What's your favorite thing to make music with?

[Wonderfull Darkness]

I've been wondering, what are y'all's favorite music creation systems?


Mine's probably beepbox.co/ Though I never could make anything great on it, it's still fun to use.

 

[taistelusopuli]

I have to say REAL acoustic instruments. Nothing beats the possibility to play and really feel the music. I do it all too little =(


BUT to actually answer your question about a system, I prefer a DAW and good, inspiring virtual instruments

 

[HexMozart88]

StaffPad.   It's really good for scoring music and hearing what you're making. But, yeah I have to agree with @taistelusopuli. Nothing beats real instruments. 

 

[taistelusopuli]

Another thing that is seriously worth trying is just pen and paper. It is hard, but it gives a beautifully intimate relationship to the music you write. In addition to forcing you to learn to hear music in your mind that is...

 

[HexMozart88]

I already do hear music in my head. But usually I have to use StaffPad because I make major adjustments to my songs as I score them. 

 

[taistelusopuli]

I wish I was there already... Still practicing but I'll get there eventually! Until then I have to rely on my ears ^_^

 

[Ms Littlefish]

Agreed. There is nothing quite like playing with an orchestra or band. I dearly, dearly miss it. When I begin the making music process I like using my voice and a piano to draft it out. I like the real-time nature and if I feel a chord progression or interval isn't quite right I can just keep searching for it without needing to try out a bunch of stuff on the computer. As far as my software goes I use Finale (I love, love notation), Reaper, and Native Instruments/Kontakt. 

 

[KayZaman]

Music creation system? I'm still stick to Garageband. Create musics with bunch of software instruments, plugin my guitar to iPad, 8-bit classic but hey:


@Wonderfull Darkness Never tried before. I'll try.


@taistelusopuli Yeah, I like acoustic instruments like guitar. Sometimes I'm going to metal.


@HexMozart88 I hope I can read those notes again.


@Ms Littlefish Reaper was my lil sis' wishlist.

 

[BWright]

Garageband and Fruity Loops.

 

[taistelusopuli]

@Ms Littlefish Have you tried Dorico yet? I decided to try it the other day an really enjoyed using it. There was some functionality that was still missing in comparison to let's say Sibelius which was my composition tool for a good while but they have a way solid foundation. I think it could be a serious competitor for Sibelius and Finale.


@KayZaman @BWright Garageband is a closed environment, right? I mean.. It doesn't support 3rd party tools?

 

[KayZaman]

@taistelusopuli Garageband support 3rd party tools whether software and hardware. I can plug my guitar to my iPad (require adapter) and I can use extension software that support Garageband like Figure, DJ Mix, etc. If I have Macbook, I can do it more.

 

[taistelusopuli]

Garageband support 3rd party tools whether software and hardware. I can plug my guitar to my iPad (require adapter) and I can use extension software that support Garageband like Figure, DJ Mix, etc. If I have Macbook, I can do it more.

How about virtual instruments? On iPad I guess if you use the connection app... can't remember it's name now....... but the MacBook version? I'm in the understanding you can't use let's say Native Instruments stuff in Garageband.

 

[KayZaman]

How about virtual instruments? On iPad I guess if you use the connection app... can't remember it's name now....... but the MacBook version? I'm in the understanding you can't use let's say Native Instruments stuff in Garageband.

You mean like using typing keyboard to play/record music? Like this?

Spoiler

Or plug in USB music keyboard? 

 

[taistelusopuli]

@KayZaman no... as in VST instruments. Google Native Instruments or Soniccouture, 8dio, or East West Quantum Leap.

 

[KayZaman]

@taistelusopuli ......sorry. I totally didn't get it.

 

[taistelusopuli]

@KayZaman Don't worry =) I1s okay not to understand/know/get things ^_^ for future (depending of your goals with music) you should look into the matter. Expandability is one of the key assets a modern composer can have when it comes to gear.

 

[Shuji]

I have this bad habit at the piano to always play the same chord progression and patterns, so I prefer to compose manually in Cubase.


Sometime I get some ideas on the piano, but I prefer to stick within my DAW. Also I rely on my ears a lot, and I get a some ideas singing  

 

[HexMozart88]

@Shuji Try working out your key signature ahead of time. Then you'll just hear what sounds right. Unless that's something only I do and I'm a weirder musician than I thought in which case, ignore me entirely. 

 

[Shuji]

I usually don't do that. I'll see what happens  

 

[SlySlySly]

When playing music I obviously use real instruments. For composition I use musescore, but heavily soundfonted to it sounds nice. :3 I enjoy using the sheet music, I am a musician so sheet music is just natural to me and I have enough experience to know how to put a tune on a staff.