Home | Community | Message Board


This site includes paid links. Please support our sponsors.


Welcome to the Shroomery Message Board! You are experiencing a small sample of what the site has to offer. Please login or register to post messages and view our exclusive members-only content. You'll gain access to additional forums, file attachments, board customizations, encrypted private messages, and much more!

Shop: Myyco.com Golden Teacher Liquid Culture For Sale   Kraken Kratom Red Vein Kratom   PhytoExtractum Kratom Powder for Sale   North Spore North Spore Mushroom Grow Kits & Cultivation Supplies

Jump to first unread post Pages: 1 | 2 | Next >  [ show all ]
Offlineskatealex2
////////////////
 User Gallery


Registered: 07/04/08
Posts: 18,699
Last seen: 5 months, 22 days
any programs that are easier then abelton to use? for idm/indie
    #11815224 - 01/12/10 02:02 PM (14 years, 2 months ago)

I have not been having success with ableton on my laptop, its a great program  but the keyboard is laggy on my laptop and it is really tricky for me to use...  i really just want something  that i can arrange my tracks like with garageband as in lining them up...  for example if i recorded a bass track over guitar , i should be able to easily arrange the two tracks.

I was using garageband before this and its good how simple it is to use,  but it doesn't have any options for creating my own drum tracks or beats, which is what i need since im trying to create solo music that has energy to it..  recording drum tracks probably wouldn't be a bad ether  but im not really a drummer


If anyone can give me an idea for a good program for my situation that'd be awesome  :leaf:

Extras: Filter Print Post Top
OfflineJeffreykeenan09
Stranger

Registered: 01/12/10
Posts: 6
Last seen: 14 years, 2 months
Re: any programs that are easier then abelton to use? for idm/indie [Re: skatealex2]
    #11815644 - 01/12/10 02:59 PM (14 years, 2 months ago)

Try Fruity Loops aka FL Studio, alot easier than Ableton.  Also check out Reason or Logic.  Good luck man.  When I get stumped on ableton, the tutorials on youtube are pretty helpful.

Extras: Filter Print Post Top
Invisiblelukeboots
fresh futuristic
Male User Gallery
Registered: 02/04/04
Posts: 19,728
Loc: Grand Ole Operating Syste...
Re: any programs that are easier then abelton to use? for idm/indie [Re: skatealex2]
    #11815737 - 01/12/10 03:11 PM (14 years, 2 months ago)

Well, your keyboard may be laggy no matter what program you use. You'll want to change the latency settings until there is no delay.

Ableton has an 'arrangement' view, you just have to hit Tab.


I swear by ableton - it is far more intuitive than Fruityloops or Reason, in my opinion. Fruityloops and Reason both strike me as more electronica-oriented programs, as they're both extremely MIDI-heavy and don't allow for on-the-fly wav editing as easily as Ableton does.


But those two are probably your best bets for 'easiest to use' after garageband.


There is also a program called Sonar, I believe, and of course there is Cubase, but I'm not familiar with either of those. Cubase is designed for studio use (i believe), not so much laptop musicians.


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

funky ass music: Planet of Dinosaurs // Rich Whiskey

Extras: Filter Print Post Top
Offlineskatealex2
////////////////
 User Gallery


Registered: 07/04/08
Posts: 18,699
Last seen: 5 months, 22 days
Re: any programs that are easier then abelton to use? for idm/indie [Re: lukeboots]
    #11815865 - 01/12/10 03:28 PM (14 years, 2 months ago)

I'm more of a studio musician then a laptop musician, im not so into making purely electronic music-  my music is based more on rhythym and lead bass and guitar tracks ...  but my idea is to layer with sounds and drum/electronic kind of beats


with ableton under arrangements could you simply arrange the drum tracks to make beats as opposed to using a keyboard?  or are there better programs that do this?      if garageband had better drum and sound options, it would be perfect for what i want to do


ill try to give the programs mentioned in this thread a shot and see how they work...    :psychsplit:

Extras: Filter Print Post Top
Invisiblelukeboots
fresh futuristic
Male User Gallery
Registered: 02/04/04
Posts: 19,728
Loc: Grand Ole Operating Syste...
Re: any programs that are easier then abelton to use? for idm/indie [Re: skatealex2]
    #11815992 - 01/12/10 03:45 PM (14 years, 2 months ago)

Yes, you can sequence drum beats in Ableton Live. Create a new MIDI track, import a drum kit (not sure which version of live you're working with, but the directories in Live 8 are Instruments --> Drum Rack --> Kit). Once you open a drum kit, you will be able to play the samples by - and this is the part that might be giving you trouble - switch to the Arrangement View by pressing Tab (if you aren't already there), find the track you are trying to work with (It will most likely have a name like Kit-606 ____ or something, and do the following.

Hover over the Track Display, click and drag to highlight a section (how much you highlight is unimportant). Right click this highlighted section. There will be an option in the right click menu that says Insert MIDI clip. Select it. A colored bar will appear over the area you've highlighted. Toward the bottom of the screen, where it used to say "no clip selected", a new view will be present. You will see the names of all the samples in your drum kit on the left side of this view. There will be a space for you to sequence the drums - double click anywhere and you will see that you can place drum hits wherever you please. Experiment from there, and if you have any questions, maybe I can help.

 

There is the other way to play drums as well - and I know it's not the way you prefer, but you should know how to do it anyway, in case it comes in handy - and that is by playing the drums in real time on a MIDI controller. If you don't have a MIDI controller, pressing the eight buttons on the middle row of your keyboard (asdfghjkl, I believe), will trigger drum samples in real time. You may hear a slight delay if your latency settings are not correct (there is a tutorial in ableton that explains how to change latency, which literally means 'data delay'). To record the drums are you are playing them in real time, select record on the drum track in the Arrangement View, and also at the top of the screen (the Global Record Button).




I'm not an authority on Ableton Live by any means, but hopefully that helps a little bit.


If you'd rather just try the other programs, go ahead, but don't get disappointed if you feel overwhelmed in all of them. These programs are as difficult to fully master as the instruments you're using, if not more so.


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

funky ass music: Planet of Dinosaurs // Rich Whiskey

Extras: Filter Print Post Top
Offlineskatealex2
////////////////
 User Gallery


Registered: 07/04/08
Posts: 18,699
Last seen: 5 months, 22 days
Re: any programs that are easier then abelton to use? for idm/indie [Re: lukeboots]
    #11818033 - 01/12/10 08:26 PM (14 years, 2 months ago)

Quote:

lukeboots said:

If you'd rather just try the other programs, go ahead, but don't get disappointed if you feel overwhelmed in all of them. These programs are as difficult to fully master as the instruments you're using, if not more so.





thanks for th advice ! should be helpful...             

a lot of my tracks will prob be more live in the sense of instruments and song arrangements and  i dont plan to master them like the bass or guitar, but im sure ill be able to figure out something...  gonna experiment with the ableton drums later and see what happens


~

*not sure why this is but the keyboard doesn't seem to work for some of the instruments like the drum kits for example, they only work when i press the play button on , but a lot of the keys or trippy instruments seem to work easy 

Edited by skatealex2 (01/12/10 08:45 PM)

Extras: Filter Print Post Top
Invisiblelukeboots
fresh futuristic
Male User Gallery
Registered: 02/04/04
Posts: 19,728
Loc: Grand Ole Operating Syste...
Re: any programs that are easier then abelton to use? for idm/indie [Re: skatealex2]
    #11818305 - 01/12/10 09:04 PM (14 years, 2 months ago)

You're welcome. =]


Which keyboard isn't working? The computer's keyboard or a MIDI controller keyboard?


There are tutorials in Ableton Live that should be able to guide you through hardware setup, by the way.


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

funky ass music: Planet of Dinosaurs // Rich Whiskey

Extras: Filter Print Post Top
Offlineskatealex2
////////////////
 User Gallery


Registered: 07/04/08
Posts: 18,699
Last seen: 5 months, 22 days
Re: any programs that are easier then abelton to use? for idm/indie [Re: lukeboots]
    #11818957 - 01/12/10 10:37 PM (14 years, 2 months ago)

the computers keyboard, i don't have a midi controller-  but the computer keyboard works fine for other instruments.. its kind of random i guess.      also the version i have is 7.0.3, maybe the version 8 works better or something...

i might give fruity loops a try too :leaf:

Extras: Filter Print Post Top
Invisiblelukeboots
fresh futuristic
Male User Gallery
Registered: 02/04/04
Posts: 19,728
Loc: Grand Ole Operating Syste...
Re: any programs that are easier then abelton to use? for idm/indie [Re: skatealex2]
    #11819189 - 01/12/10 11:16 PM (14 years, 2 months ago)

Hmm. After you load the drum kit in ableton, try hitting "Z" or "X" on your keyboard. Those two keys will shift you through different octaves - or in this case, different samples triggers. Pay attention to which yellow squares are lighting up when you are pressing the middle-row keys. If the lit-up yellow spots are above the light grey ones (where samples are loaded) in the drum kit display, that means you need to shift down an octave or two (or three) by pressing Z. Likewise, if the squares that are lighting up yellow when you play the middle row keys are below the light grey ones (again, where the samples are currently located), you need to shift up an octave or two by hitting X.



Make sense?


I hope so. :tongue:


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

funky ass music: Planet of Dinosaurs // Rich Whiskey

Edited by lukeboots (01/12/10 11:29 PM)

Extras: Filter Print Post Top
Offlineskatealex2
////////////////
 User Gallery


Registered: 07/04/08
Posts: 18,699
Last seen: 5 months, 22 days
Re: any programs that are easier then abelton to use? for idm/indie [Re: lukeboots]
    #11819430 - 01/12/10 11:54 PM (14 years, 2 months ago)

cool, that makes sense now .  i changed the octave and moved around the box on the right side of the kit and the keyboard is working now after a little tweaking.        thanks man  :zoom:

Extras: Filter Print Post Top
Invisiblelukeboots
fresh futuristic
Male User Gallery
Registered: 02/04/04
Posts: 19,728
Loc: Grand Ole Operating Syste...
Re: any programs that are easier then abelton to use? for idm/indie [Re: skatealex2]
    #11819528 - 01/13/10 12:09 AM (14 years, 2 months ago)

No problem dude! I look forward to hearing what you come up with :smile2:


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

funky ass music: Planet of Dinosaurs // Rich Whiskey

Extras: Filter Print Post Top
Offlineskatealex2
////////////////
 User Gallery


Registered: 07/04/08
Posts: 18,699
Last seen: 5 months, 22 days
Re: any programs that are easier then abelton to use? for idm/indie [Re: lukeboots]
    #11822348 - 01/13/10 02:18 PM (14 years, 2 months ago)

im still having trouble with this program , i dont know how to explain it but the keyboard stops working at times and there aren't many options for drum effects,    i may just resort to recording most of my tracks and messing with them:leaf:

Edited by skatealex2 (01/13/10 02:21 PM)

Extras: Filter Print Post Top
Invisibletak
geo's henchman
Male User Gallery

Folding@home Statistics
Registered: 11/20/00
Posts: 3,776
Loc: nowhereland
Re: any programs that are easier then abelton to use? for idm/indie [Re: skatealex2]
    #11822612 - 01/13/10 02:51 PM (14 years, 2 months ago)

I like the FL piano roll, but if you plan on recording I would probably just learn ableton better or trying something like cubase or sonar. Sticking w/ one program and learning it is best though, the more familiar you are with the program the less side tracked you get, and more music gets made

the program will always outlast the computer aswell


--------------------
The DJ's took pills to stay awake and play for seven days.

Extras: Filter Print Post Top
Invisiblelukeboots
fresh futuristic
Male User Gallery
Registered: 02/04/04
Posts: 19,728
Loc: Grand Ole Operating Syste...
Re: any programs that are easier then abelton to use? for idm/indie [Re: skatealex2]
    #11824453 - 01/13/10 07:22 PM (14 years, 2 months ago)

Quote:

skatealex2 said:
im still having trouble with this program , i dont know how to explain it but the keyboard stops working at times and there aren't many options for drum effects,    i may just resort to recording most of my tracks and messing with them:leaf:






Do whatever you want man, but as far as drum effects, that's just not true. Every built-in audio effect in the program can be applied to a drum track, be it a MIDI drum track or a live audio take. (there are hundreds of presets and you can edit all the parameters of each in real time, it's virtually limitless)



You don't have to be good at a program to record with it. Make something, anything. It will be a good experience, trust me.

And like I said, if you're having hardware issues (ie the keyboard isn't working), you will have to follow the tutorial and learn from experience. It may be easy to record nowadays, but you still have to put in some serious effort.


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

funky ass music: Planet of Dinosaurs // Rich Whiskey

Extras: Filter Print Post Top
Offlineskatealex2
////////////////
 User Gallery


Registered: 07/04/08
Posts: 18,699
Last seen: 5 months, 22 days
Re: any programs that are easier then abelton to use? for idm/indie [Re: lukeboots]
    #11825011 - 01/13/10 08:51 PM (14 years, 2 months ago)

Quote:

lukeboots said:

Do whatever you want man, but as far as drum effects, that's just not true. Every built-in audio effect in the program can be applied to a drum track, be it a MIDI drum track or a live audio take. (there are hundreds of presets and you can edit all the parameters of each in real time, it's virtually limitless)


You don't have to be good at a program to record with it. Make something, anything. It will be a good experience, trust me.

And like I said, if you're having hardware issues (ie the keyboard isn't working), you will have to follow the tutorial and learn from experience. It may be easy to record nowadays, but you still have to put in some serious effort.





Hear that, i wasn't sure you can mix up all the effects with the drums...  def gona experiment more with that and chek out more tutorials on youtube .  also I'm going to get the latest version of ableton 8.08 and upgrade from V.7 /      it's good to know i could add effects to the recordings... it was fun doing that on garageband, chopping up the recordings and adding effects in ....

I'll take your word. It was a great feeling  to make the songs/demos i did with garageband a while back and its cool to listen to them and get more ideas that way or just enjoy them ...  i don't plan on stopping any time soon    :twirlyface:

Edited by skatealex2 (01/13/10 08:53 PM)

Extras: Filter Print Post Top
Invisiblelukeboots
fresh futuristic
Male User Gallery
Registered: 02/04/04
Posts: 19,728
Loc: Grand Ole Operating Syste...
Re: any programs that are easier then abelton to use? for idm/indie [Re: skatealex2]
    #11825041 - 01/13/10 08:56 PM (14 years, 2 months ago)

Righteous. Feel free to send me a song sometime if you want some one on one feedback, that can be helpful. =]


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

funky ass music: Planet of Dinosaurs // Rich Whiskey

Extras: Filter Print Post Top
Offlineskatealex2
////////////////
 User Gallery


Registered: 07/04/08
Posts: 18,699
Last seen: 5 months, 22 days
Re: any programs that are easier then abelton to use? for idm/indie [Re: lukeboots]
    #11826197 - 01/13/10 11:42 PM (14 years, 2 months ago)

awesome...:leaf:

Extras: Filter Print Post Top
Offlineplexus
holding thelight of athousand candles


Registered: 04/24/03
Posts: 1,291
Loc: texas
Last seen: 4 years, 6 months
Re: any programs that are easier then abelton to use? for idm/indie [Re: skatealex2]
    #11830019 - 01/14/10 05:24 PM (14 years, 2 months ago)

ok... stop right here.
before giving up... you just need to know 2 things.
garage band sucks balls.
ableton kicks ass, and garbage band in the nuts.

now that we got that out of the way, let me just say that all you need to do is buckle down and learn the program a little better.

and are you SURE the keyboard stops working? what do you mean, in what way are you using it, to actually play the drums with the keyboard or something? cause you don't really NEED to use the keyboard that much at all when using the program. you more need to use the mouse.

anyway... as for other programs, i think this is the perfect program for you to use in the sense of your background and what kind of music you want to make. fl studio and reason, really is more for just straight up electronic music. but like you said, you're predominately into recoding live instruments and trying to add synth accompaniment to it.

Ableton really isn't that in-depth in comparison to those programs.

For one, it can do exactly what garage band can do. what you said you wanted.
Did you notice that the little circles (one with vertical lines, one with horizontal lines) at the top right of the screen switches between a "mixer view" and a "track view" (i dunno if that's exactly what they're called, but that's the jist) and in the track view you can double click on a sequence that you record and edit it in the 'piano roll' sequencer. there, you can program all your drums or synths by hand if you want, you dont have to play them live. you can also hit Tab to switch between them.

and in that track view you can arrange tracks, make loops, do whatever just like in garage band or acid pro. add tracks by going to create>insert audio track (for recording audio through input).
arm the track by hitting the little red record button on each track.

just take the time, make a little crappy song by clicking only.
find your way to sequence drums with your mouse.

if you have any questions, i can help.


--------------------
that there, thats not me. :noway:
i go where i please. :yesnod:
im not here.:shake:
this isnt happening.:nonono:

Extras: Filter Print Post Top
Offlinecheazy
Stranger


Registered: 01/09/10
Posts: 12
Last seen: 14 years, 1 month
Re: any programs that are easier then abelton to use? for idm/indie [Re: plexus]
    #11837762 - 01/15/10 08:14 PM (14 years, 2 months ago)

i like reason a lot. it's really easy to use.

Extras: Filter Print Post Top
OfflineThe_Ghost
ゴースト

Folding@home Statistics
Registered: 03/27/07
Posts: 15,802
Loc: USG Ishimura Flag
Last seen: 1 year, 1 month
Re: any programs that are easier then abelton to use? for idm/indie [Re: skatealex2]
    #11839789 - 01/16/10 06:13 AM (14 years, 2 months ago)

I want Ableton to bear my children.


--------------------
/ / / / / / / LISTEN TO MY MUSIC: E X E D / / / / / / /
The universe gives no fucks. And takes no fucks.
May His Circuits Ever Function

Extras: Filter Print Post Top
Jump to top Pages: 1 | 2 | Next >  [ show all ]

Shop: Myyco.com Golden Teacher Liquid Culture For Sale   Kraken Kratom Red Vein Kratom   PhytoExtractum Kratom Powder for Sale   North Spore North Spore Mushroom Grow Kits & Cultivation Supplies


Similar ThreadsPosterViewsRepliesLast post
* Ableton Live: Mixing Software dblaney 2,800 15 05/23/07 06:17 PM
by Osker246
* Man, Ableton Live is awesome... beneath 578 5 02/25/09 09:56 PM
by ilus
* IDM
( 1 2 all )
Silversoul 3,730 39 03/13/05 11:52 PM
by schmektron
* IDM irc chat *hilarious* DannyT 2,726 9 04/16/04 10:55 AM
by Gijith
* Any downtempo/idm/trip hop/broken beat producers around? muz 1,133 13 01/25/06 12:34 AM
by lukeboots
* looking for a good looping program SKINNYDOGGY 1,110 13 06/09/04 04:58 PM
by Rob_K
* Music Program/garage band reefercactushead 504 2 12/06/05 01:31 PM
by gema
* damn, programming drums is kinda hard DistortedEyes 1,486 10 09/21/06 09:46 AM
by gema

Extra information
You cannot start new topics / You cannot reply to topics
HTML is disabled / BBCode is enabled
Moderator: Middleman, automan, DividedQuantum
1,505 topic views. 0 members, 1 guests and 5 web crawlers are browsing this forum.
[ Show Images Only | Sort by Score | Print Topic ]
Search this thread:

Copyright 1997-2024 Mind Media. Some rights reserved.

Generated in 0.026 seconds spending 0.007 seconds on 16 queries.