softsynths, groove machines, etc. with DP3

[JES]

Hi All,

Just wondering if any tape oppers are using softsynths (like Reason), loop programs (like Live or Spectrasonics Stylus) with Digital Performer 3?

Basically, I'm looking for something I won't have to tweak every 5 minutes and can just make music with. Reason's a neat program, but if you look at the DP forums, it seems like there are all sorts of problems integrating the two.

If you're using Live, what loop libraries have you found useful and what kind of music do you make?

NOTE: if you want to argue about prefab stuff (a la Larry's "paint by numbers rant"), I'd appreciate it if we could start a separate thread and keep this one to practicalities. I'll happily argue with you, just not here -- this one's for help.

Thanks.

--JES

[ottokbre]

what platform are you on? Apple or PC?

Ableton is really easy to navigate. It's also great to try out plug-in's with.
It's also been optimised to work with Reason via Rewire.

Reason has it quirks, but it does a lot for the quid! and does it well, with very little CPU usage considering. Ableton takes a bit more CPU usage but it dead stable, which is why the both in tandem are so great. Build loops and pull it into Ableton for sequencing.

There are many other platforms though. A lot of guys like Logic because you can often double the track count over Ableton. But Ableton has some special powers, like loop-stretch and true real time edits.

Ableton is NOT a loop builder per say, but a sequencer. It has no sounds generation, synthesis and is not a drum machine. But considering you can tweak so much in it, all you really have to do is throw sample in it (off sample CD's or by grabbing one off vinyl) and you can prettty much make it your own.

Check out Ableton's site and read the interviews. Everyone uses it a bit differantly. I'm a fan of Styrophone, and he uses it exclusivly on his stuff as well as the Notwist live tour. All off a G3 iBook with it's modest CPU.

[JES]

Hey,

Thanks for the reply. I'm a Mac user and I'm really looking for people who use Digital Performer as their main sequencer and add on something like Live, Stylus, or Reason, as I'm not interested in switching to Logic or anything else. The point is to avoid a learning curve (as much as possible) and to avoid configuration nightmares, as appars to be the case with DP and Reason. Live is neat program, especially for live (d'oh!) performance, but I'm bewildered by the range of sample library material out there.

Thanks.

--JES

[ottokbre]

I'm really curious about Stylus too. How do you like DP? are you on 3 or 4?

[JES]

Hey Ottokbre,

I'm on DP 3.11/OS9. I won't switch to 4 until Waves and Audio Ease have their plugins ported to an OSX standard that DP can use. And if you read the DP forums, DP 4 is full of problems. My feeling is that my current system works, so I don't want to upgrade until I see lots people saying "I've been using DP 4 with Waves, etc. in my pro studio for 2 months without a crash." I *do* see those posts for DP3. I'm a hobbyist, but have had very few problems with it; none of any consequence since tweaking my setup a little about 10 months ago (occasionally the Mac gives me a "quit unexpectedly" error sign after I exit, but nothing bad ever happens).

As a program, I can't talk about its MIDI functions at all other than the click track which I occasionally use (or a recordee requests). I basically use it as a Digital Audio program and for that it sings. The automation is bloody amazing -- it's possible to create really beautiful and subtle mixes on it, and the learning curve isn't too bad, though I did use Audiodesk for about 3 years before I upgraded to DP. There's lots I still haven't explored. I've done a little bit with drum loops (it imports Acid loops as well as REX files) and that's pretty neat, but I'm excited to try out POLAR for layered guitar tracks (piccolo bass, actually, but that's just our secret). Other features I like: templates, clippings, a few of the included plugs (Plate sound great, and the Ring Modulator sounds EVIL mixed in lightly on top of a dub bass sound).

As a bonus, it's got a high psychocosmetic factor. It looks good.

I downloaded the Stylus video from their website and it looks pretty easy to use and like it would integrate well with DP and also allows you to edit grooves, build drumkits, etc. I may just go that route. I even heard a groove in the video that had a nice downtempo funk to it just like I like. Reason, for its part, is sure fun to use on its own, but since I'm primarily a strings and membranes sort of guy who wants to add some electronic dimensions to my music, I really need something that'll integrate well with my audio platform.

Oh yeah, I'm on a dual gig quicksilver mac, with two 80gb HDs and 1024mb RAM.

Any more specific questions? I wouldn't recommend buying it just now, until they work out the DP4 issues. And I don't think you can still get 3.11. Logic, OTOH, looks awesome.

Best,
--JES