DescentBB

So I have a Soundblaster Live!, it works relatively well, except driver support isn't very good for Windows XP and I had trouble with sound fonts before. But there maybe better drivers now.

So is it worth getting any kind of new hardware? SB Live lets me replace every instrument with a different font or WAV file and I can use up to half my memory to do it (256meg is a lot of soundfonts ). And enviornmental audio is awesome. Plus it comes with tools to record MIDI to WAV. Do any new cards offer anything else exquisite?

Is most musical composing still done with MIDI? Or is there some nice new stuff out there that works way better? (Note, I'm not interested in making beats/mixng tracks like CoolEdit lets you do, I'm interested in composition)

What's some good software to use?

MIDI sequencing is how most composers start, it's just that no one uses a sound card for it. Quite a few good sequencers out there, like Voyetra's Digital Orchestrator Pro (what I use), or Cakewalk, or Cubase, etc.

Cakewalk offers Project 5 and Sonar, I'm not quite sure what the differences are between them, but both are full studio packages and have prices to match. Reason 2.0 is similarly high-end. For cheaper, can't go wrong with FruityLoops.

The Audigy 2 ZS is a better choice for music, with the 24-bit DAC and 108dB SNR, and includes ASIO support if you're serious about composing. And better drivers for XP.

CubaseSX2 or Nuendo2, Reaktor (does everything sans FFT), Battery (drum sampler), Halion 2 (good for sampling individual notes and transposing).

M audio sells cheap cards these days with 1X1 midi out. The Audiophile series has low latency and a cheap price.

I am a Reason junkie. It r0x.

I second the vote for Reason.

-Vauss OUT

Third Vote for Reason 2.5

If he wants to make generic techno, sure get reason. But if he is trained on any instrument, especially piano, reason is definitely not for him.

To fit your needs, we need to know what you play, and what style music you intend to compose.

The SB Live won't have very good latency for real-time input from midi. If you aren't going to do live input (meaning, from direct audio source, not midi) just get a PCI M audio card, or external box. M Audio Audiophile series has great latency.

To add to what Birds said, I tried using the SBLive for music production (running the kX ASIO drivers). Oh man did that eat up the CPU when i ran only three instances of Reaktor. Luckily I picked up an issue of FutureMusic, august 2003 edition. An audigy2 is a good start.

It has an onboard DSP that will offload any audio chores from the CPU. you can also look into the RME hammerfall soundcard or Creamware's Luna II. FM goes really in depth into both the RME and Luna. so much that it would take a very long time to type it out. be forewarned. the two latter cards are not cheap.

Techno sucks.

I don't have a keyboard or the like to hook up, I was thinking of editing/composing by hand. General interest is making music for games I write or remixing someone else's game music. Also just to play around with composing for an orchestra.

So nothing too special. I just want something that "renders" well. I can't tell you how pathetic a great piece of music can sound with crappy instrument sounds. That's why I liked SoundFonts, I found some awesome gothic and cathedral organ fonts, man they sound awesome!!

Reason 2.5

Topher: Ignore anyone suggesting reason.
Just grab a copy of cubase, cakewalk sonar, or logic audio. These are all good sequencing programs. You may be happy with general midi or the sound fonts that come with your computer. If you're doing it by hand, your SB Live will do just fine.

Birdsey, I've known many people who have something to do with music and computers and they all recommenrd Reason. Why is it you don't? What is it about the program you don't like?

Not enough flexibility. You can't build your own synthesizers or various other modules like you can with Reaktor, MAXMSP, etc.

Additionally, since so many people use reason, people using it start to sound similar, espescially if they use the presets or default drum loops. If you'd like to hear some the music I have made using Reaktor and Cubase, I can stick some up on my FTP.

Reason is great to get into making music, but it is pretty limiting.