Does anyone here compose their own music on the computer?

[ZeroAce]

I'd like to learn how to do that, but I don't know where to start.

What programs would you recommend, and are there any tutorials out there?

[Brainchild]

I play guitar,bass,and keyboards as well as sing, so there isn't much computer generated stuff in my music.

PC Drummer is a good program to do drums
hammerhead is another good one.
Fuityloops is fun to work with
N-Tracks is nice for recording and
Cakewalk makes some nice tools as well.
I think most of these offer trials.

Have fun

[ZeroAce]

I've played around with fruityloops a bit... but I am looking for something that sounds more real.

Is doing anything besides techno even possible using just computer software?

[Tomteriffic]

Originally posted by ZeroAce
Is doing anything besides techno even possible using just computer software?

Sure it is. Sometimes "more real" is just a function of the quality of the synths and samples on your soundcard.

The Cakewalk that BC pointed to has a number of inexpensive programs that will work with both MIDI and audio, and many and many a record of many genres is made these days entirely using a computer, no tape or anything.

The theme and incidental music for the movie "Dances With Wolves" was composed entirely in a MIDI environment, then recorded later with a real orchestra, etc. With the right playback equipment, the MIDI file will put you right in the theater.

Look around at some of that stuff. BC also forgot to mention Sound Forge Acid.

[ZeroAce]

Hmmm... Where to start?

I have very little musical experience, but this is something I've always wanted to try...

Where did you guys get your start, and how long does it take to become proficient at transforming a song in your head into the computer?

[DPA]

sounds more real?

well, just sample .wav's from real live instruments in fruity loops, and then use the keyboard to generate the different notes... although there is the downfall that in order to achieve a different tone, the map is slowed or sped up.

But fruity loops is a wonderful program to create realistic music. but in order to get the "real" sound you are probably talking about, plan on spending cash on some physical instruments.

Sound Forge Acid [3.0] is pretty much a processing/filtering program that is good for aligning your "tracks" to compose into one piece of music... not very good for creating the music base though.

[Dsword]

Download Finale 2003. Thats all im going to say. It rocks the hell out of stuff, i kno thats what the drumshit and reg music at the highschool is wrote on. it is supposed to be paid for but i got a pirated version off of something, you can probably get it off of kazza.

[Tomteriffic]

Originally posted by ZeroAce
Hmmm... Where to start?

Where did you guys get your start, and how long does it take to become proficient at transforming a song in your head into the computer?

Boyohboy, I'm not the guy to ask. Every time I try to make music with a computer (it seems) I kill it

Started music lessons when I was 4. I'm 51 now. Been working with computers for 18 years and I hope I get the hang of it sometime soon...

[ZeroAce]

Lol Tom, that's encouraging...

This is something I've always wanted to do in my spare time, but I just never had any idea where to start from.

[wackoguy]

a definet goody is umm i forgot but its called logic audio or sumtin thats wat u want, another good utility ud want with that is midi notate