try!

Btw, restating what Nyu said, it's generally a rule of thumb. You can find better sounds via third-party VSTi than the stock sounds. "Stock" makes me cringe Those stocks are there for you to "test out" your new DAW and "play around" with the DAW. When you get serious however, you should find better VSTi. The second reason is, if you use the DAW's stock sounds, people who know the program are surely going to find out how cliche sounding it is.

[deathraider]

The second reason is, if you use the DAW's stock sounds, people who know the program are surely going to find out how cliche sounding it is.

Not any more cliche than, say, Garritan instruments are. That reason doesn't make any sense to me. It's all about how you use an instrument that determines whether or not it is cliche.

[Solaphar]

It's all about how you use an instrument that determines whether or not it is cliche.

I'm inclined to agree. Tons of pros use East West but I never see their stuff called cliché. So just because they all use it doesn't mean they all sound alike.

Even free virtual instruments and samples can be made to sound halfway decent in skilled hands.

[Zero]

You should check out Cubase. It has a score editor too. Works on both PC and Mac. I've looked at several youtube/nico nico douga videos, and a lot of Japanese people use Cubase (owned by Yamaha). Of course that might be generalization lol, but I didn't come across any other DAW so far from Japan.

I must've missed when Yamaha bought out Cubase. I didn't like how Cubase's score editor worked, but I'll end up learning it eventually. VST Expression 2 is serious business - the capacity to edit each and every parameter of every note individually and independently from other notes. *drools*

Btw, restating what Nyu said, it's generally a rule of thumb. You can find better sounds via third-party VSTi than the stock sounds. "Stock" makes me cringe Those stocks are there for you to "test out" your new DAW and "play around" with the DAW. When you get serious however, you should find better VSTi. The second reason is, if you use the DAW's stock sounds, people who know the program are surely going to find out how cliche sounding it is.

Every sound is perfectly usable if you know how to work them. Take this song for example.

Spoiler:

Makoto Yoshimori has a knack for taking simple sounds and turning them into badass songs like these. No East West, no Vienna, no Synthogy. Most of the sounds in this song are readily available from most stock libraries, yet, not only would most listeners not know, they wouldn't even care if they knew.

I think if you can write mad songs without using expensive libraries... you have serious juice as a composer.
But with so many VSTs out there, what comes with your DAW is for the most part a non-factor.

[Equisix]

I'm having a bit of trouble finding a good program to use. Currently I already use finale and I'm getting sibelius in the next few weeks, so I'm pretty set on the music notation side. The problem is though, I can't really decide on a program to use for electronic music since they all seem so damn good. I was looking at Logic 9, but I was hoping someone here could recommend some other programs. Basically, I just want something for mac that has a lot of drum beats and synths that can be used with a keyboard and a drum pad.


I swear, my quest would be SO much easier if image-line made a mac version of fl studio.

You could get one of the Windows Virtual machines and fl studio
WineHq should work fine. and it's free(I think)