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Love My imac 21.5" - Advice on Software Please


Mr. Robot

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Well I have finally done it. I ditched my old PC and bought the latest iMac 21.5"

 

I am in love with it and am VERY grateful to the advice that you guys have given me. (The 27" was just too big for my music room)

 

Next stop: software.

 

I have to say I am pretty impressed with the moron-proof Garage Band that comes with the iMac, having battled with Sonare LE for quite a while. It is so simple. Unlike Sonar LE, it comes with a healthy compliment of drum loops - my bug bear with Sonar.

 

So......do I go for Logic Express or Logic Studio? The professional musos I know say ProTools, but they have not experienced Logic and I am told it is much more intuititive. And I have read that i would have to buy a new interface with ProTools as it only works with DigiTech - does that compute?

 

I am a simple kind of guy. Again, your wonderful advice is appreciated.

 

Thanks again guys. You are great.

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Hay I'm "thinking about" pulling the trigger for a Imac too....so my question is did you "customize " your 21.5 or did you take the stock of the shelf model?

 

As far as express or Stuido.....I have no experience with any software...so far

 

My disclaimer is I am a neophyte when it comes to Home recording.

But I have decided to dive in any way

 

I just got a Zoom h4n to play with so I'm still a few months away from the mac but that is the route to take or so I've been told.

After you figure out the express or studio gouge let us rookies know.....

 

Any way please keep the posts coming ....

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Thanks Lowdown for the link........

now I guess its a matter of iMac or Mac book......

thanks

 

No probs at all.

 

iMac or MacBook...depends how deep you're going to get with your recording' date='what exactly you want to use it for...

 

If you obviously want to be able to take your computer with you,I'd suggest the MacBook. It's what I use mainly. The iMac's for everyday stuff. The kids have all but claimed it anyway.#-o

 

And depending on how serious you are -get the Pro solely for this. From memory,only the Pro's upwards have the card socket.

 

If you wanna be able to record a gig/jam etc. or just go and record tracks elsewhere,you can't beat the portability.[wink]

 

I also love being able to take it to work(w/ends are very quiet at my job)and work on editing/comping tracks and songs.

 

 

But...if you are just going to be hanging out at home and experimenting with your own ideas,then you might be better suited to a desktop.

 

Me personally...I say go with the laptop. Don't get sucked into the "wow look how big that screen is" mentality. [-([biggrin]

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Hay I'm "thinking about" pulling the trigger for a Imac too....so my question is did you "customize " your 21.5 or did you take the stock of the shelf model?

 

As far as express or Stuido.....I have no experience with any software...so far

 

My disclaimer is I am a neophyte when it comes to Home recording.

But I have decided to dive in any way

 

I just got a Zoom h4n to play with so I'm still a few months away from the mac but that is the route to take or so I've been told.

After you figure out the express or studio gouge let us rookies know.....

 

Any way please keep the posts coming ....

 

When I got the Zoom H4n it came with cubase le - I like it and you can make a decent recording with the zoom too -pretty good mics

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The Zoom came with Cubase .

What type PC did you load up the cubase on?

 

My current lap top is old dell not sure how "stable" it would be if I loaded it up with the Cubase.

I haven't even gotten the chance yet to use the Zoom but the slow time is just around the corner.

The H4n manual is thick! but hay I fly jets for a living....so I'm hoping to figure it out [cool]

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  • 1 month later...
all i have on my mac is pro-tools' date=' photoshop, and final cut pro... essential software needs. [/quote']

 

All fine and dandy if you know how to use it. And the majority who do,have done a course in the interim.[thumbup]

 

But we're talking about first timers here.

It's a very steep learning curve advancing from GB - Logic even.

But yeah Blues,it's what we all strive towards after getting the hang of GB.:D

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Pro Tools on a Mac here, and an older understandable version on a custom built PC. Now days it does just about take a course to have a prayer with P.T. And, there is one. Whatever happened to simplicity, a number and a ride on a Sunday evening?

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  • 2 months later...

hi there, just putting my two cents in for software. I personally own both logic 8 studio and protools 7 LE on a 15" Macbook Pro. Logic is alot more user friendly when it comes to recording and it also comes with some great sounds and loops like garageband. IMO Protools is almost as easy as Logic and editing functions are ALOT easier and faster to work with than Logic's. I guess it all depends on what you are looking to do. If you are looking to program beats and record some audio then go with logic. If you are looking to record more audio and editing for post production then Protools would be the way to go even though you can use either or. I also have Reason 4 and if you are looking to make beats or program music then i highly recommend you check that out. Its a really easy program to worj with. The major downer with Protools is that you either have to get an M-audio interface for PT M powered or a Digidesign interface with PT LE

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i am running logic studio 9 on my 27" iMac, and as i learn more, i like it a lot. it's really nice that you can start a quick project in garage band, then bring it in to logic for more tools and options.

 

i also picked up a Presonus Faderport, which has made mixing very nice.

 

it is a complicated product though, so a good book may be in order. personally, i bought "Logic Pro 9 and Logic Express 9", ISBN 978-0-321-63680-5.

 

have fun!

 

Don

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  • 3 months later...
Guest BentonC

I'm with everyone on the Logic idea- especially if you are just learning GB. It is the next logical step up, and shouldn't be too terribly intimidating if you know your way around GB. Also, the Apogee Duet is one of the coolest and best sounding $500-or-less interfaces I've been able to try lately, and it is designed specifically for use with Logic Studio.

 

I'm really a ProTools guy at heart, just because I've been able to find the most flexibility there with editing and mixing capabilities/ease of use that I haven't been able to find with any other DAW.

 

IMO- there will be a learning curve with ANY program you get. It will be very beneficial to look very deeply at what exactly you want to accomplish with your recording software, and go with the one that you think will get you there. Forget about how difficult it will be to learn the program- in the end, you'll be happier that you can accomplish what you need to in the most effective and powerful way possible.

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