[zircon]

This guide is intended for anyone interested in getting into remixing without spending exorbitant amounts of money. I will address FOUR different possible budgets - $0, $200, $500, and $1000. This is not a guide to production or arrangement, as there are other topics for that. This is just for setting up your studio gear so you can make some music.

All of these configurations assume you have a decent (<4 years old) computer and serviceable pair of headphones or speakers. If you need help on either of these topics, browse this Guides & Tutorials forum and/or post in the Remixing forum for additional help.

Also worth noting, there are mounds of free plugins available at www.kvraudio.com and free soundfonts at www.hammersound.com , but I'll point out some specific ones I like.

Let's get right to it.

Budget: $0

Audacity

This free program is a great multitrack audio editor and recorder. It also has DSP effects like noise removal, EQ, and compression. Very useful to have.

Free Soundfonts @ Darkesword's Site

Some great instruments that can be loaded in any plugin that uses the Soundfont format. Such as...

sfz

A VST instrument that loads and plays soundfonts. Simple enough.

Reaper

A GREAT sequencer, audio editor, and VST host. Tons of features are added constantly, as there is a very talented programmer behind it. While technically not free ($30) there is an unlimited demo. If you like it, you should pick it up eventually.

MDA Effects

A collection of effect plugins that are short on fancy graphics and CPU usage, but high on usefulness.

Synth1

An extremely versatile synth instrument that can be used to make a huge variety of sounds!

ZynSubAddFX

Weird name, amazing open-source, modular synthesizer. Not exactly easy to use, but VERY powerful!

Simulanalog Guitar Suite

Guitar amp + effect modeling software in plugin format. Even if you're not a guitarist, these effects can be potentially useful for other processing purposes, so they're well worth the price (free!)

A helpful tip from Melin (VGMix forums)...

Every month, a new issue of Computer Music is out. It comes with a DVD full of neat stuff. They have their own "studio setup" called the CM Studio. As of today, buying a copy of this mag (around $10) will get you:

CMusic 1.5 - VST-compatible audio and MIDI sequencer
DSP-Quattro CM - Mac audio editor and plug-in host
Wusikstation CM - Sampling synth
Basement arts reflex CM - Loop manipulation
CM-101 - Analogue-style VST synth
SR-202 - 16-pad VST drum pachine
CM-303 - Roland TB-303 emulation plug-in
DS-404 - Powerful 16-part multitimbral VST sampler
CM-505 - Analogue drum synthesis made easy
Ohm Force Ohmygod! - Resonant/comb VST filter
SpineQ CM - Multiband parametric stereo EQ
Camel Audio CMFuzz - Great distortion
Fabfilter One 2.01 - Single oscillator analogue synth
PSP Springverb - spring reverb effect
Image-Line CM Vocoder - Special version of CT Beats's vocoder
EnergyCM - step sequencing analogue-style synth
Audio Damage Pulse Modulator - Stompbox-esque modulation effect
Betabugs audio vascillator - Semi-modular feedback delay-based multi-effects plug-in
Image-Line CM Waveshaper - waveshaping distortion effect
Kotkas Paax 3 CM - Feature-packed versino of Kotkas sampler
Linplug Alpha CM - Subtractive analogue synth with highly flexible mod matrix
Dominator - Authentic virtual analogue synth
U-HE Zebra CM - Special version of the classic zebra synth, with semi-modular effects
Acustica Audio Nebula3 CM - Multi-effects plug-in that uses convolution techniques to emulate classic gear
0D0 Unknown 64 - SID-emulation VSTi
Krakli CMorg - Vintage organ
Synthmaker CM - Create your own VST synths and effects

They keep adding stuff every month. The sequencer is not the best out there of course, but you can use all these plug-ins with your favourite DAW. I would even buy a copy just to get the Nebula3, great stuff. On top of all of this, you get a descent magazine, and lots and lots of samples and demos as well.

(TO BE CONTINUED)

[Fishy]

Originally Posted by zircon

Reaper

A GREAT sequencer, audio editor, and VST host. Tons of features are added constantly, as there is a very talented programmer behind it. While technically not free ($30) there is an unlimited demo. If you like it, you should pick it up eventually.[/b]

If this is as good as it looks, then I'm going to have a whole lot of fun with this tomorrow. Useful guide idea.

[ambinate]

This is awesome, thanks a lot. I don't know how to use any of this shit, but maybe one day I will, and I will have all the tools I need.

[Lunahorum]

best post ever?

[Zephyr]

By the way, on the link to darkeswords soundfonts, you have a bit of a BBcode glitch, you forgot to add an ] so the link goes to http://soundfonts.darkesword.com/[/url

[MasterSenshi]

I currently have two computers. One is a 4 year old XP system, that, IF I fix, I could use, the other is a 10 month old Mac OS X running Tiger (v. 10.4.10).

Anyway, I'm out of state for college, and so the XP isn't an option, assuming I can get it fixed. I haven't noticed many remixing programs for Mac, although GarageBand is good, it doesn't have some of the sampling capabilities of XP programs I've used.

Does anyone have any advice? I'd love to start some working on some remixes.

[Yoozer]

Originally Posted by MasterSenshi

I haven't noticed many remixing programs for Mac

I hope you're kidding or at least failing to find anything because your search words are incorrect ;).

Digital Performer
Logic ('s cheap now and pretty damn awesome)
Ableton Live (comes in an SE version too now)
Cubase (ok, so that's more expensive)

it doesn't have some of the sampling capabilities of XP programs I've used.

Which were those then?

[Rozovian]

The past two posts, plus this one, should probably be its own thread. Maybe someone should do a guide to mac remixing software and tips.

Anyway, I use Logic express. It costs a little, but works fine for me. It doesn't really come with a good way of importing your own samples (not that I've found, at least), but there's a free Audio Unit synth that can be used for those samples. Also, Logic is compatible with the Jam Packs, and I've only begun to explore what the two I've got can do.

Even so, using the Jam Packs with Garageband probably works just as well. You can get a lot of different sounds from most of those instruments using the modulation wheel (or entering modulation wheel commands with the mouse). There's some manuals on apple's website that explains just what the Jam Pack instsruments can do. I don't think GarageBand can't do good music.

Note that it can also import MIDI. Drag n' drop a MIDI file into GB and voilà, you've imported it.

I don't have much, if any, experience with the other sortware Yoozer suggested, but if you're short on cash, I suggest getting a Jam Pack and using GarageBand.

[Skummel Maske]

Very useful information, thanks alot :D
This could've saved me from Cubase.

[MasterSenshi]

Originally Posted by Yoozer

I hope you're kidding or at least failing to find anything because your search words are incorrect ;).

Digital Performer
Logic ('s cheap now and pretty damn awesome)
Ableton Live (comes in an SE version too now)
Cubase (ok, so that's more expensive)


Which were those then?

I think I should've been more clear. I have found those programs, but I'm looking for something inexpensive because I'm currently in school and can't splurge too much. I can probably spend $100 max, and Logic, Ableton, and Cubase all seem expenisve. I haven't heard much about Digital Performer; thanks for the clue-in.

Actually I thought about the Jam-Packs but didn't know how good they were. Thanks for the information, I had no idea I could import midi into GarageBand.