Sunday, December 16, 2012

Trance Music Production: Questions Answered Part 2

 First 5 Questions were answered earlier and now we continue :)

6. What computer should I buy?
This question comes in many forms:

PC or Mac?
Personal preference. Some people here could write pages on why Macs are better. Some people could write pages on why PCs are better. Ultimately, all these people have the primary motivation of justifying their preference (and often, their purchase). They're just computers, and they'll both get the job done.

AMD or Intel?
Doesn't matter. I should qualify that: if you want to run Windows XP 64-bit edition you'll need AMD, but keep in mind that 64-bit application and driver support is not universal. Most people will end up running traditional 32-bit Windows XP or 2003, and in this case, the brand of CPU makes no difference.

Should I buy Dell, HP, Alienware, or build it myself?
There are thousands of reviews of various brands and models posted online - read them. Google is your friend. Just remember that you get what you pay for, so if an HP model is half the price of a Dell model that looks the same or similar, you're probably overlooking something important.

What are the minimum specs to produce?
The best specs you can afford on your budget.

7. What equipment (speakers, sound card, rack synth, etc.) should I buy?
When it comes to audio equipment, there is just *so much* out there that choosing the "right" studio monitors is almost like choosing the "right" running shoes. There are many quality products and quality brands, and choosing the right one for you is going to require some research.

Here are a few rules of thumb to follow when looking for equipment:
* You get what you pay for. While it's true that in some cases you might be paying more for a brand label, if you see something that's half the price of everything else in the same category, it probably sucks.
* Listen to it! It may save you money to order online or eBay it, but if you can, you should still go a store to actually check out various pieces of equipment and compare the way they sound. Particularly in the case of studio monitors and headphones, the ones which are the most "honest" are usually the ones which sound very dry and thin.
* Read reviews. Sites like Zzounds often have tons of reviews of all the major product lines.

Also check out the "equipment" section in the Tutorial List mentioned at the top of this thread. Some links that might help you are:
Tweak: The "Best" Sound Card
Tweak: The Truth About Studio Monitors
The Official Hardware Synth Thread (compiled by DarkSword)


8. What sequencer should I use?
Which car should you drive? Which cell phone plan should you pick? Should you BBQ that hot dog or nuke it?

Who cares? All cars get you from point A to point B, assuming you know how to drive. All cell plans will allow you to call your friends, assuming you pay your bills. And as long as that meat is cooked, it doesn't really matter how. They're all tools, and although everybody has their personal preferences, they all get the job done. Sure - some cost a fraction of the price that others cost because they're less sophisticated. At the same time, if you're just beginning to produce, then you're shooting yourself in the foot if you automatically dive into the most complex programs available.

Most software vendors will make a trial version of their program(s) available. The best way to find out which sequencer you should use is to try all of them out and see which one suits you best.

Unless you're trying to incite another forum war, you don't want to ask this question. You don't even want to tiptoe around it. People argue enough about this topic *without* being prompted for their opinions.


Location, Location, Location

9. Where can I get a MIDI with the chords/melody in this track?
First, check here: http://www.nonstop2k.com

If you can't find it there, request it in The Newer and Improved MIDI Thread. Please use that thread and that thread ONLY - don't post your request as a new discussion!


10. Where can I find good samples?
The thread listed below has more links than you can shake a stick at:
Where to download quality samples

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