Music Programs.

[melodious]

I've never used any kind of computer programs besides audacity for recording my tracks. I only use my sp but I feel as if I need something extra. What do you guys mainly use your programs for? I'm referring to ableton or reason.

[ellaguru]

i used to use Acid,Fruity Loop for looping/composing tracks and Cool Edit and Sound Forge to edit sounds (early 2000). a little bit of Cubase. now i use Ableton Live, just to record/mastering. very few time i used it as a groovebox (launch clips etc).
i miss Acid.

[springwater]

Acid was a pretty cool program. I messed around with it for a little back in like 200 as well. Then i got friutyloops 3 and left it behind. Ableton is an amazing program if you want to get really into grooves and loops. Cubase would be for the guy trying to track his shit out for a mixdown if you have hardware. Fruityloops is a step sequencing beats with a shit ton of VST effects that are fucking amazong. Reason is pretty similair but very quick on the fly interface.
If you have hardware then grab some free software like audacity just to record it out and add FX. Once you go the reason or ableton way, you might as well sell your hardware or figure out a good way to work em both.

[aNT0JE]

i only use audacity to bounce shit and do quick subtle edits here and there. most of my shit is done on hardware gear. i fuckin hate making a beat with a computer. some people can do awesome legit shit with daws tho.

[LAZER BEAR]

i only use audacity to bounce shit and do quick subtle edits here and there. most of my shit is done on hardware gear. i fuckin hate making a beat with a computer. some people can do awesome legit shit with daws tho.

Agreed. Computers fuck my creativity.

[hseiken]

I have ReNoise and Reaper as my go-to programs. ReNoise is great sample fuckery tool and Reaper is good for quick recording of my hardware with option to multitrack if I get that kind of wild hair up my ass, but I tend to stick with hardware these days. Too much distraction on computer.

[CHICKADEE]

fruity (before)/ ableton : good edit in line mode(now) / maschine: cool patern/scene build (now)

[preqwal]

Just forked out for Ableton. Amazing program! So versatile for either recording or making beats.

[MechaLove]

I use fl for arranging/retouching the mix of what I track out. It's what I started making beats on so it's the most comfortable/least stressful program for me. Everything is super direct because I'm used to it I guess.

[mlissae]

Garageband!

[tape smoke]

audacity for recording masters, dont really fuck around with it just try and record it clean, for multi tracking i use ardour its good and the plugins sound good. everything else is tape and st 224 and other instruments.

[Astromass]

I'm with Lazerbear on this one....
I feel zero creativity when I'm anywhere NEAR a computer screen...
The funny thing is that I've used Ableton since version 1.5 (over a decade) and consider myself somewhat of a master....and I've recorded dozens of projects on my mac....I guess I just feel much more freed up and inspired by NOT having every conceivable optio/feature/plug in etc....
That's why my SP, my ipad, and my microKorg get used everyday.

[MattCoops]

Yo Fluent, stick to your SP and Audacity.
I've listened to your stuff before. And I just listened to some of your recent stuff. And, it's beautiful. You're a good digger. I like the samples you chop up.
In my opinion, all a GOOD sample-based producer needs is a turntable, records, sampler, and something to record into.

I'm not against computer stuff for beat-making.
I think it's great for stuff like mixing and mastering. It makes quick time with things like leveling out stuff and EQ.

But I don't like the digital, computer-y sound software adds to the sound characteristic.

Some like the workflow aspect of being able to "see the music", with a waveform and all.
I think a good ear will listen more acutely to the details when there's no screen involved, and it's just buttons, knobs, and sound pumping out speakers.

[riPaddo]

When I first had a MPD24 I used Reason, which I had lots of fun with along with ReCycle and Dr.Rex. It was alright but never really got into Reason (no idea why..)

After that I started using Fruity Loops and have used it ever since. Now mainly for arranging or mixing my tracks or just if I want to make stuff with software and it does the job just fine. To me it's the only program I actually know so I'm not even bothering to look into a new program.. Cubase and Pro Tools makes me somewhat curious though, they are only for mixing and such right?

[hseiken]

Cubase and Pro Tools makes me somewhat curious though, they are only for mixing and such right?

No. Cubase started life on Atari ST as a computer based MIDI sequencing center for any hardware you might have. Then when it moved to windows and the processing power became available, they invented VSTs plugin format which everyone uses today. Protools is MIDI/hardware/virtual synth sequencer + track editing and mastering. It's big sell is that it integrates with hardware very well. If you ever go into a real recording studio, protools is controlling all those sliders on the mixer along with any gear stacked around the walls.