Pre-DAW software

[mojobone]

Good idea, bad idea, worth $179, or not?Your thoughts, please... http://www.tanageraudioworks.com/

[weslong]

Looks freakin' cool, if you ask me! But, I'd try a demo first and see what you think! Too bad we have to wait so long on the Mac version. I'm planning on waiting to see what the feedback is from the early PC adopters but I'll more than likely buy it, regardless. I'm a goon for technology like this, especially if it's well-developed to a specific task. Hopefully, it's intutitive to use.

[ggalen]

It looks cool.I use Band in a Box as my pre-DAW worksheet. This new product has both more, and less, that BIAB. It's different. Looks worth trying.

[gatorjj]

This looks cool for writing while sitting on a plane. Thanks for the heads up Mojo!

[mojobone]

I had already planned on acquiring the BIAB for a sketchpad, but I'm not sure if the functionality of this is worth the price; one can build user styles in BIAB, no?

[ggalen]

Mojobone,Indeed you can. Plus, there are several thousand styles available, and you can mix and match parts and customize.The program, now in something like it's 14th version, is really something. I've even taken some of the backing tracks it generates, added good virtual instruments, setup any needed reverb/compression/sweetening...and left them as generated. They were fine.PGMusic is a good company. Very responsive, feels like Taxi in many ways.It's also easy to return something if you don't like it.

[grandmatarkin]

I'm curious... do most people here use some sort of "sketch" (other than one that they have in their head) to build songs/compositions before they move to the DAW and get busy? I start from scratch with the DAW and whatever rough idea I have, but this thread has got me thinking about some sort of different first step. What's the general opinion on this? If it would allow me to improve my efficiency, I'd seriously consider purchasing one of these programs. Hmm...

[weslong]

Sept 3, 2008, 9:05pm, ggalen wrote:Mojobone,Indeed you can. Plus, there are several thousand styles available, and you can mix and match parts and customize.The program, now in something like it's 14th version, is really something. I've even taken some of the backing tracks it generates, added good virtual instruments, setup any needed reverb/compression/sweetening...and left them as generated. They were fine.PGMusic is a good company. Very responsive, feels like Taxi in many ways.It's also easy to return something if you don't like it.Too bad we're still waiting after four years for an update to the Mac version.... Supposedly, it's in Beta test now which means they'll roll it out with the next PC version come November/December-ish...we hope... After taking a look at this program, I don't think it's something I'd like. I've gotten too spoiled with BIAB. BIAB has way more features than this...changed my mind, I'll pass and continue with BIAB instead...even if it means*God forbid* installing Windoze on my lovely Mac just to run the PC version...

[hummingbird]

Sept 3, 2008, 11:08pm, grandmatarkin wrote:I'm curious... do most people here use some sort of "sketch" (other than one that they have in their head) to build songs/compositions before they move to the DAW and get busy? I start from scratch with the DAW and whatever rough idea I have, but this thread has got me thinking about some sort of different first step. What's the general opinion on this? If it would allow me to improve my efficiency, I'd seriously consider purchasing one of these programs. Hmm...I don't think there's any hard & fast rule. Like, some people write words first, some people write music first, some people write both together... and some people do all 3 according to their mood.When working on an instrumental, I tend to work from the ground up... meaning I go the DAW & set a rythm and work on the bottom end for awhile. Once I have that fleshed out I take a break & come back later to start adding in the mid/highs.OTOH, sometimes I will improvise a melody on the piano or recorder/penny whistle & then I'll go to the DAW, play the midi melody track through, and then start building counterpoint around it, adding live tracks etc.And sometimes I have a song I want to create a bedtrack for, so I'll work on the form and structure of the song away from the DAW - planning the # of bars for each section & stuff - and then come to the DAW and start looking for beats... building it from the ground up again.I have sometimes used BiaB to notate a melody & harmony (or a basic reference track), and I have a free version of Finale... but I find that if I write that way it's very mechanical sounding, so now I tend to write in the ways I've described above.HTH

[sgs4u]

Sept 3, 2008, 11:08pm, grandmatarkin wrote:I'm curious... do most people here use some sort of "sketch" (other than one that they have in their head) to build songs/compositions before they move to the DAW and get busy? I start from scratch with the DAW and whatever rough idea I have, but this thread has got me thinking about some sort of different first step. What's the general opinion on this? If it would allow me to improve my efficiency, I'd seriously consider purchasing one of these programs. Hmm...Dave, you are a natural born composer. You and I both know this. You don't need more software tools to make it easier for you. You need a full-time employee to get all your stuff done for you, cause your brain works so darned fast. Wait a minute. Am I talking to you or myself? Shit I always do that, after 1Am.