sequencing software

[hibiki]

just wanted to hear some of your opinions about sequencing an XT

which program would most people opt for

heard alot of good things about cubase, but a friend of mine who is a producer swears by logic pro..

i know most of this is personal taste and opinion, but just wanted to hear peoples opinoins..

please if you have used both programs for sequencing external synths let me know what you think are the pros and cons for each program...

thanks all

TB-303 yeah thats the stuff!

[gilesjuk]

It's largely about taste and what you're used to.

If you use a Windows PC you wouldn't be looking at Logic as Apple bought it and discontinued the Windows version.

Other choices:

Cakewalk
Nuendo (still has MIDI but with more of an Audio bias).

[hibiki]

sorry didnt mention

will be using this on mac

[gilesjuk]

Then I'd imagine Logic is the obvious choice. It will also get support for Intel Macs a lot faster I'd assume.

[nsheldon]

I can't speak for Cubase as I've never used it. I just recently bought Logic Pro 7.2 for my Mac setup. There's also MOTU Digital Performer 5 (it's also Mac only). The main reasons I got Logic Pro are 1) it's already Universal Binary (for Intel Macs) and no other professional audio/MIDI app is yet, and 2) more bundled soft synths and effects than the 2 other main Mac packages (Cubase SX3 and Digital Performer 5). IMO, Digital Performer 5 seems to have a more intuitive interface than Logic Pro, but it's not yet compatible with Intel Macs and won't be until the end of this fiscal quarter according to MOTU. All I have are Intel Macs, so that settled that.

Regards,

Nathan Sheldon
http://www.nathansheldon.com/

[anti_pulse]

Renoise... nuff said!

http://www.myspace.com/11505663

[grimleyj]

anti_pulse,
Have you used the midi sequencing in Live5? How would you compare this to renoise?
I haven't used a tracker since my Atari ST days.
-grimley

[illiac]

What's a tracker? I thought I'd used a lot of sequencers but I am ignorant abou this...

thx,

-illiac

[anti_pulse]

Personaly I can't stand using little bars and drawing rectangles when trying to enter midi data in live- it's just so slow and tedious!... and I can't get live to go below 1/16 note resolution... it'll play it, but it wont let me pick it as an option when programming a new midi track. I use live to do mix downs and automation, sound design- that sort of thing. But editing midi files once they are in there is fast- just like any other sequencer in that aspect i suppose though. I'm a firm believer that tracking (espessialy with renoise) is the best way to program midi simply because of the keyboard interaction. I mean I can just sit there with one hand on my keyboard (v-sytnh) and another on my computer keyboard and just work rarely touching the mouse. Something that would takes me a few minutes to chop or sequence in renoise takes me at least 3-4 times as long in other sequencers. At first it's slow, but then you just start remembering all the commands and programming just flies by and boom- beat ready to export! Plus it's only $65 verses $500, and it's fully capable if not more... trackers just have those tricks up their sleeve that you can't get in other sequencers, and considering that today trackers like renoise support vst and all that good stuff, the possibilities are endless. I could go on. But really it is optimal to have a tracker as well as something like live or cubase to bring stuff back and forth with, although it more than enough to use a tracker by itself. And personaly I think beat syncing with renoise pisses all over lives beatmatching capabilties (but this is a personal preference due to the fact that I think most beat stretching/shrinking utilities make the frequency sound like garbage and renoises time and frequency are not independent of eachother like alot of programs are trying to be, so I just leave the pitch be when matching... if it is that important to me, I'll variphrase it in my v-synth or use wavelab). Really though, tracking really hasn't changed a whole lot since your atari, the basics are still the same.... effects commands, panning columns, volume columns, everything is still in hex...


But one thing that still sucks about trackers- you can't import and export midi data... you would have to use something like midi ox to tie renoise with something like live or cubase, and record your midi data into the other sequencer manually. Hopefully this changes with the next version. I think it has to do with the fact that the timing is tick based rather than how normal sequencers do things.

http://www.myspace.com/11505663

[pier]

A tracker!

I was a FastTracker freak about 10 years ago!!

I remember it still worked on DOS... woaw

[gilesjuk]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tracker

Plenty of info there, the basic concept was a small music creator for writing music for amiga demos years ago. The numbers were in hex and they were really designed for computer programmers.

[illiac]

Thanks!
-illiac

[grimleyj]

Thanks anti-pulse I'll check it out.
I'm currently using an Elektron MDUW for sequencing my gear (using the midi machines) after getting tired of using SX3 and Live5 for creating patterns.
I'll let you know how it works out.
-grimley

[anti_pulse]

@ Pier- If you were a fast tracker, I think you would like renoise, as it was built from FT2, so getting around it would be a whizz for you if you remember anything.

Edit: somebody ned to edit that wikipedia- Trackers these days aren't stuck in with using momphonic samples. There is no mention of any good recent tracker... they make it look all cryptic and like everything is going to be nintendo chiptunes... I hate that! They are highly capable of making very modern and futuristic music- I feel they are the best for making purely electronic music... all these other sequencers are about recording and post production... a tracker is about programming... I think if one is interest in stuff like dnb, trance, gabber, IDM, trackers are the way to go... that is if you aren't scared of the high learning curve. I think a skilled programmer armed with a a good tracker and sample library as well as an in depth knowledge of synthesis will put all the toys to shame.

http://www.myspace.com/11505663

[Hugo]

I agree, antipulse. At least this is how I feel anyway. The things I've done in Buzztracker I'm not even sure are doable at all in a more conventional sequencer
Trackers offer a degree of control and ease of use I haven't found in 'pro' linear sequencers.

What you said about Renoise makes me seriously consider looking at it one more time. And you can't beat that price (well, Buzztracker beats the price, as it's free

regards, Hugo