Somewhat OT: Music Creation Software -ACID Product Family

Subject:Somewhat OT: Music Creation Software Posted by: fadeout Date:12/19/2007 8:16:25 PM I originally posted the following inquiry on the Vegas Audio Forum, but I have come to the conclusion based on a number of posts that I have read on the Acid Forum that I might get the answers that I am seeking here. So, with your indulgence I have copied and pasted it here: Dear All: This is my first post on this forum, and it wasn't until ten minutes ago that I discovered that there was a separate forum for Vegas Audio. Although I toyed with guitar and piano in some distant past, I am not a musician. My lack of formal training notwithstanding, I would like to create original music for my video work. And by creating music, I don't mean stringing together third party commercial loops a la Sony, Vasst etc. If the way of the world these days is loop based music creation then I want to make my own. That being the case, what software should I be looking at? Ease of use should have a priority over bells and whistles. I'm thinking along the lines of Sessions or Mackie Pro-Trackton 3. There is Acid, of course, but I don't know if suits my needs. I already own an M-Audio Mobile Pre USB and a CAD e1002 mic. I intend to add an M-Audio keyboard (recommendations?) and maybe a USB electric guitar. I also have an acoustical guitar. I listened to some of the canned stuff but to my ears it all sounds like elevator music regardless of the genre. My taste runs from the Cuban son, guaracha, and bolero to Chicago blues and authentic klezmer, so there's nothing much waiting for me out there in the world of loop libraries. Any suggestions that you may have will be very appreciated. Thank you all in advance, Bill P.S I forgot to ask about audio fxs. I see that New Blue is offering a nice package, but most of it seems to be redundant to the Sony Fxs that came with Vegas. Is there a qualitative difference? I would be most interested in any audioFX that could be used in conjunction with voice overs. So that's it. I noticed on one of the ACID threads that Gabrial says that he is using Acid Pro in conjunction with Traction 3. If you are around, Gabrial, I would like to know to what use you put each program.
Subject:RE: Somewhat OT: Music Creation Software Reply by: Sondra Date:1/10/2008 11:37:14 AM I'm a non-musician filmmaker and I use Band in a Box by PG Music. It creates full songs in numerous styles that you can then tweak with other styles and changes of instuments--and artists playing them, since famous musicians' styles are built in. No loops. It's an incredible tool.
Subject:RE: Somewhat OT: Music Creation Software Reply by: JohnnyRoy Date:1/10/2008 1:10:02 PM I would recommend ACID Pro 6.0. You can use it just like any other recording software and never use a single Loop if you don't want to. It is a totally capable DAW for your music creation needs. ACID has the added advantage of being part of the Sony Vegas / Sound Forge / ACID Suite. So you can save a wave file from ACID, drop it into your video in Vegas, decide you need to modify it and you can right-click on it and select "Open in ACID" and be back in ACID editing it, then when you save and go back to Vegas, it will be re-read and your changes will be reflected in your Vegas project. This is just like the Vegas / Sound Forge integration. That type of workflow integration for me is worth sticking with all Sony software. In addition, ACID has some nice features for scoring for Video. You can add your video to ACID and place Hit markers in your ACID project and get it to automatically modify the tempo of the music to match musical events to those video hits. You might not need this but it's a powerful feature for scoring for video. ~jr

Subject:Somewhat OT: Music Creation Software

Posted by: fadeout

Date:12/19/2007 8:16:25 PM

I originally posted the following inquiry on the Vegas Audio Forum, but I have come to the conclusion based on a number of posts that I have read on the Acid Forum that I might get the answers that I am seeking here.

So, with your indulgence I have copied and pasted it here:

Dear All:

This is my first post on this forum, and it wasn't until ten minutes ago that I discovered that there was a separate forum for Vegas Audio.

Although I toyed with guitar and piano in some distant past, I am not a musician. My lack of formal training notwithstanding, I would like to create original music for my video work. And by creating music, I don't mean stringing together third party commercial loops a la Sony, Vasst etc. If the way of the world these days is loop based music creation then I want to make my own.

That being the case, what software should I be looking at? Ease of use should have a priority over bells and whistles. I'm thinking along the lines of Sessions or Mackie Pro-Trackton 3. There is Acid, of course, but I don't know if suits my needs.

I already own an M-Audio Mobile Pre USB and a CAD e1002 mic. I intend to add an M-Audio keyboard (recommendations?) and maybe a USB electric guitar. I also have an acoustical guitar.

I listened to some of the canned stuff but to my ears it all sounds like elevator music regardless of the genre. My taste runs from the Cuban son, guaracha, and bolero to Chicago blues and authentic klezmer, so there's nothing much waiting for me out there in the world of loop libraries.

Any suggestions that you may have will be very appreciated.

Thank you all in advance,

Bill

P.S I forgot to ask about audio fxs. I see that New Blue is offering a nice package, but most of it seems to be redundant to the Sony Fxs that came with Vegas. Is there a qualitative difference? I would be most interested in any audioFX that could be used in conjunction with voice overs.

So that's it. I noticed on one of the ACID threads that Gabrial says that he is using Acid Pro in conjunction with Traction 3. If you are around, Gabrial, I would like to know to what use you put each program.

Subject:RE: Somewhat OT: Music Creation Software

Reply by: Sondra

Date:1/10/2008 11:37:14 AM

I'm a non-musician filmmaker and I use Band in a Box by PG Music. It creates full songs in numerous styles that you can then tweak with other styles and changes of instuments--and artists playing them, since famous musicians' styles are built in. No loops. It's an incredible tool.

Subject:RE: Somewhat OT: Music Creation Software

Reply by: JohnnyRoy

Date:1/10/2008 1:10:02 PM

I would recommend ACID Pro 6.0. You can use it just like any other recording software and never use a single Loop if you don't want to. It is a totally capable DAW for your music creation needs.

ACID has the added advantage of being part of the Sony Vegas / Sound Forge / ACID Suite. So you can save a wave file from ACID, drop it into your video in Vegas, decide you need to modify it and you can right-click on it and select "Open in ACID" and be back in ACID editing it, then when you save and go back to Vegas, it will be re-read and your changes will be reflected in your Vegas project. This is just like the Vegas / Sound Forge integration. That type of workflow integration for me is worth sticking with all Sony software.

In addition, ACID has some nice features for scoring for Video. You can add your video to ACID and place Hit markers in your ACID project and get it to automatically modify the tempo of the music to match musical events to those video hits. You might not need this but it's a powerful feature for scoring for video.

~jr