Really confused about software

[Redstorm]

I've been doing alot of reading lately about the different software out there, but it's making me more confused that doing any good. I've been playing the piano for years, 10+, and the guitar for about the last 3, and I've recently wanted to get into composing using the computer. I'm also a computer science major, interested in developing games, so of course the music I'm wanting to make would be for games. I listen to other peoples songs on the Gamedev.net message board, and it sounds like they used an orchestra to record there songs. That's what I want to be able to do, orchestral type, classical kind of pieces. Now that you know what I'm shooting for, maybe someone can give me a clear answer. What exactly is the difference between Reason, Cubase, Sonar, Fruity Loops, Logic, etc.? Why would you want to get Reason over Cubase? Why ReWire Reason into Cubase? Which program would let me compose the type of music I want too be able too?

In my readings all I've been able to come up with is the following:
1) Reason has lots of samples to use, lets you record from a midi keyboard, effects, ability to "rewire" the back of the effects and stuff.
2) Cubase, this is from downloading the demo, just looks like a fancy MIDI composer, that also has the ability to record audio. But alot of people use it, and make some really great sounding stuff, that sounds nothing like MIDI.

Can someone clear all this stuff up for me? Sorry for sounding like a total n00b, but I am when it comes to this. Thanks


Signed,
Confused

 

[Redstorm]

Anyone out there?

 

[AlChuck]

Unless you have and can play all the instruments by yourselves, or have a set of classical musicians at hand, the way to do what you want is to use MIDI instruments. For that purpose, Cubase, SONAR, or Logic are your best bets -- they offer more "normal," linear ways of working.

I'm not really familar with Reason or Fruity loops but I believe what they offer is a more loop-oriented environment to work in, where you build up pieces with repeating (looping) chunks of audio to quickly build up grooves and such out of pre-existing parts.

 

[Zona Mona]

Finale is an excelent, however pricey, way to compose MIDI music. If you buy the software (check eBay) and have a decent soundcard you can get good orchestral sounds out of it. If you don't like the MIDI sounds on the soundcard already on yopur computer, you need a new sound card or and external MIDI device (like a keyboard or a tone generator)

 

[Redstorm]

Thanks for the input. So, everyone out there pretty much uses MIDI then? How do they get it to sound so un-midi like? Also, how do you get a MIDI file you created in Cubase for example, to output to a wav or mp3? I was under the impression you couldn't do that.

 

[AlChuck]

So, everyone out there pretty much uses MIDI then? How do they get it to sound so un-midi like?[/b[

With a great deal of care and effort.

Some reading here:
http://emusician.com/news/emusic_creating_realistic_ensembles/
http://www.iaekm.org/0401_fe_3.html
http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/dec99/articles/orchestral.htm

...how do you get a MIDI file you created in Cubase for example, to output to a wav or mp3? I was under the impression you couldn't do that.

Sure you can. You have to run the MIDI data to whatever's going to play the sound and then record the output to audio. If the instrument is a software synthesizer on the computer, you can route the synth's audio output to an audio track and record it while it responds to the MIDI messages on the MIDI tracks.