Music Hardware (question from a dummie)

PabloLuna · April 11, 2011, 21:55:38

Until now I only have downloaded MPT and some XI instruments and WAV samples.
What hardware do I need if I want to produce music a bit more professionally? Best quality for the lowest possible price.
I am interested in making orchestra music.

I am quite a dummie in music hardware. Digital Pianos, Portable Keyboards, MIDI Controllers, Synthesizers, for me they are all the same. I can't make a difference in my mind. My bet is that I may need to understand what types of hardware exist and what needs to be connected and how.

Be advised I have quite a newbie playing acoustic guitar, which is all I can play. No piano training. I am far more an MPT composer than a guitar player. I use the old version of MPT, so I guess concepts must start from scratch for me. The only thing I have improved is my skill to compose.

This is my current level of dexterity:
http://star-control.com/fan/music/PabloLuna/Star%20Control%20II%20Intro%20action%20v1.1.mp3
http://star-control.com/fan/music/PabloLuna/Yehat-orchestra%20v1.2.mp3

Saga Musix · April 11, 2011, 22:25:06

Theoretically there is no need at all. I use my hardware synth more for inspiration (finding new sounds and melodies) than for actually producing music. Most things for which you require hardware some years ago can be done in software (f.e. by using VST technology). Often it's enough to just have a simple hardware MIDI controller for recording melodies or controlling VSTs.

KrazyKatz · April 11, 2011, 22:56:36

VST Orchestral Instruments always sound better than synthesized orchestral instruments from Keyboard (but yes sometimes you want a less natural sound), but for professionalism there are quite a few orchestral VST libraries available depending on your budget. To name a few:

Garritan Personal Orchestra
Edirol Orchestra
Peter Siedlackzecks Advanced Orchestra.
EWQL Symphony Orchestra Silver/Gold/Platinum
Vienna Symphony Library

I own or have experience with all of them (except VSL), so if you have specific questions just ask.

Edit: Typo fixed

LPChip · April 12, 2011, 07:00:41

Speaking about hardware;

The only hardware you'd need is a good pc with a descent soundcard and either a good pair of headphones or speakers. The better these are, the easier it will be for you to make good songs that sound good on other systems but your own.

Saga Musix · April 12, 2011, 12:01:39

Quote from: LPChip on April 12, 2011, 07:00:41a good pc with a descent soundcard

I really think that a descent soundcard would be counter-productive.

KrazyKatz · April 12, 2011, 12:31:58

No no no..! He means a http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Descent_%28video_game%29 soundcard.

That will work for sure.

Saga Musix · April 12, 2011, 12:35:01

Hmm... I've played Descent with an AWE64. If that's going to suffice...? All I know is that it has a horrible DC offset!

KrazyKatz · April 12, 2011, 15:57:08

The AWE 64 was top of the line in those times. So if you say the DC offset was horrible, well that's good enough for me.

LPChip · April 12, 2011, 19:35:06

The-cent, then?

I mean you have to buy it...

Harbinger · April 13, 2011, 21:55:49

As Jojo and LP said, you don't need any hardware to produce great music with MPT. If you want to record live or acoustic, you'll of course need a microphone to feed into your computer. Record the signal to a WAV and Modplug can load it into a song, either AS the track or as another instrument to play WITH a track. This is the approach Yjana and i take with our sound. She has a cheap mike which she records her drum tracks into, we process it with Audacity or other DSPs (such as cutting out loops and adding global FX), and use those in MPT.
Meanwhile, we're composing the rest of the song as you would any track, using plugins and samples to get your sound. When we're done on the creative side, i take over the post-engineering by using various DSPs and plugins to fix levels, do some stereo imaging, etc. And we end up with a very good track. Good enough to spark some local interest!

We have been where you're at now, Pablo. Just soak in as much as you can especially from real experience using this great little application, and don't forget to get the OHM to help you thru.

BTW, i do a LOT of classical music tracking with MPT. I use Roland's (Eidirol) Orchestral VSTi, which isn't free, but is the best for its price.