RealBand

[filkertom]

I am beyond ecstatic.

I've been using Band In A Box as my primary arrangement tool for a couple of years now. Very much more powerful than it used to be. Still had some weaknesses, though -- good but not great instrumentation, not as much flexibility on the drums as I might like, couldn't freeze and edit the MIDI unless you exported it to another program, only 255 bars max length.

Hee hee hee. I get offline for a month and a half, and look what they done for me -- combined the best features from BIAB with their multitrack program, Power Tracks Pro, into a new baby called RealBand.

Basically, see, it's a multitrack recording program... that allows you to create BIAB tracks in it. And read in existing BIAB songs. And select any part of the MIDI or RealDrums or RealTracks to regenerate without touching anything else. And there's no length limit anymore, except your computer's memory. And you can have a different VSTi/DXi on each track, and up to three VST effects, plus effects on the busses....

The only thing I can see missing from the feature list is the TC-Helicon Harmonizer that has been very useful on some songs. It would be nice if it could handle more than 16-bit audio It handles 24-bit audio (the RealTracks and RealDrums are 16-bit). But... but... everything. Everything with 48 tracks.

So. What's your coolest new musical toy? Alternately, what's a really good track/MySpace artist/YouTube song we need to know about? (Dr. Horrible is automatically assumed here. So is the theme song from Death Note)

Comments

[drzarron.livejournal.com]

It's a good day for a little "Riders in the Sky"

[kilbia.livejournal.com]

Once you're done with your operatic works, I'd really love to see you work "the Ballad of Sweeney Todd" to make him the Demon Barber of l337sp34k.

[malada.livejournal.com]

Power Tracks Pro! Now that's a blast from the past. I think I still have a version of that for Windoze 3.1. I played with it when I had an interest in MIDI.

If they only made a Linux version....

-m

[ellyssian.livejournal.com]

Logic Express, iDrum, a Fast Track Ultra, and a good microphone.

There will be recording this weekend!

Oh, and my son, aequitaslevitas, picked up a(n ab)used trombone, so that gives us yet another instrument to write for.

[phillip2637.livejournal.com]

I'm curious what you think of the Fast Track Ultra. I *need* to replace an old Tascam US-122 and would like something with more and better preamps (even better: less noise on the 1/4" connections and input gain controls that have a functional 'zero' position).

[ellyssian.livejournal.com]

I'll have to get back to you after I use it... all I've done so far is load the drivers! =)

We'll be connecting it later today and giving it a whirl. I'm sure it will suit my purposes. I was considering another product with 8 channels and a Firewire interface. It, allegedly, would not have issues with latency vs. the USB that Fast Track Ultra may - or may not - experience; the sales rep was fine with 2 channels via USB, but was leery that 4 channels might prove too much.

[peachtales.livejournal.com]

That sounds like lots of fun! and less waiting for us :D

Me, I've been enjoying "Never Split The Party" again recently.

[avt-tor.livejournal.com]

I've been using Noteworthy Composer. I can just put notes on a staff and get music, without having to figure out all that guitar-chord stuff.

[shockwave77598.livejournal.com]

I use Music Creator on the laptop to compose and write the music upon. Then I move the MIDI file to the garage computer where I use Reaper for my multitrack, and the two synths as... synths.

My biggest problem today is that everything I record sounds too soft. I'm right at the point of clipping, but compared to an off the shelf CD it's half as loud. I'm beginning to think that everyone on the planet uses a compressor but me.

When did that happen?

[nimitzbrood.livejournal.com]

They've got BIAB for Mac OSX:

http://www.pgmusic.com/band.htm

Sweet! If all goes well I should be able to buy that in a couple weeks!

Re: When did that happen?

[phillip2637.livejournal.com]

Be warned that Version 12 for Mac is many years old, buggy, probably orphaned in spite of periodic claims to the contrary, and the main reason I use Windows XP for music applications.

Re: When did that happen?

[nimitzbrood.livejournal.com]

Ahh...good to know. Thanks!

Re: When did that happen?

[figmo.livejournal.com]

I use BIAB on my Mac with no problems.

[msgeek.livejournal.com]

They had to do this...the newest version of Garage Band had both these capabilities.

[filkertom.livejournal.com]

I haven't looked into how GarageBand handles MIDI auto-accompaniment, for the obvious reason that I'm not running a Mac. :) I am curious about the instrumentation. There have been programs that generate music like this, e.g., Sony's Cinescore, but I don't think one where there's been so many choices of how to create, i.e., the several thousand musical styles, the hundreds of internal variations of drum styles, and such. Dunno.

[hms42]

My Zoom H2.

As for You Tube video -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ROKJDAl1fHc
Sassafrass @ Contata (They have about 5 videos up and this was the first one I found.)

HighC

[raven-ap-morgan.livejournal.com]

Here's one that I found that's completely off the wall - HighC (pronounced "I-See" - it's from France). It's a combination synthesizer/sequencer/mixer, but its GUI is completely graphical, like Paint - no knobs, dials, or connectors. Basically, you draw, cut and paste your sounds. And it can create some of the most unusual sounds.

The web site is http://highc.org - take a look.

Raven

[jss]

Damn it! Now I've got

One: Cut a hole in the box.
Two: Put your band in the box.
Three: Make her open the box.

in my brain. Get it out!!

[dan-ad-nauseam.livejournal.com]

You might be able to filk World Party's "Put the Message in the Box" with that.

[ericcoleman]

Sitting at the UPS office in Ames right now is a Bajo Sexto. I've been wanting one for ages. I'll post about it when I actually get to play it.

[ketira.livejournal.com]

I don't have a new musical toy; I'm more into graphics these days.

However, if I did, it'd be this:

Blue Man Group's keyboard/percussion toys (http://www.amazon.com/gp/mpd/permalink/mV9J4BBV83GMX) (link is a video at Amazon; press play when you get there.)

...or one of those two.

[kazzellin.livejournal.com]

Hi, I'm new to this LJ. ^_^ I've been listening to your music since invader_tak introduced me to it. I hope you don't mind my putting you on my friend's list? :S

Um... Answering question of "new toy" wouldn't even be a computer program, and technically doesn't belong to me; my mother said I could use her guitar to learn to play, providing I clip my nails. ^_^

I hope your therapy goes wonderfully! :)

[filkertom.livejournal.com]

Thanks kindly, and welcome!

[figmo.livejournal.com]

I often use BIAB as a starting point, then export the MIDI to Finale and edit it from there. Sometimes different BIAB styles will have arrangements where I really like one or two of the tracks for a particular song that come with other tracks I don't want. This allows me to use the drums from one style, the bass from another, the piano from another, and so forth. I've also just plain added tracks by hand when the program didn't do what I wanted.

For recording, I use ProTools.