So I plan on getting a iMac soon and I know it comes with garageband, but I was wondering if it was the BEST program for composing music? I plan on getting a keyboard and plugging it in to the iMac, along with my guitar and vocals so......I use Sibelius 5 on PC's at school and is there anything simalar to that that won't cost me 700 sum bucks?
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What is the best music making program for cheap?
- Thread starter s.hoz
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LogicStudio for $500 is about as professional as it gets.
EDIT: after taking a look at Sibelius's site, I'm not sure if Logic is exactly the type of program your looking for...the interface certainly seems very different (never seen Sibelius before)
EDIT: after taking a look at Sibelius's site, I'm not sure if Logic is exactly the type of program your looking for...the interface certainly seems very different (never seen Sibelius before)
doesn't sibelius offer student discounts or a version for students?
and, no, none of the DAWs have anything approaching what sibelius can do for that style of composing. i tried the composer in Digital Performer and plunked down for sibelius the next day...
yep academicsuperstore is the way to go.
what exactly are you looking to do? create compositions using direct input with instruments? thus creating your score?
never tried that, I know Joe Satriani does something like that (I would imagine with his style he would have to to get it down in standard notation).
what exactly are you looking to do? create compositions using direct input with instruments? thus creating your score?
never tried that, I know Joe Satriani does something like that (I would imagine with his style he would have to to get it down in standard notation).
it sounds like the OP is looking for the ability to score, like Sibelius offers. and there are really only 2 players in that space: Sibelius and Finale.
Sibelius 5 and Finale 08 are notation programs. Their main purpose is to lay out music to be printed out for musicians. They have decent playback options and both include Garritan's Personal Orchestra (well, a version of it). They are extremely useful if you are writing music for large groups with many staves.
As far as composing in these programs, its really a preference. I've owned Finale for many years (since they days with the crappy midi playback) and I cannot compose in it for the life of me. I work my music out somewhere else and then notate it into Finale. If this is the type of work you do, go for either Sibelius of Finale. Sibelius is more user friendly but I find Finale has a few more notational features than Sibelius. But I grew up on Finale so its hard for me to see any reason to switch.
Now if you're looking for a style of composing where you record what you play into the computer (in a similar fashion to garageband), then I would suggest any of the Digital Audio Workstations for you. There's a billion of them out there but some of the highlights are Logic, Digital Performer, Pro Tools, Cubase, Nuendo, and Ableton Live. All of these programs are very similar and work well for composing via sequencing (playing/recording into the computer). Most of them also have notation sections, but none of them are even close to as in depth as Finale or Sibelius.
My recommendation is work with garageband (since it comes with every new mac) for a week after you get your IMac and see if you like the way it works. Then decide if you should go in the sequencing direction, or the notational direction. Also, a piece of staff paper and a pencil never hurts!
Good luck in your musical endeavors!
As far as composing in these programs, its really a preference. I've owned Finale for many years (since they days with the crappy midi playback) and I cannot compose in it for the life of me. I work my music out somewhere else and then notate it into Finale. If this is the type of work you do, go for either Sibelius of Finale. Sibelius is more user friendly but I find Finale has a few more notational features than Sibelius. But I grew up on Finale so its hard for me to see any reason to switch.
Now if you're looking for a style of composing where you record what you play into the computer (in a similar fashion to garageband), then I would suggest any of the Digital Audio Workstations for you. There's a billion of them out there but some of the highlights are Logic, Digital Performer, Pro Tools, Cubase, Nuendo, and Ableton Live. All of these programs are very similar and work well for composing via sequencing (playing/recording into the computer). Most of them also have notation sections, but none of them are even close to as in depth as Finale or Sibelius.
My recommendation is work with garageband (since it comes with every new mac) for a week after you get your IMac and see if you like the way it works. Then decide if you should go in the sequencing direction, or the notational direction. Also, a piece of staff paper and a pencil never hurts!
Good luck in your musical endeavors!
SIBELIUS IS NOT FOR COMPOSING!!!
It's notation software through and through. It's next to useless for composition when compared to other software out there such as Logic or Cubase, or even GarageBand.
Logic is the best in my experience, and as far as notation goes, it's getting pretty close to Sibelius and Finale on most levels.
Compose in Logic, notate in Sibelius or Finale. You'll get things done a million times quicker and the results will be better
It's notation software through and through. It's next to useless for composition when compared to other software out there such as Logic or Cubase, or even GarageBand.
Logic is the best in my experience, and as far as notation goes, it's getting pretty close to Sibelius and Finale on most levels.
Compose in Logic, notate in Sibelius or Finale. You'll get things done a million times quicker and the results will be better
funny, that's exactly what i use it for. if i compose by writing notes on staves, how exactly is Logic better for me than Sibelius?
Well I understand now.
"Classic" Composers (Mozart, Zappa) use notationStyle to store music first
Using a Keyboard to "write" notes needs an notation program first.
When you have corrected the notations you give a printed copy to all the the musicians who interprete the written music and record the sound of their instruments via Microphones (or similar) on an recording-application.
Stay at the notation apllications for a paperless "composing" on a Mac.
Learn Garageband for recording afterwards with Live-instruments.
I think the is no money wasted at this first step.
"Classic" Composers (Mozart, Zappa) use notationStyle to store music first
Using a Keyboard to "write" notes needs an notation program first.
When you have corrected the notations you give a printed copy to all the the musicians who interprete the written music and record the sound of their instruments via Microphones (or similar) on an recording-application.
Stay at the notation apllications for a paperless "composing" on a Mac.
Learn Garageband for recording afterwards with Live-instruments.
I think the is no money wasted at this first step.