Making Music > Getting Started with a Mac

[kaliko]

Hallo out there. Sorry if this has been posted elsewhere, my tired eyes tried to look and came up unsuccessful. I've been wanting to get started making chip tune style music & remixes for a while but I've lacked the time and resources. I now have the time, but I'm not sure where to start ^^;;

I'm running 10.6.2 on a 1.83 Ghz Macbook with 2 GB of RAM... I have no other music making tools besides Garageband. What kind of software should I look for? (Would garage band work?) I'd like to invest in a midi keyboard, but I lack the funds at the moment *sigh* This shouldn't be a problem tho should it? What else should I do to get myself rolling? Can you suggest anything else you would've liked to know when you were starting out?

Any posting of resources or helpful threads... or anything really is greatly appreciated

[Rozovian]

Well for chiptunes, you'd probably be best off with a tracker. PlayerPro is one. It's got VST support and all kinds of features you don't need for making oldskool chiptunes, but if you don't use those and stick to a limited number of channels and simple waveforms you should be fine with it.

Alternatively, you can get the Magical 8 Bit Plugin or Chip 32 and do the chiptune in GB, but you'll be missing out on all the cool sample-specific effects that trackers (like PPro, as opposed to DAWs like GB) excel at. It'll be less authentic, but i dunno if there are any old chip trackers for mac.

Whatever you do, be on the lookout for free resources, use google a lot, read and listen to guides and tutorials, compare your music to al kinds of music you come across, remember that you probably suck, always try to understand all feedback even if you don't agree with it, and most importantly: have fun.

Also, come hang out at the Workshop forum here on ocr. If you have quesions, ask; read the threads, show us your work, etc. Welcome to ocr.

[kaliko]

Ah thanks! I was debating on one for my gameboy, but that was my fear about that kind of software (not the same amount of control and missing out on features). I'l look into PPro When I have something to show, I'll definitely post it! Constructive criticism can only help me get better /nod

[Nabeel Ansari]

Hallo out there. Sorry if this has been posted elsewhere, my tired eyes tried to look and came up unsuccessful. I've been wanting to get started making chip tune style music & remixes for a while but I've lacked the time and resources. I now have the time, but I'm not sure where to start ^^;;

I'm running 10.6.2 on a 1.83 Ghz Macbook with 2 GB of RAM... I have no other music making tools besides Garageband. What kind of software should I look for? (Would garage band work?) I'd like to invest in a midi keyboard, but I lack the funds at the moment *sigh* This shouldn't be a problem tho should it? What else should I do to get myself rolling? Can you suggest anything else you would've liked to know when you were starting out?

Any posting of resources or helpful threads... or anything really is greatly appreciated

I'm not even sure if you can compose anything in Garageband. I think it's only for recording things and putting them together. Also, to me, the overall interface is pretty weird.

I don't make chiptune style music, so I can't really suggest anything, but I can help you by saying Garageband should be the last thing you'd want to use.

[Nase]

nah, you can compose in garageband. It has midi and AU (a mac only virtual instrument format) support, and with a wrapper you should be able to load VSTs (a mac+pc virtual instrument format) too.

I didn't like it much either after a quick test, but it can definitely get the job done.

[Nabeel Ansari]

nah, you can compose in garageband. It has midi and AU (a mac only virtual instrument format) support, and with a wrapper you should be able to load VSTs (a mac+pc virtual instrument format) too.

I didn't like it much either after a quick test, but it can definitely get the job done.

Wait so Garageband can load stuff like EWQL and KORE player?

Wow at the Apple store Garageband looked so confusing to use. I couldn't find a piano roll to make my own melody. I wanted to make one but sadly I had to leave and couldn't explore much. xD

[Rozovian]

Wait so Garageband can load stuff like EWQL and KORE player?

Wow at the Apple store Garageband looked so confusing to use. I couldn't find a piano roll to make my own melody. I wanted to make one but sadly I had to leave and couldn't explore much. xD

If ppl can get remixes done in GB (even in older versions) on ocr, it's good enough for ocr.

GB uses a lot of command-click and double-clicking, plus a neat single-window interface (which works for GB but _NOT_ for Logic. esp. on a laptop). Yes you can load AU format plugins, yes you can import midi, yes you can write your own notes. It's limited, but it's not a looping toy. You can make your own music with it. That is, btw, one of my personal challenges - get a remix on ocr using only GB and free or GB-included plugins.