| Intro | | | | get into this too much, because there's just |
| | | | too much to tell in this article. If you're |
| Well guys, I've decided to write a short | | | | interested in using REASON, I recommend that |
| article on how to make music with your | | | | you get the tutorial CD-ROM from M-AUDIO. It |
| computer. When I started out, I couldn't find | | | | will give you a good idea of how to get |
| anything to help me. I didn't know what to | | | | started with REASON, and if you think that it |
| buy, or where to start. Hopefully this short | | | | will be good for you. |
| article will help you in your quest to making | | | | |
| music a fun and productive hobby or future | | | | Putting it all together |
| profession. | | | | |
| | | | The great thing about the two pieces of |
| Loops and SONY ACID Software | | | | software that I talked about in the previous |
| | | | two paragraphs is this: |
| When I first started to create music I used | | | | |
| SONIC FOUNDRY'S ACID MUSIC 3.0. It's a piece | | | | - You can use ACID for all your loops |
| of software that enables you to create music | | | | |
| with loops. Loops are small pieces of music, | | | | - You can use ACID to record vocals and/or |
| like a drum line or synth line. These loops | | | | guitars if you have the equipment |
| are only a few seconds long, but, obviously, | | | | |
| they loop. This means that you can draw the | | | | - You can use ACID to render your final |
| loop in for 30 seconds, 60 seconds, whatever | | | | recording to mp3, wav, aiff, and more |
| length you'd like with no distortion or other | | | | |
| strange noises when the loop starts over at | | | | - You can use REASON to program patterns for |
| the beginning. There are many websites and | | | | drums, synths, etc. |
| companies that create loops for production | | | | |
| use. A lot of them are Royalty Free; this | | | | (Keep in mind that these two programs can do |
| means that you can use them in commercial | | | | way more than what's displayed above) |
| (for-profit) songs. Each of the companies | | | | |
| that create these loops has their own | | | | The coolest part of this whole thing is that |
| license, which you'll want to read if you're | | | | you can connect these two programs. Using a |
| going to release an album. The license is | | | | technology named "REWIRE", created by |
| usually just a set of rules or terms that say | | | | PROPELLERHEADS you can have both of these |
| what you can and can't do with a loop. Most | | | | applications synchronized. Add a loop in |
| the time you can use these Royalty Free loops | | | | ACID, make a pattern in REASON, and have them |
| in commercial recordings, but you can't, for | | | | play back together. When you're done, you can |
| example, resell the loops by themselves. You | | | | render in ACID to have the synchronized music |
| have to abide by the license. | | | | as one file, or track. |
| | | | |
| As far as I know SONIC FOUNDRY was bought out | | | | Wait! I have no sound |
| by SONY, so if you're looking for this | | | | |
| software.... | | | | Okay, so now you have the software to start |
| | | | creating some awesome music. So the thing |
| - Do a search for ACID PRO, or visit the link | | | | you're missing is sound, speakers, |
| at the bottom of the article | | | | headphones, etc. I use an external sound card |
| | | | by M-AUDIO, called OMISTUDIO USB. This thing |
| - There are different versions of the | | | | connects to my pc with the USB port. It has |
| software; one of the versions is absolutely | | | | two headphone connections and two instrument |
| FREE | | | | mic connections with preamp power. It also |
| | | | contains several speaker connections, as well |
| The Reason to create | | | | as other connections for mixers, etc. |
| | | | |
| The piece of software I'd like to talk about | | | | There are several different types of these |
| in this section is PROPELLERHEADS REASON. | | | | external sound machines. Most of them are |
| This piece of software is much different than | | | | either USB or FireWire. Most have headphone, |
| ACID. REASON is focused less on loops, and | | | | speaker, and mic connections and come with |
| more on programming. When I say programming, | | | | the necessary drivers for your computer. |
| I mean using individual sounds, for example, | | | | |
| a kick drum, snare, or piano sound. You then | | | | It's all over |
| use the awesome devices to create patterns. | | | | |
| REASON includes a powerful list of devices. | | | | I hope that this short article gave you some |
| Some of the more important are the ReDrum | | | | ideas to start making music. I plan on |
| Drum Machine, Synthesizers, and all new in | | | | writing more articles as time permits. See ya |
| 2.5, the mastering devices. I'm not going to | | | | soon! |