Midi Lifestyle

New Post has been published on http://www.midilifestyle.com/blog/best-free-music-production-software-on-the-internet/

Best Free Music Production Software On The Internet!

If you want to start producing music, you will need a DAW(Digital Audio Workstation). A DAW is a piece of software that will allow you to put your musical ideas to life.

  There Are 3 Different Ways to Acquire A DAW:

  - Option 1 is to buy a professional DAW. This could be Ableton, FL Studio, Pro Tools, or even Reason.

While buying a DAW is the recommended route for starting out, it is also quite expensive. Ableton Live’s Suite package costs $800! I wrote an article about the best paid DAWs. You can read it here.

  - Option 2 is to pirate the software. I can’t legally recommend this because it is “stealing” from the developers, but many go down this road to save money.

Pirating software ends up being a bad thing because it hurts the developers business. A lot of people avoid pirating software completely because they feel it is morally wrong.

  - Option 3 is to download freeware. This is what we’ll be focusing on today.

There are a lot of freeware programs out there for you to download. The problem with freeware is that there are a lot of crappy programs out there.

  So Let’s Dive In!

I have sifted through the garbage and found 7 diamonds in the rough.

With the software I choose, you can create some amazing compositions. A lot of the software gets updated frequently and has large amounts of users.

You have to remember that there is no such thing as a “Best DAW”. You will notice professional producers use many different types of software.

The only limit to producing great music is your creativity.

  Reaper

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3mKpRVf69gQ

Supported Operating Systems: Windows and Mac

Website: Reaper.fm

Reaper is an awesome program that many producers swear by.

There is a free version and a paid version. The free version has know limits feature wise, but every 30 days a splash screen will pop up for 5 seconds asking you to upgrade.

The paid version is still very affordable. It’s price starts at $60 which is nothing compared to other DAWs. SoundOnSound wrote a huge article about Reaper here.

  Pros:

Professional.

Used by many pro-producers.

Large amount of users

a lot of resources to learn from online.

The free version isn’t limited in features

Cons:

Every 30 days, you a splash screen will pop up for 5 seconds.

  LMMS

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=db6qViE1ODc

Supported Operating Systems: Windows, Mac, and Linux

Website: LMMS.io

With LMMS(Linux Multi Media Studio), there are endless possibilities of what you can create.

The design is very nice. It looks a bit similar to FL Studio. I also liked the design of the software’s piano roll.

here is even a Soundcloud group that shares songs made in LMMS. It is very fun to browse.

  Pros:

Supports VST instruments and effects.

Easy for beginners to get started .

Comes with effects and instruments pre-loaded.

Has an active forum and great support.

Cons:

Has a few bugs.

  Zynewave Podium Free

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3FaXcrNckE

Supported Operating Systems: Windows

Website: ZyneWave.com

Podium is an awesome piece of software that is packed full of features. Podium’s design is also very aesthetically pleasing. It looks a tiny bit similar to Logic Pro X.

The only drawback about this software is that there are a few limitations on the free version. I’ll go over them in the ‘cons’ section.

A huge advantage about Podium is that it has a large and helpful community that will answer any questions you have on the software.

  Pros:

A lot of good tutorial videos are available on Youtube.

Aesthetically pleasing design.

Supports bussing, VST plugins, and other advanced features.

Cons:

Free version only allows you to connect one midi device at a time.

Can only use one CPU core for processing plugins.

  Ardour

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ulIw9j3AO38&feature=youtu.be&t=14s

Supported Operating Systems: Mac and Linux

Website: Ardour.org

Ardour is a fully functional DAW that supports effect plugins and virtual instruments. They give you all the tools you need to create amazing tracks.

I was surprised by the quality of the built in synths. They are all designed very nicely.

They make it very easy to edit waveforms and chop up audio. The snap-to-grid functionality is very helpful to align audio tracks in time.

  Pros:

A ton of features

The only limitation is your imagination

Great built-in instruments

No upsells. You get the full version for free.

Cons:

Not windows compatible

Doesn’t come with built in effects. You can download a ton of free ones though. I wrote an article on the best free VST plugins. You can read it here.

  Jokosher

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ulIMsJpz6CQ

Supported Operating Systems: Windows and Linux

Website: Jokosher’s Sourceforge page

Jokosher is a beginner-friendly DAW that looks like a slimmed-down Garageband.

It comes preloaded with a ton of effects. It has an easy-to-use, simply designed interface that will get you producing music with ease.

  Pros:

Small program that runs efficiently

Easy to learn.

Simple design .

A lot of effects.

Cons:

No main website(only a Sourceforge page).

No automation.

Not a whole lot of instruments built in.

Not for anyone planning on doing professional audio work.

Not a lot of resources to learn from.

  Qtractor

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yorGEkGjpBo&feature=youtu.be&t=22s

Supported Operating Systems: Linux

Website: Qtractor’s Sourceforge Page

Qtractor is a nice DAW if you are on using a Linux computer. The design is very nice and has a great workflow.

  Pros

nice design.

good workflow.

changeable skins.

Community of users.

great possibilities .

Cons

No dedicated website(only a Sourceforge page).

Only for Linux.

  Rosegarden

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qFDa-_6dUOU

Supported Operating Systems: Windows and Linux

Website: RosegardenMusic.com

Rosegarden is a pretty nice DAW to try out. It has a lot of possibilities and can be used to make great music.

It even has it’s own wikipedia page.

  pros

Nicely designed midi editor.

Supports VST plugins.

Very easy to export midi files.

cons

Not the prettiest software.

New Post has been published on http://www.midilifestyle.com/blog/behringer-u-control-umx610-review/

BEHRINGER U-CONTROL UMX610 review

Product Name: BEHRINGER U-CONTROL UMX610

OS Compatibility: Windows & Mac

Rating: 9/10

Where To Buy: zZounds.com(Free Shipping) OR Amazon.com

  What Is The UMX610?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTkTY19PmjI

Looking for a midi keyboard that is compact, robust, and can be mapped to control any software? The BEHRINGER U-CONTROL UMX610 might be your answer.

The UMX610 is made for both musicians and producers that want to take advantage of technology to create more interesting music.

Whether you need a midi keyboard for producing music, or you need one for live performance, the UMX has great features that you will most likely find useful.

The UMX has many awesome features, but I think the most important one to note is it’s plug-and-play integration to software. The UMX has many mappable knobs and buttons that can control your favorite software or DAW.

So what will this review cover?

In this review, I’ll go in-depth on the U-CONTROL UMX610’s features and included software. I will give you all the information you need to find out if this keyboard suits your needs.

  What’s Included?

When you buy the UMX610 you will get the standard operating manuals, a USB cable, a power adapter, basic audio software, a TON of virtual instruments, a great selection of effects, and a Behringer UCA222 audio interface.

Keep in mind the power adapter is completely optional. You DON’T have to use it because the UMX can be powered solely off of USB.

You would want to use the power adapter if your aren’t using a computer and want to use the UMX to control an external synth or sampler. You can also power the UMX via 6 AA batteries.

The audio interface Behringer includes works nicely. We’ll talk about it later on in this review.

  The Keys

The keys of the UMX610 are full-size velocity sensitive keys. They are semi-weighted so don’t expect them to feel exactly like piano keys.

The UMX has 61 keys. You can use the octave switching function to cover the full 128 tone range.

  Mappable Controls

There are 8 midi-mappable rotary knobs, 8 buttons, and two modulation wheels(one controls pitch bend).

They can be mapped to any software that supports midi mapping. The knobs feel very sturdy and turn smoothly.

  Inputs/Outputs

On the back of the UMX610 you can find a single midi output, a power input, and a sustain pedal input.

The midi output can be used to control external synths and samplers

You can also find the usb connector on the back of the keyboard.

  The Included Audio Interface

I have been using the UCA222 as a way to connect a turntable to my Mac. It has been working great!

The sound quality is good. This little guy will output 48kHz audio. There is an RCA input and an RCA output. Nothing too complex.

The UCA22 is also very small. It is about the width of your palm and is almost pocket-sized. This interface is powered by 100% USB.

No drivers are needed to start using this interface. Just plug and play. I’m not certain, but I’m pretty sure older operating systems such as Windows XP require a driver. But this is 2015! Who still uses XP anyway?

The value of this interface is about $30. I’m surprised they included it with the UMX610 for free.

  Why You Might Consider The UMX610

You might consider the UMX because it is a compact midi keyboard that has many knobs and buttons to control your software.

It comes with all you need to start making music including software, audio plugins, and virtual instruments.

I don’t know about you, but I love getting new audio plugins. Plugins give you the ability to shape your sound and make it a lot more interesting.

Nowadays good music is not 100% reliant on what notes you play or what instruments you use. Sound design plays a huge role in creating awesome music.

Another great feature of this keyboard is that it’s keys are full-size and velocity sensitive. A lot of midi keyboards tend to down-size their keys. Not the UMX610!

  Build Quality

The Behringer U-CONTROL UMX610 has a very high build quality for it’s price. It’s hard not to notice it’s eye-catching, shiny red paint job.

The rotary knobs and buttons feel very sturdy and don’t feel like they are going to break or come off anytime soon.

The UMX610 is light weight and portable. It’s small enough to fit in the tightest place in your studio, but has enough keys to play complex music pieces.

  Pros

Over 10 mappable controls to tweak effects and control software.

61 full-size velocity sensitive keys

Over 100 audio plugins and instruments

Comes with an audio interface Very portable

Cons

This keyboard will scratch if you travel with it. The glossy paint job will most likely scratch if you bang it around a lot.

  Conclusion

In conclusion the BEHRINGER U-CONTROL UMX610 is a great keyboard for studio use and live performance.

It has an excellent value for it’s price including software, plugins, virtual instruments, and even an audio interface.

The UMX610 is a compact and reliable midi keyboard that has features you’ll love whether you are using a Mac or PC.

I hope this review has been useful.

If you have any question about this keyboard, feel free to leave a comment down below and I’ll respond ASAP.

New Post has been published on http://www.midilifestyle.com/blog/dave-smith-instruments-prophet-08-review/

Dave Smith Instruments Prophet '08 Review - The Synth That Made A Comeback

  Product Name: Dave Smith Instruments Prophet ’08

Price: $2099

Rating: 10/10 stars

Short Review: The Prophet ’08 brings back the amazing sound of the Prophet 5. The ’08 has many new features that separates it from the competition.

Where To Buy: Amazon.com(Free Shipping!)

  An Introduction

The Prophet ’08 was the first synth Dave Smith made in 20 years. The last synth he released was the very succesful Prophet 5.

Most synth-fans out there were surprised to hear the release of a new DSI hardware synth. Over the past years Dave Smith Instruments mainly focused on releasing virtual synthesizer plugins.

In this review I’ll go over some of the key features that makes this synth so unique. By the end of this article, you should have a much better idea on if this synth is worthy enough to be a part of your studio.

  Affordability

While it might be $2000, the Prophet ’08 is still one of the most affordable fully integrated polysynths today.

Buying 100% analog keyboard synths can cost you a lot! The ’08 provides an amazing value for it’s price.

  Features

The ’08 is VERY compact for a Prophet synthesizer. Technology has changed immensely since the 70’s. Now we can manufacture electronic components that are smaller AND more powerful than we use to.

This synth has 61 keys, 5 octaves, and 8 voices. Portamento and a pitch wheel is also available to modulate your sound further. The keys on the synth are semi-weighted and have a very nice aftertouch.

The step-sequencer on the ’08 is based on a 16×4 grid. There is also an arpeggiator.

  Inputs/Outputs

The Prophet ’08 has multiple midi ports, 2 stereo outputs, a sustain pedal input, and a headphone output that takes a 1/4 inch jack.

The sustain pedal input supports both normally on and normally off footswitches.

  Why You Should Care About This Synth

There are many great sounding digital synths that try to imitate the analog Prophet sound. Nothing comes close to the real sound. The ’08 will supply you with a very warm 100% analog sound.

Dave Smith is a legend who was responsible for the first polyphonic and microprocessor-controlled synthesizer. His Prophet 5 changed music as we know it forever.

The ’08 takes the classic Prophit synthesizers from the 70’s and keeps their classic features while adding new ones.

  Artists that use the Dave Smith Instruments Prophet ’08

Morgan Page

Radiohead

Jason Miles

Neon Indian

  Conclusion

To sum up, the Prophet ’08 is a very powerful synth for a reasonable price.

It is compact, has many features, and has a very classic warm sound. Any producer, synth-head, or musician would appreciate the Prophet’s value in their studio.

New Post has been published on http://www.midilifestyle.com/blog/numark-n4-review/

Numark N4 Review - The Best Controller For Gigs?

The Numark N4 is a great DJ controller that is can be a good choice for any beginner to intermediate DJ.

For the price, there are a whole bunch of features to go over. The N4 is a 4 deck mixer that has both an effect section and a looping section.

I’d have to say that the Numark N4 is the greatest mid-range controller on the market. If you are looking for a quality DJ controller that will last you a life time, the N4 is perfect.

In this review, I will cover everything you need to know before purchasing the Numark N4. If you have any questions after reading this article, please feel free to leave me a comment down below and I’ll respond ASAP.

  Product Name: Numark N4

Rating: 9/10 stars

Price: $300-$500(Cheapest on zZounds.com)

Short Review: Tons of fun, tons of features, and a great price. The N4 will last you a long time and can be a great controller for playing gigs.

Where To Buy: zZounds(Free Shipping!) OR Amazon

  Main Features

The Numark N4 is a 4 deck DJ controller packed with a ton of features.

You can connect up to 2 CD players or turntables to use for timecode purposes. Numark makes this possible through the RCA inputs on the back of the N4

One of my favorite features is the LED VU meter. The meter will give you a good idea of how loud your music is playing. This becomes especially useful when making sure a song isn’t clipping.

All of the buttons on the N4 are backlit by LEDs. A good feature Numark added is the syncability of your controller’s lights with the software.

The less you use your laptop when DJing, the better. The N4 has a browse knob you can use to browse through your song library.

A great part about the Numark N4 is that it has a built in audio interface. The interfaces sound quality is very high and has multiple outputs. We’ll talk about the interface’s outputs later.

  What’s Included?

When you open up the Numark N4, you’ll get the mixer, a copy of Serato Intro, a copy of virtual DJ, a usb adapter, a serato overlay skin, a power adapter, and an instruction manual.

  The Software

The software included are Serato Intro and Virtual DJ. If you have never used either software, I’d recommend trying both of them.

Both are great software. It is more of a personal choice rather than a matter of right-or-wrong.

With the software, you also get a Serato overlay skin. It lays right over your knobs and has helpful labels to tell you what everything does.

  Effects/Looping

Effects are very easy to trigger with the Numark N4.

The knobs allow you to control all of the effect parameters without touching your computer. You can easily toggle an effect by using the effect button.

The N4 has a standard looping feature. There are three different buttons to manipulate your loops: Loop in, loop out, reloop, and smart loop.

  Responsiveness

The N4 is very responsive.

You can do most complex scratches on this controller without any issues.

Build Quality

The Numark N4 is made out of a very strong plastic. It has a sturdy build and will last you a long time.

The surface of the controller is very shiny when you first get it. There is a plastic film over the N4 that you pull off as soon as you get it.

The N4 has a medium weight. It has indents on the sides of the controller to act as handles. This makes it very easy to pick up.

Since the controller is fairly large the buttons can be spaced out reasonably. The knobs have a nice feel to them and the upfaders are smooth.

  Inputs/outputs

The N4 has a balanced XLR output for connecting to professional sound systems. There are 2 RCA outputs and 2 RCA inputs.

A great feature the N4 has is the ability to connect 2 microphones. There are two microphone inputs. You also have bass and treble controls for each mic input.

When connecting headphones, you have a standard 1/4 jack and a 3.5mm jack.

The N4 is powered by a DC power adapter.

  Using The Numark N4 With Virtual DJ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9NM4_zZWyM

Setting up the N4 couldn’t be easier. Here are the official directions from Numark.

It is very important to make sure that you set both of the source switches on the N4 are set to PC. Don’t forget this!

  In conclusion the Numark N4 is an excellent controller for any DJ with a beginner to intermediate skill level. The N4 will last you for many gigs, supplying you with a ton of great features to create perfect mixes.