Keyboard, Controller And Sound Card Advice? Options

[airbag]

Hello, I am new to making music on my mac. I used to use an old Tascam 4 track player back in the year dot.
I have a macbook pro here and logic express and garageband installed on it.

I am wanting to start to make my own music, mostly electronic music with great basslines, drums and guitar sounds, keyboard sounds etc. I would lilke to ustilse the keyboard or mouse/software interface for playing these virtual instruments and think I would also like to be able to record some vocals or guitars in in the future.

Can I please have some advice on what equipment I would require to start to make layered music with these different instruments on my mac.
I feel I need a nice keyboard (possibly portable one?) some great samples and software for drums, organs, guitars etc and the right sound card to get my music laid down as professionally as possible.

Many thanks in advance for any information about this. Also I am in the UK so any links to onlline stores to purchase this equipment from might be useful also.
Thanks alot for any advice,
Al

[Mac Daddy]

Airbag... Welcome to 440 Forum...

Greetings from Hamburg or as I call it: "Harlemburg".

Congratulations on your new purchases, MacBookPro, serious machine, Logic Express... Will certainly handle your Creativity pursuits... GarageBand... It's fun...

You're in the right place to get great gear, UK...

Sound On Sound (SOS) Magazine, published in the UK, is the best publication you can get...

If you plan on doing vocals you'll need a middle or high end Sound Card, you can't go wrong with RME.

Too many Keyboards to mention, SOS gives detailed reviews, Pros and Cons of Soft and hardware... However, Roland, Korg and M-Audio can get you in the game inexpensively and professionally. Microphones??? Buy the best you can afford, if you can't afford a new or used Neumann U87, Rode Microphones are decent...

There are several 'WhizKids" in 440 Forum who can help you with Set-Up issues, sorry I'm not one of them, but I used to use a 17" 1GB PowerBook with a RME Hammerfall DSP Multiface and got 78 Tracks of Audio Blasting without any real problems, however, my 17" has been retired to handle E-mails and 'Miscellaneous' Tasks... You have a MacPro.... You'll conquer the Planet and fill the Universe with your music...

Hope your music projects are big and successful and your Technical problems are small.

Be sharp, don't Bb.

PS: www.turnkey.co.uk

[mortalengines]

You are already well on your way to making music....at this point you could probably just get away with getting a keyboard/midi controller. I like my little 25 key Oxygen8 (m-audio)....there are so many good ones out there that I recommend you just find one that fits your budget: You can't go wrong with anything made by M-audio, Novation or Korg.....they are all very easy to use and good values. I don't know what Logic express has for virtual instruments (if any) but you may want to try out some Audio Unit freeware synths/samplers/effects (you may want to check for Universal Binary compatabilty). Try downloading at:

www.kvraudio.com
www.smartelectronix.com
dontcrack.com/freeware/software.php/id/7037/audio/Plug-ins/

Any Audio Unit plug ins you download need to go into the Macintosh HD/Library/Audio/Plug Ins/Component folder and will be recognized by Logic when it opens.

As far as free loops go, I love going to acidplanet....their loops sound great and I am pretty sure that logic express has acidloop support. I use them in Ableton live though, I pretty much mangle them beyond all recognition. Check it out:

www.acidplanet.com (look in the dropdown menu for tools and select 8 packs...they offer a new set of free loops every week)

there are a ton of other places you can go from there.

I would also suggest some other cool virtual instruments like Reason or Reaktor 5 when you feel ready to shell out the bucks. However, you may be well on your way to a really good upgrade path if you decide to just go with Logic Pro and that would pretty much take care of ANY other needs you may have. It may seem a little expensive at first but it is a one stop shop. I have spent WAY more on sequencers and plug ins than I would have if I just bought Logic Pro at the onset of my little digital audio adventure.

Have fun

www.myspace.com/mortal_engines

This post has been edited by mortalengines: Tue 4 Sep 2007, 03:01

[hanuman]

Mac Daddy,

Happy birthday, happy man!

[Mac Daddy]

airbag,

mortalengines, is one of those 'Whiz Kids' I mentioned in my original text to you. He always seems to give good advice but the stories "Technical Problem" be they Hardware or Software often are not answered, by the 440 Member who requested help. I always follow the stories "Technical Problems" but they just end! I'm like hangin' out wondering "What happened"?? Please 440 Members, "Let us know if your problems have been solved or not. Did the advice help or not?

mortalengines, I would like to thank you for your obvious experience in the world of Computer Music and understanding of "What's Happenin' in the world of "Stuff"! I will certainly check out the links you mentioned/suggested to airbag in your text... mortalengines, your text is always understandable. If your music is as good as your advice and experience suggests, I'll bet it is awesome.

hanuman, "Happy birthday, happy man!" I don't get it? Is it a code or "in thing"? It's not my birthday if that's what you mean... How are your "Gigs" goin', doin'? airbag, hanuman is a GarageBand 'Whiz Kid".

Yes, this text is all over the place... hanuman, mortalengines and airbag...

Plus, Mac-Dee, I think there is a rule about using ALL CAPITALS. I'm not playin cop or rule enforcer, believe me I have broken almost as many rules as there are rules, but I think it was lepetitmartien who posted that note? Am I right or wrong lepetitmartien?

Mac Daddy

[mortalengines]

You are too kind Mac Daddy. The stuff on myspace is almost 4 years old now....I am in the process of finishing up a new CD. If I were a whiz kid though, all of this would come much easier (and faster).

This post has been edited by mortalengines: Wed 5 Sep 2007, 04:53

[Mac Daddy]

mortalengines,

not a compliment, a fact... You are The Master helping the little "Grasshopper" in to the World of "Computer Music"... I always enjoy what you have to say, I fortunately have not had to seek advice, I just pay for a Service Visit... Saves my feeble emotion, had a RME ADI-8 disconnected today. It did not effect my main Set-Up however I can't use any Mastering Hardware. Gone for ten days... Costs? I'll let you know but the Service Technologist said thirty or fourty Euro. Yes please, if it means using several thousand dollars worth of High End Hardware... This was not a Mac Problem.

By the way I love my Mac G5 Dual 2GHz. It has up until now been flawless. I had to replace the Super Drive, I did so with a "Good One" Macintosh uses passable CD/DVD Players, to keep down costs. Other than that it has been running pretty much Non-Stop. "Damn, I know something is gonna go wrong now"!

About your music being "Old" there is no such thing. Music is "Timeless". Tecnology, sound and Instruments change, but music remains the same, not old, not new...

"Forgive me Master, your humble Grasshopper does not wish to instruct, only to remind you of things you have acquired and stored in your vast wisdom and knowledge have only become new understanding for me, hence I speak, probably too long and loud. Music just is.

[hanuman]

Mac Daddy,

When I saw your utmost kind and detailed reply on this question I wondered how it cam that you are so enthusiast and encouraging. When I went to your profile I thought it was your birthday. Well. apparently it was not. Then you are an even happier men since it must have ben an 'ordinary' day for you.
BTW I know nothing about garageband. (I have a garage but it is where the studio lives, no band.)