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thread starter

Please excuse this if I posted in wrong forum. I'm new to em. Very new. I want to use sequencers to write minimalist on and off time signature beats. I'd like to incorporate that with guitar, synth and w/e else that sounds rad. My question is, Can anyone direct me to some free drum sequencing software online? I'm changing operating systems in a few months( pc to mac), so I'd like to wait before dropping some serious cash on software. I just want to get my hands wet. Start getting ideas for beats and storing ideas.

Also: any suggestions for hardware or software to do this with for mac is unappreciated!!!
 
Replies

give this a try link

I know people that are really enthusiastic about iDrum (has a full-featured trial)

good idea...idrum would get u started.

all due respect rusty, there are already too many people in em. you should look into something more profitable, like being a concert violinist.

k seriously, lots of sequencers have decent trial versions. I'd recommend you try lots of them- they can all do different timesignatures or whatever you want. you on mac or PC?

So... do you want mac stuff or PC stuff?

somewhat dated list said: "
link
electronic music news, free software links w/ search engine. PC + Mac
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another free software, shareware and commercial demo list site, by category. PC + Mac
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google has some good lists of audio software.
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same deal
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has a list of free software, including many .mp3 and .ogg encoders.
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THE site for VST plugins, but also contain lots of links to free software hosts, au and directx plugins, plus some helpful articles. Also includes the best search function, for instance, if you are only interested in free software, this site can search for just that and skip all the commercial demos and such.
link
very good collection of shareware & freeware VST plugins made by various people.
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a site dedicated to “chiptunes”, i.e. music made to sound like old videogames. Includes a software links section (called ‘microwarez’, which does not include links to “warez”, i.e. illegally pirated software).
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Analog X, links to more free music software

Basic Software you might need:

1 audio editor (multitrack) Audacity link , which will let you record sounds onto your computer, edit them with audio plugins. PC and Mac. Or try Reaper link
1 audio editor (stereo) SoundHack, link (Mac), SoundEngine
link (PC), or WavePad link (PC)
1 Sequencer: free for Mac: Numerology link
free for PC Kristal Audio Engine link (both a sequencer and multitrack audio recorder) Tunafish link (cheap shareware sequencer)

Weird Stuff Which Might Be Fun… Or Frustrating:

Bidule link is a free music “environment”, where you write music by plugging in "objects" rather than using audio and/or midi.
Audiomulch link is a PC shareware experimental music environment.
Hyperupic link is that picture to music software MrNoah uses.
Coagula link is like Hyperupic, only for PC, and you can draw right in the program.
Drool String Ukelele link is a free algorithmic sequencer, other unique Mac programs are here too. Algorithmic means the computer picks notes for you.
Argeiphontes Lyre: link is an unpredictable audio editor with lots of math-based transformations. Great for turning your samples into weird noises.
Buzz link free PC modular synthesizer enviroment.
GoatTracker: link a free commodore64-like tracker for mac. The C64 is a home game system that came before the Nintendo NES, but after “Pong”.
Jmax link free PC/Mac object-oriented environment for programming music.
PD link is a free programming language, if you feel like programming your own audio effects rather than writing music.
Synthedit link is a free programming environment for making your own VST effects. Again, this is for those who enjoy computer programming more than computer music.
Antiloop link is an algorithmic drum loop generator for OSX.
Synfactory link free modular synthesizer for Windows
Analogbox link free circuit bending app for PC
Moduloop link free beat-mangling software for PC or OSX
SPEAR link a free additive synthesis tool for Mac
Sequitur link free PC midi programming enviroment

Lastly, the Other Useful Stuff on the Internet:
UCSC link has dozens of illustrated introductory essays to aspects of digital audio.
Powells: link sells lots of books on computer music and audio software
midi tutorials : link simple, mostly text intro to midi.
Future Music Oregon: link has a nice flash digital audio tutorial.
Net Labels Article link Lots of people release their electronic music on the internet for cheap or for free, & here’s a good place to start investigating this phenom.
120 years of Electronic Music link a chronology of electronic musical instruments from 1876-1984. There was electronic music before computers? No way!
the project studio handbook: link has tons of articles collected from many good sources, from midi to compression to burning CDs.
Audio Dictionary link from Rane. Need to know what AES/EBU stands for? Go here.
Breakbeats link a good article on sampling beats.
Got a PocketPC? link has a sequencer. Not free.
Freesound link database of creative commons samples.
How to make a noise link an online book on synth programming
"

I don't think Reaper has been mentioned. Nice full featured audio/midi sequencer supports vsts as well.

link

if you're not afraid of a bit of a learning curve, want to invest a little time now for some enhanced workflow later, try Renoise.
link
It works on all 3 major OSes (Windows, OSX, Linux), the demo is 95% as good as the real thing and the real thing is about 75 bucks. Also there's a very active forum, which the developers regularly read and post to.

license said: "if you're not afraid of a bit of a learning curve, want to invest a little time now for some enhanced workflow later, try Renoise.
link
It works on all 3 major OSes (Windows, OSX, Linux), the demo is 95% as good as the real thing and the real thing is about 75 bucks. Also there's a very active forum, which the developers regularly read and post to."


YES Renoise is awesome, assuming the tracker interface isnt a problem.
Now that you have 100 options... don't stress about which one is "The Best". try 'em out, and go with your gut feeling as to which seems best for you, and just run with it.

I've wasted many hours learning new programs because i was worried they might be better than what I was using, and really, its better to just know one program well than to have the best program out there.

If you are getting a Mac, Garageband (comes free with the installation) is surprisingly great.

mlbot said: "Now that you have 100 options... don't stress about which one is "The Best". try 'em out, and go with your gut feeling as to which seems best for you, and just run with it.

I've wasted many hours learning new programs because i was worried they might be better than what I was using, and really, its better to just know one program well than to have the best program out there."


Best advice on this thread yet. In the long run it doesn't make that much difference what you use. And you're not going to see how much greener the grass is until you've been frustrated at some particular aspect of a program (every piece of software has at least one).

Ultimately these don't even matter, though, and it's often better to just stick to your guns and plod through what you know than to spend time hunting down and learning something you don't know that doesn't have that problem.

Early optimizers beware... link

garageband is a very powerful and flexible program (especially considering it's made mostly for beginners), but it does have it's limitations. most notably among them are a limit of two plugins per track and the inability to set more than one tempo per track. if you are looking for multiple tempo and/or time signatures per track (like you suggest), garageband would make this possible, but difficult, if you want to stay on a grid. fyi.
even with it's handful of problems, i highly recommend using it.

oh, and i'm with mlbot too. just pick one that seems usable and learn it inside and out.

madeofoak said: "oh, and i'm with mlbot too. just pick one that seems usable and learn it inside and out."


Definately. I tried different software shits out for a few years and always went back to FL Studio and/or Reason cuz I knew them best.


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