DOES ANYNE HERE ACTUALLY PREFER SOFTWARE?

mwalker wrote:

xibalba1875 wrote:obviously you forgot the one real fact that pretains to me - i dont like software
and you forgot that i said that i know that software CAN benefit music, its just not my bag
and you yourself have a nice day. its rather sunny over here and im quite enjoying it.

beautiful!
like i said it is "all perference".

hehe thanks!
@ konc3pt yes i do use a somewhat hybrid setup

record in logic studio do very minor editing i basically use it as a multitrack recorder
i own one additional soft synth but rarely use it (motu ethno) its quite nice actually

i dont think i could ever hate for real real on software its just i could never see myself being a fully or 50% intergrated on software in my setup. something about being surrounding by hardware and being able to fully see each piece of equipment rather than relying on a small screen for realestate

i think thats probably what it is. because i cant see everything and cant automatilly go to a piece of equipment at any time im kinda of detracted from software.
for me to be happy in software i would have to have a computer for every soft synth/soft music gear i own or at the very least a seperate monitor for each piece.

The keyboard player is only one example. Find a drummer that loves to program drums with a mouse. Same goes for a violinist, and the banjo player, and a long **** list of other instrumentalists would most def agree. And since when is a midi keyboard controller not hardware? Also, as I stated earlier, recording to DAW is great. This does not eliminate the Instrument being recorded.

mwalker wrote:

turntablewillie wrote:Ahh yes... the pros and cons... pro versus free downloads... Eventually we won't need women anymore either, because in the future porn will be so much better than the real thing! I agree that the methods are not anywhere as important as the outcome... but... once again I will go back to the pro keyboard player, find one who does not prefer a real set of keys.

that is true about "pro keyboard players" they do perfer a steinway, yamaha, etc but what does that have to do with hardware or software?

another point not only keyboard players write music or make beats. plus, most beat makers cant play the keys. so again, what is your point.

"pro keyboard players" this refers to real musicians. And yes they do prefer reeal instruments. Which is what I was saying. And just because "most" beatmakers can't play keys, does not make the keys obsolete. Software is a big revolution, I am not going to refute this.

"the internet blew up and fans turned to rappers" Rappers who can't afford to invest in equipment. Or people who want to make beats, but don't know how. Just look at the huge pile of people in this forum alone who don't know how to use even the most basic of functions on our trusty MPCs. Everyone wants to make beats these days. Not excluding myself. Find me ANYONE who would not trade their software emulations, of any instrument, for the real deal.

turntablewillie wrote:The keyboard player is only one example. Find a drummer that loves to program drums with a mouse. Same goes for a violinist, and the banjo player, and a long **** list of other instrumentalists would most def agree. And since when is a midi keyboard controller not hardware? Also, as I stated earlier, recording to DAW is great. This does not eliminate the Instrument being recorded.

mwalker wrote:

turntablewillie wrote:Ahh yes... the pros and cons... pro versus free downloads... Eventually we won't need women anymore either, because in the future porn will be so much better than the real thing! I agree that the methods are not anywhere as important as the outcome... but... once again I will go back to the pro keyboard player, find one who does not prefer a real set of keys.

that is true about "pro keyboard players" they do perfer a steinway, yamaha, etc but what does that have to do with hardware or software?

another point not only keyboard players write music or make beats. plus, most beat makers cant play the keys. so again, what is your point.

"pro keyboard players" this refers to real musicians. And yes they do prefer reeal instruments. Which is what I was saying. And just because "most" beatmakers can't play keys, does not make the keys obsolete. Software is a big revolution, I am not going to refute this.

"the internet blew up and fans turned to rappers" Rappers who can't afford to invest in equipment. Or people who want to make beats, but don't know how. Just look at the huge pile of people in this forum alone who don't know how to use even the most basic of functions on our trusty MPCs. Everyone wants to make beats these days. Not excluding myself. Find me ANYONE who would not trade their software emulations, of any instrument, for the real deal.

you need to get out more. i play the drums and i use a drumkat to program my drums and not a mouse. do you know what a drumkat is? ever played one? have you ever program one? there are midi controllers for some of the instruments you named too.

thru my musical experences i have grown to understand that the individuals that purchase $1000s in hardware "always" have to justify thier purchase. the only problem that i see is that i do own a mpc2000, 10 sound/tone modules, 32 channel mackie mixer, the works but my software setup which consist of a lappy, firewire harddrive, drumkat, mpd24, novation sl zero, m-audio keystation pro 88, live 7, cubase sl3, reason 4, fl studio, native instruments komplete 5, ik multimedia suite (sampletank, sonik synth, sample moog, philharmonik miroslav), specstrasonic suite (trilogy, atmospere, stylus rmx), lounge lizard 3, garritan personal orchestra, garritan jazz & big band, colosuss, and hypersonic 2 can do anything "hardware" can and in "most" cases better. i will go out on a limb and say that software sounds better than hardware. question, tell me which "hardware module" piano sounds better than native instruments acountik piano? plus, acountik piano is not even the best sounding software piano.


to be "totally honest" i think in order to "have" an opinion on hardware and software one needs to have both setups like i do. like i stated earlier i have mpc2000 and 10 tone modules(roland r5, roland u220, korg m3r, akai s01, akai s2000, alesis nano bass, alesis nano synth, alesis s4, alesis d4, and proteus fx) plus the software i stated earlier. i have been doing this electronic music stuff for over 20 years. plus, i do play the drums, keys, guitar and graduated from berklee school of music with a degree in performance (drums).

again, if you "love" hardware that is "cool",again, if you "love" hardware that is "cool" but the bottom line is software runs rings around hardward, simple as that.

when and if you get an advance software setup you will see the differents.


i know, your boi has an advance software setup and you fool with all the time.

ok.

Depends on what I'm doing, but this is the setup I've decided upon . . .

For generating and trying out ideas, hardware. It's simply easier for me to spin back a piece of vinyl while hearing it, load it into my MPC, trim it, and play around with some drums I have on my CF.

Much easier than doing it on my Mac -- which means, trimming it down in Audacity, exporting as a AIFF, loading it in Recycle, chopping it, loading Reason, loading the sample into Dr. Rex, hunting through folders. It takes you ten minutes before you can even get started with tinkering to just see if a sample or idea would work.

If I have an idea down, and I feel like it can be tweaked better on a computer -- then I go with that. Like a beat I did on my MPC recently -- I think it's nice, but it needs some polish that I don't have the dedicated hardware to accomplish right now. I wouldn't have room for said hardware at this point even if I could afford it . . .

The other benefit of hardware -- you focus. You don't get distracted by E-Mail, someone sending you an instant message -- whatever. When I mess with my MPC it's just me staring at that LCD and pads -- nothing else.

When it comes to multitracking and mixing stuff down though? Software all the way. My preferred weapon of choice is Logic. Also, if I *really* need to do some serious chopping of a sample I'm probably going to do it in Recycle, not on my MPC.

Like a few of you, I too take advantage of both. Most of my knowledge & skills started with hardware only ('cause that's all there was back in the day).
And one of the reasons why I invested in a MPC 4k, was because it offered me the best of both worlds and some.
I appreciate the fact of having software since it makes the whole recording process that much easier for me these days.
I just can't do one without the other...I gots to have both of 'em.

There's pros and cons to them all

Gear's Pros:

You can sell them to people if you get bored with them/move on
You can "invest" alot of money on them, to get your desired sounds/results
If you take care of them, they'll maybe last longer than you do
Much easier to go on tour with, and have not too many bad results
Can't get a computer virus
Sometimes you'll find gear for cheap (pawnshops, ebay, craigslist)



Gears Cons:

Can break down, and be hard to repair if parts are hard to come by (especially if it's old gear)
Takes up alot of space in your studio
Has a mess of wires all over the place just so you hear it/sync it up to other devices
Not always easy to understand without a manual
Will probably have you spending more money down the road
Classic gear will always cost more

Software Pros:

Easy to learn, if you have right sequencer/program that's newbie friendly
Infinate sound pallette, no more having to hunt down hard to find gear, just dl it, and boom, you've got a new synth/effect to play around with
Usually gets updated periodicly by company you purchased it from to be better/more functions

Software Cons:

Easy to sound like everybody else
Your PC/Mac may crash or get a nasty Virus
You will probably need more memory/HD the more you want to run
Not all software is compatible with others
You can't re-sell software if you're not happy with it(Licensing issues)
Can be difficult to play live without proper DAW interfaces
Not all software is cheap or available


See what I mean?

Music is like a wild horse. You have to tame it. They both have their own learning curves, but to me, software is making it easier for people with modest budgets to produce top quality results. More and more gear manufacturers have learned they can't expect people to buy $4000 tritons anymore, when somebody with just $1000 can pick up a laptop, controller, and a few softsynths for just that. Lots of classic gear has dropped in price, now that there's software versions that make it cheaper (and easier) to own. Maybe one day we'll see a software version of a mpc out there.

You can use what you want, is my thinking. One might have you investing more wisely in the other. One may make the learning curve easier to understand for the next purchase. It all depends on what you're comfortable with.

mwalker wrote:
you need to get out more. i play the drums and i use a drumkat to program my drums and not a mouse. do you know what a drumkat is? ever played one? have you ever program one? there are midi controllers for some of the instruments you named too.

thru my musical experences i have grown to understand that the individuals that purchase $1000s in hardware "always" have to justify thier purchase. the only problem that i see is that i do own a mpc2000, 10 sound/tone modules, 32 channel mackie mixer, the works but my software setup which consist of a lappy, firewire harddrive, drumkat, mpd24, novation sl zero, m-audio keystation pro 88, live 7, cubase sl3, reason 4, fl studio, native instruments komplete 5, ik multimedia suite (sampletank, sonik synth, sample moog, philharmonik miroslav), specstrasonic suite (trilogy, atmospere, stylus rmx), lounge lizard 3, garritan personal orchestra, garritan jazz & big band, colosuss, and hypersonic 2 can do anything "hardware" can and in "most" cases better. i will go out on a limb and say that software sounds better than hardware. question, tell me which "hardware module" piano sounds better than native instruments acountik piano? plus, acountik piano is not even the best sounding software piano.


to be "totally honest" i think in order to "have" an opinion on hardware and software one needs to have both setups like i do. like i stated earlier i have mpc2000 and 10 tone modules(roland r5, roland u220, korg m3r, akai s01, akai s2000, alesis nano bass, alesis nano synth, alesis s4, alesis d4, and proteus fx) plus the software i stated earlier. i have been doing this electronic music stuff for over 20 years. plus, i do play the drums, keys, guitar and graduated from berklee school of music with a degree in performance (drums).

again, if you "love" hardware that is "cool",again, if you "love" hardware that is "cool" but the bottom line is software runs rings around hardward, simple as that.

when and if you get an advance software setup you will see the differents.


i know, your boi has an advance software setup and you fool with all the time.

ok.

Is this an okay substitute for a drumkat?
You graduated from Berkley with a degree in drum performance, yet you prefer this...

Do you use this for live performances?
I'm not trying to diss or anything... but your post also assumes that I have no experience with software. And you ignore my post saying that software can be powerful. Great for dsp and mastering etc.
The best piano sound? Probably a multisampled piano. You guessed it... recorded from a REAL PIANO!
Are there really MIDI violins? What do you control with it? A multisample of a violin? Go figure...

And my boi does have an ADVANCED software setup!!! Who knew!!!

Headphones wrote:There's pros and cons to them all

Gear's Pros:

You can sell them to people if you get bored with them/move on
You can "invest" alot of money on them, to get your desired sounds/results
If you take care of them, they'll maybe last longer than you do
Much easier to go on tour with, and have not too many bad results
Can't get a computer virus
Sometimes you'll find gear for cheap (pawnshops, ebay, craigslist)



Gears Cons:

Can break down, and be hard to repair if parts are hard to come by (especially if it's old gear)
Takes up alot of space in your studio
Has a mess of wires all over the place just so you hear it/sync it up to other devices
Not always easy to understand without a manual
Will probably have you spending more money down the road
Classic gear will always cost more

Software Pros:

Easy to learn, if you have right sequencer/program that's newbie friendly
Infinate sound pallette, no more having to hunt down hard to find gear, just dl it, and boom, you've got a new synth/effect to play around with
Usually gets updated periodicly by company you purchased it from to be better/more functions

Software Cons:

Easy to sound like everybody else
Your PC/Mac may crash or get a nasty Virus
You will probably need more memory/HD the more you want to run
Not all software is compatible with others
You can't re-sell software if you're not happy with it(Licensing issues)
Can be difficult to play live without proper DAW interfaces
Not all software is cheap or available


.

I think headphones has the right idea.

its no use mwalker...brothas is just too dense sometimes

first off, i have a kickkat and hatkat connected to my drumkat. plus, i have 2 TBX 3 (these are three surfaces on one pad made by terry bozzio) pads connected too.

no, i do not use the drumkat live only as a midi control for my software setup. i use a 8 piece tama kit with 7 cymbals for live performances.

i am not going to knock the roland v-drum (td-65w, td-35w) because the top of the line v-drums are "really" nice but compare the specs between the drumkat and roland v-drum. here is the specs for the drumkat:

http://www.alternatemode.com/drumkat_specs.shtml

just off the top, with the picture of the v-drum you posted there are only 8 surfaces to play on where the basic drumkat has 10 but when you add the kickkat and 2 TB3 that is 17 surfaces.

here are some videos of the different ways to use a drumkat, check them out.

http://www.alternatemode.com/videos_drumkat.shtml

yes, you could lay down some nice grooves with the drumkat but you can do so much more. check out the video and see the power of a drumkat.

i can not knock the v-drum but as far as a midi controller goes "i" think the drumkat can do more. as for just drumming the v-drums has it hands down. if i was to own a roland v-drum system it would be td-65w or tb-35w and not the low end ones.

yo respect_mbs, because i do not agree with you that makes me dense?

wow, that is deep.

mwalker wrote:yo respect_mbs, because i do not agree with you that makes me dense?

nah...im saying...you arguing with whats his name but he keeps bringing up some weak points. In order words, you are wasting your time. I see what ur saying software has its benefits but your def beating a dead horse. let them rock hardware...theres no need to justify what you use.

itslikezacanduh wrote:I prefer the work flow on hardware. I make all my beats on the mpc; including all the tracks, sequences and song. Then I track into Logic and fine tune/add soft synths/additional effects if/as needed.

I fussed around with Reason and a midi controller for several months and didn't make a fraction of what I made with the MPC in only a few weeks... to me, getting off of the computer and on the MPC allows me to focus on the music and be creative as opposed to being interrupted by e-mail, instant messages or porn. heh.

cosign all of this. =)

any "serious" software producers/song writers does not connect thier music production computer to the internet.

most anti-virus software does not play nicely with music software (i.e. cubase, live, vsti, etc).

plus, why chance getting a virus on your music production computer.

"serious" software producers/song writers have at least two machines. one for internet/e-mail and one solely for music.

mwalker wrote:any "serious" software producers/song writers does not connect thier music production computer to the internet.

most anti-virus software does not play nicely with music software (i.e. cubase, live, vsti, etc).

plus, why chance getting a virus on your music production computer.

"serious" software producers/song writers have at least two machines. one for internet/e-mail and one solely for music.

Well, consider me guilty of violating this code of conduct. I've been a long trustworthy advisor to this method until I upgraded my DAW the last time (a little over a year ago).

I actually thought with the addition of anti virus that things would get worst. But I've been proven wrong since there's plenty of additional resources packed in these newer computer products.

Plus there's a program or two that I'm using that won't open unless there's an internet connection present. All in all, things change rapidly in this game now-a-days. What use to be the defacto at one point has now changed within just a few years.

Someone earlier in this post suggested that instruments will become obsolete due to software being so good. This makes ME dense? Get real guy.

I am not bragging my v-drums at all. They are OKAY... What about your question of the best piano sound? v-drums have 2 zones per pad also.