Equipment for writing some songs

[wishface]

we'll see. I think i need to see if I can get on with Reaper first, these progams are awfully daunting

[Dad3353]

Many of the answers to your questions, and others to come, are here, on this very Forum ...

Beginner's Guide To Home Recording...

Edited November 11, 2020 by Dad3353

[NickD]

Just now, wishface said:

we'll see. I think i need to see if I can get on with Reaper first, these progams are awfully daunting

They look it at first glance, but when you realise that you're using very little of the functionality to start with, it's not so tough. Plenty of tutorials for all DAWs on YouTube, just search the specific thing you're trying to do. By the time you need to learn something more complicated, you've been using it for a while and it's easier by then.

Without an interface first I think you'll struggle though, if you can't get the signal in there without latency, recording will be tough.

[Dad3353]

1 minute ago, wishface said:

we'll see. I think i need to see if I can get on with Reaper first, these progams are awfully daunting

Reaper is easy enough for doing easy things, so start off with that. It's capable of much more, but for a simple song, we can talk you though it. Install it first, then ask again. We can supply you with tracks if you've nothing on hand, or look at the projects you're working on and advise. No, we're not (all...) experts, but we all started out as beginners, so we know what it's like. If we can do it, so can you. 

[Dad3353]

If you've already been recording, even with latency, you can use the files created, pop them into Reaper and have a play around.

[NickD]

Honestly, if you just mess with it for a few weeks, you'll look back and realise how quickly it came together.... I did, and I'm as thick as mince! 🤣

[wishface]

Just now, Dad3353 said:

If you've already been recording, even with latency, you can use the files created, pop them into Reaper and have a play around.

I don't, that was years and years ago on a completely different pc. Technology and time have long since moved on.

[Dad3353]

Just now, NickD said:

Honestly, if you just mess with it for a few weeks, you'll look back and realise how quickly it came together.... I did, and I'm as thick as mince! 🤣

I concur with my colleague, and can confirm that he is, indeed, as 'thick as mince'. 

...

[wishface]

3 minutes ago, NickD said:

They look it at first glance, but when you realise that you're using very little of the functionality to start with, it's not so tough. Plenty of tutorials for all DAWs on YouTube, just search the specific thing you're trying to do. By the time you need to learn something more complicated, you've been using it for a while and it's easier by then.

Without an interface first I think you'll struggle though, if you can't get the signal in there without latency, recording will be tough.

We'll have to see. I'm not even sure what I want to write in terms of songs. I can't play and don't own loads of instruemtns so it's likely going to be some synth bits and a bass line, with a silly pretentious title for the song

[NickD]

Just now, wishface said:

I don't, that was years and years ago on a completely different pc. Technology and time have long since moved on.

It's got way more user friendly since the old days.

[wishface]

7 minutes ago, Dad3353 said:

Many of the answers to your questions, and others to come, are here, on the very Forum ...

Beginner's Guide To Home Recording...

I saw that thread, but it felt like more of an overview than something specific which is why i started this thread, thanks

[Dad3353]

I'll pop a 'quickie' here in a few moments, from my copious archive of doubtful projects for you to play with...

[wishface]

1 minute ago, NickD said:

It's got way more user friendly since the old days.

What do people use when they play with others over the interwebs? Or is that only something professionals do with thousands of pounds worth of gear?

[Dad3353]

Well, to start with , they have an interface...

[NickD]

1 minute ago, wishface said:

We'll have to see. I'm not even sure what I want to write in terms of songs. I can't play and don't own loads of instruemtns so it's likely going to be some synth bits and a bass line, with a silly pretentious title for the song

Have a look at somewhere like looperman.com/freesfx, etc. You need to register, but can download (and upload) royalty free loops, rhythms, samples, sound effects and stuff, them import them into your Daw, mix in your playing and build tracks that way. Experiment, mess around, have fun, and you'll be learning accidentally while you do.

[NickD]

1 minute ago, Dad3353 said:

Well, to start with , they have an interface...

That keeps coming up... It is, apart from an instrument, the one essential thing. Once you can get your sound, properly, into your computer, then you can choose what to do with it.

 

[wishface]

1 minute ago, NickD said:

That keeps coming up... It is, apart from an instrument, the one essential thing. Once you can get your sound, properly, into your computer, then you can choose what to do with it.

 

So i see, i will look into it. Thanks for the help

[Dad3353]

Here's a 'live' rehearsal of us (The Daub'z...). Un-zip the file, and open the .rpp file with Reaper, and play about with it.

Beds.rar

[wishface]

Where would I get some free decent plug ins for Reaper?

[wishface]

1 hour ago, Dad3353 said:

Here's a 'live' rehearsal of us (The Daub'z...). Un-zip the file, and open the .rpp file with Reaper, and play about with it.

Beds.rar 91.74 MB · 0 downloads

thanks

 

[Dad3353]

1 minute ago, wishface said:

Where would I get some free decent plug ins for Reaper?

Reaper comes with a whole host of 'plug-ins' (Vst for the most part...) for all sorts of treatment. For Vst instruments, there are many sources; here's one ...

Bedroom Producer Blog ...

Don't go mad with those, though, or you'll end up like me with a couple of thousand, of which I use a dozen or so. 

[wishface]

Someone on reddit tipped me to guitarpro. Does anyone have any experience with that?

[Dad3353]

1 hour ago, wishface said:

Someone on reddit tipped me to guitarpro. Does anyone have any experience with that?

I've been modestly using GuitarPro for some years, now. It's very good. What are you thinking of using it for, as it has many salient features..?

[wishface]

9 minutes ago, Dad3353 said:

I've been modestly using GuitarPro for some years, now. It's very good. What are you thinking of using it for, as it has many salient features..?

Writing songs I guess. I don't really know much about it, but being able to input tab parts for guitar seems reasonably sophisticated. Can you record audio into it? Is there any way to input parts real time, like Reaper can with for example a midi controller (or even a virtual keyboard which I notice Reaper has)?

[Dad3353]

1 hour ago, wishface said:

...Can you record audio into it?...

No, you can't. You can play along to tracks, or record MIDI notes in real time (from a keyboard, for instance...), but it won't do what I think you want. It's very good, but maybe a bit complex for what you want, anyway. Start simple and work up, especially as GP is not free. Not expensive, and worth its price, but not for recording your songs. Sorry. Back to Reaper, and audio interfaces...