By Joey Cons
As technology gets cheaper and more accessible to the average Joe, home studios have become very popular. Anyone with a home computer, speakers and software can record the next Beyonce (or close to it). The big question is what software to choose from. The most commonly used DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) software is Pro Tools. It is used by professional music studio's and Hollywood movie makers across the country. Although it's quality and features may surpass the competition, so does the price tag. A complete Pro Tools HD system with all the bells and whistles can range from 3k-15k depending on the amount of DSP or processors.
That's why for the average Joe like me and you there are alternatives. Logic made by Apple is a great sequencer and reasonably priced starting at 155 for the Lite and 350 for the pro. This is highly used by electronic music and HIP Hop music producers. It includes tons of VST's and plug ins standard. Next on the list is Soundtrack a more stripped down version of Logic. Then we have Garage Band which comes standard with MAC OS X computers. All three are great but some have more features than others. Ableton Live is a sequencing application that has become very popular for live performances. It uses preset loops and executes them on a timer, very popular for electronic music. Propeller Head's Reason is a bit different than most of your average sequencers.
It actually uses midi files with a virtual instrument rack. It works based on the loops you create then you fill in the dots in the sequencer. The instruments are great for lops but the sequencer is lacking a bit and does not have the ability to record live audio. This app is used for a wide array of genre's. Next on the list is Rebirth, which is a stripped down version of Reason. Unfortunately it did not have any sampling abilities and the sequencer was very limited. For sampling a popular and free application that can be used is Audacity. It comes with tons of free effects, an mp3 and wave exporting utility and the ability to import multiple tracks at once and apply chained effects and processors to the whole group.
This is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to apps for home studio's but it hopefully serve's as a good starting point for all you future producer's.
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