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View Full Version : So, what's your weapon of choice?



Ziphoid
2009-02-10, 09:26
Which tools are you using when creating music? Tracker? Sequencer? Pure hardware? Do tell!

Myself, I'm a bit ambivalent what to use, actually, since I really haven't made that much music for the last ten years or so, but my last two tracks (Combat Crazy/remix.kwed.org and Comic Bakery/Remix64 vol. 3 - Syntax Era) were created with Cubase on the PC and Logic Pro on the Mac respectively. Now I'm twiddling around a bit with Renoise so we'll see where that ends. :)

What do you guys'n'gals use?

serpent^brs
2009-02-10, 09:49
Milkytracker, Renoise.

I guess my first program was Deluxe music construction set by EA on Amiga in 1986 or 87 (before Sonix or Soundtracker), now that was a weird one, it even tried to sing with Amiga speech iirc :)

Zaphoid
2009-02-10, 15:00
I've been Buzz Modular Studio user since it's early days in late 90's. I don't think I've come to the end of my journey yet. Especially since Jeskola (http://jeskola.net/buzz/beta/) decided to revitalize the code. VST support is much better thank to Polac (http://www.xlutop.com/buzz/). I also use Audacity for some mastering. Buzz is not great at this in my opinion. I guess the reason I love buzz so much is it's the best of both the tracking world and sequencing worlds.

Sir Garbagetruck
2009-02-10, 16:57
I've been Buzz Modular Studio user since it's early days in late 90's. I don't think I've come to the end of my journey yet. Especially since Jeskola (http://jeskola.net/buzz/beta/) decided to revitalize the code. VST support is much better thank to Polac (http://www.xlutop.com/buzz/). I also use Audacity for some mastering. Buzz is not great at this in my opinion. I guess the reason I love buzz so much is it's the best of both the tracking world and sequencing worlds.

Huh, I wonder if the reason the Jeskola guys brought it back after YEARS of prompting was that some folks such as Paniq have basically redone it (:

http://code.google.com/p/aldrin-sequencer/wiki/Screenshots

(I do believe this is what Paniq is using, mostly, for composing now. I could be wrong, as, well, I'm not Paniq. But you will notice that the actual screenshots have 'paniq' in the filenames (:

Paniq _is_ using/developing on this.)

Amok
2009-02-10, 22:35
Im using MadTracker now for more than a year. Its a bit like the good old StarTrekker on Amiga. Of course the whole VST support and the 64 tracks are makeing it a lot more comfortable but the feeling is still the same. At least for me :) I think that Renoise is much better but until now i was too lazy to get into Renoise. But one day i will switch for sure... :)

I tried out some sequencers like FL, Cubase, Reason and Ableton but i really have no clue how to get any sound out of it. Its just too confusing to me. Maybe im not clever enough for sequencers... ;)

The Beast
2009-02-10, 22:39
For solo projects I am using a pumped up Amiga 1200 (68040 32 mb) with octamed pro as a sequencer to steer all the midi stuff,mastering is done thru a spirit soundcraft mixer on a old 98 pc with a maxi studio isis soundcard (loving the sound of it)......I know old fashioned but loving it.....

When working with Erwin (Tron) and my bro (A0D) its mostly Reason......

Zaphoid
2009-02-10, 23:14
Im using MadTracker now for more than a year. Its a bit like the good old StarTrekker on Amiga. Of course the whole VST support and the 64 tracks are makeing it a lot more comfortable but the feeling is still the same. At least for me :) I think that Renoise is much better but until now i was too lazy to get into Renoise. But one day i will switch for sure... :)

I tried out some sequencers like FL, Cubase, Reason and Ableton but i really have no clue how to get any sound out of it. Its just too confusing to me. Maybe im not clever enough for sequencers... ;)

I tried both FL and Reason and was not impressed with the interface. I can't stand step sequencers and Piano rolls. Gives me a headache everytime! I still love the all inclusiveness of having the tracker screen in front of me with all that power at your fingertips. Renoise looks promising if I could ever stop drinking Jeskola. :D

powertrace
2009-02-10, 23:54
I mostly uses Reason, recently I have started working with Ableton Live and reason rewired.

moog
2009-02-11, 01:16
I started on C64 with track and pattern based music editors, among the others; DMC 2.x to 5.x by Brian and later JCH 3.x by Jens Ch. Huus (20.G4 new player). Then I switched directly from C64 to PC and went to Fast Tracker (on a Gravis Ultrasound snd card), for very long time it was my only tool to make music, 4 years at least. When processors became powerful enough to make possible to implement DSP algorithms I directed my interest to VST technology. I was using shortly Fruity Loops, Renoise, Mad Tracker, and finally I've stuck with a Cubase, since version 2 SX + few hardware synths, but their role is rather supportive than center of my DAW.

Recently I'm experimenting on Vice c64 emulator with SidFactory editor made by Laxity/Vibrants :)

Byproduct
2009-02-11, 08:06
I go with FL Studio. To me it seems that all the newer sequencers (eg. FL Studio, Logic, Cubase, Reason etc etc.), do basically the same things, and it's just a matter of personal preference which user interface you happen to like the most.

Composing with trackers (FT2, Buzz) felt somehow a bit more creative, but for me FL studio is much more convenient to use and the sound quality I get out of it is much better, so it's an obvious choice. But even though I've left trackers behind, I can still sit 5-8 hours in front of the computer while composing, and then suddenly wonder where all the time went. :p

Andersson
2009-02-11, 22:44
I'm using FL Studio and well... it's not going very well... but that's my own fault for being musically retarded :)
I think FL Studio is great for beginners like me though.

Brigane
2009-02-11, 23:09
Started out with Fasttracker back when I was about 14 years old or so.. Then switched over to Skale tracker, because they wanted to make a copy of fasttracker with vst instrument support and other things.. But the time went, and I could'n wait forever for the developement of skale tracker. Then I heard about Renoise and I have been using it ever since.

Greetz :cool:

Mordi
2009-02-12, 00:33
FL Studio. Very noob-friendly. Looks fancy even. :)

WhiteDwarf
2009-02-12, 11:47
I am currently trying my wings out in Renoise, which seem to be a promising program.

I have never been fond of sequencers, I like the tracker approach better, and a tracker with support for vsti's and midi make me feel just... wow! Also the DSP support is very nice, letting you add DSP's to each and every individual track. Automation part (envelopes) is a bit weak, but atleast there's support for it. I wouldn't mind more preset shapes or the possibility to scale an envelope (however, not sure if that's possible in other programs as I am a n00b when it comes to producing music).

As I wrote in the introduce yourself thread, my first project will probably be a amiga demo song medley, unfortunately I don't have much spare time nowadays. Currently playing around in Renoise learning the program, and trying out some soft synths. Next step is to decide what instruments to use, and plan the "layout" of the song.

I have created a social group here in the community, so that fellow renoise users can meet up. If you are mainly using renoise as your WOF, please join the group =)

Infamous
2009-02-12, 15:33
Buzz and ableton now

Love buzz, such a great little bit of software and its free.. something that indepth shouldnt be free.. but it is so thank the lord.

Ableton aint free its >bleeping< expensive but it was worth the money some of the features of that thing are just AMAZING and my creativity and sound have been effected severely by it in a very good way.

back in amiga day's octamed right up to studio edition, i even have the pc version of it for pure mods (So i can look at notation on harder tunes when im remixing) and for the nostalgia reasons too.

Dumper
2009-02-12, 21:20
With having no musical knowledge i use Fruityloops, it's the only one i know how to use. Unfortunately my tunes sound like someone scraping their arse against a wall. :rolleyes:

Dimmi
2009-02-13, 04:51
I started out with Pro Tracker on the Amiga 500.
Later got my own PC and worked with Fast tracker for almost 8 years.

Then I turned my eye towards sequencers and starting using Reason which is a
good start when you want to learn Sequencers.
Though I can't really figure today why the hell I used it since It makes work with wav and "realtime" recording a real pain in the ASS.

Thanks Cubase Sx3 which is my current tool of destruction.
Recently looked a bit on Milky Tracker and I will probably start working
with that and re-connect to my old tracker-self.


Hardware:

Gibson Les Paul Gothic II with Emg pickups,
Yamaha ERG 121C,
Line6 POD XT, CME UF6 midi keyboard, Behringer Eurorack 802,
Behringer B1 mic.

Among other things.. I think that's it atm, There is always space for more it's just the money that kinda narrows it down.

veezay
2009-02-20, 21:32
1997?-1999 a music demo software written in amigabasic, found in the extras disk
1999 dance ejay 1 o/
1999-2001 impulse tracker 2.14, cool edit pro 1.x
2001-2002 reason 1.0, buzz, cool edit pro 1.x
2002-2003 reason 2.0, cool edit pro 1.x/2.0?
2003-2005 reason 2.5, cool edit pro 2.0 / adobe audition 1.5
2005-2007 reason 3.0, adobe audition 1.5
2007-2008 reason 4.0, adobe audition 1.5
2008- reason 4.0, adobe audition 1.5, ensoniq dp/4

have tried a bunch of other programs such as cubase, sonar, ableton live, but the two absolute favorites have been (and always will be!) impulse tracker and reason. ah, l'amour!

PsychNerD
2009-02-28, 04:10
Some already know that I'm the hardware kind of guy...

My sound sources are :
Clavia Modular G2X
Access Virus Indigo 2
Roland JP-8080
FutureRetro Revolution
Korg Wavestation EX
Yamaha A4000
Yamaha DX11
Akai AX60
Yamaha RS7000
Roland Juno-106
Roland W30 (2)
Roland JX-10 w/PG-800
Oberheim Matrix 6R

On the guitar side :
Jackson Reverse Dinky DKMG w/EMG-HZ
Line6 Variax 300
Line6 Pod XT Live
Digitech GSP21 Preamp

The recording and effects stuff I use :
Akai DR8 HardDrisk Recorder
Alesis CLX-440 Compressor/Expander (2)
Akai PEQ6
Digitech TSR6 Effects
Behringer MX2432A Console
Behringer Truth B2031A Monitors
Behringer F-Control Firewire Interface
MOTU MIDI TimePiece AV (2)
E-Mu Emulator-X PC

For a long time I thought I was suffering of the Gear Acquisition Syndrome (GAS) but no, I did found my comfort zone now... I don't really need or want new stuff anymore... or maybe that little...mmm... no... but... mmm....

Everything wished, searched, worked, collected, and kept. If I would end up on a island (with a strange 120V power outlet in the middle), I would bring, the RS7K to sequence, the G2X being the infinite soundsource playground, and the Virus for being, the Virus.

And on the software side, I use Reaper to edit, mix and master the tracks. Renoise to track when I feel to, and Reason when I wanna play only with the computer.

Peter W
2009-02-28, 13:12
I Started when I was 14 with Soundtracker on the Amiga, then Protracker. Later on the PC came and I started using Fasttracker 2. I used it for a very long time. It wasn't until Madtracker showed up with vst support that I made a switch. Then I found out about Renoise and today I use it to make all my tracks.

Fee1
2009-03-02, 06:29
A Fostex MR8 MkII, an Audio Technica AT8035, I also carry around a Zoom H2. All windscreens, windsocks, zeppelins and boompoles were homemade. Field recording on a budget, aww yeah. The DAWs I use are Soundforge, and Adobe Audition. Sometimes I'll boot up Audacity if I need to do something really quick to a file, like add some silence. For everything else though, it's Soundforge and Audition.

I know it's not music stuff, but sound designers have gear too, dang it.

alecs
2009-03-06, 16:52
I just master and mix tunes, but I work in Linux so choices are a bit limited.

That said, audiacity (1.3.7 beta) and jamin are a GREAT combo. Jamin is a nice mastering tool and by far the best thing I've found available for *nix. Audacity does pretty much everything I want it to and the 1.3x versions are SO much better than the stable line.

http://jamin.sourceforge.net/en/about.html

For replayers, I use dumb (IT, S3M), milkytracker (XM, sometimes MOD and S3M), uade2 (weird amiga shit), sidplay2 (SID, of course), bassmod (XM), ayemul (speccy tunes), asap (Atari-8 tunes), adplug (Adlib), sc68 (atari-16). Sometimes I use deliplayer or winJAM under wine emulation.

Some of my tune conversions can be found here: http://www.esnips.com/web/demoscenetunes

Sir Garbagetruck
2009-03-06, 21:00
Alecs, I'm _fairly_ sure that Paniq has been Linux-only for 2 years, possibly 3.

And he's been doing 'a tune a day' for the past week or so 'to keep in shape.'

So, ya know, if it doesn't exist now, make it (: That's what he's done with Aldrin.

(also, there's that impulse tracker clone 'schism tracker' and 'cheesetracker' which, admittedly, Raw Style hasn't worked on for some years. Yes, Raw Style/Farbraush. I know, it's like some crazy dream where the members of a demogroup actually MAKE things rather than worry about the platform.

Translation: seriously, some of us (TRUCK) need to stop bitching about stuff and jut MAKE STUFF and if it doesn't work like you want FIX IT SO IT DOES.)

Um could I have more icons please I only have 378150 to choose from after the message.

fnordpojk
2009-03-06, 23:19
Um could I have more icons please I only have 378150 to choose from after the message.
Why, certainly, sir! *downloads 500 MSN icon packs and installs them into the forum* :P

kraku
2009-04-08, 19:16
Here's my current kit list. I use pretty much all of them on a more or less regular basis.


Monitoring / Signal path:
ADAM A7 ( x2 )
Genelec 1030A ( x2 )
Genelec 1092A (currently broken)
SM Pro Audio M-Patch
Mackie 1604-VLZ3

DAW:
Macbook, Core Duo 2.0GHz, 2GB
RME Audio Fireface 400
Logic Pro 8
Ableton Live 6
Reaper 2 (I'm currently evaluating this because of it's great audio arrangement/editing features which might help me with my HW synth loops etc.)

Plugins:
LennarDigital Sylenth1
Native Instruments Battery 3
Cytomic Glue
IK Multimedia CSR
IK Multimedia AmpliTube 2
IK Multimedia AmpegSVX
Ohm Force Ohmicide
PSP Nitro
Voxengo Elephant

Instruments / Sound Sources / Effects / Controllers:
genoQs Machines Nemo
Novation ReMote 37 SL
Novation Supernova 2 Pro
Kurzweil PC161
Alesis Ion
Roland TD-4k
DPA 4091
RØDE K2
TLAudio Ivory 2 5051
Ibanez SR900
ESP EC-400
TC Electronic ND-1 Nova Delay

-------------

If I had to choose what I couldn't live without, it might be the following list:
- Logic Pro 8
- LennarDigital Sylenth1
- Native Instruments Battery 3

glxblt
2009-04-26, 06:02
Hardware:

Monitoring : 2x Genelec 8030 APM + Profel PS100SUB
Audio interface: M-Audio Delta 1010LT
Synths: Access Virus Indigo 2 (Virus C), x0xb0x (303 clone, frickin' AWESOME)
Drum Machine: Korg Electribe EMX-1 (Groovebox, contains a synth etc.)
Processing: Line 6 PodXT, TC Electronics Finalizer Express
Guitar: Epiphone SG-400 "Maestro Tremolo" (Gibson clone)

I've also got a Novation X-Station audio interface / keyboard / synthesizer as a "mobile studio setup" which I use with my laptop. It rules.

Also as a DJ I've got a pair of Technics SL-1210 MK5's vinyl turntables and a Ecler NUO5 mixer.

Software:

I use FL Studio 8 with a large array of plugins:

Synths: Native Instruments Massive, FM8, GForce Minimonsta, reFX z3ta+, reFX Nexus and of course, 3xOsc.

Effects/processing: Waves SSL-4000 bundle, Diamond bundle, Uhbik U-He bundle, Ohmforce Ohmboyz and Ohmicide, Kjaerhus Audio Classic pack (freeware, check it out), Camel Audio CamelPhat 3.

There's much other stuff that I use, but those are the ones I can't live without.

kepler
2009-09-23, 16:25
COPYPASTAAA!
i already posted this list in the "what does your studio look like thread", but that's before i noticed this one, but before i post it, some history:

My first meeting with the demoscene was on my step brothers amiga 1200 when i was about 13. i went trough all his disks, and to his confusion and annoyance i kinda liked the demos, intros and cracktros much better than the actual games he had on there (with the exeption of monkey island)

then at 15 i got my first PC; a monster, i may add.. the Intel Pentium 166 with MMX(!!!) and a SOUNDBLASTER AWE32!
and the first PC demo i ever saw was Little Green Men by KFMF(?) and i was stunned.
a friend of mine had a program called fasttracker 2, where he had fun playing off burp-sounds on different pitches. that was fun until we found out that the program could actually open some .mod files from different games. i saw the potential in the program and got myself a copy. A musician was born.

played around in FT2 until 2002-2003, got a 4th place in the multichannel compo at TG and made some nice tunes.. most of them lost when TraxInSpace went down :(

I was on a LAN party, and me and some of my mucician-buddies were fiddling around in ft2 when a guy came over and wondered if i'd head about fruityloops, my first reaction was "is that some Ejay crap?", but he showed it to me, and i tried it out for a while and loved it.
Since then i've been making tracks using FL-Studio (fruityloops back then) and in the later years Milky Tracker too.

Computers:
Dell Inspiron 9400 Laptop / core duo @ 1,8Ghz / 3gb ram,
Acer Aspire One D250 running OSX Leopard w/Garageband

Interface:
Lexicon Alpha

Software:
FL-Studio 9 Producer Edition
Milky Tracker (Pro Tools HD @ school)
Garageband

Gear:
Access Virus C Synth
Behringer Xenyx 802 Mixer
Rocktron Chameleon fx/amp modelling module
Nintendo DS running Korg DS10
Ipod touch running Noise.IO
Carillon Control 25 Midi Controller
Evolution MK249c Midi Controller
Sennheiser HD415 Headphones
Logitech Z-2300 Reference speakers
Samick 4 string. Bass Guitar
Shure SM58 Vocal Mic

Byproduct
2009-10-13, 00:02
I go mostly with software (FL Studio with VST synths/effects for producing, and Ableton Live for gigs), but I do need some hardware of course.



Custom quadcore desktop computer for producing (and keeping myself entertained at home)
Acer Aspire One mini-laptop for gigs
Behringer Truth B2031A studio monitors
Pioneer S-W80S subwoofer (For overkill bass and fun, it's not like the B2031A Truths really need one)
AKG K701 headphones
ESI U46SE external soundcard (I hate its retarded drivers, but what budget-class options do I have if I want several simultaneous, independent outputs?)
M-Audio Evolution MK449 C keyboard
Kenton Killamix Mini MIDI-controller
LTD EX-50 guitar
Ibanez GSR200 bass
Zoom G2 effect pedal

...and a really good handmade acoustic guitar, which is probably the only really valuable thing I own. I've yet to record anything with it, though. That'd require something better than my 10€ computer mic. http://www.phnet.fi/public/juhgu/s/nauru.gif

fnordpojk
2009-10-15, 16:19
ESI U46SE external soundcard (I hate its retarded drivers, but what budget-class options do I have if I want several simultaneous, independent outputs?)


I've got the Focusrite Saffire LE which is a really decent sound card for comparatively little money. The drivers are quite OK, it has multiple independent outputs and inputs and I just discovered that www.jam.se (http://www.jam.se) is having a sale on them right now for 1000 SEK less than what I bought mine for, grr..

SyTeQ
2010-07-18, 20:45
Heres my list of things and stuff I use...

Computer : Acer Aspire M5201
Dual lcd monitors both Benq. 24inch widesceen and 20 inch widescreen
Ram 8Gt
Processor Amd Phenom 9550 Quadcore 2.20 GHz
1 Terabyte harddrive
OS: poop OS aka. vista
Amiga +500

Speakers:
Creative Gigaworks T20 series II
M-audio studio pro 3
And 3 pairs other random stereo speacers plugged into good old Pioneer stereo amplifier SA-610

Programs:
Propellerhead Reason 4
Modplugtracker
Skaletracker
Audacity
Other prog related stuff:
Over 250Gb sounds and reason refills

Keyboard of choise:
M-audio keystation 49e

Other things
Sony minidisc and crapy mick to record ambience sounds

SyTeQ

nativ
2011-04-24, 17:40
Hello ! :D

Started off using NoiseTracker on a 512 STe ( I suppose you could count programming experiments on the Spectrum too! )

Now using a select variety of outboard and multitrack recording kit.

Keyboards:
Korg X5D / Casio VZ-1 / Casio CZ1000
Juno 6 ( not working :( ) / Juno 106 / Yamaha PSR 16

Racked
(half) Yamaha MU128 + PLG150AN + PLG150PC
(floor) Zoom 1204 / Zoom 8080
Akai S3000XL

Desk:
Behringer 26:4:2
Roland VM3100

Computer:
Atari STe / Atari Falcon ( FDI ) Cubase , Ace Tracker, Flex Tracker, Hextracker, Octalyser
Apple G4 ( Audiowerk8 ) Logic, Cubase

Soniqs ( Speakers ) Bose AM5 & Mordant Short - Carnival

and Minidisc / P3 PCee with a Creative card for 320k MP3


So a few weapons of choice there! ;)

pushrecords.official.fm

nativ