What does everyone use to make tracks?

Currently using Ableton Live, found this a really nice program to use. Didn't take long to learn and everything seems really logical to do, if you know what I mean. I used to use Fruity Loops about a year and ago and then moved to Reason but lack of VST's is a serious disadvantage.

I had a play around with Cubase SX for a while but found the interface horrid, also thought it took ages to do fairly simple actions. Maybe I was missing the point?

Heard good things about Logic, perhaps if I ever buy a Mac I'll look into it.

Heh if you didn't like Cubase you will hate Logic even more....

Funny part is after the steep learning curve... it really is logical :lol: :lol:

hehe, I'd prepared to give Logic a razz. Cubase just felt cheap (even though it isnt!!!)

Also tried Sonar Calkwalk, Seemed quite good but Ableton's just lovely to use.

I use Cubase and Fruity, simply because they're the first two programs I happened to use in the beginning (well, not cubase, that came a bit after, but you get my drift). If I'd used Logic first, I'd probably be using that :lol: They say try demos of different sequencers to see which one u prefer but to be honest I don't think it matters a great deal, whichever one u learn to use will be a little bit difficult at first but will pretty much do everything u want it to do.

It may be worth learning the sequencer that other people u know use. That way, if u get stuck u can ask them, rather than them saying "dunno mate, I use Logic" or something. If u ask people whats the best sequencer to use, most the time they'll reccomend the one they're using :lol:

At the moment I'm using Reason and Cubase. Will soon be switching to Logic and am also getting my hands on Ableton to try out....

if you're using ableton and enjoying it, why bother with anything else?

Nuendo. :)

Although im looking into Ableton & Logic.

sonar, although everyone and their dog is trying to convince me to try ableton.

Ableton is the second coming, the program is just ridiculously easy to use and easy to get to grips with and full of enough features that I'd eat it's dog for a tenner.

Still the latest versin has a few niggles in it for me, like in the arrange you can't just click to the move the start/loop bars any more, you have to drg ad drop which means if they are off the screen you have to go find thm which just an extra layer of tedium into proceedings.

I'm a Live guy personally.

Although if I had a powerful Mac I'd likely be using Logic 7 at times... probably not all the time.. but for sound design etc.

Live is just too easy to use for arrangement.

've been working with logic since I started making some music.....But got more and more problems with it...
It just didn't want to do what I wanted it to do... lol maybe it works well on a Mac but it sucked on my PC... Though the logic mixer is just perfect......
ennieways... started working with ableton a couple of weeks ago... but already I get better stuff out of it..!! It opens all my plugins without crashing :rambo: whoehoe...!!
the way you can edit your tracks is just amazing.... cut copy drag and paste.... its like everyone is a painter for music production :clap:

I start with loops from my live gear that I recors as audio - I much prefer using the live sequencers (fiddly though it is) and also 'cos more of my stuf is coming from loops I use in my live set.

I also use the free Computer Muzys 'cos it's soooooo easy to automate VSTs.

I mainly mix down in Acid 'cos I'm so used to it.

One day I'm gonna work out cubase... I don't like it, but I guess it'll put things more in one box...

logic for me loving it :lol:. but had my probs with it. just gotta download update for my motu.

as a pc owner is use

fruityloops for loop creation (wails all over anything else for that function)
Ableton for live - im not really a fan, the only thing i use it for is pattern quantizing...)
Cubase for Production efforts
Soundforge for editting

i guess the o1x also as part of my software setup as it integrates perfectly...

i use Pro-Tools 6 at college and am a seasoned Reason User.

I started off on logic and ran through until version 5.1.1 for the PC. i like logic, but needed the project management facilities of cubase sx as its more suitable for the way i work.

Fruity studio is all yer need wiv a bit of soundforge for finicky bits.

Cubase sx you cant go wrong with. Vsti's etc everything is possible with this program, i would stay away from the all-in-one programs. Take the time to learn either sx or logic, and you will be sorted.

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Originally Posted by Scott Kemix

Cubase sx you cant go wrong with. Vsti's etc everything is possible with this program, i would stay away from the all-in-one programs. Take the time to learn either sx or logic, and you will be sorted.

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Yor music is only as good as the thought you put into it. all-in-one programs are fine if you know them inside out and think outside the box when you get stuck.

i use Live and FL Studio, v v good combo imo.

started off with cubase sx,which i think is a wicked program. However recently switched to Logic 7 Pro, which is absolutely amazing because you get 32bit plug-ins. Its supports VST plug-ins, TDM plug-ins and AU plug-ins which are absoultely amazing. The sound quality out of logic 7 really does kick ass. i definetly won't be switching sequencers for a long time.

Also use spark xl for recording, (same sort fo thing as soundforge, but its for apple's

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Originally Posted by AcidTrash

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Originally Posted by Scott Kemix

Cubase sx you cant go wrong with. Vsti's etc everything is possible with this program, i would stay away from the all-in-one programs. Take the time to learn either sx or logic, and you will be sorted.

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Yor music is only as good as the thought you put into it. all-in-one programs are fine if you know them inside out and think outside the box when you get stuck.

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i see what ure saying, but if your hear the production quality on scotts tune's he's obviously doing something right

there's lots of people working with fruity.
poor workman blames his tools.
work whatever you are happy with.

my 2 cents

There is only one 'all in one program' though isn't there? Reason.

I'm taking all in one as in exclusively self contained. That's the thing i don't like about reason really, yes you can get pro results, but it feels a bit restrained.

There is no holy grail of equipment.
The best artists know their equipment inside and out, and push it to it`s limitations.
So many people in techno get all the latest gear, cos "it`s the best" and then they use it to make shite loopy techno.
Whatever you use, learn it inside out.
I use a small toffee hammer and a collection of childrens skulls.

I usually bang on pots and pans, or atleast that is what my neighbors think... ;)

god i use allsorts of software and hardware, basically it's a constant mission to learn new programs and use different work flows. for example, i used to just use cubase until the software revolution and then it was acid, then fruity loops, then back to cubase, then a mixture of them all through rewire, then ableton, then the lot via midi clock and several computers, then back to some old sequencers from windows 95 days. no but honest, if you're just starting off i'd get something like fruity loops or ableton and then go from there.

in czech language we're saying: Ucel sveti prostredky., it means result is important, no matter what you're using... i'm working just with cubase sx,, i don't know if it covers all process,,probably yes,. i feel comfortable with it now,,after a few years of trying all those ****in good things what appear in it... it's a great tool for complete music production.
but it's same as in case of all other SW and HW,. in different words, why you wanna fast car, when you can't drive some old crappy skoda,. heh. agree that you don't need everything new to make something "new"...

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Originally Posted by dirty_bass

There is no holy grail of equipment.
The best artists know their equipment inside and out, and push it to it`s limitations.

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This is so true - I have a pretty motley collection of cheap and second hand hardware, but I do make a point of not buying anything new until I've pushed the last bit to it's limits and know it inside out.

It's too easy to collect stuff you never use particularly when you get tempted by "free" software... I have made a real effort to cut down loads of the crap I use and stuck to a minimum.

Every now and then though I do just sit with random VSTs and demos and all sorts and spend a day (or few) replenishing my sample collection...

Started off with acid pro 5. now using fruityloops studio. I also have cubase but dont bother with it most of the time.

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Originally Posted by Little Menace

Started off with acid pro 5. now using fruityloops studio. I also have cubase but dont bother with it most of the time.

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YEY!! Another fruityloop!!

Been using albeton recently working on a live set which is a giggle for throwing things together but then you get half way through an idea and get stuck and its' copy all the loops back into Protools time and then make 'em how you want them and then stick them back into Ableton.

I guess it's possible to do it all in ableton but it'd be a right pain!

Recently though even in protools things are in more than one session, less so with the dancey stuff and more with the pop and shit there'll be a seperate session with just the vocals in or just one sound that's made up of lots of bits and then that'll all get bounced down to audio and loaded back up into the main session.

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Originally Posted by MARK EG

god i use allsorts of software and hardware, basically it's a constant mission to learn new programs and use different work flows. for example, i used to just use cubase until the software revolution and then it was acid, then fruity loops, then back to cubase, then a mixture of them all through rewire, then ableton, then the lot via midi clock and several computers, then back to some old sequencers from windows 95 days. no but honest, if you're just starting off i'd get something like fruity loops or ableton and then go from there.

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I'm pretty much the same. The one program I've stayed with the most is probably Cakewalk though. First used it for just sequencing gear. Then, I got a nifty program called Reality which was a 4 oscilator softsynth. You could do some really cool shit with it. Just about every parameter in it was assignable to a midi control. You could also load up samples in the things and morph them together with other sounds in FM synth configs that could shift via knob control. That was pretty much when I got blown away by software possibilities. This was on an old win95 machine. Just kep acquiring any softsynth I could get my hands on from there to see what sounds I could make with it. It didn't seem to take too long before it felt like more stuff was released than I could keep up with. I used Acid a lot too when I wanted loops. Cakewalk didn't really have a looping function back then. I was using Hubi's Midi Loopback device to power softsynths and to allow me to slave Cakewalk to Acid. The ease of use now,
compared to just 5 years ago, coupled with the number of software that exists, is really mind blowing. It's come such a way. I just started playing around with Abelton recently. Pretty nifty program. Had some fun blasting some beats with it in a noise set under some circuit bent equipment recently.

Hardware only.

Use a PC for capture and mastering - Cool edit PRO (which is now Adobe Audition).

I find it hard to use a PC to produce as it makes me too rigid and isnt fast enough for me. I like to play the track as I would Live so it has more natural feel to it.