Internet sinner starting over for recording applications
Home > Home Recording Forum > Recording Techniques > Internet sinner starting over for recording applications
Posted on Jan 10, 2005 10:14 pm
Tadpui
I am not a crook's head
Member Since: Mar 14, 2003
OK, its time I come clean. I've been a baaaad boy for the longest time and my conscience has finally caught up with me.
Over the past year or two, Ive been using almost entirely software of dubious origins for my multitracking, effects, drums...you name it. I just reinstalled Windows and upgraded to a new machine, and my soul can no longer bear the burden of such morally questionable software. I have, in turn, started to assemble a new, completely morally sound home studio.
I've read through the lists of freeware here at HRC, and I've started to assemble my new totally free home studio. The good kind of free, that is...
So far, I've decided upon the following pieces of software:
- Kristal audio for multitracking
- LeafDrums for a drum machine
- Audacity for a wave editor (I had no idea this was free!)
- various VST plugins listed in Flame's article on frugal home recording
Are there any big hitters that I'm missing in the public domain/freeware arena? Any other must-haves?
[ Back to Top ]
Jan 11, 2005 06:08 am First, I have to give you a put pat on the back for going legit. Kudos to you.
It sounds like you have your act together here, multitracking, sequencing, wave editing and plugin effects...very cool indeed.
I'll be following this closely, hoping to hear the final results of the "totally free studio".
Good on ya.
Jan 11, 2005 06:27 am Hey Tadpui.
This is an interesting plan. Personally, i find pirated software a bit like burnt CDs.... they just dont feel the same as holding the real thing in your hand. I actually recently chucked a couple of burnt CDs in the bin, coz i never listen to them. They don't hold the same appeal as the real thing.
I also believe in what goes around comes around in the big scheme of things.... you cheat on someone now, and someone someday will cheat on you.
Similarly, i recently worked on a song with a guy who then sent me some "free" stuff through the post... quite a few different things. It just don't feel right, and i can't be bothered with the learning curves, not on stuff that i havent actually made a conscious decision to purchase.
Good man for going this way... beware though, some things like leafdrums may ask for a contribution if you decide to continue using the software and support the developer. Tahts a good thing of course, just pointing it out if you truly want to stick to the "free" route.
flame...bringing sexy backMember
Since: Jul 01, 2002
Jan 11, 2005 08:22 am how do ya feel about making your own virtual synths and stuff? heres a cool free app for exactly that :
www.buzzmachines.com/
BleakA small pie will soon be eatenMember
Since: Aug 26, 2004
Jan 11, 2005 10:02 am I wouldn't feel too bad! i'm quite sure your not in the minority!
It's the software that dare not speak it's name!
I've bought what i use now, but when i started i didn't.
And there is nothing like that 'new box' smell when you buy something!
TadpuiI am not a crook's headMember
Since: Mar 14, 2003
Jan 11, 2005 10:18 am Yeah, it was particulary evil feeling because I'm a software developer myself. Once I really got to thinking about it, I felt like I was kinda stealing from myself in a way.
Flame: I don't have any MIDI capability in my studio, so I haven't messed around with synths much lately. I'd end up having to do the mouse and keyboard approach for entering MIDI data. But, I'm in a download-happy phase so I'll check it out!
Thanks for your support everybody!
cooloFrisco's Most UnderratedMember
Since: Jan 28, 2003
Jan 11, 2005 12:36 pm Tadpui, I've been doing the point and click midi sequencing for a long time now. Just saying it works for me.
Jan 11, 2005 12:36 pm I'm with Coolo, my midi is almost exclusively point and click.
flame...bringing sexy backMember
Since: Jul 01, 2002
Jan 11, 2005 02:01 pm mine too, though ive got a midi keyboard...but its so much aggro to try and play around the latency, then export the file, then copy it orm my laptop to my main machine blah blah blah. hassle.
Noize2uCzar of MidiAdministrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002
Jan 11, 2005 08:43 pm Congrats Tad!!!
Make sure you look real good in the freeware section of our Recording Directory. I use a ton of the stuff out of there, and lots of it is very unique.
As for the sequancing, I own 2 very nice controllers and I still step write alot of stuff.
Jan 12, 2005 04:24 pm Tad,
back in december they were giving Traktion licenses out for free, not sure if they are still doing this.
TadpuiI am not a crook's headMember
Since: Mar 14, 2003
Jan 12, 2005 05:59 pm I jumped out of bed the other night when I remembered about Tracktion. The promotion ended on Dec. 31st. Gaaaah!
Jan 12, 2005 09:58 pm noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo! :(
TadpuiI am not a crook's headMember
Since: Mar 14, 2003
Jan 12, 2005 10:54 pm that's exactly what I said. I was piiiised! 1 week too late to use that in my free studio. I bet it would kick the crap out of Kristal.
Kristal bugs me because of the limit of 2 inserts per track, plus there's no aux on each track so you can't dial in different amounts of, say, a reverb that'd be common to several tracks. That really sucks!
I guess I'll need to start saving and buy some real multitracking software. Kristal will at least get me by until space aliens come down and give me a UFO-load of space gold so that I can afford the obnoxiously high price of multitracking software.
Jan 13, 2005 08:46 am if i could transfer my license to you, i would since im not using it. what obnoxiously high price multitracker are you looking at getting? I cant see spending more than 3 billz on a multitraker, especially since hardware DAW's are so cheap these days. which makes me wonder why/how Sawstudio can go for 2,500 usd. ?
BleakA small pie will soon be eatenMember
Since: Aug 26, 2004
Jan 13, 2005 09:14 am Tadpui out of interest what did you get with your Delta 44 ? i have the 1010lt and got 'Delta live' and 'Reason adapted' and 'Cubasis' i think.
is there a solution there?
TadpuiI am not a crook's headMember
Since: Mar 14, 2003
Jan 13, 2005 11:51 am My 44 came with something called Ableton that I've never tried (I don't think), a couple of useless synths, and a CD of music that amateurs created with M-Audio stuff.
I just looked up Ableton, and it seems to be a multitracker, although it seems to be geared more towards DJs. I'll have to give it a try once my malfunctioning computer is back in shape.
Jan 13, 2005 11:53 am Ableton is worth a try, it's gear toward live use but can be used as a studio app, the most recent versions have had some HUGE advancements...I haven't used it myself but have read a lot of great stuff about it.
TallChapAnswer:On a good day, lipstick.Member
Since: Jun 24, 2004
Jan 13, 2005 01:39 pm I don't think LeafDrums is free. I believe it's shareware and licenses cost $25.
HRC Has a link to "MultiTrack Studio" (or at least it did....I didn't check before writing this), and N-Track. These aren't free, but are really low priced compared to other multitrackers out there.
I too have budget constraints (I'm married to her...), so I've looked a lot at the free/cheap stuff. N-Track seems to be quite cool.
Jan 13, 2005 01:41 pm I really dig MultitrackStudio (yes we have banners popup at random for it. If I wasn't already so in to married to Sonar (don't tell my wife) MTS would most assuredly be my next choice. For a less expensive application it's really VERY cool, lots of features, comfortable interface...it rocks.
www.multitrackstudio.com
VMXMember
Since: Nov 28, 2004
Jan 13, 2005 05:46 pm You might like to check this out. It is a completely free full sequencer and audio recorder,
and VST/VSTi host.It's beta, but since you're a developer yourself, maybe you can figure it out and
post on it's BBB.
www.frieve.com/english
TadpuiI am not a crook's headMember
Since: Mar 14, 2003
Jan 14, 2005 04:47 pm I took a look at that app, VMX. Thanks for the link, I'll try it out once I get my computer back up and running (a bad stick of memory has officially crippled my machine now!)
It kinda frightens me that it's intended for a Japanese audience and that it doesn't have any help files in English. I could probably overcome that since most of the posters at the BB say that its intuitive enough to use w/o a manual.
The truly frightening thing is that the BB only has 17 posts since 2001, and none since early 2002...I'd say that the project (or at least that site) is officially dead.
Jan 15, 2005 03:15 pm Tad,
This has been a great thread...thank you for starting it. It has made me reflect upon my own past transgressions in terms of music related items that may perhaps have been obtained through means that were dubious in nature.
As has been pointed out here, there are a lot of opportunities for free or low-cost software that will do everything I need to do.
Good work, Tad!
Jim
TadpuiI am not a crook's headMember
Since: Mar 14, 2003
Jan 16, 2005 01:06 am Say, dB, I looked at Multitrack Studio and it does look pretty good, and for a good price. I'm going to try to exhaust the public domain software before moving on to spending a single dime :-)
I'm also gonna work on this Tracktion thing a bit more and see if the leads from the other thread pay off.
TadpuiI am not a crook's headMember
Since: Mar 14, 2003
Jan 17, 2005 08:47 pm OK, I tried Tracktion and Ableton Live Delta (the stripped-down version that came w/my Delta card) and neither really do anything for me as far as multitracking goes.
Hey Flame, I just downloaded that app from buzzmachines, and it looks like I know where I'm going to be spending the next month! This thing looks awesome! Endlessly complex and entertaining, that's for sure. I'm just getting started, but I can tell that this is going to be an awesome tool in my new studio!
Jan 18, 2005 05:54 am I think you are wrong there, as I recall Tracktion will let you record as monay tracks as youhave hardware inputs...am I wrong in that memory?
TadpuiI am not a crook's headMember
Since: Mar 14, 2003
Jan 18, 2005 12:14 pm The demo that I d/l had up to 8 tracks, and I have no doubt that the full version has unlimited tracks. It just wasn't what I was looking for in a multitracker.
