Making one's own music

oscillian

@GOODEMPIRE Thx!

Reason is a good software! I prefer the 2.5 version to the newest one, though.
Another great software is Ableton Live which I use more often nowadays.

And the small Sony... what can I say? Have it with me all the time :)

oscillian

@lolo

I used the Orkester bank for the strings. The synth is a Subtractor with custom settings and som automation.

The entire track is mastered in Reason. Keep it simple ;)

GOODEMPIRE

@oscillian I don't know why, but Reason produces crystal clear sound while consuming minimal resources. I've been using Logic, Cubase, Sonar, Fruity Loops, even some early trackers but no other program could give me that crispy sound. One problem with Reason it can't work with real audio, evrth has to be sampled. Maybe I'm going to make my next video with a Reason track. What midi controllers are you using guys? It's kinda hard to have one's workspace optimized for both audio and video. Mine is the tinly AKAI lpk25 that can travel with me in my camera bag

bwhitz

@GOODEMPIRE

Reason Record allows you to work with recorded audio... I haven't tried it yet though. I usually just export from Reason and mix/master in ProTools.

CRFilms

Sony Vegas Studio, and I'm sure the pro version had a music creation utility called cinescore that created music based on theme or styles, but it sucked, all the music sounded crappy and like cheap stock music.

I used Sony acid a lot, it's like garage band but for windows. Also the website acid planet has a free version and gives away loop samples every week. I made the music in this using acid.

And this...

I have no musical ability and it took hours of trying different loop combinations until I found something that sounded decent. It took me almost as long to make the music as edit the video.

Skeptikal

@Vitaliy_Kiselev

"Anything knows software that makes mood music by itself?"

Not exactly by itself...but there was a decent software from Sony called "Cinescore" which let you plug-in pre scored "themes" and then alter many musical parameters to get the music output you wanted. Not too bad for basic use but for some reason Sony has discontinued it (that should not be a problem in Russia though...).

There is a similar set-up from DigitalJuice (http://www.digitaljuice.com). They have lots of theme packs called StackTraxx. Again, you combine and manipulate their music "ingredients" to get some quite nice results.

I don't use this sort of stuff much because I've played keyboards since a child...and love the creative process of composing and recording my own music.

Consider buying an old synth (Korg, Roland, etc)...amazing what usable (for films) "music" can be got out of a cheap synth (particularly if it has an arpeggiator and built-in midi sequencer) and some midi software by someone with no musical training. Ha ha...my 10 year old son (who doesn't have the patience for piano lessons but loves synthesizers/computers) is making "music" that I might even use one day...

oscillian

@GOODEMPIRE

Akai LPK25 when I want to be mobile (or just the keys on my laptop when I use Ableton, it actually works!)
In the studio I use Korg K49 (great key action for low price), but I still miss my old Roland JV80 and its pitchbender. Best keyboard I've used controller-wise is the Nord Lead with its Wooden Pitchstick and Stone Wheel. Too bad they don't make dedicated controllers :(

davhar

Now you've gone and done it… and who to blame- Mark the Harp, Goodempire, Oscillian? Or the infernal Stonebat Syndrome- I love me gears! Gotta buy me more!

Or is it just a basic need to put music into our little videos, arr, and not pay royalties? Images and sound is what we're working with all right… and it's high time I got with the program. So I downloaded Reaper and now need me a nice little synth that sounds good and doesn't require a degree in engineering, is simple on the basics and can seduce me with more in the days to come. Any suggestions?

Skeptikal

@davhar

Collecting synths is a disease like collecting lenses...but you could start with something with lots of knobs and sliders and a fat analog sound...Roland JP8000 or a Korg MS2000 or a vintage Korg Poly 6. The Nords are also good but often overpriced. The Korg Karma was a mickey mouse attempt at an instrument that makes its own melody (using internal/variable algorithms). A real PITA to learn to use...but a unique sound...and, almost, a random "music" generator.

The cheapest way is to get a good midi keyboard controller for $200, a USB - midi interface (eg Edirol) and Steinberg's VST client (V-Stack). Then go crazy with the millions of VST synths/instruments available online...many as freeware eg Crystal Synth.

oscillian

Ok, here we go again: This time Ableton Live with 2 softsynths: Pianissimo and Synful Orchestra.

B3Guy

I play keys as my main instrument. Go with

A. A MIDI keyboard and software. This is cheapest. Pay most atention to how you like the feel/action of the keys. You can always change the sound with the computer. That's what MIDI is for.

B. As has already been suggested, get a NORD. They make the best keyboards, available with either waterfall (Hammond-action) or hammer (piano-action) keys. The Hammond clone NORDs have an excellent organ simulator. If you play it thru a REAL Leslie or MotionSound, you will be hard-pressed to tell it from the real thing. Also, NORDs have the best . . . I repeat, the best piano sound out there. period. even expensive conputer-based piano software is no compare. I don't know how they did it, but it's killer.

C. (This one is me) . . . buy the real stuff. It just sounds the best, 'cause its not emulating with a bunch of ones and zeros. I currently have a Hammond B2 with a Leslie 122, smooth drawbars, TrekII Percussion, etc. NOTHING ROCKS HARDER. I also have a smaller Hammond M3 in working order that I got for $50 on Craigslist, soon to be rehoused in a roadcase. I have a borrowed '80s "60s" style Custom Shop Strat, a small 2-channel tube amp, a PBass, some mics, JBL speakers, and a small USB interface with GarageBand.

Learning to play an instrument requires time and effort, but can be very fun and rewarding at the end of the day. I highly suggest piano or keys to start, and get some lessons! Once you get the basics of music theory, start to dink around on other instruments. Its fun, and it WILL BURN YOUR MONEY, but lenses should already have you acclimated to that ;-)

B3Guy

for example, I ALMOST bought a Fender Rhodes yesterday, but I'm saving for LAV mics ;-)

davhar

Thanks B3Guy…but I don't have money to burn. Need something basic with no frills but great sound, many voices and the ability to manipulate, record and mix…with Garageband and/or Reaper and other downloadable programs that'll help me on my way as I try to figure out what the fuck I'm doing with my life.

Went to a big music shop today. Got lost. Wow! Lost of stuff. Went to the huge room of synths, etc… talked to a guy long enough for him to send me upstairs to another section of keyboards of… greatness. But to the side they had a small stack of Yamaha's. I focussed in on a "Synth Focused Portable (PSR-E423) that sells here for $250. Looks promising. Six tracks. Lots of "voices"- 182 + 462 XGlite +15Drum/SFX Kits + 40 Arpeggio. Yeah, lots of voices, O dear. The featured voices are - 5 sweet voices, 3 cool voices, 3 dynamic voices. Like I need more voices in my head. Okay. But, you know, it has knobs and keys and a pitch bender and 1.8 MB internal memory which sounds like a lot more than what I feel going on in me right now.

On my way out I passed a harp and immediately thought, "Mark-the-Harp"…and then…what am I getting myself into? Where I'm from they say that a boat is a hole in the water to pour money into. Well I ain't got no boat… just the hole.

Mark_the_Harp

@davhar Ooh - don't go near harps. Soon you'll be on specialist forums asking about string types and tensions, and different types of harps and tuning arrangements... just a different lake / boat to pour your money into!!

And speaking of money and film and water, to unite all three and bring this vaguely back on-topic, apparently the film "Raise the Titanic" lost so much money that one of its backers, Lew Grade, remarked that it would have been cheaper to lower the Atlantic.

mmmmm....so much stuff....so little money!!

bwhitz

@davhar

Get a midi-keyboard controller and something like Reason. It's much more flexible in the end. Things like exporting, arranging, and mastering are much harder on a stand-alone synth... it's a breeze with Reason or Xpand in Protools.

B3Guy

+1 for MIDI keyboard for on-the-cheap but decent stuff. Like I said, MIDI is MIDI. Focus on the feel of the keys when buying, that or pick up something for so cheap it doesn't even matter ;-)

otcx

Years a go there was program (Band in the Box) what make music for you. Maby it is still alive dont know.
Songs where horrible in most cases. Just wondering how own the rights.

davhar

Thanks guys. Watched YouTubes of girls playing those annoying pieces of…stuff I'm not interested in…on a tool I'm not going to buy. Midi keyboard has been recommended and next on my list. Obviously the state of the universe is at hand and world peace will never occur unless… my mind is not so… aghhhhh

o2x

A computer that is powerful enough to edit HD video is certainly good enough for audio. I come from an audio background. I used to have my own studio that recorded ads for local radio (but the buggers went and built their own but that's another story!!). I have my own little setup now in a spare room in my house. Just a decent soundcard, some software and some plugins - OK and a few guitars a little MIDI keyboard and a Roland D12 kit (I can barely move in here!! :) I tend to use Cubase. I have a PT Mbox system too, but there's far better instrument plug-ins on the VST platform. A lot of them free.

Here's an example of some of the stuff i've been working on with a friend - Rough Mix

http://www.filefactory.com/file/cebdf32/n/Mix02_06.mp3

stoney

I bought an acoustic electric guitar and a guitar synthesizer.

Godin ACS-SA http://www.godinguitars.com/godinmulthowtousep.htm It's about the current price of Nokton 25mm 0.95.

Roland GR-55. It's on sales. http://www.musiciansfriend.com/guitars/roland-gr-55-guitar-synthesizer It's about the current price of PL 25mm 1.4 DG.

Pricey to me. But dollar is gonna be doomed, right? Gotta invest and learn. This could become lifelong hobby.

The Canadian guitar is quite interesting. It has on-board amp that can output both nylon string sound and synth MIDI. The nylon string sound signal could go straight to speakers or amp. The MIDi output goes to Roland GR-55 that can synthesize guitar sound and output to various device including digital output over USB port. vDSLR was so refreshing to me. Those musical electronic equipments are so refreshing, too. Tuning the guitar took just a min. The synthesizer has a digital meter and displays the measured key. So freaking easy to tune. Technology awesome.

See how this guy plays.... he's so good. I'm just trying to brush up... a long way to go. More fun stuffs.

otcx

I wanted to go even further in this case. So I started to build the instruments myself.
According schematics from http://www.musicfromouterspace.com/

johnnym

Look at you all trying to do something you can't with automated tools.

If you want good music, there's plenty of good composers out there, who would work for free. The only thing you need is some nicely shot footage and some good editing. It might be that the problem lies there ?... :)

@stonebat
Get Omnisphere to go with your guitar.

@CRFilms Sony Acid is a great tool. I like your result.

@o2x if you use box.com or Soundcloud i wouldn't have to download it :)

fatpig

you should look at a vst plugin called "evolve mutations" (vol 1 and 2) - this is a very affordable, great sounding vst including everything you need to produce a gigantic sounding score. look into it.

soundgh2

The omnipresent music company at the mo is Audio Networks - the bane of any artistically inclined director as turn on any tv channel in the uk - music playing? Audio Networks 9/10 times - reasons being international cleared licensing - the production comp,anies get it for nothing virtually and they send you a fully populated hard drive with every genre and searchable database on when u begin your new series of Homes under the spanner or whatever - editors ( the guys who generally spot all the music not us sound chaps) have little time and little energy to go hunting for anything other than whats right in front of em - sad but true. To even get any budget these days for composed music is not the norm and although on many of the progs Ive mixed with non library music on far surpass the supermarket musak that library generally gives, most companies dont give a shit.

stip

@fatpig

Evolve is great, giving you big budget score sound even without much experience in composing or using DAWs

@stonebat

check the free version of IK Multimedias guitar amp simulation Amplitude, the sound is fantastic

http://www.ikmultimedia.com/amplitubefree/moreinfo/moreinfo1.php

Just plug your guitar to your soundcard, record a clean signal and use Amplitube Free as amp, it has quite a number of great great sounds.

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