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  4. Good PC programs to use with Vienna?

  • Good PC programs to use with Vienna?

    O
    O
    I currently write with them using GarageBand 9 and Logic Pro 9 on my Macbook Pro, but am building a custom PC for music writing soon. Any reccomondations for good PC software for writing with Vienna? Also, feel free to chip in good music writing PC tips as well :)
  • D
    D

    Cubase is your best bet. Not only does it have extremely good MIDI features, but being cross-platform, you can always use it on OSX, if that ever becomes a more viable platform for you.

    DG
  • E
    E

    Besides, the VST Expression feature that Cubase brings is a real treat that makes the process of articulations programming and editing so convenient compared to the usual setting of key switches in the key editor.
  • N
    N

    At present, there are two primary PC DAW programs: Cubase and Sonar.  There is also Reaper, and I think Presonus has recently come out with one as well, but don't recall its name.

    Between Cubase and Sonar, even though I am a Sonar user, my gut feeling would be to point you towards Cubase first.  Sonar seems a bit lost in its current direction, and seems to be moving more towards the loops/beats crowd.  It still does not have even remotely functional notation (still cannot even correctly display a triplet).  Sonar is good for Midi however.  Sonar X-1, is a brand new release, and is still too new to evaluate, but initial impressions seem to be rather mixed.  Note that no DAW is perfect, just as no computer platform is perfect.

    One common approach is to compose within a notation program, and then export the file to a DAW for further refining.  Among the notation programs two are particularly good for serious orchestral work: Sibelius and Finale.  Sibelius is the more recent, but both are good.

    As far as the PC is concerned, if you are buidling a laptop (you didn't say if you are going desktop or laptop), you probably will want to stay away from any firewire audio interface.  IIRC, the same is true for the current Macs.  Except for a few custom PC laptops, TI firewire chipsets are no longer used, and in general, the quality of the audio is poor with a firewire interface.  On the other hand, if getting a desktop, if the motherboard has a TI chipset, a firewire interface will be fine.  As far as high end audio interfaces go consider: RME, and Lynx.  On a mid-level options include: Motu (though their PC support can be rather iffy), Echo, or some of the newer M-Audio interfaces.  If budget is an issue, consider some of the older M-Audio interfaces or possibly Emu.  It is best to stay far away from the "Soundblaster" type stuff - fine for watching movies, terrible for serious audio content creation.  Note that RME interfaces are particularly popular in the land of VSL.
  • J
    J

    I'm a Sonar user but I'm interested in knowing what kind of plugs come with Cubase's premium flagship DAW.  IMO the plugs that come with Sonar are very good for creating a nice warm analog sound, if that's what your looking for.  I've sort of migrated away from composing pure orchestral works and now I do more hybrids of Orchestral/Electronic/Pop/Rock.  The synths that come with Sonar are also very useful for the type of hybrids that I compose.

    Although I wouldn't contest what the pro Cubasers are saying I would suggest that you ask yourself exactly what kind of music you are going to be composing/recording now and in the future.  What sold me on Sonar, as opposed to Cubase which I was looking at too,  was that, at the time, Sonar's built in plugs were just more relevant to the type of music I eventually wanted to compose.  Also, the plugs worked pretty well for orchestral work too  Of course, this is all a matter of taste and if you are planning to use third party plugs anyway then I would agree that Cubase is your best bet.