Any Computer *Music* Gurus here??

[Sparkly]

Could someone explain to me how music is sequenced and recorded these days?

About five years ago, I made some CDs with a Kurtzweil PC88mx and an old version of Cakewalk (ProAudio7). They weren't great -- I could only stand the piano, flute, and Latin percussion sounds, which made for some odd music sometimes.

I now have a new, pretty powerful computer with a good sound card and I'm ready to try again. So I just went to some sites that sell music stuff and I don't even know where to start. Things have obviously come a loooong way in 5 years!

Do people still create music with the sounds coming from the keyboard, or do the keyboard's own sounds not matter much now? I don't even know how to use instrument samplers on CDs.

For sequencing software, should I start with a basic Cakewalk like Home Studio, or Sonar? Or a bundle like this:
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/g=home/search/detail/base_pid/705130/

Is "recording software" something that's needed for mixing acoustic recordings, or would I need that?

If there are no recommendations on these matters, could somebody tell me where I could find a music-techno-guru who I could hire to give me a crash course? Or are there sites online with basic tutorials on how these things are done these days?

Thanks in advance for any help! :dunce:

[alfredo]

1. Here's some resources

http://www.macmusic.org/home/?lang=EN&vRmtQjpAznOhMaS=1

http://x2.i-dat.org/~csem/UNESCO/

[Sparkly]

2. Thanks, alfredo!!

I don't have a Mac, but it looks like there's some good info here. Thanks!! :hi:

[alfredo]

3. I figured there would be good info

that could work on the Windows platform.

[alfredo]

4. Check this out.

Nine Inch Nails has released a version of one of its songs in Garageband format. Now that doesn't mean it will stay in that format, so check it out and then keep your eyes and ears open for it to be released by NIN in other formats or by some friendly geek who has converted to other formats. this should be great for learning and practicing your skills.

Here's some info for you.

http://www.nin.com/current/index.html

[banjosareunderrated]

5. I'm no music guru but I've been happy with Acid.

It'll do a lot and is very easy to use to record instruments (electric and acoustic) and sequence anything you'd want. You can zoom in on a sound wave and make microscopic changes in pitch, pan, etc. It also comes bundled with a fair amount of royalty-free loops--sound effects to licks to beats---and you can add other royalty-free loops down the road. You can make unlimited tracks for one song, doubling any track is practically instantaneous, and it uses a "paint" interface to use all or part of a sound file, your choice. You can import a song from any CD and the resulting file can be manipulated any way you choose: as an example, you could import "Blackbird" by the Beatles, rearrange the entire acoustic guitar by placing the middle at the beginning, the end at the middle, speed up the whole thing and shift the key signature and make it sound like a xylophone, and then add chorus and delay to screw it up even more. Not that I've tried that, but it can be done.

:evilgrin:

http://mediasoftware.sonypictures.com/products/showproduct.asp?pid=928

If you're a pro, I don't know if this is enough for you, but as a hobbyist, I really like it.

good luck