Computer software programs

[yonkrz]

Hope this is the correct forum the question,Short history.I have been a gear Junkie hobby/obsessed player for 40 + years,just cant quit.I dont read music,I can understand tabs pretty well but dont have the best ear.I see many online videos of people with recording/practice setups and am assuming they are playing along to some sort of music program software ???

Is there such a thing other than the tab sites ive found that i can purchase that has such a thing as tabs with the music with the ability to cut certain instruments such as the bass?Or am i looking for something that doesnt exist ? Any suggestions would be greatfully appreciated.

 

[pbass74]

Check out Guitar Pro by Arobas Music. You can download tabs from Ultimate Guitar and other places. Guitar Pro also has official tabs you can purchase. Many Guitar Pro tabs include multiple instruments both in tablature and standard notation. You can choose to view only the bass and select tabs or standard or both. Then you can play along with the song--it's a midi format where you can choose from different instrument sounds including multiple basses. Usually the vocals are played by some kind of flute or something. You can solo the bass (or any other) part or have them all play along at the same time. You can print pretty much whatever you want if you prefer printed music. Also, you can loop sections for repetitive practice. And, you can write your own tabs if you are inclined to do so. I believe you can download a free trial version. I'm not affiliated with the company at all and used to use this a lot for guitar. I do use it occasionally for bass, especially when learning something new.

 

[yonkrz]

Hey thanks, I’ve seen that before and didn’t realize it was capable of all that, I’ll check into it further.

 

[joe grime]

Moises

 

[Lostgallifreyan]

Moises

Rattuses. Sorry, too hard to resist the urge to do that...

 

[Lostgallifreyan]

I'm going to suggest look for a general tool. Early DAW (workstation) type tools are excellent, for several reasons:
No subscription payments, once you have a legal copy, you own it.
Faster, simpler interface, likely to run well on older machines.
Good compatibility of data formats between versions of same maker's programs, easy to share in network collaborations between people.
Basic but effective notation tools, usually including tablature.
Greater chance of the program being released by the original inventor instead of some firm who took it over, and broke the 'upgrade' because of their own ignorance!

Some examples:
Cakewalk Pro Audio v9, or Sonar v1, on a Windows PC.
Logic or Cubase, on a Mac.
I'm not sure about Linux, but there will be something.

Versions from around the year 2000, give or take a bit depending on what you need from them. If you're working with other people you are better off using an earlier version so the data files are more likely to work with their chosen version, and setting up complex eye-candy views of the track layout isn't vital because you can't export those in most data files anyway. Stuff like plugins (and their 'wiring' and settings), mixing levels, MIDI data, time signature and tempo ARE stored, so complex projects can be shared even with these early versions.

Above all. EARLY versions are almost always a lot more efficient! Whatever your computer capability is, early versions will leave more of its power available to run plugins or play extra audio tracks without glitching.

The sooner detailed thought is given to the choices of a program, especially the 'why' of that choice, the sooner an endless chase for something 'better' will end, and the easier it gets to do something good with it.

 

[AGCurry]

Cakewalk Pro Audio v9

Wow. I loved that program but had to give it up unless I wanted to stick with Windows 98 and the Aardvark Q10 interface!

 

[Lostgallifreyan]

Wow. I loved that program but had to give it up unless I wanted to stick with Windows 98 and the Aardvark Q10 interface!

Fascinating... (I wish this thing could do the Spocklike eyebrow.)
That could well be a ringing endorsement, if you liked the score view and controls a lot. Very refreshing to think that someone familiar with the best of scoring programs wouldn't scorn Cakewalk Pro 9.

I really wanted to stay anyway, I liked Echo Audio's original Layla so much. Incidentally, the 24/96 version, with output 10µF caps replaced with links, is a truly excellent jitter-free signal relay for digital control of analog laser display galvanometers. Echo's hardware is REALLY cool. I gave up access to more than half the internet just to stay with systems that can use it. Now that might invite some scorn, but it works for me.

EDIT: I think for later Windows, one of the early version Sonars might be the nearest equivalent. More luxurious too. Personally I'd not go beyond Sonar v2. Late versions make life too complicated, diluting the power.