I Might Take A Stab At Making Music

fl studio..

really, though, get a keyboard and some tape decks. :)

  loganfive said:

joyrex, do you play an instrument at all, even to a fairly basic level?

Nope, can't play a tune to save me life - and after reading the Reason manual, it's painfully obvious I need a MIDI keyboard - can I connect that to my Mac with a USB to MIDI adapter, or does MIDI work over USB nowadays?

Also, what's a good (cheap) keyboard so I can try to bang out some melodies? Preferably something under 100USD or cheaper so if I'm hopeless, I'm not out that much... and preferably something that is not too complicated for me to jump into.

Thanks everyone for the opinions/advice - Reason is starting to make a bit more sense now, and I do see where you can load samples, so I should be able to make my own sounds with those and by using some of the effects to distort them to my liking.

A melodica is under 100$ ... -.-

I don't even know

  Joyrex said:

  loganfive said:

joyrex, do you play an instrument at all, even to a fairly basic level?

 

 

Nope, can't play a tune to save me life - and after reading the Reason manual, it's painfully obvious I need a MIDI keyboard - can I connect that to my Mac with a USB to MIDI adapter, or does MIDI work over USB nowadays?

 

Also, what's a good (cheap) keyboard so I can try to bang out some melodies? Preferably something under 100USD or cheaper so if I'm hopeless, I'm not out that much... and preferably something that is not too complicated for me to jump into.

 

Thanks everyone for the opinions/advice - Reason is starting to make a bit more sense now, and I do see where you can load samples, so I should be able to make my own sounds with those and by using some of the effects to distort them to my liking.

Ive never used a keyboard to bang out melodies (unless you count the qwerty!). I would just paint notes in the piano roll personally.

midi keyboards are pretty all USB these days. unfortunately, you can't them via bit torrent.

  Joyrex said:

  loganfive said:

joyrex, do you play an instrument at all, even to a fairly basic level?

 

 

Nope, can't play a tune to save me life - and after reading the Reason manual, it's painfully obvious I need a MIDI keyboard - can I connect that to my Mac with a USB to MIDI adapter, or does MIDI work over USB nowadays?

 

Also, what's a good (cheap) keyboard so I can try to bang out some melodies? Preferably something under 100USD or cheaper so if I'm hopeless, I'm not out that much... and preferably something that is not too complicated for me to jump into.

 

Thanks everyone for the opinions/advice - Reason is starting to make a bit more sense now, and I do see where you can load samples, so I should be able to make my own sounds with those and by using some of the effects to distort them to my liking.

The reason manual does tell you that you need a keyboard, but you don't, or at least not yet. They are good to have though so I suppose its up to you to decide whether you should get it now or wait and see if you are going to like making music. The very cheapest way to do it would be find a second hand cheap yamaha keyboard with a midi out port for next to nothing, and a buy usb-midi converter cable. Simpler way would be buy a bottom of the range m-audio keyboard which will go straight in the usb port and have some knobs as well which are nice. None of them are complicated.

there are free apps that will make your computer keyboard act like a midi keyboard, its slightly better than nothing and you can punch in a rhythm a lot easier that way. I use one called VMK and there is one called midikeys as well, youll find them at versiontracker

  Coalbucket PI said:

  Joyrex said:

  loganfive said:

joyrex, do you play an instrument at all, even to a fairly basic level?

 

 

Nope, can't play a tune to save me life - and after reading the Reason manual, it's painfully obvious I need a MIDI keyboard - can I connect that to my Mac with a USB to MIDI adapter, or does MIDI work over USB nowadays?

 

Also, what's a good (cheap) keyboard so I can try to bang out some melodies? Preferably something under 100USD or cheaper so if I'm hopeless, I'm not out that much... and preferably something that is not too complicated for me to jump into.

 

Thanks everyone for the opinions/advice - Reason is starting to make a bit more sense now, and I do see where you can load samples, so I should be able to make my own sounds with those and by using some of the effects to distort them to my liking.

 

The reason manual does tell you that you need a keyboard, but you don't, or at least not yet. They are good to have though so I suppose its up to you to decide whether you should get it now or wait and see if you are going to like making music. The very cheapest way to do it would be find a second hand cheap yamaha keyboard with a midi out port for next to nothing, and a buy usb-midi converter cable. Simpler way would be buy a bottom of the range m-audio keyboard which will go straight in the usb port and have some knobs as well which are nice. None of them are complicated.

 

there are free apps that will make your computer keyboard act like a midi keyboard, its slightly better than nothing and you can punch in a rhythm a lot easier that way. I use one called VMK and there is one called midikeys as well, youll find them at versiontracker

you can also look into getting a prodikeys keyboard

http://www.creative.com/products/product.a...p;product=14118

Wow, I like the Prodikeys Keyboard - less desk clutter, and affordable too!

one peice of strong advice. take it or leave it, but im sure anyone who has any grasp of the mi market will agree.

don't buy the creative prodikeys.

it's a peice of cheap, nasty shit that can easily be bettered for similar money.

buy an edirol pcr-1 or m-audio oxygen 8 v2.

(both cheap shit also, but at least fit for purpose)

Reason and a basic 2 octave midi controller with some knobs for tweaking, and you're set for music making.

  Joyrex said:

Wow, I like the Prodikeys Keyboard - less desk clutter, and affordable too!

It is also Rock and Roll

Use FLStudio.

Hey joyrex, i'm gonna send you a PM with something that i think will help you get started.

  ~ism said:

one peice of strong advice. take it or leave it, but im sure anyone who has any grasp of the mi market will agree.

don't buy the creative prodikeys.

WORD.

that's like saying "i want to take a stab at dj-ing so i'll buy a playskool my-first-turntable kit"