Help with Mixing Programs

[trublvrs]

Hey all! I love what you guys have been doing to help with the site, remixes and such. I'd like to try my hand at remixing some music (or for that matter, creating some of my own) but I don't know which program to use. I've tried Fl Studio but the interface is a little hard to get used to.

I would like your guys' suggestions on which program I should use for this kind of stuff. I'm looking for something that isn't too complicated and comes with a good set of sounds. As far as user interface goes....something that uses a sheet music-like approach would be very nice. Any ideas?

[Harmony]

Since you've already paid for FL Studio, I'd say go ahead and stick with it. Any interface is going to seem somewhat complex at first if you are, as you seem to be, new to computer-based music production. I know my beloved SONAR, then called Pro Audio, scared the life out of me when I first bought it, so much so that I actually returned it (with a little begging to the store manager and some help from my mom)! Now, after I manned-up and took the time to learn it, it's my favorite interface.

There are probably more tutorials for FL Studio out there than any other sequencer, so you've got lots of help if you want it. Once you learn and get comfortable working with the Piano Roll (the alternative to a sheet music based approach), audio editing, mixing, FX, VSTs and other sequencer basics, you'll be able to move on to another sequencer if you want, and it won't seem nearly as complex.

Have fun.

[tweex]

Since you've already paid for FL Studio, I'd say go ahead and stick with it. Any interface is going to seem somewhat complex at first if you are, as you seem to be, new to computer-based music production. I know my beloved SONAR, then called Pro Audio, scared the life out of me when I first bought it, so much so that I actually returned it (with a little begging to the store manager and some help from my mom)! Now, after I manned-up and took the time to learn it, it's my favorite interface.

There are probably more tutorials for FL Studio out there than any other sequencer, so you've got lots of help if you want it. Once you learn and get comfortable working with the Piano Roll (the alternative to a sheet music based approach), audio editing, mixing, FX, VSTs and other sequencer basics, you'll be able to move on to another sequencer if you want, and it won't seem nearly as complex.

Have fun.

I agree with Brandon whole heartedly. Any piece of software that you're not familiar with will typically have a steep learning curve at first. Stick with what you have and learn it. I guarantee that your next piece of music based software will be much easier to grasp if you already know the workings of another!

[Rozovian]

He might be using a demo.

But if not, I agree with these guys. Learn what you have. It looks complicated, but you learn the stuff you use and start to overlook the stuff you don't (until you decide to learn those too). I'm pretty sure most interfaces are cluttered and confusing to someone who isn't used to DAWs, or even to ppl who are used to other DAWs.

Stick with it, toy with it, learn it. Making music is so much more than just writing the notes, so expect it to be difficult and try to learn something new every time you use it.

[Harmony]

He might be using a demo.

ahh, good point. If so trublvrs, then just try out some other demos! you might find one that's a little easier for you right off block

[Arcana]

Hey all! I love what you guys have been doing to help with the site, remixes and such. I'd like to try my hand at remixing some music (or for that matter, creating some of my own) but I don't know which program to use. I've tried Fl Studio but the interface is a little hard to get used to.

I would like your guys' suggestions on which program I should use for this kind of stuff. I'm looking for something that isn't too complicated and comes with a good set of sounds. As far as user interface goes....something that uses a sheet music-like approach would be very nice. Any ideas?

Sheet music like? Most of the big programs don't incorporate writing music with notation too well. You can use Finale or Sibelius for sheet music but I can't comment on their audio effects and mixing capabilities.

Sonar and Logic (and GarageBand for that matter) also have notation as well.

You know, I'd consider going to YouTube and keying in a bunch of searches for tutorial videos where people are using the software. I can't recommend any specific ones but watching other people actually using the software might give you a good idea of what you might feel comfortable with.

[Moseph]

As far as user interface goes....something that uses a sheet music-like approach would be very nice. Any ideas?

Sheet music is more convenient to read (for me, at least, and I assume for you, too), but if you intend to do any heavy-duty editing or adjustments to what you write, you'll need to get used to the piano roll editor that most DAWs have. A piano roll is much more specific, giving you more control over timing, note length, and other things that would normally be interpreted by a performer looking at the score. Since the object is to produce an audio file, possibly without a performer at all, you'll need the degree of control over the notes that a piano roll gives you so you can program a convincing performance.

As Arcana said, a lot of DAWs have some sort of (very limited) sheet music view even though they focus on the piano roll -- if you just need a musical staff to look at while you're entering notes, it would probably do, but don't expect to print off beautiful scores. Conversely, Finale and Sibelius are the industry standards for producing sheet music, but you're not likely to be proud of the audio files they produce since you can't really fine-tune the audio, just the visual score.

[brokensanity]

When I was in high school I got started on Cakewalk (goodness, i think it was 4.5 at the time?? I got a full version, manual & all from a friends Dad who had just upgraded to Cakewalk 6, anyway, I digress), and have found the Sonar interface pretty similar. It is a bit hard to immediately digest, but once you play around with it enough it is a pretty powerful tool.

If you have a Mac, I recommend GarageBand as a great starter program. To this day I use GarageBand when I am noodling around with a composition, and only switch to Logic for the Heavy-Lifting.

My brother uses Reaper, which I am surprised hasn't been mentioned yet, as in certain remix circles it is quite popular, however I am a Logic snob, so I haven't played with it much beyond saying to my brother: "oh, well that looks neat".

So, that's my 2 cents on the matter....