Best starter sequencers for Beginners?

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-- Best starter sequencers for Beginners?

Posted by TechnoTranceRM on Mar-30-2011 07:14:

Best starter sequencers for Beginners?

Hello, Since I got into trance musi about 2 years ago I have always wanted to recreate/produce trance tracks. I went on another forum and asked what basics I would need to get started and i was told a synth and sequencer, so I looked up synths and bought a Jp-8000 by Roland. I was told it was one of the best synth keyboards to get for trance music, some oft favorite musicians use it like Chicane and I saw a video of faithless live and they were using it. Anyway I've had this synth for about 4 moths and I'm ashamed to say I've let it gather dust, just with college and stuff I havnt had time to but now I am looking into getting back into it. My question is what's a good sequencer that is compatable with my synth and easiest for me to learn. I'm really not a software kind of person, I like to get more hands on learning when it comes to this kind of stuff.

Anyway anotger few questions I have are, can you make beats on hardware sequencers as well as non-hardwares. I mean will it come with sounds in there or would I have to use programs like fruity loops? Are there any websites or videotutorials on synths and sequencers to give me a sense of direction?

Thankyou

Posted by Zak McKracken on Mar-30-2011 16:12:

i had the same experience with my hardware synths, ended up selling them all and now use a computer only and never been more happy. if you read the stickies in the production forum you might get some help finding your software sequencers. ableton, cubase, fruityloops, reason, logic, sonar, reaper is the most common ones, and they all have their pros and cons. as i said, go through the stickies in the production forum. this is the dj booth and therefore wrong section. and just a final recommendation: stay away from hardware sequencers, its sooo limited compared to software ones. hardware synths are nice though but not necessary at all. dont believe the hype that it sounds better.

Posted by n3lly on Mar-30-2011 19:05:

Wrong forum, Moved..

Posted by EddieZilker on Mar-30-2011 21:59:

I have to highly, highly, highly, highly recommend Reason 5.

Posted by Zak McKracken on Mar-30-2011 22:11:

its funny that you recommend the only sequencer who doesnt support external gear when he said he has a JP8000. shows the value of this forum lol
but you might be right anyway, ditching that JP isnt exactly a mistake...

Posted by EddieZilker on Mar-31-2011 05:30:

quote:
Originally posted by Senator Clay Davis
its funny that you recommend the only sequencer who doesnt support external gear when he said he has a JP8000. shows the value of this forum lol
but you might be right anyway, ditching that JP isnt exactly a mistake...

I think of Reason as an excellent starting point to build skills with. I certainly wouldn't recommend ditching the JP8000 but, apart from Reason, there's no other DAW I'd recommend above any other for getting started with and Reason covers all the basics and will still be usable when people get more advanced.

Posted by kitphillips on Mar-31-2011 06:33:

Read the stickies. I think ableton's the easiest but tbh thats probably just personal preference.

They're all laid out to be fairly easy to use these days, and they're all very similar in most ways. You sound like you have no idea about production though, so maybe you need to further understand the process before committing money to a DAW. Reaper is cheap/free and might be good for that purpose.

Posted by Zak McKracken on Mar-31-2011 07:18:

quote:
Originally posted by EddieZilker
I think of Reason as an excellent starting point to build skills with. I certainly wouldn't recommend ditching the JP8000 but, apart from Reason, there's no other DAW I'd recommend above any other for getting started with and Reason covers all the basics and will still be usable when people get more advanced.

agree on that. started out on Reason myself and it has served me for 5 years.

Posted by TechnoTranceRM on Mar-31-2011 14:14:

I really don't want to ditch the JP-8000. Basically im not looking to make proper tracks, id just like to play my synth and then with a sequenser make the bass line and then have a beat in the background. Thats all i really want to do for right now.

Posted by Zak McKracken on Mar-31-2011 15:16:

then i would suggest you to try out Reaper www.reaper.fm. Its free and very good and you can connect your synth to it (if you have a soundcard that is). the only downside is that its not included much instruments or samples so you would have to find your drums etc yourself, theres plenty of it online for free.

Posted by orTof�nChiLd on Mar-31-2011 16:14:

warez

Posted by Zak McKracken on Mar-31-2011 16:18:

quote:
Originally posted by orTof�nChiLd
warez

moron. your post lately has been nothing but poison.

Posted by music2dance2 on Mar-31-2011 16:32:

Reason is a good starting point, but any of them out there will be good to start with, all depends what you find comfortable to work with. To use your hardware synth together Ableton is also a good choice for ease of use. Download the demo's of all the available programs, Cubase, reaper, studio one, ableton, reason etc etc and see which one you like best

Try these for good tutorials

here

and

utube

Posted by Zak McKracken on Mar-31-2011 16:35:

i still dont understand why you recommend Reason when he is using a hardware synth. Reason do not support external gear, it is its main flaw.

Posted by music2dance2 on Apr-01-2011 09:51:

Hence why I also suggest ableton.