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===What is out there?there?==
There are plenty of musical software options to download, it doesnt matter if you are a windows, a linux or a mac user.
From Audacity, the opensource audio editor available for Win Mac and Linux, to Reaper, the freindly affordable DAW for Windows, to Ardour for Mac and Linux rivaling 1000+ Euro/USD Software like Pro-tools - the choice is yours. All this software can be extended using so-called plug ins - smaller programs that offer sound-synthesis, sampling, effects and more.
===From no-cost to lifetime investmentsinvestments==
For MSWindows there are several proprietary programs on the market ranging from 50 EURO/USD (Reaper, MAGIX Musicmaker) to 200-300 for basic versions of Steinbergs Cubase, MAGIX Samplitude or Abelton Live! up to feature-packed DAWs like NUENDO or Pro-Tools availagbel for 1-2000 EURO/USD. Plug-ins are also available for free or to pay for. Under Linux you can use about 200 effect-processors and softsynths as standalones or in LADSPA or LV2 format. There are also some plug-ins in Steinbergs VST-format running OK under Linux. VST-plug-ins are also available as freeware for MSWIN and as to pay for packages ranging from 20 EURO/USD up to 2000.
===What you need for startersstarters==
Basically you will need a hd-recording system like Ardour or Samplitude and if needed a MIDI-sequencer like Rosegarden (can be synced with ardour under Linux) or Cubase or Reaper (both have MIDI-Sequencers on board and serve as very good hd-recorders also). If you are on MACOSX you can make your first stepps with garage-band, that is bundeled with MacOSX.
All these programs can export single tracks so you can start with Reaper or garage-band and switch to bigger beasts like ardour or Cubase later by simply importing the tracks you have made with other software.
===Audio-software plays live...live...==
Ther are many linux-based live-cd/dvd out there. These systems run on your computer whithout any installation on harddisk:
musix is a latinamerican distro created for music creators, designers and for day to day use.
artistx is one of the best distros for linux musicians, it has tons of open software, and many tools to achieve great results.
jad 1.0 is another linux distro, created by musicians for musicians, though jad is not developed anymore it has initiaded excellent sound-software support for OpenSuse Linux.
64studio is very stable and developed with the needs of a stable working studio-pc in mind, so is pure:dyne both are available as linux live cds.
For older computers the linux distro dynebolic could be a good choice it is tested to run even full-force video-editing on a computer with less then 256MB RAM.
The most important Linux audio program is called ardour. It is a hd-recording/editing system with all the features, a professional producer really needs. Its recent stable version lacks MIDI-tracks but can be synchronized with several MIDI-Sequencers. Ardour is free software natively available for Linux and MacOSX.
I do all my music-production work with Linux: it works ;-)
Message from zotz -the initial editor of this page:
I wrote up a blog post over at kompoz, [[http://www.kompoz.com/compose-collaborate/storyId-1026/p-Free_Software_and_Kompozing/view.story.blog|Free Software and Kompozing.]] That may be useful for here as well. (zotz)
There are plenty of musical software options to download, it doesnt matter if you are a windows, a linux or a mac user.
From Audacity, the opensource audio editor available for Win Mac and Linux, to Reaper, the freindly affordable DAW for Windows, to Ardour for Mac and Linux rivaling 1000+ Euro/USD Software like Pro-tools - the choice is yours. All this software can be extended using so-called plug ins - smaller programs that offer sound-synthesis, sampling, effects and more.
===From no-cost to lifetime investmentsinvestments==
For MSWindows there are several proprietary programs on the market ranging from 50 EURO/USD (Reaper, MAGIX Musicmaker) to 200-300 for basic versions of Steinbergs Cubase, MAGIX Samplitude or Abelton Live! up to feature-packed DAWs like NUENDO or Pro-Tools availagbel for 1-2000 EURO/USD. Plug-ins are also available for free or to pay for. Under Linux you can use about 200 effect-processors and softsynths as standalones or in LADSPA or LV2 format. There are also some plug-ins in Steinbergs VST-format running OK under Linux. VST-plug-ins are also available as freeware for MSWIN and as to pay for packages ranging from 20 EURO/USD up to 2000.
===What you need for startersstarters==
Basically you will need a hd-recording system like Ardour or Samplitude and if needed a MIDI-sequencer like Rosegarden (can be synced with ardour under Linux) or Cubase or Reaper (both have MIDI-Sequencers on board and serve as very good hd-recorders also). If you are on MACOSX you can make your first stepps with garage-band, that is bundeled with MacOSX.
All these programs can export single tracks so you can start with Reaper or garage-band and switch to bigger beasts like ardour or Cubase later by simply importing the tracks you have made with other software.
===Audio-software plays live...live...==
Ther are many linux-based live-cd/dvd out there. These systems run on your computer whithout any installation on harddisk:
musix is a latinamerican distro created for music creators, designers and for day to day use.
artistx is one of the best distros for linux musicians, it has tons of open software, and many tools to achieve great results.
jad 1.0 is another linux distro, created by musicians for musicians, though jad is not developed anymore it has initiaded excellent sound-software support for OpenSuse Linux.
64studio is very stable and developed with the needs of a stable working studio-pc in mind, so is pure:dyne both are available as linux live cds.
For older computers the linux distro dynebolic could be a good choice it is tested to run even full-force video-editing on a computer with less then 256MB RAM.
The most important Linux audio program is called ardour. It is a hd-recording/editing system with all the features, a professional producer really needs. Its recent stable version lacks MIDI-tracks but can be synchronized with several MIDI-Sequencers. Ardour is free software natively available for Linux and MacOSX.
I do all my music-production work with Linux: it works ;-)
Message from zotz -the initial editor of this page:
I wrote up a blog post over at kompoz, [[http://www.kompoz.com/compose-collaborate/storyId-1026/p-Free_Software_and_Kompozing/view.story.blog|Free Software and Kompozing.]] That may be useful for here as well. (zotz)