sgx

Live is awesome. I use it. You might want to check out some M-Audio midi controllers because a lot of them come with Live Lite which lets you upgrade to Live 6 for $200 ish. I bought an Axiom 25 and then upgraded to Live 6 and it cost me the same as buying Live 6 straight up. I don't know how that will work with education versions though. Also, you might want to check out Cakewalk Project5. It is somewhat of a Live clone with less features, but its midi rocks hardcore. The audio side of it is pretty weak, but it sounds like you don't need it. P5 comes with Dimension which has a crapload of awesome samples and lets you upgrade to Dim Pro for $99. A free 2.5 upgrade is coming up in a couple months that is adding new bussing options, SONAR's ACT functionality, and a bunch of other awesome stuff. You can probably find P5 for $160 ish (NON EDU). I don't use it anymore because its audio is weak and some of the bussing/routing stuff is dumb (which will be fixed), but it is so cheap and otherwise good, I don't hesitate to tell people to check it out. No one talks about P5 anywhere and it is actually quite a good fit for a lot of people. And did I mention that it is cheap?

I'm buying a 360 the second there is a price drop and/or they change the hardware package (bigger HD, smaller cooler CPU, HDMI, whatever). I just know if I buy now it will happen a week later. Plus I've been using goozex.com and getting a shitload of last gen games I missed for like no money, so I am quite busy. But I'm looking forward to playing: Gears Lost Planet Bioshock Mass Effect (just got Jade Empire and that game is pretty bitchin) Viva Pinata Forza 2 Too Human maybe if it shapes up Lumines Live Halo 3 of course

How does it compare to the Reason Strings refill by propellerheads (other than being a lot more money)? Anyone used that?

Thanks a bunch guys. The garritan link looks very helpful. Will be checking this stuff out.

When I write orchestra-y stuff into my electronic jams, I usually find myself playing around with one of those "FULL ORCHESTRA" layered patches in my sampler (be it a combi full of nnxt's in Reason, a Dimension Pro, or EQLSO Silver). Usually I'll write a four(ish) part line and when I'm mostly satisfied, I'll begin trying to break it out into pieces for different instruments later. I don't think I'm very good at that. Do you guys know of any books or sites with tips that will give me some basic information that will help me fake my way to sounding more like I have a legit orchestra rather than a FULL ORCHESTRA patch? I don't know the proper use for violas, what violins should be 1st, 2nd, 3rd and what do they play, cellos...I dunno..., where do all the instruments sit in the stereo field, how should I use woodwinds, etc. It would be great if the info was directed towards software music production too. I'm not looking to begin studying orchestration or spend a crapload of time on this - as music is my hobby not my job - I'm just looking to get some basics down quickly that will boost my game in this area a bit. And then I can go back to the synths and beats! Thanks!

Haha. Next album should be out this summer. It is going to be the more chill/ambient/nice stuff like the newmelody.mp3 above, Peripatetic, and A Meal for A Whale. BEAST and stuff like that (beats n' synths) will be on a second album that I would love to release 6 months later, but I may not be able to do it that quickly. I'm sort of working on both at the same time but a little staggered. I'm planning on releasing about 50% of each album for free as downloads - I haven't decided about these two yet, so that's why you might not see them again for a while. Thank you sir. I appreciate it.

Two WIPS I started recently. Both are about 2-3 hours of work so far, so just concepts. Very different www.sgxmusic.com/newmelody.mp3 This is nice and orchestral, sort of trip-hoppy I guess. Second half the strings are kinda me just noodling around - very rough. Reminds me of Eric Serra stuff a bit in the dissonant strings. www.sgxmusic.com/beast.mp3 This should get the kids in the club grindin' on eachother. Deliberate badassery. The sounds in the intro is some crazy shit I did in Live - this actually isn't an instrument - there is no vsti or live instrument producing this. This is actually just Live's vinyl distortion effect making some noise, gated by beatrepeats, sent to four different audio channels each with a delay effect (making the four notes), through different resonators to give each note pitch. Then sent to traditional delay and verb sends with phasers and junk on em. The rest of the song I sequenced together in realtime in one go after I made the loops (cuz you can do that in Live ). Structure is mega rough. Oh yeah and I know that one synth gets all clicky sometimes...gotta fix it. Just thought I'd give a taste. Let me know what you think or if you have any neato ideas where these should go. Its likely that you won't see at least one of these again until they come out on an album. Oh yeah, and I've only got two comments on my Coactive remix thread that's near the bottom of this page now....just wanted to mention that......check it out

While I thought it was obviously phallic and there was no way they didn't plan it or at least notice this in rehearsal, its no big deal. Kids aren't going to pick up on it and adults should be adult enough to deal with it. It doesn't actually LOOK like a huge dick. It looks like a stylized symbol of a dick...maybe. With curly balls.

Oh yeah! Yours. Hmmm...did you email me your submission as per the instructions? I know I listened to yours but I've been posting things based on submission emails I get. I'd rather not have to scour threads to find the submissions. I'll get yours in the next group if you can get me that email. Sorry! Yes, I would like 320 kbps, thanks!

Pocket Orchestra is basically half of personal orchestra so its the same stuff, FYI.

Welcome to SGXRMX2 ! Currently COMPLETE! http://www.sgxmusic.com/sgxrmx2.htm Once upon a time, the magnanimous SGX was troubled with a distinct lack of remix within his realm. "My followers must have remix!" he proclaimed. One fortuitous night, SGX descended into his forges of sonance and brought fourth four empyreal stem files. WIth a mighty heave, SGX scattered the stem files across the internet in the hopes that they might find their way to the finest of songsmiths in the realm. For several moons SGX waited. Finally, 18 honorable champions of the remix presented SGX with their best efforts. SGX observed these remixes and reflected upon the many hours his subjects spent toiling for the good of the realm. Eleven remixes shone even brighter than the rest. The remixes pleased SGX, however the number eleven did not. "One more remix must be forged!" SGX determined, so he descended once again into his mighty sound forge and produced one final, glorious remix himself. "These excellent etudes must be heard by anyone with an ear for the sublime, young and old, far and wide!" SGX decided. With this in mind, SGX set forth to construct a vehicle for the delivery of these magnificent remixes. He wondered, "How does one amalgamate such greatness into one place?" Of course! The only solution was to construct the mightiest album ever known! "I shall call it SGXRMX2 - the SGX Remix project." And so it was. Check out the official page to grab each entry mp3, or grab the full torrent (it's super healty, yay!) of the 12 I selected to be in the compiled album. The album is completely free for download from my page, but it will be on iTunes in a couple months, and I'm releasing just like 4 physical CD's at around $25. Proceeds from both will go to Prophecy's charity record label PMFFC record label. I need ur votes doods! 4 remixers (minus the 4 I will be sending Tshirts + CDs) get CD's too. Up to the listeners. http://freeonlinesurveys.com/rendersurvey.asp?sid=eppu75wr17dwbfu300702 I'll have deets on the CD release soon. I'll be making them this weekend. I don't think I'll have more than 4 to sell. If you mention it (or have mentioned it) in this thread, I'll put you down for one. I think they will be $25 (proceeds going to the charity of course). Kind of like a shitty preorder system, eh? First dibs first serve (what?). I'll let you know, after i know exactly how many I am making if you have been A LUCKY CHOSEN ONE, and then I shall direct you to the normal cart ordering system in my store. Anyways. Hope you super duper enjoy. My three fave mixes came in the third batch.

Dim Pro's instruments are pretty nice already - most likely you need to learn how to sequence them well and use nice reverbs and whatnot. Someone more into orchestration can help you out - the problem isn't with your sample collection (though there is nicer stuff out there).

I will be checkin this out.. Thanks.

I likes. Kinda wish the drums were mixed better and more audible. Double props on the name though.

I'm liking the new strings plus my piano. Neat! This is pretty slick at a slower pace.

http://www.sgxmusic.com/music/SGX - Coactive [Over My Shoulder Mix].mp3 This is for my SGXRMX2 remix competition/project thingy. www.sgxmusic.com/sgxrmx2.htm Some hot grooves, then energetic bustouts, then bitchin breakdown. Yum yum. There are only three new sound sources in this - the drums are new, the bass is new, and there's one new pad synth. Everything else is manipulated loops that you can find in the Coactive loop pack. It sounds pretty different though! Hope you likes!

No...you won't be able to run any iTunes purchased music on either the Zune or the Zen. iTunes can convert formats, but it will not convert from anything DRM'ed. You'll have to look for some sort of illegal DRM stripper software to get your iTunes purchased music on any non-Apple player. This is why the iTunes store is extremely lame. Most of the other music service work with a bunch of different (non-apple) players. Though I think the URGE service that works with zune only works with zune..not sure. I bought an ipod recently...I would rather have had something else like a Zune or Zen, but my car's stereo has a data jack for iPods that lets you play your ipod in the car and browse your library from the stereo display. That was too good to pass up.

Yeah that was just a video capture of someone in photoshop, then audio edited in later. I actually kinda enjoy the sound of squashed audio in some cases. Though a lot of modern recordings are way too squashed.

Can one remix Electroplankton then?

I'm tryin to finish this bitch before next sunday because I have to go on a trip to Vegas for work (poor me) and I don't want to have it sitting almost complete for a week.

Haroon makes some pretty tight pounding trance tracks. Glad to hear more stuff from him.

Well, I've got extra BTSB's I'm tryin to get rid of, so that's why I'm being cheapo and sending out BTSB's as prizes. Also since not many people bought them I figured less people would actually have them . I'll give you a free download copy of any album if you don't want a BTSB. Really happy with the responses so far! Glad you guys are interested. Have fun!

Ok details are up. http://www.sgxmusic.com/sgxrmx2.htm I gotta sleep. Can't edit topic titles in this forum? Maybe I should make a new thread....

I played Hero Quest and some Magic the Gathering...2nd edition to around 5th.

Yeah that's definitely cool. (I feel like I mentioned that somewhere already). In fact, what I'm working on has a little cross-remixination going on (Mostly Coactive, but a couple little Haven snips). You wanna hear it? I was gonna hold it but I am quite excited about what I've started. This is two nights work...structure is very loose right now, just gettin some grooves down. http://www.sgxmusic.com/sgxcoaction.mp3 edit: What do you guys think about prizes? Are T-Shirts good enough? I'll probably design a new shirt by then so hopefully it will be nifty.. Is there anything I could do instead? I could do CD's but I have a feeling half the people remixing already own an SGX CD. Maybe I can offer a choice. Free TShirt or free CD of choice.