I have been djing for a little over two years, and I am obsessed with electronic music. I really want to start producing. I am ready to drop anywhere from around $2500 to $4500 on equipment. I have messed around with acid but it seemed a little cheesy. I have to start with a mac, bit which is better to get a new imac or just the g4towers and why? I have only heard good things about reason, is this the best way to go? How does it compare to cubase? I also need to use my mac to record demos on so what is a good sound card to have and can you even put a soundcard in the new imacs? Anyway Im a little lost and i would appreciate any comments on how to set up a good studio which i wont be able to out grow when i start to really get involved with production.

Also does anyone have an idea of what equipment producers like Chris Lake, Steve Porter, Echomen, use? Is it more hardware than software? What are some well known producers/remixers using more software than hardware if there are any.
Thanks

You're on a mac... that's really good news. I'd say go with Logic... at first it didn't make any sense to me (too used to cubase), but I've been playing with it for a bit and I really really really like the workflow. And the emagic plugins are absolutely outstanding... you'll have trouble finding anything better in software. Josh Gabriel uses Logic... and only Logic (no hardware).

If I had a mac, I'd buy logic gold without hesitating. As things stand I may be getting a laptop, and perhaps I'll go with a powerbook. I may not though... I'm not sure if getting a mac is a good idea. Why are things so complicated?

Based on what other 100 times smarter and expirienced poeple than me say, Logic is the best. so if your going for mac, Logic is cenretanly the answer (cause now everybody are sad logic will be for mac only)
i dont know much about equipment , and you realy can do anything without any equipment,
but if you ask me (an unexpirienced TA) , you can spend that money on good Monitors and a good Soundcard...

although if you ask me about reason, i dont like it simply cause you can use VST plugins with IT... .. altough many many people create gr8 stuff with it and also released stuff...


good luck there

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quote:

Originally posted by Flotser Based on what other 100 times smarter and expirienced poeple than me say, Logic is the best.

I wouldn't exactly put it that way. I like it because it seems so natural to me, but other "smart and experienced" people may not like it because it doesn't work for them. With logic, I can work without hassle, without wasting time. The flexibility of logic means that I can arrange it so that everything I need is in one place on my screen, all the time. There's no useless opening of windows or clicking when you don't need to. Pardon the pun, but everything seems so logical to me. This is interesting because before, on this board, I said that logic was illogical... shouldn't have said that because I didn't spend enough time with the program (used it in a store for a little bit of time)... but still, not entirely my fault if emagic won't offer some way of testing it out.

I really liken using logic like using fruityloops. Some people may think I'm crazy for doing so, but both programs allow me to work immediately, without any hassle. Immediately my ideas can spring from my head into the program. Personally, I don't have this feeling with cubase or reason, even though I am quite familiar with both of them. As a result, I find that I almost can't work with them at all. We aren't made for each other

I am really new to this so here comes a question that may sound stupid but whatever, so what are the main differences between logic vs reason? Is logic user friendly for someone starting out like myself? Is Logic an all in one kind of program like reason?, and my last question I was looking at system requirments and I believe both of them said I need a midi interface and a midi keyboard. What is an interface? I am guessing it connects hardware into your programs, but if i dont have any hardware do I need it. Help

I'd say pick up a copy of reason and logic platinum. Then go looking for some VST instruments and plug-ins. Then as you become comfortable with reason and understand how everything works and how to program synths, either move on to some better software synths, or move onto hardware. If you're $4,500 has to buy a mac as well, then there really isn't that much you can get. Building a studio is really something you should do piece by piece so you learn each item properly, rather than buying heaps of stuff at once and only having basic knowledge of how to use them

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Here is what I would buy:

1.) Logic
3.) A workhorse hardware synth and an analog synth for warm pads that will give a good contrast to the workhorse virtual analog, good for basses as well (juno 106)
4. A quality soundcard (Delta 66 etc.)
5. 8-inch monitors (Mackie, Event, Genelecs (pricey))
7. 2 or 3 trance oriented, quality softsynths (ES2 etc.)
8. A hardware multiFX unit like Lexicon ($500 or so) or Waves plugins or equivalent
9. A wave editor
10. A good mastering program (with a good compressor)
11. A soft sampler, I suggest Kontakt
12. Buy a few percussion CDs
13. Buy a book on analogue synthesis

This should be right at $4000 or so. If you have more money, get a subwoofer. Also, a 19 inch monitor would be nice. Don't get a flat panel, you can't adjust the resolution easily with those.

This is what I would do, but it's just me, your needs might be different. Good luck.

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so does logic come with sound banks like drum machines and synths or do i need to buy those also, and since i am new to this is logic pretty easy to use and can you use reason with logic?

Listen to what Etherium said.

Yes, you can use logic with reason, but I really do not see why you'd want to if you follow his advice. Everything is built into reason, and everything is of much lower quality than you'd find if you got all your components separately.

You'll need to get your own drum machine (perhaps reason would work well here?), as well as synths (ES2 is awesome).

As to whether or not logic is easy to use... everyone says the logic learning curve is really steep. I don't agree... the basics are simple, as long as someone (or the manual) shows you what to do initially. Try making sense of all the menus

One thing I can say about Cubase is that it isn't as intuitive as Reason and other programs in its ilk. Another thing I don't like about Cubase, like Russo said, is that all of the window opening/closing and the general interface stymies the creativity process.

Go with Logic.

Reason is too limiting (it is a great program though)

Sonar, not many people use it.

Samplitude, expensive.

Logic. Logic. Logic.

Sound logical?

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wow, russo likes logic now LOL. Glad you finally gave it a chance. Once i went logic everything else just looked like kids toys. Plus using reason within logic rocks even more.

Thanks for all the advice. I have been researching a little more and I have a few more questions. I am going to have around $1500 - $2000
after I get my mac. I would like to get moniters whith that money but I might have to put those off for a little while. With that in mind I saw a logic production kit for around $650. It comes with Logic gold, emi 6/2 midi interface(which i wont use unless I have a midi keyboard right?), evb3,evp88,exsp24(which is a sampler right?), and xtreme digitial library. Then I was thinking about getting the synth collection that emagic makes thats with es2,evoc20,es1 runs around $300. Now with all of that I planed on getting some sample cds that have drums and percussion. What companies make these cds which are compatable with the exsp24 and which cds do you guys suggest to make prog house/trance/breaks? With all of this I should be able to have all the components to make a track, right? The last question what is a good book on analogue synthesis?

Thanks again if you guys will help me out once more, I just dont want to spend all my money and not get the right programs I need to be able to make a complete track.