Free (or very cheap) Computer Music Guidance

[Plink Floyd]

Say you're a nineteen year old musician who just moved out of his 'rents house and works @ McDonalds. His dad was always telling him Boring Stories about how good he had it in the nice big ancestral basement with free access to Dad's pretty good recording studio. 19 is just beginning to discover how true these ridiculous claims were, and how broke he is. He has actually asked his Boring Old Dad to suggest a remedy to this surprising and completely unforeseen bummer.

I said (yeah, it's me & Guitarboy) I could probably scrape together a PC & sound card for him from ye olde parts pile, but here's what I'd like to hear about from y'all: What do y'all think about trying to go ALL FREEWARE? Even LINUX, because, as I understand it, Reaper runs just fine on Wine.

I wish also to investigate/discuss free video NLE software.

Sorry about this Boring Old Poast. Your thought's are sincerely solicited.

[christianrock]

First thing I would tell him was, move back with your parents and save rent money and likely food money - and act nice so they don't kick you out. Start saving and soon you'll have nice stuffs.

[ElectricPuppy]

I briefly started to look into Linux options for music stuffs, and quickly got confused. Apparently it can be done, though. :shrug:

[selfinflikted]

If it can be done, I don't see a reason not to do it if that is what the budged demands. Heck, we all do pretty much what budgets demand - some just demand different things.

[christianrock]

Remember Reaper isn't freeware... if you keep it more than 30 days you're supposed to pay.

I'd say it's worth the 60 bucks I paid for it and then some. I should have gotten more use out of it by now but that's totally my issue, not Reaper's.

Regarding Linux, I'd say the issue isn't if Reaper will work (it will) but is your older interface going to work.

[MetroSonus]

If any of you guys are students, I'd wring that for all it's worth You can get windows 7 for 15$. I'd use the stock sound card for the time being, pny up maybe 50-120$ for a controller that comes with ableton live lite (It's all you need trust me, no need to upgrade) and hit up KVR for the freebie stuff. Also goog around for sound fonts and a free sound font player.

[Plink Floyd]

First thing I would tell him was, move back with your parents and save rent money and likely food money - and act nice so they don't kick you out.

Lol we didn't kick him out, he got a place with a couple of frens.

windows 7 for 15$

How I get this?

[Plink Floyd]

Remember Reaper isn't freeware... if you keep it more than 30 days you're supposed to pay.

http://ardour.org/ looks pretty good, runs on Linux, and costs one buck. If SONAR becomes the next Pay By The Month Club, I will probably be looking into something cheaper.

Regarding Linux, I'd say the issue isn't if Reaper will work (it will) but is your older interface going to work.

These guys have been busy Linuxxoring lots of sound cards...

[soundwave106]

How I get this?

Many colleges have a discount software program. You'd have to check with the various student support areas wherever the person is enrolled. They may or may not offer it. The generic student price for Windows is $70 on the Microsoft store, but many colleges probably offer it way cheaper.

While Ardour looks like attractive *software*, I see problems with relying on Linux. In that:

A) Linux and audio *hardware* historically really don't mix well (Apple notwithstanding ). I understand there are a few distros that are better about it these days, but...

B) The Linux community has unfortunately (MHO) a lot of the worst aspects of nerddom: snooty people who are full of themselves, with no perspective of the Big Picture and a whole lot of ego stroking over M4D H4Ck1ng Sk1llz that no one outside their bubble really cares about. So forget asking about which is the best audio distro of Linux, n00b. Better with that community to start epic and insanely esoteric controversy wars over systemd.


C) What format is most of the awesome free instruments and effects written in? Why, the Steinberg VST format! What systems are they usually compiled for? Er... Windows and/or Mac. Ardour only supports this with a special compile and Wine or something that at first glance sounds "fiddly". Reaper, in contrast, is very stable.

So I think... if you can get a super cheap Windows copy, Reaper (which is super cheap for what it is IMHO), and cobble together a PC out of parts, you can more than make up the difference with all the free stuff out there exploring KVR and downloading free VST goodies.

[christianrock]

You can always do a Clav and get an old reliable Mac, too.

[ClavAnother]

lol that's what I was thinking...also for teh pupper

[Plink Floyd]

OK. But wer i get $7 mAcOS?

[ClavAnother]

The last two Mac os is free


I like the one from about four back, and it was also free from Inside-The-Internet.

[ClavAnother]

Ps when it comes to freeware, there is a thing called torrents. The best daw I've ever seen needs no dorkle or dongie or what ever they're called.

[Plink Floyd]

The last two Mac os is free

TANSTAAPPLE

[ClavAnother]

There ain't no such thing as apple????

I respectfully disagree.

Anyway Yosemite and Mavericks are teh free. I ain't lying.

Plus I use 10.6 and I paid $F,REE.00

[christianrock]

I would think that if you buy a used Mac it would come with an OS, anyway?? :dazedandconfused:

[ClavAnother]

Sure, but it might not be the one you happen to want.

Soapbox: nEWEST DOESNT MEAN BESTEST!

[Plink Floyd]

There ain't no such thing as apple????

I respectfully disagree.

No offence meant, as I'm sure you know.

But you're saying that, if I built a FrankenMac from scratch, I could freely DL the OS from Apple? Not just upgrade?

[ElectricPuppy]

Sure, but it might not be the one you happen to want.

Soapbox: nEWEST DOESNT MEAN BESTEST!

I think the automobile and computer industries would like to have a word with you.