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Draco · Sep 15, 2003, 08:06 PM

I'm going to be getting my first Mac soon and I'm really interested in what software is available for Audio production, and mixing. Specifically something that might be good for creating electronic/trance music. I guess I'm looking for something similar to SonicFoundry's "Acid" software, but for OS X.

Thanks...

Spheric Harlot · Sep 15, 2003, 08:22 PM

Check out Propellerheads' Reason 2.5.

Draco · Sep 15, 2003, 08:37 PM

Hmmm... I was just reading about Apple's own "Soundtrack" software, that looks promising. Also Logic looks pretty cool, but probably pretty excessive for me, not to mention it's $700

fisherKing · Sep 15, 2003, 09:16 PM

DEFINATELY check out reason 2.5...
and explore the "digital video & audio" forum here at macnn...lotsa useful (&useless

) opinions...

hmurchison2001 · Sep 15, 2003, 10:14 PM

But you mention something like Acid and that's a Loop Based tool. Reason is not. Therefore my recommendation would be that you check out

Ableton's Live. A loop based tool that goes beyond Acid in many ways. Theres is a beta that you can download for 3.0 which has some nifty features.

www.ableton.com

dialo · Sep 15, 2003, 10:23 PM

Originally posted by hmurchison2001:
But you mention something like Acid and that's a Loop Based tool. Reason is not. Therefore my recommendation would be that you check out

Ableton's Live. A loop based tool that goes beyond Acid in many ways. Theres is a beta that you can download for 3.0 which has some nifty features.

www.ableton.com

Reason's not loop based? I know what you are trying to say and all, but reason is about as loop based as you can get.

Draco, soundtrack doesn't have midi and Live is just weird. It's really easy to make trance-type music with reason and it's cheap, so I would say go with that. It certainly is the best value for your money considering how versatile it is. Your right that logic is expensive, but if you get serious about music you will certainly want use it as your sequencer.

Draco · Sep 15, 2003, 11:53 PM

Thanks guys.

Reasons cheap? The website said it was $450... that's not cheap to me

Maybe I can score a copy off ebay...

Nonsuch · Sep 16, 2003, 12:33 AM

I used Acid on Windows. If you liked Acid, get Soundtrack. It's not quite as mature and refined as Acid was (yet), but for a 1.0 app it's darn close.

screamingFit · Sep 16, 2003, 04:00 AM

Originally posted by Draco:
Thanks guys.

Reasons cheap? The website said it was $450... that's not cheap to me

Maybe I can score a copy off ebay...

Go to zzounds.com or musiciansfriend.com - you can pick it up for about $300.00.

Spheric Harlot · Sep 16, 2003, 05:49 AM

Originally posted by dialo:
Reason's not loop based? I know what you are trying to say and all, but reason is about as loop based as you can get.

Well, it's not AUDIO loop based.

It's totally loop-based, of course, but as a sequencer.

If you want to work with sampled drum loops and real-time stretched/pitched/otherwise-mangled audio loops, definitely check out Ableton Live.

-s*

Judge_Fire · Sep 18, 2003, 01:04 AM

Originally posted by Spheric Harlot:
Well, it's not AUDIO loop based.

It's totally loop-based, of course, but as a sequencer.

I know what you mean, but I wouldn't put it like that either. Rather like, "it's not audio loop BASED"

For example, the Dr. Rex plays audio loops that have been sliced to sequences with ReCycle (separate app). It's audio, it's sequence, and mangling is very possible.

Draco, try the demo from the props' site, before you invest any money in it?

Also check out the Mac audio scene in more detail at the great http://osxaudio.com . There's a lot happening around the built-in Core Audio system in OS X, even great freeware.

J

Draco · Oct 17, 2003, 12:52 PM

I'm leaning towards picking up a copy of Reason. Is there any other additinal hardware that would be required or recommended to author music? I know a midi keyboard and a good set of monitors would be nice, but funds are limited...

Spheric Harlot · Oct 17, 2003, 06:13 PM

Originally posted by Draco:
I'm leaning towards picking up a copy of Reason. Is there any other additinal hardware that would be required or recommended to author music? I know a midi keyboard and a good set of monitors would be nice, but funds are limited...

If you can work with headphones, you can work with headphones.

A decent MIDI keyboard is a good thing, though.

Check out the MIDIMAN Oxygen 8 http://www.midiman.net/products/midiman/oxygen8.php

You *should* be able to pick it up for a little over a hundred dollars.

There are cheaper alternatives, as well, but I know several people who own that one, and it's pretty okay.

-s*

fisherKing · Oct 17, 2003, 08:26 PM

Originally posted by Spheric Harlot:
If you can work with headphones, you can work with headphones.

A decent MIDI keyboard is a good thing, though.

Check out the MIDIMAN Oxygen 8 http://www.midiman.net/products/midiman/oxygen8.php

You *should* be able to pick it up for a little over a hundred dollars.

There are cheaper alternatives, as well, but I know several people who own that one, and it's pretty okay.

-s*

amen.