about $1200 to spend. now what?

[Bjazzman]

i got a macbook pro and abelton software. i have a couple of mics and an older motu 828. im looking for good drum software that is realistic and can emulate a live drummer in a live situation. what software is good for this. i want to replace my drummer. i might buy reason but is there anything else good out there? Also whats usb midi keyboard controller should i look at if i want alot of keys? How bout vst instruments? I want atmospheric/ambient/symphonic instruments as well as fat synthy bass stuff. I know reason is good but what else should i look at?

[seamonkey]

Jamstix http://www.rayzoon.com/
And a good host like Ableton Live
It's truly amazing - it can listen to what you're playing and jam.

For stupid easy, good sounding drums, try band in a box "Realdrums"
http://www.pgmusic.com/

For vsti instruments There are just so many to try. Free to really expensive. I'm holding out to see what Yamaha announces at NAMM

For free samplers, Yellow Tools Independence Free is interesting.

[joebingo]

Originally Posted by Bjazzman

i got a macbook pro and abelton software. i have a couple of mics and an older motu 828. im looking for good drum software that is realistic and can emulate a live drummer in a live situation. what software is good for this. i want to replace my drummer. i might buy reason but is there anything else good out there? Also whats usb midi keyboard controller should i look at if i want alot of keys? How bout vst instruments? I want atmospheric/ambient/symphonic instruments as well as fat synthy bass stuff. I know reason is good but what else should i look at?

for the keyboard, m-audio Keystation pro 88. hammer action, 88 keys, some ridiculous number of nobs. awesome! for the synths, I'd take a look at Native Instruments. in terms of a sampler, take a look at Native Instruments Kontakt and for drums, I use BFD, which is pretty damn good!

[bluestarbass]

Since you have the macbook it may be worth looking into Logic 8. Ive never really been a fan of ableton, though it is good for drum loops and such like your talking about. I havent messed with the new logic but its supposed to be totally loaded with drum loops and plugins and such. Its only $500 now, worth checking into.

[hunta]

I wouldn't go near anything M-audio unless you absolutely can't afford better. If you're talking about dropping $1200 on top of what you've already spent, you are clearly looking for something better than the bottom of the line gear.

How many keys is "a lot of keys"? Are you going to be playing the keyboard in a live situation or just using it as a controller to get parts into your sequencer? You can buy an 88 key controller or get a smaller controller with more features and better keys at the same price. There is a huge difference between a cheap keyboard and a "nice" keyboard (doesn't have to be super expensive). I just got an AKAI MPK49 (49 keys and 12 pads for $379, online shops its ~$400) and the keys feel really nice to me. 49 is a nice sized keyboard for DAW stuff too (88 keys takes up a lot of space), I wouldn't go less than 49 probably. It also has drum pads, which you'll want in one form or another if you want to make good beats. The AKAI MPD24 or the Korg PadKontrol are both $200 and lots of guys dig em.

For VST drums, Guru ($250) is looking pretty hot right now for drums. FXpansion has a nice demo video on their site you should check out (they're using the MPD24 in the video). I'm probably going to buy it today myself. BFD is good stuff too (same people make Guru).

For Synth VST, I like all the GForce stuff (minimonsta, m-tron, oddity, imposcar). Minimonsta is really awesome. EWQL Symphonic Orchestra is real good, the silver version is only like $175. There are a lot of other orchestra synths that are good too, but make sure you listen to the demos and read forums like gearslutz.com and see what pros and other home studio guys think about it. You also will probably want some EQ/COMP/VERB package like Waves Renn Maxx is alright but like $450 meh. There are probably some better options out there these days but I haven't bothered trying them all out yet.

Hope that's helpful

[pbass2]

Originally Posted by Bjazzman

i got a macbook pro and abelton software. i have a couple of mics and an older motu 828. im looking for good drum software that is realistic and can emulate a live drummer in a live situation. what software is good for this. i want to replace my drummer. i might buy reason but is there anything else good out there? Also whats usb midi keyboard controller should i look at if i want alot of keys? How bout vst instruments? I want atmospheric/ambient/symphonic instruments as well as fat synthy bass stuff. I know reason is good but what else should i look at?

BFD hands down if you want very "realistic" drums. (But beware it is a processor hog)

[i_got_a_mohawk]

Drum Kit From Hell 2 is coming out soon, dont know how good it will be tho.

[Bjazzman]

so as far as the drum softare- guru, bfd, and steinberg groove agent look the best to me. im still not sure if i'll go with bfd since it is power hungry but it looks like it has a human feel to it.

my second question is i have a microkorg. can i use the sounds off of that from the 1/4" into my mixer as well as using it as a midi controller? And how do i do that?

Also, people that have one midi controller, how do you go back and forth between the different programs on your computer in a live setting. Like say for example since im runnning abelton, i want to go between reason and absynth. can you keep them all running and just switch to mess with the sounds?

[stranger0]

Yuu can always give me the $1200 and I can spend it

[Bjazzman]

since im going to get reason anyway should i just stick to the drums included in that? i was thinking about bfd but i don't think i would utilize that much stuff.

also has anyone had experience with native instruments massive?

[David Vector]

also has anyone had experience with native instruments massive?

Yep, it has become the synth I go to first and have the most fun programming (although I'm very fond of u-he Zebra 2 as well). NI really thought things out as far as making Massive's interface approachable and more like a "fun box of knobs" that you want to twiddle and tweak. IMO, the sound quality is stellar, too...definitely more detailed and hi-fi sounding than any other wavetable synth I've tried, hardware or software. It's a bit of a CPU hog, but Massive is optimized for sound quality more so than CPU efficiency.

I'm a sucker for wavetable synths...loved the PPG and the Wavestation (the latter is not a "wavetable" synth in the same sense as the PPG but in practice it can produce similar results). Massive to me is like a modern-day PPG with an infinitely deeper voice architecture and a much warmer and more pristine sound.

[Yazzman]

well I would imagine BFD is your best shot even though I havent used it. I use reason for drums, but it wont make your drums sound like a real drummer, I can guarantee that because its a 16/32/64 step sequencer, and the sequencing is only as good as the work you put into it, which means, you will have to use the 64 step sequencer and do a **** load of work to get every note right. I use reason for pretty basic drum emulation, the best way to get drums is really to have a drummer unfortunately. But try BFD that is what I would do if I were serious.

As for softsynth, listen to what HUNTA said, (get GForce stuff ). I have played tons of synths, hardware and soft. And impOSCar is the most amazing softsynth I have found hands down. It sounds like an analog synth. Arturia is second best, sounds more digital, but they make some good softsynths too.

[hunta]

Originally Posted by Yazzman

Arturia is second best, sounds more digital, but they make some good softsynths too.

I've only used their minimoog and I thought it was really cool until I tried G-Force's minimonsta. It just sounds WAY better. The minimonsta is $50 cheaper too if you're into that.