Total Newbie needs sorting out! (Sorry!)

[Firefli]

Hi everyone, great place here.

Years and years ago I used to mess about making songs on my Amiga 1200. I want to do the same on PC. Ive tried demos of Reason, Cubase & Fruity Loops and to be honest have been too overwelmed to get going!

A friend of mine who is recording his guitar work is using Cool Edit, so thought I'd give it a bash (Im more into dance music such as breakbeat, DnB and experiemental though).

From what I can see Cool Edit is a WAV editor (I prefer Sound Forge, which I currently use for DJ mixes to tidy up) and a sequencer, to put the WAVS in so they play together. What I want to know is, what or where can I create my riffs? E.g. I've got the sample I want to use (a bass sample), but if I where to drop that in Cool, it would just play once.

Im learning a little and think Im right in saying that using the various VST (are these synths?) that are out there you can manipulate and change the sound of the sample, but where can I 'record' these samples at different pitches to create a riff or bassline?

I hope I making sense!

Also do I need a third party app to create a drum loop? Please Help!

Sorry for being a total newbie, been wanting to get into this for years now!

Oh sorry here is currently what Im working with:

P4 3Ghz
1GHz RAM
2x 80GB HD

Soundcard: E-MU® 0404

Keyboard: Currently looking for one! Any suggestions? Do I need one?

I use Goldwave to record my DJ mixes and as mentioned above Sound Forge to normalise the mix, so I know a little about audio products, but just need the various components needed for production defined for me a bit!!

Also what is your favourite studio package? Fruity? Reason? Cubase? Sonar? Acid? Im so confused!

Just been reading through TweakHeadz and seems very good - Im not interesting in recording acoustic instructments, but may want vocals at some point.

As I want to make dance music do I need a MIDI device?

 

[cpl_crud]

Most software suites these days have some form of synth ability.
VST is "Virtual Studio Technology", which (if memory serves) was startd by Steinberg, but I'm fairly sure it's been taken up by the majority of software vendors (I'm a cubase man myself, so I can't really tell you about other software, and it is possible that the Steinberg propaganda simply lays claim to VST, so don't quote me on that).

Basically, VST is a standard that allows you to use thrid-party plugins, which can be effects, synths, etc, allowing you to buy bits of software from different vendors to get the sound you want without being limited to one platform.

So, basically any suite with VST (or something similar) in it will allow you to do what you want.

I'm not familiar wiht Cool Edit, so I'll leave that to someone else, btu I konw that in Cubase you can create riffs etc, as it has a built-in midi sequencer, which is required to run VST instruments. There's a bunch of other programs that do this, so just do a quick search here and on google, download some demos, and try to find one that's right for you.

You can also use these programs to make drum loops, or you can get yourself a dedicated drum loop program, like Fruity loops.

A keyboard isn't nessecary, but it makes your life much easier. Trying to code riffs with your mouse or computer keyboard sucks. This, however, assumes that you are competent with your keybaord.
There are a great number of keyboards out there now, both with Midi and USB interfaces. I'd probably go with a USB one, leaving your midi port free for conrtollers etc. Also, USB devices tend to be slightly more future-proof, and updating software is much faster.

As for MIDI device... what exactly do you mean? MIDI is an interface...
It's like asking "Do I need a USB device?"- the question is extremely broad.
In borad terms, no, you will not need any midi devices if you do all your sequencing etc in your software. If you want to use an external MIDI synth/sequencer/whatever, then yes, you will need both the device you want and a way to get the MIDI signal into/out of your computer.

Hope this helps, I'm kinda tired so if I didn't make any sense I'ma going ot blame it on that.
Crud

 

[Firefli]

Thanks a lot for taking the time to reply.

For MIDI I think I now know what I mean! I will prob go the software synth path rather than getting any other hardware just yet.

I'll have a play with fruity loops.

Thanks again.

 

[e-dog]

loop and midi

Look for software that says anything about loops or midi...

Fruityloops is good, I don't use it but you can even use mp3 samples if want. ACID is a big one on the market. The software company "Magix" has programs like what you're looking for.. if you go into someplace like CompUSA or Best Buy, you can find several software programs by these guys, I think they have one called "Midi Studio" which is for midi, they also have loop-based and "proper" recording suites... Mostly good quality stuff, and comparitively inexpensive.

There's also a freeware sequencer called "Buzz Tracker" by some dude named Jeskola, I think, from like Denmark... anyway, that's really good for freeware, but the interface is pretty old-school, like some whacked-out DOS era program.

But, if you used to use an amiga, maybe that would be up your alley.

It takes a while to figure out ways of making loops work without popping and getting the bpm right and stuff, but it's VERY flexible as far as effects and what you can get out of it.. something like 64 simultaneous sequences.

Excellent for freeware. I think the guy takes donations.

Good luck.


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[Firefli]

Thanks a lot! Im checking out buzz now (www.buzzmachines.com).