What's The Best Garage Band Imitator For PC?

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Ne'er ate 'er
Member Since: Apr 05, 2006

As most of you know, I do voice work, and use AA 1.5. I have a library of royalty-free music beds (beds are music behind the voice) but they're quickly getting stale. I was recently introduced to Garage Band and it seems to be the ultimate solution for creating new, original music for backgrounds. I love the functionality and the ease of use.

Is there anything for PC that closely approaches Garage Band? I'd rather spend $500 on an application than $1500 on a Mac just to get that kind of program.

I don't just want to buy a bunch of loops. Or do I? You tell me.

All comments and suggestions welcome.

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MASSIVE Mastering, LLC
Member
Since: Aug 05, 2008


Sep 26, 2008 06:50 pm

I used to use Acid Pro... Pretty amazing program for throwing a lot of music together in a hurry.

Comes with some loops, lots of others available.

Czar of Midi
Administrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002


Sep 26, 2008 10:04 pm

Herb, you might be able to get by completely on the Free version of Acid and simply picking up the loop packages that are pretty cheap for it.

Otherwise Project 5 would give you a few more bells and whistles and can do and use the same acidized loops.

Member
Since: Jan 18, 2003


Sep 27, 2008 01:10 am

if fruityloops and reason work within acid (and i'm pretty sure they do) then that'd be what i'd do. you can do a lot of stuff with that combo.

Czar of Cheese
Member
Since: Jun 09, 2004


Sep 27, 2008 10:16 am

Mixcraft touts itself as the closest thing to it for Windows:

www.topdrawerdownloads.com/download/101767

Never used it, but it looks interesting.

Jim

Ne'er ate 'er
Member
Since: Apr 05, 2006


Sep 27, 2008 12:27 pm

Hey Jim, I just downloaded the trial version of Mixcraft and it looks pretty good! I'll dink around with it for a little bit. Seems like it may have potential.

Keep the ideas coming. Still looking around.

Noize, I'm afraid to Google free acid. LOLZ


Administrator
Since: Apr 03, 2002


Sep 27, 2008 12:30 pm

Very interesting.

If any user cares to write a review of it, I'd gladly publish it here. ::poke, poke::

Ne'er ate 'er
Member
Since: Apr 05, 2006


Sep 27, 2008 05:36 pm

Will give that a thought, dB.

OK, so I got the free trial of Acid Music Studio 7.0. I was under the impression that it came with loops? Um, not that I can find. If I have to buy the app to get them, there may not be a sale. I'd like to hear the loops first. Ya know, Sony?

I see a bunch of sites out there claiming to have free loops. Are there really such things? Not that I'm too lazy to wade through all the pages (lie), but perhaps my esteemed and learned friends can point me in the right deerection.

I'm so pathetic when I beg.

edit - not necessarily free, but less expensive yet high quality.

Czar of Midi
Administrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002


Sep 27, 2008 09:45 pm

Yep, there are some freebie acidized loops out there.

Ne'er ate 'er
Member
Since: Apr 05, 2006


Sep 27, 2008 10:17 pm

I knew you'd know that.
http://www.homerecordingconnection.com/images/icon4.gif



Czar of Midi
Administrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002


Sep 27, 2008 10:42 pm

Why, because I'm a cheap old fart?

IF I get some time tomorrow I'll try and find a few of the places I had found them in the past.

Ne'er ate 'er
Member
Since: Apr 05, 2006


Sep 27, 2008 11:21 pm

No worries there. I love ya man.

Ne'er ate 'er
Member
Since: Apr 05, 2006


Sep 28, 2008 01:29 pm

www.acidmusicloops.com/producers_packs.html

Any good here? Looking at the Pop Producers pack. Jeez, I wish I could listen before committing. May be time to wield the Visa and let the chips fall.


Czar of Midi
Administrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002


Sep 28, 2008 01:53 pm

Those look good, although as you stated it would be nice to have a listen first. And it does not really say anywhere they are actually in Acid format, only wav and AIFF, which is no big deal as ACID can set them up anyway as long as tempo and key are listed.

Here are a couple places I use frequently and can attest to them actually be high quality.

www.zero-g.co.uk/

www.eastwestsamples.com/

www.soundsonline.com/home.php

These all have very good libraries and the quality is fantastic.

Ne'er ate 'er
Member
Since: Apr 05, 2006


Sep 28, 2008 02:21 pm

Wow Noize! It appears to take some serious coinage. Over a $grand is a little weighty. I think what I'm really looking for is a package that is versatile, able to create a variety of different moods/themes, yet not shred the wallet. I'd be very willing to spend a couple hundred on a package that will give convincing results. I want them just for beds, so the ultimo EastWest type of stuff is probably not necessary.

Can you recommend a package like that? I'm all ears! Sorry if I seem retarded about this.

Thanks a whole bunch again for all the help. I am in yer debt.

Czar of Midi
Administrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002


Sep 28, 2008 05:18 pm

Ya, they have some there at soundsonline that are well within that budget. I will have a look after i run another errand and post direct links to them.

I know there are a couple under the one hundred mark as well.


Czar of Midi
Administrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002


Sep 28, 2008 07:00 pm

Don't know why I did not think of this earlier. I got some really cool stuff direct from Sony for very cheap.

YOu can start here though.

www.acidplanet.com/

Then move on to .

www.acidplanet.com/tools/8packs/

Then enter here for the grand finale.
There are tons of good bits on cheaper library disc's made just for Acid and the like.

www.sonycreativesoftware.com/loops

YOu can maybe find a few freebies here as well.

www.google.com/search?q=S...lient=firefox-a

Hope that gets you going were you want to go.

Ne'er ate 'er
Member
Since: Apr 05, 2006


Sep 28, 2008 07:58 pm

Got the free version of Acid there. Absolutely can find what I need in those links for sure.

You are a god. Thanx!


http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l187/SadistcSweethart/high-five-kitty.jpg




Czar of Midi
Administrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002


Sep 29, 2008 06:27 pm

To be honest, the fact that I can use P5 the same or better then Acid I too only use the free version of Acid.

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