[Jim Paradise]

Amidst many forms of music, I happen to enjoy a range of electronic music, but it is the not the style the write. However, at some point in the future I think it would be fun and intersting to dable in making some electronic music and hopefully incorporating it into some of my current music. So, my very broad question is this: what are some of the good programs and setups for making decent electronic music using a Powerbook?

[Randman]

Uhh, GarageBand.

[analogika]

If you're seriously thinking of creating loop-based electronic music (dance stuff) without the usual outboard studio hardware, then Propellerheads' REASON is your thing.

Kinda heavy at first if you have absolutely no clue about studio tech, since the whole thing is set up as a virtual studio. Expect to have to learn about samplers, drum machines, compressors, various FX units, analog synths, etc., etc., etc., and how they are generally interconnected in a "real" studio, since that is what Reason attempts to present on screen (right down to flipping the rack around and pulling cables between the boxes to patch them together).

If you just want to dabble about a bit, then fiddle with GarageBand, as Randman suggested.

[xanderwilson]

There's also Soundtrack. I used it to replace Acid Pro from my Windows days.

Alex.

[jamil5454]

Ableton Live!

[Stradlater]

Originally posted by analogika:
Propellerheads' REASON

2nded.

[Mr. Blur]

another vote for Reason....and if you are also interested in real analog synthesis have a look at the software synths put out by Arturia - their Moog Modular, MiniMoog and Arp2600 are great fun.... http://www.arturia.com/

[fisherKing]

reason.
u can do some astonishing synth stuff with it (and sampling etc)


btw, when you say "electronic music", what exactly does that mean to you?

[anthonyvthc]

Originally posted by fisherKing:
reason.
u can do some astonishing synth stuff with it (and sampling etc)


btw, when you say "electronic music", what exactly does that mean to you?

Yeah, good question. Are we talking Aphex Twin or Stockhausen?

[Jim Paradise]

Thanks for the replies everyone! Reason seems to be the way to go it seems.

When I say electronic, I'm using it as a very blanket statement as I could list off a long list of people I enjoy (and that I'm sure many of you enjoy), but the point would be to just expirement and see what I could come up with as that's just the way to go about it with music.

[Jim Paradise]

*bump*

Is it possible to control Reason with a midi keyboard or mixer? I was at a friends concert recently and he was controlling the program he was using (it wasn't a Mac and I didn't catch the program) a midi keyboard to control about five different mics, the effects, etc.

[analogika]

yes.

if you get something like the m-audio oxygen 8 or a kenton pocket controller or whatever, you can use the faders/pots on those controllers to apply to various parameters in reason.

[Jim Paradise]

Originally Posted by analogika

yes.

if you get something like the m-audio oxygen 8 or a kenton pocket controller or whatever, you can use the faders/pots on those controllers to apply to various parameters in reason.

Thank you.

[analogika]

Actually, Reason is the primary reason why most of those controller boxes exist at all.

[fisherKing]

reason really is an amazing program. i've even done a full remix in it (bringing vocal sound into the sampler.

there's more there to explore than u will ever have time for...