As mentioned in the "Today I'm listening to" section, I'm trying to produce some music during the stay at home period.
I sort of got back into guitar a few months ago and wanted to use some guitar modelling software on my PC but needed an I/O device.
So I picked up an IK Multimedia AXE I/O - https://www.ikmultimedia.com/products/axeio/ and it came with a lot (like much much) software including software for adding tracks and samples, mastering software to name a few.
It also came with Amplitube 4 which is a guitarists wet dream - https://www.ikmultimedia.com/products/atmax/. So in came the ability to play guitar through my PC and record the sound.
Then I realised that playing other instruments on a PC keyboard is not very easy, so I invested in a little keyboard - https://www.ikmultimedia.com/products/irigkeys2/?pkey=irig-keys-2.
In the meantime there was a deal on more of their software that would add Sample Tank 3 and 4 - https://www.ikmultimedia.com/products/st4/?pkey=sampletank-4-max. Suddenly I found myself with hundreds of instruments, a full orchestra if needed, great bass guitar modelling and with the input device to add my guitar and a mic (nope, not gonna hear me sing!).
Then I realised, there was no D.A.W. (Digital Audio Workstation) software, or in normal speak, a production studio and mixing desk setup. So in came Reaper - https://www.reaper.fm/ - Still evaluating this but for $60 for home use (or income generated up to $20,000 - lol) it's rather good.
About a week in and I was ready to get very frustrated and had to learn a bit of patience.
PC audio especially in Windows is frustrating at best and infurating at worst. It took a few painful hours each day to trial and error but I am able to mix tracks with plugins and record my own guitar through the I/O device, with minimal latency and can even use my own amp as an input, or my own FX pedals. Plus I get to learn keyboard.
But it's also fun making dance music, hence the link to the DJ conversation on the other topic. It's in face very easy to make dance music from samples, just, not good dance music. But ok. the secret to all of this is patience and small steps. Record a few seconds at a time, make it repeat for quality, add a drum track, playing them back, add a few other sounds. Save regularly, backup and experiement.
I put this here so I try to follow up with some of my creations at a later date. If anyone else does this type of thing, feel free to share.
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I have played with this on a lesser Scale. A few years ago my work colleague lent me his Line6 Variax and helix for a few months. I played with the line6 software, guitar rig and reaper as the DAW. Also played with Cakewalk :D.
Quote from: Mikep1212;441525I have played with this on a lesser Scale. A few years ago my work colleague lent me his Line6 Variax and helix for a few months. I played with the line6 software, guitar rig and reaper as the DAW. Also played with Cakewalk :D.
Cakewalk! :D I think he does them in the hills in Norway!
My spare room is basically my studio. I have four hardware synths (2 x Korg, 2 x Yamaha) these along with my drum machine go through a mixer to a Focusrite audio interface via USB to a PC.
I also have a rarely used guitar which can go to the mixer or a Line 6 interface.
The DAW I use is Cubase which has a shed load of VST instruments and effects, these played by a dedicated Midi controller keyboard, which through the magic (and sometimes massive headache) of midi can control my hardware keyboards as well.
I also use a few instruments on IPad which are really good (downside being audio and midi interfaces are usual Apple prices), plus sequencers and random Arpeggio creators which are mad.
I prefer having hardware keyboards, because the immediacy of the control and flexibility in sound design is at another level from the "virtual instruments", there's nothing quite like, for instance, nailing that Gary Numan bass sound just starting from a basic Sine wave.
Making music can be a real all absorbing hobby in time and money, but to me the rewards are priceless.
I've messed about with some very basic music creation on pc, mostly "tracker" (I think they were called?) type applications (a long time ago in a land far away...) and have played music live, but never really managed to combine the two in a particularly good way - would be very interested to hear some of the output as I've been thinking about picking some of it up again :)
You’re a league above me Lion, but I think you hit the point, making something good takes time and patience. I’ll let you know if I get a fee steps forward. Cheers for the tips.
I record bits and bobs that i come up with so i don't forget them. I have the use of a mixing desk and a good mic. This all Usb's into a pc that runs windows xp thats how old it is. The most important thing I would say is always play to a click track or simple beat that you can remove later. Playing close to perfect time lets you chop and change drag and drop copy without a lot of messing with time stretching.
Quote from: JonnyAppleSeed;441564I record bits and bobs that i come up with so i don't forget them. I have the use of a mixing desk and a good mic. This all Usb's into a pc that runs windows xp thats how old it is. The most important thing I would say is always play to a click track or simple beat that you can remove later. Playing close to perfect time lets you chop and change drag and drop copy without a lot of messing with time stretching.
Thanks, I'll start using the metronome in the recording software.
By the way JAS, my first even Banjo arrives in about a week! Took a lot of time to decide to go for it.
So I found a YouTube Channel that has many parts to getting the fundamentals of DAW use over to the slow of mind like myself.
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLOXcoJa5jjNUkuAx8ACDDOINyXf7jtocS
I recommend the guys work, it's certainly filled the many gaps I had after reading the manual, plus suggested ways to work and tricks to help get things done right.
That's really good Albert, not too techy like some tutorials. The fundamentals are very similar across all DAWS.