Best/Fav Music Composing/Editing Software

[abhishek]

Hey All,

I have just got my brand new MacBook. My band out here in India, basically gigs around a lot and we are venturing into this whole new space-dance-triphop genre that is kinda unheard of out here. We are also setting out to work on jingles for TV promos etc. My band and I are looking forward to do some major stuff/enhancements to our music with the help of my MB.

Before I get started, would like to know from all you composers out there - what s/w you guys use most when it comes to dealing with your music. We also require s/w like Reason that helps us with the synth side of things and the loops...blah blah...Also, I've heard of this on-stage gigging s/w called Rax2..any of you used it?! Is it worth it?!

Any inputs would be great..

..Abhi

 

[emotion]

Take a look at this, might be what you're after:

http://www.ableton.com

 

[scottlinux]

Logic Express has a lot of bang for the buck. It has some nice synths, and can communicate with Reason and other programs to layout your music.

 

[abhishek]

ooo thanks guys!

Logic Express seems neat!!

 

[ChrisWB]

I use Finale for composition. I tried out Sibelius, but I'm already used to Finale.

 

[OldCorpse]

ooo thanks guys!

Logic Express seems neat!!

Not to diss LE, it's a great app but, YMMV there's a pretty steep learning curve, and you don't get all the neat synths until you go for the Pro version which is a lot more $$$. I think you'd be better off with ableton. All IMHO.

 

[quigleybc]

Not to diss LE, it's a great app but, YMMV there's a pretty steep learning curve, and you don't get all the neat synths until you go for the Pro version which is a lot more $$$. I think you'd be better off with ableton. All IMHO.

I agree, go with Ableton Live...

All you need....

 

[abhishek]

so LIVE it is...

Yea I'm getting the LIVE! damn excited!!

 

[quigleybc]

Yea I'm getting the LIVE! damn excited!!

If you can wait a few weeks, rumor has it that Live 6 will be released very soon...



**edit** it was just announced, run to the store and get it.....

 

[emotion]

If you can wait a few weeks, rumor has it that Live 6 will be released very soon...



**edit** it was just announced, run to the store and get it.....

It'll be a while before you can buy it though. There's the public beta stage to go yet.

 

[aafuss1]

GarageBand users may like Logic Express, I use it a lot. Live 6 doesn't import GB or LE files-as they're Apple formats.

 

[Maxiseller]

I know you've already made your purchase probably, but there is always the free Logic Demo you could try if an when you decide you want to give it a go.

My foot is firmly in the logic camp as I can't get on board with Live - and I do find Logic very intuitive indeed.

 

[quigleybc]

I know you've already made your purchase probably, but there is always the free Logic Demo you could try if an when you decide you want to give it a go.

My foot is firmly in the logic camp as I can't get on board with Live - and I do find Logic very intuitive indeed.

Logic is fantastic, and even better than Logic, is Ableton Live rewired to Logic.

At first it can feel odd to get into Live coming from a traditional sequencer like Logic, or Pro Tools...but I find Live really compliments a traditional sequencer through ReWire...

My band just went in for an awesome recording session at a pro studio, (free woot!) and I managed to get the raw tracks, and I've been mixing them all in Logic, and it is soo great....THAT is what I always wanted to use Logic for.

But for composing, and creating music from scratch, "inside the box" Live is just the perfect tool.

 

[lawrence65]

I use Fleximusic Composer, a multi-track program for composing, editing and mixing of music using sampled instrument sounds.You can create your own songs and tunes at home easily, by mixing various music pieces and samples of your choice.

 

[Kernow]

Logic is fantastic, and even better than Logic, is Ableton Live rewired to Logic.

At first it can feel odd to get into Live coming from a traditional sequencer like Logic, or Pro Tools...but I find Live really compliments a traditional sequencer through ReWire...

My band just went in for an awesome recording session at a pro studio, (free woot!) and I managed to get the raw tracks, and I've been mixing them all in Logic, and it is soo great....THAT is what I always wanted to use Logic for.

But for composing, and creating music from scratch, "inside the box" Live is just the perfect tool.

I am coming round more to this way of thinking. I used to be very into Logic (and I still am!) but I'm finding that I am starting to use Live more in the way you describe - sort of like a compositional sketchpad. It is so quick and easy to set up and get ideas out, which can then go on to be finished in Logic.

 

[anthonycbaron]

Sibelius + Garage Band

To be honest, I just record demos in GarageBand. if i'm going for just for me rough takes, I use the internal mike, if not, I use something better.

Then I transcribe using Sibelius. Sibelius is so nice and so perfect with mac. However, Finale is universal, so that might be better for what you're looking for. I'm told Sibelius 5 will have that support.