Just Gettin' Started, What software is good for starters Options

[monkeyman]

I am interested in creating music and would love to start creating more again. However, I don't have much software. I am mostly interested in electronic music, and don't really see the possibility of the need to use real instruments. Therefore, can anyone recommend a decent starting point. I have heard of a software program called Reason. Would this be seen as the best piece of software for an electronically focused musician ?

Any comments or suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks.

[rickenbacker]

Charlieb: with a USB Midi keyboard, you just plug it in to your Mac's USB port and it should be recognised automatically (in OS X, anyway). Then start playing. That's it.

This does away with the need for a Midi interface if all you want to do is have one keyboard controlling something like Reason or Storm. If you want more Midi channels (ie more than 16), you'll need two keyboards etc and thus a Midi interface. Or you could get two USB keyboards and a USB hub, although that might not work so well.

M-Audio's Oxygen 8 is a popular USB keybaord, plus there's a new M-Audio one called Radium and two from Edirol, the PCR-30 and 50, which all have 8 knobs and 8 sliders. These allow you to tweak your virtual studios knobs and faders using your Midi keyboard.

NYC-joe: as far as I can tell, yes. You could record the bass guitar to an audio track and the Reason drums to a Midi track. I've never actually recorded two signals at once this way, but I don't see why it wouldn't work. Though I have to say your friend had better be pretty tight with his finger drumming!