any good computer mixing programs out there?

[RobertLange]

hi, I have been a fan of this site and message board for awhile but I have just now started to post because I am curious if there are any inexpensive or preferably free mixing programs availalbe anywhere online.

the reason I am asking is because my drummer for the current band I am in and I are doing a side project. It's grindcore basically, but very weird, guitar solos and lots of screaming. Anyway, we live across the city and I am recording pretty much all of the guitar and bass tracks, as well as vocals at home using my acid rock program, which is ok I guess...it gets the job done. First we record drums onto a tascam 4-track (electronic drums for better quality) then I transfer the drums to my PC and basically record the song aroudn that.

Since this is just a little project we are doing, neither of us are planning to dish out loads of unnecessary cash at the moment that is why I am asking you guys for help/advice.

Any help would be appreciated.

thanks.

 

[jcmm]

www.fasoft.com


You can download a free version of N-Track.
It is actually a decent program that can support 3rd party plugins
The freebie will give you a good taste of what is going on.

There also is an N-Track users forum on thiss BBS to help.

Good Luck!

Joel

 

[Chris Shaeffer]

Yup- vote #2 for n-track, here.

Cheap, very full featured, and easy to use. Support from people on this board, as well as the guy who programs it, is excellent. Its a great way to get started in PC recording- and a great way to keep going for a long time.

Enjoy!
Chris

 

[chessrock]

What part of the city you in, Robert?

Some good advice. I'd definitely give n-tracks a whirl.

 

[littledog]

I've never used it, but there is something called Pro Tools Free (PT Free?).

I have no idea how well it works or how easy it is to use, but I'm assuming from the name that it is free.

 

[Tekker]

I've used Pro Tools Free and believe me it's definitely NOT "free"... Well cost wise it is, but the headaches that come with trying to configure the thing to actually work properly, definitely has it's price!

I tried it out because my church just got a PT rig and I wanted to try and get familiar with PT so I can record our worship band during practices ('cause the sound guy who does the sound for the youth group doesn't really know anything about computer recording), but unfortunately I was never able to get Pro Drools Free to work so I guess I'll just have to get "aquainted" with PT at church sometime....

I just don't understand why Digidesign made such a terrible program and put the name "Pro Tools" on it.... I've never used the actual PT so I can't comment on it, but I can't imagine anybody EVER using it, if it's even "half" as buggy as the "Free" version!

-tkr

 

[SLuiCe]

I'm very pleased with Sonar 2 (I was pleased with the version one too).

 

[camn]

I just don't understand why Digidesign made such a terrible program and put the name "Pro Tools" on it.... -tkr

HAHAHA!!

It all boils down to RULE #1, sonny.

#1: If it says PRO on it, you can count on the fact that it's a pile of doodoo. Kind of like when someone says "I am NOT gay!"

Pro-tools = No Good.

But on topic... isnt the full version of N-tracks, like, $35 or something?

xoxo

 

[mbuster]

Agreed, Sonar 2 is awesome. I'm just getting started with it , and I was a bit worried because I am used to faders and knobs you can actually hold, not click with a mouse. But Sonar is very easy to jump right into and start recording right away, and its got wicked features. It's not exactly cheap though. But you can get it at www.acedemicsuperstore.com for WAY under normal price, provided you are a student.

 

[Gidge]

im gonna go with jcmm on the N-Track recommendation...its cheap enuff to get the feet wet and has enough features to hang with the big boys.....

btw, cool ass user name....

 

[Tekker]

HAHAHA!!

It all boils down to RULE #1, sonny.

#1: If it says PRO on it, you can count on the fact that it's a pile of doodoo. Kind of like when someone says "I am NOT gay!"

Pro-tools = No Good.

I'm a Samplitude user so I'm not gonna disagree with you there.

But basically what I was getting at though, was that they named a free POS program after their "precioussss" Pro Tools rig, that will only turn off any future users of Pro Tools (which may not be a bad thing )... Instead of "promoting" Pro Tools like they were probably hoping it would. But I'm not gonna judge Pro Tools until I actually use the "real" thing, but I'm just wondering why they did that. (?) They should have given it a different name and not even associated it with Pro Tools! Not that I really care about Shmo Tools, but I just thought it was pretty stupid of them to mock their own program by associating it with such a piece of garbage!

What got me hooked on Samplitude was their 90-day full version demo, after I tried it for the 3 months I HAD to have it... And I'm getting the exact OPPOSITE feeling from Pro Tools Free!

-tkr

 

[RobertLange]

Thanks a lot, dudes!
I got n-track and I'm really liking it so far. Although I have to wait about a week until I get my new computer before I can really dive in and see what it's all about.

Right now I have an 8 gig computer with a good amount of memory but it is in such bad shape that it has been running in safe mode for basicallt 4 months. It's old so we are just going to invest in something newer with an 80 gig drive most likely.

Thanks again for the advice.

 

[Chammy]

For Christ sakes RobertLange,get another computer quick before it takes a nose dive into computer hell.lol...um well,....so by reading this forum,I notice N-Track is the best for affordable mixing, cut and paste editing?But but how about Cubase? You see,i tried N-Track from the trial and when it comes to mp3 encoding it only gives me 10 secs.So if i do decide on a program of that sort I might as well purchase the full version.So You would choose N-Track over the ever popular Cakewalk? I wanted to try the Pro Tools "Free" version but they don't have it in XP.Sh** on a stick.

 

[c9-2001]

i like samplitude 7, Sx and nuendo for computer based mixing

 

[James Argo]

i like samplitude 7, Sx and nuendo for computer based mixing

...I thought you use Photoshop for mixing ?