Composing On Vista....

[AllegroArpeggio]

Hi all, my computer is running vista home edition (x64) and im in the process of setting up a home recording studio, so far i have found vista amazingly hard to work with due to compatibility issues with most hardware drivers and composing/recording software i have found, so i was looking for some guidance with software mainly and if anyone has any reccomendations hardware-wise.... would also be appreciated. cheers

 

[ssl]

The software is easy to fix, should you wish to stay with the "PC" side of things; upgrade to Windows XP.

The hardware, go for an Apple system. Probably G5 or later (Intel).

 

[MMMMatilde]

Use something high tech and flashy!

 

[AllegroArpeggio]

You mean downgrade dude ...
Problem is having paid for windows vista and all im fighting with it , is starting to look like downgrading is my only choice though
Cant you partition a hard drive to run two operating systems though?
Also when im talking hardware im talking recording hardware such as condenser mics and digital multitrackers, sequencers.etc
sorry to suck just need answers Lol cheers.

 

[AllegroArpeggio]

OH YEAH! Just use something high tech and flasy lols ....:willy_nilly:

 

[MMMMatilde]

girls know best!

 

[AllegroArpeggio]

might start a new thread on which high tech, flashy things are best to get now . .
:bates:

 

[Andre]

You mean downgrade dude ...

I think ssl MEANT upgrade man, as a joke with a large dose of serious content. It's Microsoft abusing the terms if anyone is.

 

[AllegroArpeggio]

Fair play... not too sure to be honest tho mate.
still didnt answer any of the relavant questions though...?

 

[AllegroArpeggio]

also upgrade means to switch to or add on the newest version of a certain program. and as vista is the latest windows OS i feel i am in the right here

 

[Andre]

Cant you partition a hard drive to run two operating systems though?

Yes: How to dual boot Vista and XP (with Vista installed first) -- the step-by-step guide with screenshots

 

[AllegroArpeggio]

Hey thanks alot, reckon the only problem ill have there is getting it to boot vista properly hopes are high tho

 

[Andre]

also upgrade means to switch to or add on the newest version of a certain program. and as vista is the latest windows OS i feel i am in the right here

You should probably have let that lie, but whatever. The relevant definitions of upgrade from Merriam-Webster when upgrade is a verb are:

upgrade

to raise the quality, to extend the usefulness of (as a device)

OR

to raise the classification and usually the price of without improving the quality

I know that upgrade is usually used to describe incremental changes to or newly released versions of software - I'm not a total moron. But using the first definition of the word against a newer version of a product which qualifies as the second is a fairly standard joke, especially if the latest version is causing problems, such as Vista is for you.

Anyway, I don't want to hijack your thread with nonsense, but could you be a little more specific about the type of music you intend to create? It might help people with software recommendations. Personally I only have experience with Soundforge and Vegas, both of which were very helpful to me, but I have contact with someone who is addicted to purchasing audio software who could probably give you very good advice if I could present him with a bit more information. E.g. What sort of instruments do you use? etc etc...

 

[AllegroArpeggio]

Haha i dont stand corrected.
"The term upgrade is most often used in computing and consumer electronics, generally meaning a replacement of hardware, software or firmware with a newer or better version, in order to bring the system up to date or to improve its characteristics. The word is also used by audiophiles to describe the replacement of a product with a better quality product with the aim of bringing enhancements to sound quality"
the words of wikipedia my man, looks like we both have a point here.... personally i would say that mine was more concise though

as for the music, will be varied i write a lot of rock, metal and acoustic instrumental music and a lot of hardstyle/breakbeat so a lil varied really...

 

[Andre]

Well I am no expert, but my first question would be, do you intend to record directly into the PC, track by track?

 

[AllegroArpeggio]

Yeah one track at a time cause im currently using the line 6 toneport for the guitar and VST Midi percussion such as the LM7, also i run reason adapted to make the drums sound better so theres no problems with equipment as such , just dont have any other recording devices atm so wanted to know which steps would be best for the future... my only problem is the toneport doesnt have vista drivers and like you say this will be a recurring problem with USB hardware until vista is up to date (which i have to say is starting to happen) i would just buy a multi track but im strapped for cash see so this is my sitch, gotta work with what i got . Looks like the partition will be of great help to me though ...

 

[Andre]

Well if you're strapped for cash then decent audio software will be out of the question.

Of course, if you can't afford to buy it anyway then the company hasn't technically lost any money if you get it on the sly.

I hope someone here can help you, and I'll get in touch with my brother this week if I can. He composes a lot of his own stuff and will have better advice than I could give you. He owns basically every decent piece of audio software there is haha!

My latest experience with recording track by track into a PC was with a band a used to be in. We were ok too - regular paid gigs and even played at a SONY Vaio launch party. Recently I shared a recording with someone involved with a successful band and he commented that our recordings from 2002 sound completely legit - though he would tweak some levels.

Back then we would record each track separately into Soundforge, and then combine everything with Vegas. It worked extremely well. Both of these products are still produced I think. I have a feeling SONY took over these products. Worth checking them out for sure. SF is great for editing single tracks and Vegas is pretty good at pulling everything together. That's really the only recommendation I could offer you for now, and my knowledge is outdated, but I wouldn't be surprised at all if it was still a really good option. Even Vegas on its own would have been pretty powerful.

 

[AllegroArpeggio]

Yeah cheers would appreciate that alot, and i have worked with soundforge a little recently... it is sony soundforge now yeah didnt know it wasnt in the first place :thumbup
and yeah same situation , instrumental band, gigs with royalties just without the vaio launch party!! impressive! but the line6 toneport i was talking about comes with software that surpasses a lot of other creation software in terms of latency monitoring, basicness of the interface and the amount of effects and guitar racks . . . just bloody vista holding me back!! and the fact it only has 1 track . . lol

if only i could find bill gates right now :mad

 

[NicAuf]

You need to get mario paint to compose some real music.

YouTube - Mario Paint - Halo Theme

 

[Andre]

LOL at Mario Paint.

Anyway man, I checked with my bro, he was quite busy, but it seems not much has changed.

I told him what I had advised you and he had three comments:

1) Soundforge is unrivalled
2) But vegas is the nicest user experience
3) Yeah sforge + vegas would work really well

plus...

"if it's all audio that is... if he needs software instruments also, and midi etc, and tempos, then it's another story. sforge and vegas are like good tape machines but they're not sequencers."

- he needs to record some drums in from reason. is that possible?

"hmm yeah he can do that, if he's okay to lose meta-data going into vegas and treat reason like an acoustic instrument... but other programs can actually communicate with Reason using their priopriety rewire protocol. dude it's just too big a topic to give 'in a nutshell' advice, it depends on too many things. i like Ableton live most, but it costs money."

He had to go. Hope that helps a bit.