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]

OK, Rysode first!

You say you can get Live and Reason talking together in OS X? How'd you do that, then? My option is greyed out. If you can give us a quick run through, that would be a big help. As I say, I only tried it for the first time the other day after my conversation with the Steinberg guy (marketing or customer support? They're almost one and the same these days), so if it can be done that would be a revelation.

Cubase SX is definitely ReWire 2 ready - at least, that's what it says on the box. I may be getting a copy soon, so I can check it for real then. Logic's ReWire implementation, meanwhile, seems to have petered out somewhat with version 5.

I agree about Steinberg and VST - it's a shame all the music companies couldn't agree to seize the opportunity to rally around the newer and better Audio Units format with the move to OS X.

Now Charlieb: no problemo with the support or patience!

ReWire, as you may have guessed, allows you to hook two or more compatible programs together. The idea is so you can enjoy the major strengths of both in one working environment. Say with Live and Reason: hooked together via ReWire, you can use the rhythms and synths of Reason, then add live audio recorded in Live. Or Reason and Cubase SX: output the synths etc from Reason and use the better sequencer, FX, live audio recording features etc in Cubase to finish your track.

As for your point 2, you seem to have a good handle on it. Most sequencers these days also bundle some sort of soft synth to actually play your tune on as well as the building blocks for constructing the song. So the Logic Big Box has an electric piano, a decent synth and a sample player (note: playback only). Plus you can record your live audio into the sequencer as well. No drum machine, though, so you'd need to use the EXSP for loops. Almost an all-in-one total solution.

Cubase has a drum machine included (pretty basic, but better than a metronome as you build your song up) plus another bass synth and some decent FX. It's almost impossible to decide definitively which sequencer is best - they've all got something special to offer. Personally, I like the fact that Cubase comes with a Vocoder and some other nice FX touches, but I also like Logic's 3 internal synths (they come with Platinum, not sure about Silver - check that out).

So to come full circle, ReWire is just a protocol (designed by Propellerhead Software, who make Reason) to allow two music programs to talk to each other. Basically, every computer musician has their preferred sequencer and then usually an additional collection of software synths and drum machines that "plug-in" (using one method or another - VST, Audio Units, ReWire etc) to the main sequencer, which is where the song is built up from the constituent parts and completed.

Wow, hope that all makes sense.

Maybe buy that magazine Rysode mentioned?