Music making software - What to get?

Discussion in 'Computer and Internet' started by S-H, Jan 18, 2014.

  1. S-H

    S-H Hardy Maple

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    As many of my friends over here already know, video making is one of my hobbies. Still, I am not really what people will call a pro at this, (there are literally 1000s of people who are far better at it)... But in order to be fair to myself, I am also not someone who can be thought of as just average.

    However, when it comes to music (specially playing it), I am a total dud! :D I really, literally, have zero knowledge of what making music is like... So at first, I only added some MP3s to my videos as the soundtrack. And for all practical purposes it seemed to work just fine. But later YouTube started penalizing videos which had famous music or songs attached to them. Still, this too was OK at first - As you'll only get in trouble if someone reported your video. But soon after this YouTube started to screen each uploaded video for such so-called copyright violations...

    So the only option left for me was to either use royalty free music. Or, if I really needed to embed something famous, I'd either have to buy the right for it, or simply play a version of it by my own self. So this naturally creates a bottleneck... As I have zero idea about how to play music. And no, I am not about to start learning!

    In a way, I am perhaps sounding like the people to whom I say: Sure, you can learn how to use AutoCAD 3D, it's really very easy. See the animation in this video which I made:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CaysEyaiv0I

    But people ALWAYS tell me: "Oh no, it takes a lifetime to learn something like that. We certainly do not have the time or the patience to give it a try now". So no matter how hard I try to tell them that it's perhaps one of the easiest things in the world - They simply will not listen... Therefore, this is why, I too (when it comes to learning how to play music) - Solidly believe that I will never be able to learn it... So please don't even think of inspiring me to start learning now.

    All that i really need, is some easy to use software - And I REALLY HATE to buy a music playing electronic keyboard. Simply because it will go straight to waste here. As first of all I am not a pro when it comes to video making, and neither do I have any real appreciation or flair for music...

    Anyway, all the software that I've tried - From Magix, which says that it can enable a first time (as in totally untrained) user to create a masterpiece - Which if you ask me is a straight lie. To something like Sony Acid Pro Music Studio, which I feel automatically assumes that I too surely must have had all the musical knowledge subconsciously ingrained into me before my umbilical cord was even cut! And please, don't even get me started about Ableton Live, or Fruity Loops (FL Studio), or Band in a Box, or Cakewalk Music Creator... All of which are over complicated and totally unusable pieces of garbage in my opinion!

    So yeah, every single software that I've tried up till now - Has failed miserably in my hands... I really find it impossible to play anything I swear. And just the thought of buying an electronic musical midi keyboard invokes a sense of anger within me, (as I know that such a thing will only go to waste)...

    Even though those who can play it, end up getting away with playing something famous. Without YouTube bothering to penalize their accounts. Take this video for example:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XITn7jvMBnU

    So had this person in the above video used anything from the real MP3 of the Petshop Boys, then there would have been hell to pay. But since he is playing it himself, all his sins are washed away... :D

    All that I really need, is something that is simple to use (for a person of my level of understanding when it comes to music). I also find it totally impossible to play anything in real time, (if the 101 PC keyboard could be turned into a music keyboard by software). I just need something like a digital timeline, on which I can drag and drop different musical instruments and notes - And then click play to hear if it sound right or not. If I like what I made, I could save it as an MP3, and then embed it into the video with my video editor.

    However up till now, I have not found anything that suits me...
    Anybody got any ideas???
    :smt100 :shrug:
     
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  3. Cayuga Morning

    Cayuga Morning Strong Ash Plants Contributor

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    S-H--I can ask my son. I know he uses 2 music programs to help him commit his scores to paper.

    Have you thought of engaging a talented teen to work with you? There is lots of musical talent out there among the young & they are all just looking for an outlet.
     
  4. S-H

    S-H Hardy Maple

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    That's really a good idea, (if someone else can handle the music stuff for me). However, since I am mostly having fun on YouTube - Strictly in an amiture fashion (with zero financial gain). How will I pay the individual for his or her hard work???

    Getting someone to do stuff for free is just not fair... When I was a talented teen myself, I too came accross many people who tried to mooch off my intellect. So I know exactly how that feels like.

    Still, there would have been a possibility, if they would have allow my YouTube account to activate Google Adsense monetization (YouTube partner program) - But so far, accounts from my country are not given this option. Otherwise, this would have made it possible to pay someone for their hard work.

    I recently did try to use DUBTurbo, but was very disappointed as they secretly tried to give some spyware, (which my anti virus caught).
    http://www.dubturbo.com/

    So this is the real problem. Everywhere I go, I face one type of a problem, or another - Never am I able to find something simple and easy to use, that works painlessly...

    However asking your son about what software does he use is a good idea. We never know when and where a good suggestion may come from next. :)
     

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