Nabeel Ansari

If you need a recording input for an XLR or Line In mic (not a USB), get a recording interface/sound card. Actually, I'm pretty sure a little converter box would do the trick, no need for a sound card. As for "clean output", I'm pretty sure any motherboard integrated audio is fine. I'll never heard of computer noise being heard in sound output (otherwise all laptops would pretty much have terrible sound systems), only interfering with an input. If you don't need recording inputs at all, then a sound card will be useless. Its drivers might be more efficient, but if it's a question of computer power, you could sink the money into a better processor instead.

If you need recording inputs, get a sound card. If you don't, then don't.

There's nothing more or less efficient than MIDI Keyboard input. It's really just what you're used to. I can't play keyboard, and as a result of making music for 5 years, I've gotten really fast drawing things in by mouse. Quantization is more for making sure your notes don't sound sloppily performed (takes your notes and aligns them to a grid to make the timing not n00bish). It doesn't really have much to do with time signature, but I can say that if you don't know much about time signature or rhythm, that's a very bad thing you need to fix. It's very important to the structural integrity of your music. So google away, the internet has valuable music theory guides.

The problem with thinking like this is that it encourages an "electronic" quality to music. By that I mean, you end up being more concerned with the sound design than the writing, which is why I generally don't decide all of my instruments first, I just pick whatever fits the bill of the frequency range I want it to take up.

No, I said parallel before. And I did mean the slow attack slow release synth brass leaping fifths. BUT I EDITED SO YOU GUYS STOP BOTHERING ME FOR IT.

Bahahhaahahahah I think he meant he didn't know if his neck was the problem.

I usually just pick something that fills whatever frequencies I'm missing (since I always start with the backing track).

I totally missed that. 0_o

It starts with a note and goes up a 5th is what I meant...

You know, we just had a Grand Maverick Remix Battle a few months ago... I'm just saying, I don't know if you guys followed that or not.

My bad, I suppose my reply would've better been suited to the composing without ears thread.

This is unfortunately impossible with electronica, because you make all of the instruments with synthesizers. Unless you can read Osc and LFO values and replicate the sound in your head (or vice versa), bye bye techno.

I was bored. Always good to practice beat production, even if it's not an actual song. http://dl.dropbox.com/u/15510436/File%20Sharing/Night%20Life.mp3 No substance, just a bit catchy.

A 5th sounds like the beginning of Chariots of Fire, for example.

Hear a note, play a key. If it's the same, you're good to go. (if not, GAME OVER)

I wish I could do this, but I can't write sheet music for an actual string section or orchestra.

Don't ask them to make you obsolete.

If I wasn't a guitarist, I'd buy this. And if you have doubts about the results of using these... you're not being very fair to yourself.

Have you tried adjusting it yourself? I'm no expert on guitars, but I thought every combination of guitars and strings needed to be tweaked. That's what I did for my guitar to eliminate rattling. Try raising your action little by little until the rattling decreases.

Manufacturer settings? What does that mean? Have you adjusted the action until it no longer rattles? Also, how much more does it rattle than your previous strings?

Adjust your action?

Distortion may not be feasible for acoustic instruments. Sure, it sounds cool, but if you're shooting for realism or acoustic soundscapes, it'll drive you way off the mark.

Yes. nuffsaid

Have you tried moving the knobs to the wanted default position and then right clicking and hitting "Init song with this position"?

A few film composers, bLiNd, (a little) deadmau5, Pendulum, Zircon, and, obligatorily, DarkeSword. Primarily Zircon, though, I'm currently trying to capture his jazzy electronica fusion style (failing really bad so far ). And a bunch of OCReMixers. No direct classical influences, though. Oh, and Nobuo Uematsu. That guy's insane.