Newbie Starting Out Need Help, Music and macs Options

[trbeat]

Hi,

I finally swicthed from PC to MAC and would like to know if there is anything else I need to et my self started with Music and Midi. I have a new IMAC running OSX and a Roland PC200 MK2 keyboard (dumb). I plan to buy a Midi interface to hook into the USB port and then buy Cakewalk metro just to dip my toes in the water. Will the Mac be able to produce the sounds etc or do I need to purchase some outboard gear as well. Any advise would be most welcome.

Thanks.

[Levon River]

As Rickenbacker said, the Mac's Quicktime Musical Instruments will provide sounds for MIDI. It's a General MIDI (GM) set that's derived from the Roland SoundCanvas, and does a decent job in some areas for general sketch-pad sort of experimentation, composing. (You don't want to let that piano sustain more than about 10 milliseconds, though, unless you want a cheesy organ with a piano attack. )

The really good news is it's replaceable! You can load any SoundFont or Downloadable Sound (DLS) of yer choosing. There are some pretty amazing GM SoundFonts floating around the internet perfectly free.

I also recommend you look into VSamp, a shareware software sample editor and player that has made its way into OS X, can load and convert SoundFonts, and despite its Sisty Ugler facade and humble roots is a pretty darn good piece of work.

Of course Reason is a powerhouse of sound capabilities if you can see your way clear to getting that. Good luck, and good music to you!