Native Instruments Guitar Rig 3 - Kontrol Version Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)There's not much I can say that isn't already covered by professional testimonials, video reviews, and product demos.
In short, Guitar Rig 3 is an extremely versatile, powerful effects system. The hardware is extremely solid-- I've carried this thing around to live gigs, stuffed it in a backpack as carry-on for a plane ride, even spilled a little bit of beer on it (not recommended). The worst I've done is dinged it with a falling mic stand. It put a small scratch on it (similar to scratching the paint on a car door), but that's about it.
There's definitely a slight learning curve for the software itself, but you can download the demo from their website to see if it's too much for you to handle. All the help and tooltips are plenty to keep you moving along-- and spending more time playing music and less time twiddling knobs. However, the cool part is that if you like twiddling knobs and settings, you can spend countless hours dialing in all kinds of vintage, modern, or never-heard-before sounds. My friend, (a lead guitarist who owns an analog guitar pedal company), despite being a bit of a sound purist, was really impressed with the sheer number of tones I can emulate. Sometimes, the sounds have a tendency to be a little bit 'digital' sounding if you don't adjust them properly, but the software upgrade to Guitar Rig 4 supposedly improves some of this. (I haven't tried it yet myself). My solution was to add an analog pedal (Philosopher's Tone) to the front of my effects chain.
I use an Intel-based Macbook Pro and a Peavy KB3 amplifier.
PRO TIP: a keyboard amp is the way to go since they have a higher frequency range that allows you to get the full range of tones out of the software. If you go with a specific guitar amp, you may severely limit the variety of tones the software can produce. The software itself effectively mimics all kinds of vintage amps--more than most people could ever afford to own. This may seem unintuitive, but if you spend a little time on the Guitar Rig forums, you'll find this out from others' experience too.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Native Instruments Guitar Rig 3 - Kontrol Version

Click here for more information about Native Instruments Guitar Rig 3 - Kontrol Version

Read More...

Sound Forge Audio Studio 9 Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)For years I've used different audio editors from Steinberg's Wavelab, to Cool Edit Pro (now owned by Adobe), to Soundforge's current only real rival Audacity (which is free), which I still currently have on PC. I still choose Soundforge (like Willie Hutch sang), and here's why: There is no other affordable audio editing program that has the ease and workflow of Sound Forge.
There are the high end programs and plug ins like TDM Waves, but unless you are running a multi-plantinum artist recording studio you most likely don't need a program like this, and wouldn't get any mileage out of it if you did have it. Soundforge is a good place to hone your audio editing skills. Alot of people always think they have to use the most full blown and expensive versions of audio, music, and video programs, but a good program won't make up for a lack of skills.
That said I currently use Sound Forge Studio with a suite of Sony plug-ins, and some Focusrite Saffire audio plug-ins (which are very good). It should be noted also that Sound Forge Studio 9 has more features than many of the older versions of Sound Forge Pro (which are probably floating around the internet, not recommended). The Vinyl Recording (once you tweek the settings) feature is great, it can use VST and Direct X plug-ins, and it works hand in hand with the other suite of Sony Creative programs (Vegas Studio 9 Sony Vegas Movie Studio 9 Platinum Pro Pack, Acid MusicACID Music Studio 7) which I own.
I've had no problems with installation on both a laptop and desktop, and have mixed and edited my own recordings, converted non-copy protected songs I purchased to MP3s with my own mix settings, and have converted a small part of my vinyl catalog to digital. If someone is having installation problems they should make sure they uninstall all older versions of Sound Forge, especially the old Sonic Foundry versions, that may help...
Sound Forge vs. Audacity
Audacity is a great program and if money is an issue this a good place to start using auditor software, being that its free. There are alot of third party plug-ins available for Audacity, however, for me Audacity does not have the speed and workflow of Sound Forge, and there are many tasks in Sound Forge that are done in one mouse click, that would take multiple clicks in Audacity, it also does not natively support as many file formats as Sound Forge, such as windows media audio, which is a downside for me.
Overall, people may have their pro and cons, and yes the Sony registration can be a bit annoying, but in terms of ease of use and reliability Sound Forge studio has been great.
As a last point, it does take some audio know how to get the most out of SF hence the four stars, you may have to select either Microsoft Sound Mapper (if you don't have a high end soundcard), or use the ASIO drivers (at least under Windows XP) under preferences to get the most out your sound playback. Enjoy.....
Also recommended Steinberg Cubase Essential 4 - Personal Music Production - Windows Macintosh, Ableton Live 7 LE - Windows and Macintosh, Focusrite Saffire LE 6 In/8 Out Version 2 Firewire Audio Interface

Click Here to see more reviews about: Sound Forge Audio Studio 9

Click here for more information about Sound Forge Audio Studio 9

Read More...

Ableton Live 5 Music Recording and Performance Software Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)If you're new to multi-track audio sequencing, I recommend Ableton Live! above every product on the market. It's user interface has been appropriately descibed as "revolutionary" by Mix Magazine and Electronic Musician, take the power of Pro Tools, shave away the most daunting and complex functions and add the simplicity of Sony's Acid loop sequencing software, mix the two togeather and provide an entirely fresh user interface that is instantly approachable, one that yields instant results and you have Ableton Live. I've abandoned Sonar, Cubebase and Vegas Audio in favor of Ableton Live this software is a joy to use. Here's what you get:
PROS
- Multitrack 16-bit/24-bit recording
- About a dozen popular effects
(Reverb, Compression, Noise Gate, EQ effects, Amp Sims, etc...)
- Powerful control over enevelops
- Timewarp feature without pitch alteration.
- Snap-to grid layout allowing recorded tracks to syn effortlessly with loops (works uniquely with time wrap feature, has to be heard to be believed)
- Track freeze
- Smart processing (the software optimizes memory and CPU performance quite well, but allows the user to take control of sample quality and quality of effects if desired)
- Solid VST plug-in support. (I've tested with AmpliTube, Korg Legacy Collection, Groove Agent, all at the same time! no problems! I've had many problems using VST's inside other non-Cubase sequencers)
- MIDI support goes well beyond the basics, you can set up loops as samples and play Live! like an instrument in real-time, it's actually designed with stage use in mind, but works equally as well in a studio as the heart of a DAW (Digital Audio Workstation)
- Use computer keyboard as MIDI controller option (compose a melody on a plane or in a hotel room! :)
- Works extreemly well on Laptop PC's, was designed to be played Live! on laptops.
- ReWire support lets you hook-in to Reason, Cubase and other sequencers to use Ableton as a remote or a host.
CONS
- No support for DirectX Instruments (DXI)
- Limited support for loop types, Live supports WAV, you'll have to convert everything else.
Another reviewer mentioned cost of this product, it's priced competitive, don't compare Live! to Sonar or Acid, those products cost about half of what live does, but they are not in the same category. Live! is in the ranks of Reason, Pro Tools and Cubase, which it is priced well against thos products. If you are a student you can purchase the full version of Live for about half the retail price. You can also upgrade from the Lite version of Live (packaged with many M-Audio products) to the full version for the same price.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Ableton Live 5 Music Recording and Performance Software

Click here for more information about Ableton Live 5 Music Recording and Performance Software

Read More...

Screenblast ACID 4.0 Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I owned Acid 2.0 a few years back and had loads of fun making music and re-mixing. A couple years passed, I lost the Installation CD's, and my wife graciously bought me Screenblast Acid 4.0. Well, it looks and works just like Acid 2.0, except the included loops are all cheesy, already slapped-together garbage, and there are much fewer of them.
Sure, you can get more loops via the Screenblast.com web site, but it's $39.95 per year to subscribe. And all the Acid Loop Libraries? Now that Sony owns them, they're $50 EACH!!! Almost the cost of the software itself to own just one library!
If you need more loops (and you WILL), find web sites like AcidFanatic.com, where these libraries are still reasonably priced, or just find free loops elsewhere.
VERY disappointed in this product. You'd think that two revisions and a major media outlet would improve this great product, but Sony has just turned this into a cash cow for their music loops. It's like giving you a car for free, but it runs on "Special" gas that costs $10 a gallon...

Click Here to see more reviews about: Screenblast ACID 4.0

Click here for more information about Screenblast ACID 4.0

Read More...

Digidesign Transfuser Virtual Instrument Software Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)It is not so easy to use it as Xpand, and think that there better products in the market than Transfuser. Perhaps, it is not the product for me according to my way of making music. Think first to buy it and try to watch the video in you tube first.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Digidesign Transfuser Virtual Instrument Software

Click here for more information about Digidesign Transfuser Virtual Instrument Software

Read More...

Music Maker 15 Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I am in music production since nearly 20 years and I used all kind of software for Atari, PC or Mac. Of course it depends on the specific tasks, what kind of software better fits or maybe not.
For midi arrangements and band recording I would always chose a specific solution as Cubase/Protools or Samplitude.
But when it comes down to the basic, when there is a need for a simple ideas generator with unlimited opportunities, I really want to recommend Music Maker. This product is ten time worth every cent and it is only limited by your own creativity. The product can do things, I needed a 100.000 $ studio 10 years ago. It is not a surprise that this is possible today, but the price is a surprise.
- you have a multu track recorder
- you have about 3 GB of sounds from all styles + you can use any other soundfile or any mp3 file
- you have about 5 really professional plug-in synthesizer (alone worth the money)
- you have a good set-up of effects
- you have plugins like autotunes that do the same but are more simple to use
- you can use external plugins like synths or effects via directX
- you can draw effect curves on every track (e.g. filters)
- you have a powerful mastering suite with parametric eq and multiband compressor
These are just a few things. I believe even if you have no idea of making music, a simple start is possible. Of c ourse it is just my opinion and I can just recommend to try it out.


Click Here to see more reviews about: Music Maker 15

Click here for more information about Music Maker 15

Read More...

Mackie Tracktion 3 - Project Bundle Music Production Software Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)If you are considering buying Tracktion, take some time to read the independent Tracktion forum at KVR Audio (http://www.kvraudio.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=22). You will find that many users on both Mac and PC are having extreme problems such as the MIDI editor being unusably slow, other parts of the app being incredibly slow, and the whole app just suddenly disappearing.
When I tried to use Tracktion on my vanilla Win XP system, I found that the MIDI editor is basically unusable, not merely "slow." MIDI notes will not follow the cursor, so it's absurdly difficult to place them where you want them to go. I posted questions about this on Mackie's forums and got no response at all. I tried using it on my MacBook Pro and found that Tracktion is so unstable it won't run for more than a minute or two before abruptly disappearing.
In the forums, this last problem is called a "poof crash" and it's mentioned often by users. There are extended threads about it. I bought Tracktion 3 not too long after it was released and I have not been able to get any work done using it at all.
Shame on Mackie for releasing this severely flawed software and then leaving their customers out to dry, offering zero help or explanation. I posted repeated queries asking for some help with these problems on Mackie's own forums and was completely ignored.
There are several alternative packages available for both Mac and PC that cost less and have all the features of Tracktion if not more. On the Mac, I'm finding that Logic Express, which is $50 cheaper is a very powerful alternative. For the PC, Ableton Live Light has a strong reputation.
Note: even if you have Tracktion 2 and are considering an upgrade to this version, it is definitely not worth the money. I really liked Traction 2 and was really excited about all the new features promised in Traction 3. I was very disappointed to buy it, install it, and find out it's virtually unusable.
I very much regret wasting my time and money on Tracktion and I urge you to avoid making the same mistake. Some users seem to be able to get it to work on their specific systems. But enough users are having major problems that buying Tracktion 3 is gamble. You can't get your money back once you've opened it, so choose something else that doesn't have a lot of reported problems.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Mackie Tracktion 3 - Project Bundle Music Production Software

Click here for more information about Mackie Tracktion 3 - Project Bundle Music Production Software

Read More...

Cakewalk Studio Instruments Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Cakewalk Studio Instruments are a great foundational set of instruments to add to a persons home digital recording studio. Drums,Bass,Keys,Strings. The salt N pepper that most music requires at a great price and easy function.
I am a confessed Gear-a-holic. I love to find things like the studio instruments kit that don't cost an arm n leg, but that will "Broaden" your color pallet of sound. It's a tool that is fun to use, visually easy to understand and the sound is pleasing. What more could you ask for?


Click Here to see more reviews about: Cakewalk Studio Instruments

Can't play bass drums piano or violin? No problem! Just point and click and you are making music. It's that easy!Introducing Cakewalk Studio Instruments the world's first easy-to-use and affordable software instrument collection for Mac and PC. Cakewalk Studio Instruments includes a high quality Drum Kit Bass Guitar Electric Piano and String Section that can be played stand alone or inside your favorite music-making software such as Cakewalk Music Creator Apple GarageBand Magix Music Maker Deluxe SONY ACID Music Studio and more (see list below for complete list of compatible products).Cakewalk Studio Instruments include pre-recorded patterns played by ace session musicians so you can build sections for your songs practice or just have fun jamming along.And Studio Instruments sound great because they're from Cakewalk makers of the most popular music creation software in the world used daily by Grammy® winning musicians and producers. Start making music today with Cakewalk Studio Instruments!Format: WIN XPVISTA/MAC 10.4 OR LATERUB Genre:PRODUCTIVITY UPC:787537171044 Manufacturer No:10-CWSI1.00-10C

Click here for more information about Cakewalk Studio Instruments

Read More...

Digital Orchestrator Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I am sorry, but I have to differ from the other reviewers on this one. In the mid-eighties, Voyetra made one of the very first midi sequencing programs. It was called "Sequencer Gold", it ran on DOS, and I started off with it. Voyetra was ahead of the pack in those early days.
Since then, Voyetra took over an excellent soundcard manufacturer (Multisound) and changed their product line from pro-audio to consumer-level gaming soundcards. Voyetra also brought out Digital Orchestrator. This program is plain mediocre in my point of view - and not very stable. Furthermore, support is not very good.
I much prefer Cakewalk. With Cakewalk you can "paint" in modulation, velocity changes, etc - a task which will take a long time in Digital Orchestrator. There are of course the big guns as well - programs like Cubase and Logic Audio. Because I am mainly into Digital Audio, these are overkill for me.
If you are on a Windows PC and have medium level needs for MIDI, yet something reasonably sophisticated and with time-saving functions, I recommend you stick with Cakewalk. If you are a technology-challenged beginner with lots of patience and a small budget, then maybe buy Digital Orchestrator.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Digital Orchestrator

Click here for more information about Digital Orchestrator

Read More...

Magix Music Studio 12 Deluxe Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I was very excited to receive this program had used a later version of it. My laptop is about three months old and the software wasn't able to load. It said something about not having administrative rights as if the software had been used before. The I realized that I didn't have to put a product key in when I initially loaded it. Hmmmm...I am going to say this product was used even though I thought I was buying it new.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Magix Music Studio 12 Deluxe

Click here for more information about Magix Music Studio 12 Deluxe

Read More...

Ableton Live 7 - Windows / Mac Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I'll apologize in advance for the very lengthy review, but I want to cover all the points that made this program worth the rather hefty cost for me, an amateur music producer.
Music production is only a hobby for me, but as a professional programmer with 22 years experience I feel confident in saying this is one of the most useful, stable pieces of software ever written. Even the Windows version has an Apple Mac-like ease of use, with all the menus and controls logically laid out in a "show me just what I need but make it easy to dig deeper if I wanna" manner.
The different time stretching modes have handled loops from my library that have choked demos of competing products. Ditto for the handling of my favorite soft synths (Cakewalk Rapture and Z3ta) and some legacy MIDI hardware that brought Acid Pro to its knees. My favorite feature is the ability to place what Ableton calls "devices" -- tools like reverb, parametric EQ, panning -- into "chains" that can be saved and recalled and applied to future projects. I've built several "Trance effect" chains for my fave style of music and it saves me hours of trying to recreate a sound I liked earlier.
In the age of shoddy Microsoft operating systems, it's a sad fact that a major feature in any product is that it doesn't constantly lock up the software or the entire computer, but so be it. I've owned Ableton Live for 6 months now and I use it extensively -- it has crashed only 2 times in that time period.
Weak points: Ableton advertises the single-window interface as a feature, but that is a hugely flawed interpretation. Anyone using dual monitors will be staring at one empty screen when running Live. An example of why this is so bad can be seen with the new Spectrum Analyzer device. To make the SA display large enough to be useful, the user is forced to click a mulitude of "resizing arrows" which shrinks other parts of the interface to a size that makes them unreadable. Anyone used to placing their spectrum analyzer on a 2nd monitor while monitoring is "S. O. L."
Fortunately, you CAN toggle an option to allow 3rd party plugins to be placed on a second monitor. I had to drop another $90 for a quality analyzer plugin, but at least I can place it on another monitor where it's large enough to be useful. Truthfully, my Nu-Gen Audio "Visualyzer" plugin leaves every other analyzer I've used in the dust so the Live limitation doesn't hurt me too badly.
The only other annoyance is "screen clutter" when your project has more than a dozen or so tracks. The only solution is to deal with it and scroll constantly back and forth looking for a particular track. Sony Acid Pro blows Live out of the water on this one, allowing users to create folders where they can tuck away groups of tracks such as Percussion, Backing Synths, Leads, etc.
Again my apologies for such a long review. These are things I wanted to know before I decided to drop nearly $500 on a professional DAW package. Hopefully it can help another shopper in the same boat as I was.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Ableton Live 7 - Windows / Mac

Click here for more information about Ableton Live 7 - Windows / Mac

Read More...

Cakewalk Guitar Tracks 2.0 Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I have to say that I am really impressed with version 2.0 of Guitar Tracks. They completely redesigned the user interface, which looks great, and made it really easy to use. It's a full 8 track recording studio with input and output meters, and audio editing. Each of the tracks can now be mono or stereo and can use any DirectX audio plugin. It comes with Stereo Reverb, Chorus, Flanger, Delay and Parametric EQ plugins. It also has the Drag and Drop Drummer Lite software with a bunch of great drum loops, that intergrates with program. I was up and running in about 5 minutes.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Cakewalk Guitar Tracks 2.0

Guitar Tracks 2.0 is a PC-based multitrack recording program built for guitar players. Designed to be as easy to use as a multitrack cassette recorder or tape deck, this is a great musical sketchpad for guitarists and singers/songwriters. Use it to get ideas down quickly. Controls are logical and clear so you can lay it down and mix it up fast. Features include eight recordable tracks of digital audio, easy punch-ins, looping, locating markers, stereo equalizer, delay, flange, stereo chorus, reverb, and vintage amp simulation. Mix down to stereo WAV files to burn CDs or make MP3s for the Internet. Tune up quickly with a built-in chromatic tuner. Guitar Tracks works with any guitar or microphone.

Click here for more information about Cakewalk Guitar Tracks 2.0

Read More...

Acoustica Musician's Bundle with Mixcraft and Beatcraft Music Software Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I really like Mixcraft. I'm one of the many people who played several instruments as a teen (and younger) and then when I got into college and into the workforce I dropped it (regrettably). And now with all the computer advancements in music, I'm eagerly trying to get back into it.
THE GOOD:
Mixcraft is a lot of fun. It really is very much "Garageband for Windows". Very similar interface, very similar functionality. Like Garageband, Mixcraft has a pretty wide variety of different loops that you can use "right out of the box" as well as virtual instruments that you can use to compose your own music.
It's really nice for things like coming up with some background music for a video project, or a game or something. And in doing so it saves you from having to worry about potentially sticky music royalties and rights and such. Anyone can come up with some decent music with this tool, and there is a very gentle learning curve. I was using it successfully just a few minutes after installing it and watching a couple of short videos from their website.
THE BAD:
The included instruments and loops are not admittedly not the highest fidelity. I'd say quite a bit below Garageband unfortunately. Also when you try to use virtual instruments (either mixcraft's own or 3rd party) they come in at an extremely low volume, which certainly causes problems.
Acoustica's registration is also big problem. It's baffling, and it's flat out broken. For the musician's bundle in particular, they've managed to make what ought to be a simple thing (entering a registration code) into an almost insurmountable task. Don't say I didn't warn ya there.
One other somewhat major drawback to Mixcraft is the omission of a way to play virtual instruments without a MIDI controller/keyboard (like Garageband can). So consider at least an inexpensive Midi keyboard (which will set you back $100 or so) a mandatory purchse if you want to make use of much of Mixcraft's functionality.
Overall I do definitely recommend Mixcraft, although it does have a lot of little annoyances. You'll get your money's worth in entertainment if nothing else, and undoubtedly generate some music that you can be proud of in the process.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Acoustica Musician's Bundle with Mixcraft and Beatcraft Music Software

Click here for more information about Acoustica Musician's Bundle with Mixcraft and Beatcraft Music Software

Read More...

Cakewalk SONAR X1 Producer EDU Edition Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I've owned 8.5 and x1, and have tried them both on multiple pcs. these products crash regularly and hang on any large operation. Don't waste your time on them- get the real deal- Pro-Tools if you're looking to do anything with audio.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Cakewalk SONAR X1 Producer EDU Edition

Click here for more information about Cakewalk SONAR X1 Producer EDU Edition

Read More...

Steinberg Cubase 6 Retail Multitrack Recording Software Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I'd been a Sonar/cakewalk user for about 8 years now. when I last updated to Sonar X1, I was so displeased with the stability and overall "unpolishedness" of everything... So I started researching other DAWs and found Cubase 6. I was so impressed with its new features I went ahead and bought it without even trying it, could've been a ridiculously stupid thing to do, but in a day, I was already fluent with it. It does everything Sonar does even better, Cubase looks and feels more polished, it offers deeper customization and control over your audio at your finger tips.
The only thing I still miss about Sonar is its drum maps, other than few remaining collaborate works, I'll pretty much uninstall sonar. I'm certainly pleased with Cubase stability, no more blue screens at crucial times.
Do yourself a favor and at least try Cubase 6.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Steinberg Cubase 6 Retail Multitrack Recording Software

Click here for more information about Steinberg Cubase 6 Retail Multitrack Recording Software

Read More...

Downloadable Loops Premium Collection Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This is a great value for anyone who wants to check out some of the latest Premium Loop Librarys from Sony. They normally have such sets for around 70 bucks on their site, I bought this card for around 40 bucks and it is good for any Premium Loop Library (even the newer ones released after this card came out). all you do is follow the download link on the card instructions then type in the key that is included and select the library you wish to download is great for saving yourself money expecally if you cant find one on ebay (some of the newer ones are download only so you cant find them on ebay!)
If i had the money id get 10 of them! :-p


Click Here to see more reviews about: Downloadable Loops Premium Collection

Click here for more information about Downloadable Loops Premium Collection

Read More...

Music Maker 17 Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I just bought this,and I have to admit that it is absolutely terrible. For one,the technical support sucks.
You have to pay money just to get help with any of their products. Magix Music Maker 17 isn't like Magix music maker 15 and 16.
This one is more geared towards "MIDI" and "drag 'n drop" type of songs,not actual recordings.
When you try recording (guitar for example) the tracks just erase over each other,and you have to do everything manually.
Unlike Magix music maker 15,each time you would record, it would record on a new track and it would ask you if you wanted to keep that take or not. This one is just so dumbed down,I absolutely hate it.
I hate this software and I completely regret buying it. I cant even record anything on it. I will never buy anymore products from Magix.
Do not buy this if you're serious about your music.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Music Maker 17

Music Maker 17 will put you in the composer's shoes and provide you with all the tools you need to create your own songs fromscratch. Plus, being your own artist will allow you to decide whether you want to stick to conventional musical genres, suchas Rap, R'n'B, pop, or classical music or take the plunge and develop your own--no musical training required! With over 1,500sound loops and an extensive number of virtual instruments at hand, Music Maker 17 will help you to complete your masterpiecein an instant.

Click here for more information about Music Maker 17

Read More...