Starting to rec, needing advices

Hi Folks, I`m newbie in all meanings. Newbie at this forum and at mac hardware and software. WHen I was Windows user my softwares to make music used to be Fruity Loops and Vegas.

Well, now I have a MacBook, with 2.1Ghz and 1gb of Ram. What can I do with this laptop? Can I make some experiments like recording music? Is that possible with this limited hardware?

If yes, wich softwares I`ll be needing?

My songs are all made by myself using an eletric acoustic guitar, and my voice, so I`ll need drums programming and other instruments virtualization, instruments like piano, violins, and maybe trumpet and acordeon.

Which softwares you recommend to me?

Thanks!

Garageband. It's pre-installed on your laptop. I have the same model, btw. I love this thing. For an example of what I have personally done with garageband, go to the link at the bottom of my post. As for the recording, theres a built in mic, and it's highly sensitive.


http://www.myspace.com/garagebandskirmish


OH and if you really want to get into the heavy duty music software, get Logic 8

Hi, thanks for awnsering my question. You have a nice song. Did you made everything using garage band?
Is there any plugin for, for instance, add chorus or flanger at my guitar? Is there an effects?

Did programmed your own drum loop or used a preset?

I do record my own snare loops (i have a Pearl Competitor with a Remo ambassador head), but none of the clips have been used for production. Some of the loops in my newer songs have been downloaded off of a site that puts up loops for free. some are worth it, some are not. I dont recommend it, because the loop durations dont last a whole measure or they dont fit my timing, and there are pauses at the end of them. It took me a lot of editing to get it perfect.

Yes, there are effects. I suggest you get the software update before doing anything, because before the software update I barely had any loops to use, but when I finished the update I had 50 times more loops to choose from. and I think you need the software update in order to access the effects. but they range from amp simulations to vocal transformers. Plugins, not to my knowledge. You can buy Jam Packs to get the full set of loops for a particular genre.

and yes, all those songs were created strictly with GarageBand.

thanks =]

**UPDATE**

by the way, GarageBand EATS up your memory like crazy when you're making a huge song with lots of effects. I shall be upgrading to 4GB of RAM soon, because my songs are getting longer and longer, and I do not like the messages that pop up and tell me my song could not be finished playing because my memory is full.

I don`t have any hardware. I was planning to make my own drum grooves at the Mac. What is the best software to do that? Is that a procedure I can make at Garage Band?

Yes. When you open a new GarageBand file, delete the ones you have on your slate, along with the MIDI keyboard window. do this command: ⌘+Shift+N to get a new Track. get your instrument ready, and hit the large Record button along the middle control panel (its next to the seek play and skip buttons. it is the red circle). and your mic should be recording every little sound that you make. I suggest to not sit next to the laptop, as the mic is very sensitive. when I record my snare loops, i sit about 7 feet away. i think 5 feet from the laptop should be fine.

Well, I think u don`t got it. I don`t have a drum. Can I create professional drum grooves just using GarageBand, or maybe it`s better using a more sofisticated software?

ohhh okay. I know what you mean. Yes, you can make your own drum loops. heres how:

with a clean slate, hit OPTION+COMMAND+N

A window will show, asking you to choose what type of track you want. Click "Software Instrument Track" then "Create"

to your right the Info bar will slide out, and it will show all the differnet types of instruments. Click Drum Kits.

Then, to the right of that, it will show the different genres for that instrument. The ones for Drum Kits are "Dance", "Hip Hop", "Jazz", "Pop", "Rock", and "Techno".

Click one of the genres.

Once you have chosen the genre, go to the bottom left corner, and you will see three buttons: a plus sign, an "eye" symbol, and scissors. Click the scissors.

Another pane will slide upwards, and it will show the measures, and the notes. if you look to the left you will notice a type of keyboard. randomly click on the keys.

As you do that, different sounds will play. Those are the sounds that you can use for that genre. (also remember that you can scroll up and down)

To add the notes (or in this case, drum sounds), hit this command line: OPTION+COMMAND+K

a window will pop up, and you change the location (or octave) on the keyboard with the scroller at the top. But what you will mainly see is a MIDI controller type of set up with corresponding sound where the keys are displayed. Like K might be the bass drum, Y might be the high hat, and L being the snare. (of course, that was random, but you get the idea). get used to that, and come up with a beat.

Once you have your beat in your mind, hit the big record button I told you about earlier. you will hear a metronome counting your beats. and now you may start playing your beat with the keys. after you are finished with your beat, hit the spacebar.

Now, you can listen to your beat, and make corrections or add in other sounds using the note field at the bottom.

And finally, if you want to add the beat to your loops list, go to EDIT at the top, and go to the bottom of the drop down menu and click ADD TO LOOP LIBRARY. just follow the steps and it should direct you to the loop after that.

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I hope that helped =] im free to ask any questions you may have