RECORDING SOFTWARE ADVICE - PLEASE HELP!

P

Pianokey222

New member
Hi there,

I really need some help on working out how to record my piano compositions. I'm a young composer working on my electronic keyboard and desperately want to record tracks, but want to do it by using a software package that once I download it, is completely independent and there is no way at all that the provider can gain access to my music. Something that I perhaps pay for, download and then is completely in my own hands and all ties have been cut with the provider and they have no access to the pieces I record on the software (even in theory). I have been searching for days online and can't find any reference to any packages that seem truly independent. Could you please help me and let me know if there are any such packages. Ideally, I'd like the software to be able to convert my electronic keyboard to grand piano sound. The end objective is not to publish my music online, but to have finished sample tracks that I can forward to individual, interested parties.

Thank you in advance for your time and help - I'm sure there are very knowledgeable people out there.
 
Well, most of the DAWs are that way (unless you know something I don't). But you could simply find the software you like and just not have your computer connected. Transfers are done via USB drives, or not at all.

I think you are a tad over cautious, but simply not having your computer connected is your best, most absolute way of not getting your data (which is what it is now in digital form) shared with the software creator. And yes, computers do work without connection to a network. Or you can have a network not connected to the Internet.

Other than the above, it is a matter of trust. I think, unless it is a cloud software, most DAWs don't mine data on your computer. I guess I just trust that they don't.
 
I understand the deal about being cautious. There are online DAWs, especially with people wanting to use phones, but the vast majority are offline.

Reaper is $60 to register and you're good. The full version runs in "try me" mode for something like 60 days. You can put it on a flash drive and install it on a computer offline. It runs offline, you don't need internet or anything for it to work.

The only way ANYONE can see your work is if you post it somewhere, otherwise it's just another file on your computer, just like your Quicken or MS Word file. No "360" annual subscription BS. You get upgrades for 2 versions. Currently v7 is just starting, and are licensed through v 8.99, which is probably going to be 5 years from now. But it doesnt stop working if you don't upgrade. I'm have been using it for 7 years and am still running 5.99. It will take all manner of VSTs, so you can use your midi keyboard to do grand piano, or orchestra with the proper plugins.
 
No offense to anyone in particular, but I think the whole idea of someone stealing anyone's music from the internet is generally laughable. Christ, I WISH someone found my music good enough to steal over the trillions of home recordings being made every minute.
 
Random dude said:
No offense to anyone in particular, but I think the whole idea of someone stealing anyone's music from the internet is generally laughable. Christ, I WISH someone found my music good enough to steal over the trillions of home recordings being made every minute.
Click to expand...
I had thoughts in that direction as well.
 
I’ve never even come across stories of people discovering their music had been pinched in this way. The other thing of course is that very often you will have vstis on your machine that even the same software cannot play on another computer. In the real world copyright theft is a very real thing so the key feature is having real evidence of your music existing. By all sorts of means you can prove you had it first. I don’t think having Word on your computer means your lyrics are at risk or having photoshop gives your pics away. Of course clever people can do many illegal things but to do it takes effort. Any software keeps the files on your computer so that’s where the risk is, not the software. I’m sure the NSA, CIA, MI5 and others could get into your computer, but nicking a song is a bit of paranoia creeping in?
 
Most DAWs AFAIK allow you to specify where you store your music files. Therefore if our worried friend attaches a 2tb USB drive and nominates that as the repository of all his work, once the drive is unplugged the data is "air gapped" and NO fekker can get at it! Oh! And switch off the wireless controller as well of course. No bad thing anyway when running a DAW although they cause far less trouble than they did ten ago.

Dave.
 
When you think about it, many serious users of music software are creating material that they don't want to share until it is officially released. So any software aimed at professional musicians should keep your recordings safe. Yes, there are platforms like Bandlab who are keen on music sharing but you have to consciously make your music public.
 
You're asking about two different things at the same time:
1. You want to record.
2. You want software to use samples for your piano to sound different.

Keep it simple: get Audacity (it's free, simple and sounds as good as any other DAW, depending on what you put in front of it) and a USB-driven interface like a Focusrite 2I2, and you are good to go for piano recording.

As for changing the sound of your piano, look into Spitfire. They are a sampling company that also offers free instruments (go to their website)
and if/when you want more ambitious piano sounds, they have real grand- and upright samples available for differing budgets.

C.
 
A shame the OP has not been back? My concert pianist friend has been composing music for online distribution for years. Originally we recorded his piano then, as output increased he realised a DAW was quicker as he could edit and tweak. Then he got into better pianos in the box and now orchestral sounds. In security terms his music is specialist not public, so it’s music teachers, dance teachers and people with specific needs. We used songs on my server with hidden files that had random file names and lookup tables so that people could download but then the links would expire. Initially of course it was CDs in the post but soon went mp3 and sales went up. His website had samples of them all and credit card payments. Now it’s all shifted to sheet music. That’s where the sales are. He has the samples available and the mp3 but people are buying real music to play themselves.

Of course over the years people have stolen tracks. One dance teacher shared all her purchases with other dance teachers on whatsapp. It happens. I think the OP wants total security and the reality is it’s a bit pointless because once out of your direct control, you have to realise people will share it. You could take your project file once you’ve done and zip it with a password but that hurts you too.

I got my entire computer network hit with a ransomware attack. All jpg and MP3 files scrambled and as I had a NAS, the scrambled files moved to every computer bar one which was off. I recovered most vital ones but lost thousands and thousands of files. You just need backups. They’re the key. Searching the net for secure daws is pointless. It’s not a feature anyone would want. I bought a new computer because it took too long to start up. Having to unprotected files every time would kill my work process. Who would you be protecting the files from? We’re actually sharing files not hiding them.

On this forum people constantly share their stuff. I’ve kept a few of them in my list as I like them. My music is beginning to generate some money. Not a lot. But nobody is going to steal it and if they did, Shazam would show me as the source, not them! So would YouTube and others. Music piracy seems less of an issue now than fifteen or twenty years ago because if it gets out there and somebody famous uses it you actually get paid! I’ve had more money from one song that way when it was an arrangement if somebody else’s music.

If you sit at a piano and have good idea, get it recorded and out there! Dont tie a hand behind your back before you record anything!!!!!

(Edited in a poor attempt to make it readable - sorry folks)
 
Last edited:
Random dude said:
Come on, Rob. Give us a paragraph one in a while. Ain't nobody reading that. :eek:
Click to expand...
+1 You are a grand chap Rob but that 'chunk' is just too hard to read (did you used to do the "small print" on contracts?)
Another offender is ANOTHER top bloke Sweetbeats.

I find paragraphs help me organize my words but then I AM old an slow now!

Dave.
 
It wasn't the easiest post to read, but I got through it.

I think the OP saw the first 8 posts. Now the question will be if he investigated any of the information, and if he uses any of it.

His comment of "I have been searching for days online and can't find any reference to any packages that seem truly independent." Many DAWs are exactly that! My old Cubase LE license is offline. Reaper is offline. The only time you need to have online access is if you have to verify something like ILOK where you have a license verification process. Aren't there some virtual instruments that use a license verification to run?
 
Dang it! You're all right of course - I struggled myself. I was going to blame the phone, but then remembered it was typed on a keyboard so good call.

I'll edit it!!
 
rob aylestone said:
A shame the OP has not been back? My concert pianist friend has been composing music for online distribution for years. Originally we recorded his piano then, as output increased he realised a DAW was quicker as he could edit and tweak. Then he got into better pianos in the box and now orchestral sounds. In security terms his music is specialist not public, so it’s music teachers, dance teachers and people with specific needs. We used songs on my server with hidden files that had random file names and lookup tables so that people could download but then the links would expire. Initially of course it was CDs in the post but soon went mp3 and sales went up. His website had samples of them all and credit card payments. Now it’s all shifted to sheet music. That’s where the sales are. He has the samples available and the mp3 but people are buying real music to play themselves.

Of course over the years people have stolen tracks. One dance teacher shared all her purchases with other dance teachers on whatsapp. It happens. I think the OP wants total security and the reality is it’s a bit pointless because once out of your direct control, you have to realise people will share it. You could take your project file once you’ve done and zip it with a password but that hurts you too.

I got my entire computer network hit with a ransomware attack. All jpg and MP3 files scrambled and as I had a NAS, the scrambled files moved to every computer bar one which was off. I recovered most vital ones but lost thousands and thousands of files. You just need backups. They’re the key. Searching the net for secure daws is pointless. It’s not a feature anyone would want. I bought a new computer because it took too long to start up. Having to unprotected files every time would kill my work process. Who would you be protecting the files from? We’re actually sharing files not hiding them.

On this forum people constantly share their stuff. I’ve kept a few of them in my list as I like them. My music is beginning to generate some money. Not a lot. But nobody is going to steal it and if they did, Shazam would show me as the source, not them! So would YouTube and others. Music piracy seems less of an issue now than fifteen or twenty years ago because if it gets out there and somebody famous uses it you actually get paid! I’ve had more money from one song that way when it was an arrangement if somebody else’s music.

If you sit at a piano and have good idea, get it recorded and out there! Dont tie a hand behind your back before you record anything!!!!!

(Edited in a poor attempt to make it readable - sorry folks)
Click to expand...
I still didn't read it, but is sure does look purty ;)
 
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