what's the best sequencing software for n00bs?

i'm little more than a beginner at actually making music. i've messed around w/ stuff but never long enough for it to pull me in. i'm not really a technical guy either. am i just screwed or is there something out there for a n00b like me?

Reaper is cheap (essentially you are allowed to evaluate a fully functional copy for free for as long as you like)

I've used it a bit and it seems pretty good. Can do VSTs and all that, obviously.

http://www.cockos.com/reaper/

fruity loops is pretty easy to figure out.

flstudio, reason, live, cubase, etc its all the same idea

i'd disagree

the easiest for me was reason back in the day. it connect all the sound modules and such itself and you can learn about that type of stuff while you learn

then ableton, just cause its pretty easy to learn as well, but doesn't fit together like puzzle pieces like reason.

i've never been bothered to learn logic or cubase, if you are book smart and want to read a bunch of manuals, good for you

cakewalk is upposed tro be good, kinda looks like it might be like cubase but dumbed down a little?

i dunno,

flstudio opperates in a very unique way but once you get to know it you might find it perfect

Reason 4 is pretty damn solid and quite intuitive to learn since it's all modeled as patch cables. It also has a really nice sequencer with the release of 4.0. Of course, the big drawback is the lack of any ability to record and sequence conventional audio. But if your goal is straight MIDI and some samples then go right for it.

i've got Pro Tools and can work it a bit, but it just pisses me off a lot.

little off topic but i had loads of fun playing w/ Traktor today.

FL Studio (formerly Fruity Loops) is BY FAR the best sequencing software for starting out. get it and have lots of fun.

cakewalk is much like cubase, except geared very slightly more towards people who want to incorporate notation and musical theory into their work.

in many ways cubase shits all over it, but i still use sonar6

  zazen said:

Reaper is cheap (essentially you are allowed to evaluate a fully functional copy for free for as long as you like)

 

I've used it a bit and it seems pretty good. Can do VSTs and all that, obviously.

 

http://www.cockos.com/reaper/

Agreed, Reaper is fucking Ace. I've been using it to master and mix our stuff for the last two years, plus it's like a 3 mb download (and as you said free too). It's basically the only shareware program that I thought was worth registering for.

i started off with sonic foundry acid (now sony acid). quite basic, semi-powerful once you get to know it, but all around a good introduction to sequencing.

I have the cheapest version of FL Stuido 6, and really it doesn't how simplistic your software is if it works for you, you can always export to Audacity if you want more Hands On design for glitch bits and stuff.

c sound

FL studio no contest

  Quote

Reason 4 is pretty damn solid and quite intuitive to learn since it's all modeled as patch cables. It also has a really nice sequencer with the release of 4.0. Of course, the big drawback is the lack of any ability to record and sequence conventional audio

I do not agree that virtual patch cables is an intuitive way to learn at all unless you're primary knowledge comes from music hardware.

And if you get sick of Reason's stock instruments you have no option to use 3rd party plugins, i still cannot fathom how someone can be satisfied with Reason's stock plugins.

I only have experience with FL Studio and Reason, started out with Reason. Learned a lot of fundamental stuff experimenting in Reason (LFOs, Envelopes, Filters, and of course the patch cables etc etc), but yeah it's kind of a limited program, and I don't really love its sequencer (what I hate about Reason is that there are no graphs for the envelopes lol)

FL Studio is much better regarding sequencing in my opinion, really intuitive.

  SPD² said:

i'm little more than a beginner at actually making music. i've messed around w/ stuff but never long enough for it to pull me in. i'm not really a technical guy either. am i just screwed or is there something out there for a n00b like me?

I'm new to making music myself and I was recommended Reason by a close friend. I've messed around on Cubase and FLStudio but once i started using Reason it was by far the best choice. Don't waste your time on any other program. /end Customer Review

reason:

fl studio:

whatever floats your boat - both good really...

Mixman

lol, i have an old cdr somewhere with mixman on it, and some other program called new beat trancemission. lolo

For me fruity loops and reason are like making music using a cartoon. But they could b good if u want techno in a bag. u Can tell a fruity or reason track a mile off though if u arent careful.

  mcbpete said:

  zazen said:

Reaper is cheap (essentially you are allowed to evaluate a fully functional copy for free for as long as you like)

 

I've used it a bit and it seems pretty good. Can do VSTs and all that, obviously.

 

http://www.cockos.com/reaper/

Agreed, Reaper is fucking Ace. I've been using it to master and mix our stuff for the last two years, plus it's like a 3 mb download (and as you said free too). It's basically the only shareware program that I thought was worth registering for.

yes, i've begun using reaper for that same reason. It's a great multitracker and sequencer!

  acid1 said:

c sound

Yes!

  David R James said:

For me fruity loops and reason are like making music using a cartoon. But they could b good if u want techno in a bag. u Can tell a fruity or reason track a mile off though if u arent careful.

If you don't use the stock sounds in FL (which are universally crap) then I think you're generally fine

No idea about Reason as I've never even seen it running, nuff people talk it up tho

  David R James said:

For me fruity loops and reason are like making music using a cartoon. But they could b good if u want techno in a bag. u Can tell a fruity or reason track a mile off though if u arent careful.

Isn't this the case with all software and even hardware? If you don't tweak all the knobs a bit and never edit the samples everything will sound the same.

i havent heard an original piece of electronic music in months anyway.