[Mega Muffin]

I am just posting this in the hopes that somebody out there has used (or knows anything about) music making software. You see, I am wanting to write a musical, and despite my knowing how to play the guitar, trumpet, drums and a bit of piano, I have not studied music and stuff, so there's really no way I'm going to be able to just write the notes and make sheet music like that. I need a program that can help me. Here's basically what I'm looking for.


First of all, if you have tried Fruity Loops (it's free to dl) then I basically want that, but with more instruments, like all the orchestra ones.

I want something where I can click on a note and have the program sound it out for me, so if I want a violin to play a certain note that I hear in my head, I won't have to guess which one it is.

I want a program that will play all the different instruements and once, like, basically play my composition for me thus far whenever I hit the play button.

And it would be nice if it could print out sheet music for me, but it's not necessary.

Basically a program for someone who just wants to experiment with things and find some good tunes along the way.


I really hope that someone can help me. I've googled many different things, hoping to strike gold, but I never did. There is even a place called music-makingsoftware.com and it is useless to me. I can't find any place that will tell me what I want to know, in english, about these different programs. Thanks for all your help.

[balistic]

You could basically use anything that supports VST instruments and has a sampler included. Fruityloops, Orion (what I use), Cubase . . . you can either pay for more instruments to extend your base package, or hunt and find free ones online (the free ones usually don't sound very good, but there are exceptions).

So basically get yourself set up in any MIDI-capable sequencing package, and then add instruments as you need them, either with VSTi plugins or by downloading/purchasing sample banks.
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brian.prince|light.comp.paint

[Nilwort]

Have you tried a program called Reason? Obtained legally (cough), it offers two cds of samples including strings, drums, pianos...a lot of stuff. The program itself is pretty easy to use and there is not a huge learning curve if you just want to see how things sound. A word of warning, if you have an old computer, it may run crappy because it's an extremely graphics-heavy program (lots of animated knobs and cables). The sound quality is pretty good...

Here's an only mildly irritating test that was the product of recording a guitar and making some drum patterns using the sample banks...

Did I mention it has nice samples?

[Giant Hamster]

As mentioned before, you can use any midi-sequencer.

If you know how to use Fruity Loops, you can stick with that...


What you should add to your arsenal are the following VSTi's to load into FL:

1. Edirol HQ Orchestra
2. MOTU Symphonic Instrument

Pick one or all. I reccomend these plugins because if you're not much for any new learning curves then these save you the time of having to first find a mutlisample player, quality multisamples, learn the stacking/layering features that they provide and if they features are compatible with the player you have.

There are other VSTi plugins with orchestral sounds. Check out www.kvraudio.com for all you need to know about VST plugins.

[[Shizo]]

Yeah, what they said.

Plus check out SampleTank VST by IK Multimedia. You should go and check out SampleTank2 and SonicSynth2 with free sounds. Most of all i like the new "pitch bending" thingie.

[daZork]

Well who have'nt tried Fruity Loops?

But there is a geat program that my father uses. And my sister is studying in a music-highschool where they use the same program. Cubase. I don't know why they use it but I'm sure there is a great reason.

http://www.steinberg.net/
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