Hmmm....
If you're just looking to fool around or are looking minimize the
financial damage, Fruity Loops is not so bad as they say it is. The new
version (which I have yet to acquire) looks pretty good. It won't make you
Aphex and it won't do anything, but it will do a lot, and its damn near
idiot proof (i.e., I can use it). Fruity, a couple of cheapy soft synths,
and some plugins (both of these last two are potentially freeware) ought to
get you playing around in short order. You'll also need to scour the net for
samples (the built in ones are a little weak). This could get the damage
down around $200 American, and this is assuming you aren't using (cough)
evaluation copies. I'm told by a reliable source that Reason is pretty good
too, but I haven't used it.
Joe
--------------------------------------------
email: joemackay@accesswave.nospam.ca
info: www.accesswave.ca/~joemackay
tunes: www.mp3.com/cogito
[remove the obvious from the email]
----- Original Message -----
From: "swamay" <swamay@home.com>
To: <damek@earthling.net>; <idm@hyperreal.org>
Sent: Wednesday, April 04, 2001 5:28 PM
Subject: Re: [idm] help me be aphex twin
quoted 2 lines Hey guys. So you want to be Aphex Twin. (I would rather be Atom Heart :)
> Hey guys. So you want to be Aphex Twin. (I would rather be Atom Heart :)
> A tall request, but one that can be answered. and will definately
generate
quoted 1 line more questions too. First you need to decide whether you are going to
> more questions too. First you need to decide whether you are going to
want
quoted 4 lines to make music with "hardware" or "software" Hardware being a outboard
> to make music with "hardware" or "software" Hardware being a outboard
> synthesizer or drum machine. or software gear like Reaktor, MAx, or some
> other sound generator. Or even a hybrid of both (the best choice) like
> Creamware Pulsar, KYMA.(MAX or KYMA or Pulsar not recommended since you
are
quoted 7 lines just starting.
> just starting.
>
> Outboard gear ususally has a sequencer built in but is very limited.
> Software sequencer give you much more flexibility.
>
> Basically you need a "sound scource" (synthesizer, wave file player, drum
> machine, etc.etc...and then a "sequencer" (Cubase, Cakewalk, Logic,
Master
quoted 1 line tracks, etc..etc.. "and a "MIDI controller" (Keyboard, MIDI sliderbox,
> tracks, etc..etc.. "and a "MIDI controller" (Keyboard, MIDI sliderbox,
MIDI
quoted 3 lines knobs, etc..etc...
> knobs, etc..etc...
>
> MIDI is how your music equipment talks to one another (handshake) Like
SCSI
quoted 4 lines or USB. It allows you to "trigger" sound from any synth off one keyboard,
> or USB. It allows you to "trigger" sound from any synth off one keyboard,
> and will also let you control many parameters of a sound (if it permits)
>
> My suggestion before you do any tinkering with IDM or any electronic
music,
quoted 7 lines i would find an old analog keyboard(pro-one or Moog or Roland stuff) and
> i would find an old analog keyboard(pro-one or Moog or Roland stuff) and
> learn the basic analog controls of a synth like Oscillators, Filters,
> Envelopes(ADSR), stuff like that. basically all electronic music gear is
> based on those features. Then you can move into harder things like MAX or
> KYMA, which redefine the way electonic music gear works.
>
> In the long run, you should definately look into computer
software/hardware
quoted 2 lines based gear. when you decide to buy equipment that you will ultimately use
> based gear. when you decide to buy equipment that you will ultimately use
> to make music, do not go and spend a bunch of money on outboard
"hardware"
quoted 2 lines gear. regardless of what you are told by some. Hardware gear WILL
> gear. regardless of what you are told by some. Hardware gear WILL
> DEFINATELY be obsolete soon. It is being replaced by DSP/computer
systems.
quoted 1 line FACT! (im sure this will piss some people off, but they just dont get it
> FACT! (im sure this will piss some people off, but they just dont get it
:)
quoted 6 lines DSP systems are WAY ahead of your standard new synths with bells and
> DSP systems are WAY ahead of your standard new synths with bells and
> whistles.
>
> To get started, I would start with a simple seqencer like Cakwalk, a cheap
> keyboard like a korg or roland piece, a MIDI port for your computer (MIDI
> in, out & thru) and you should be able to get the hang of things with
that.
quoted 24 lines You should be able to accomplish this for under $1000
> You should be able to accomplish this for under $1000
>
> Once you feel comfortable, check out Pulsar DSP card, this is a cute entry
> level card that is very flexible, it has synthesizers, drum machines,
> effects racks, 16 channed digital mixer, and everything is MIDI controlled
> in realtime. www.creamware.com.
>
> hope this helps a little bit.
>
> ~swamay~
>
>
>
> www.swamay.com
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: <damek@earthling.net>
> To: <idm@hyperreal.org>
> Sent: Wednesday, April 04, 2001 11:31 AM
> Subject: RE: [idm] help me be aphex twin
>
>
> > I'd like to second this request - I'm interested in sculpting sound and
> doodling tunes with my computer, but I don't quite "get it" yet. I've
> played around with sequencing waves in Cool Edit Pro's tracking feature,
and
quoted 2 lines I've played around a little with Buzz 2, but I'd really like a response to
> I've played around a little with Buzz 2, but I'd really like a response to
> Ben's email just for the explanation of it. Particularly I'd be
interested
quoted 5 lines in how easy it is to do what he described re: setting up a keyboard to
> in how easy it is to do what he described re: setting up a keyboard to
> control sounds on the computer, since I know piano but not my computer
> keyboard :P
> >
> > any suggestions? or should I just suck it up and learn the keys for
buzz
quoted 6 lines 2?
> 2?
> >
> > or should I stop struggling to learn buzz 2 and learn some other program
> since buzz 2 seems to no longer be in dev?
> >
> > or should i write some other list? (what was that music-making list
people
quoted 75 lines have written about?)
> have written about?)
> >
> > -adam
> >
> > > -----Original Message-----
> > > From: Ben Knowles [mailto:knowles@Colorado.EDU]
> > > Sent: Wednesday, April 04, 2001 2:20 PM
> > > To: intelligent dunce music
> > > Subject: [idm] help me be aphex twin
> > >
> > >
> > > sorry if this is a little OT, but i need help, and the
> > > question is simple
> > > enough that i don't really want to bother the kind folks on the music
> > > makers list with it.
> > >
> > > basically, i would like to begin making electronic music on a pc. i'm
> > > gonna go out on a limb and wager that i'm not alone in this
> > > desire. i've
> > > been looking around online for a resource that will tell me
> > > exactly what
> > > kinds of things i need to start out, but i'm not finding much. (i am,
> > > however, finding lots of technical documents about Csound,
> > > DSP and MIDI
> > > this-and-that, etc.) is there a site out there along the
> > > lines of "so you
> > > want to be an idm musician..." which gives you a rundown of the bare
> > > necessities? all i know is that i need something that will
> > > make noises,
> > > something to manipulate noises, and something else that will
> > > sequence the
> > > noises. i assume that things like Max/MSP, Reaktor and Csound
> > > are in the
> > > making/manipulating category, but what about sequencing? and
> > > is there a
> > > simple way to hook up a keyboard to my PC, but in a very
> > > flexible way so
> > > that it is just controlling the note but the computer is
> > > making the sound?
> > > is that what MIDI is? sorry if this is all very "duh," but
> > > i'm looking for
> > > a place to start here.
> > >
> > > alternatively, you can ignore the above paragraph and just
> > > send me a list
> > > of what you think is necessary hard/software for making
> > > electronic music
> > > on a computer. Example (which i'm making up, since i don't
> > > know what i'm
> > > talking about): Max/MSP with _______ sequencing software and a _______
> > > midi cable connected to a _______ keyboard. or something.
> > >
> > > thanks,
> > > nub
> > >
> > >
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