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Hi all,I wonder whether anyone uses any of these free sites, http://making-music.blogspot.com/2007/1 ... re.htmlThe list is very long and I've no idea where to start. At the moment I am recording voice and keyboard ideas onto my MP4 so anything has to be better. If anyone has a couple of minutes to check out that list or just skip it and recommend something else I would appreciate a point in the right direction. I'm willing to pay but thought one of the freebies would be a good starting point. Thanks,Lindsey

Lindsey,I've used both Reaper (shareware) and Audacity (free) and both work well. All the Reaper updates seem to take up half this list!Audacity is about as simple as it gets for recording multiple audio tracks, and has many basic effects. Reaper is a much more full-featured DAW program. I'd encourage you to try both since you can get your hands on them for free.Much of the rest of that list are free plug-ins, things you would add to tracks in Reaper (or other DAW's) like compressors, eq etc. I don't see any on the list that I've personally tried but have many free plugs that are great.Hope that helps!J.J.

I too suggest you start with Audacity. It works great on Mac, Linux and Windows. However, as soon as you have 200$, I suggest you go on EBay and get yourself a used Digidesign MBox2 or MBox2Mini: http://www.digidesign.com/index.cfm?lan ... d=4962This way, you'll be learning the same tool as the Pros and save in the long run in production cost. ProTools LE is very easy to learn and there are many free resources and books to get you started.Another option is to simply get a new Mac Mini (200$-500$ Used), which comes loaded with the GarageBand software. http://www.apple.com/ilife/garageband/GarageBand is very powerful and many songwriters use it as their main writing tool.Everyone have their favorite recording/mixing software, however as a songwriter, I prefer to just learn the same tool used by the pros and concentrate on my songwriting. Life is too short for all this tehnobable Just my 2cents- Vermeer -

Thanks for the link Lindsey. Some cool looking stuff to check out later. I found some Antress mastering stuff last year, but I couldn't find the official site today. Here's a link to some of their plug-ins. The list is on the right. PC only I think?????http://www.dancetech.com/aa_dt_new/hard ... lang=0Wade

I've been starting to use Reaper, with my m-box it worked very badly, so I went and finally got a good thing "MOTU ultralite", and now Reaper is one of the greates thing I've ever seen and all my vsti work wonders.Good riddance m-box2 and pro tools LE for vsti jobs, I still like it but it's garbage in softw. synth work.Try out Reaper for awhile, give it a chance and you will be pleasantly suprised.Another good cheap software is Nebula 3, check that monster out.

I also think that the sound quality is great on Reaper and it has all possible types of render form, mp3, wav, even other strange things like "ape".And they constantly add new features when you ask for them...... And Pro Tools le cant even add "delay compensation" to their bloody program, damn that pisses me off...

Hey guys. n00b here Anyway, I've tried a ton of free vst's over the years and there are very few that come anywhere near the quality of stuff you pay for. The only thing on the list that I have tried are the Novakill vsti's. They sound OK, but eat up a ton of cpu and are not too flexible. They were developed by the EBM band by the same name and pretty much only does that and industrial well.There are some things out there though that you should probably give a try. The linplug free alpha is very good. RGC audio's Triangle I and Triangle II are still awesome after so many years.Not quite free but well worth the investment and it might be cheaper for you since it's a British Mag is to pick up a copy of Computer Music. It's loaded with free instruments and effects and a fully functioning DAW. Some of them are really good. I cannot live without the PSP Springverb that's included in it. the new synths like the Dominator and Zebra are VERY good.You should also check out the MDA suite of plugins. They are decent though any daw comes with similar effects that are as good or better. Only thing I use out of that is Degrade for bit crushing.