laptop music

[newnumbers]

i'm planning on getting a new apple g4 laptop in the next few months. although i'll be using it primarily for other things, i would love to be able to record with it (especially since my tascam 424 recently died).

does anyone have any suggestions for me (particularly about software)?

i guess i'm more into experimental and rock type music. but lately, i've been getting into electronic music (four tet, pita, fennesz, mimeo).

i'm really interested in making/processing music along with recording it.
i've used max breifly, but i'm planning on buying it once i get osx. i don't know if some recording software works better with max or whatever.

i figure i'll end up getting a small (2 in) usb audio interface just because they're cheap, but i really have no idea on software.

any suggestions will help though.

thanks (and i'm probably going to have a million more questions in the future).

[newnumbers]

any thoughts on the emagic emi 6|2 m gold production kit?
$650.00 doesn't sound too bad.

[soundhack]

i had a three night electronic music fest last january, and of the people using computers, most were using either ableton live, max/msp or supercollider. also present were pd and jsyn

[ottokbre]

and for the Ableton wannbe on a budget - Steinberg's Remix!
(same software - less features)

What are some good resources online for Max/Msp?

[soundhack]

cycling74 has a nice resource page for max/msp.

http://www.cycling74.com/community/index.html

pointers to their listserv, many max add-ons (externals), weird hardware controllers, sample patches, etc.

for pd, the freeware max/msp (for linux, windows, os x) check these sites:

http://crca.ucsd.edu/~msp/software.html
http://crca.ucsd.edu/~msp/Pd_documentation/x1.htm#s2

[ottokbre]

got to see the electric birds last night for a few minutes. nice sound sculpting!

[keyboardgeek]

I love Propellerhead Reason. I even use it live. Very stable in OS X. I was even able to check my email from the stage, during a show.(the club had a Wi-Fi network). If you can, I would advise getting a firewire interface like a MOTU 828, instead of a USB one. I had trouble with my M-Audio Quattro. Lots of crashing.
Also check out a freeware app called MIDI Patchbay for splitting up your keyboard and routing MIDI.

Good luck-

[newnumbers]

thanks for the suggestions and stuff. i would love to go with a firewire interface, but i don't really have the money - and i don't need all of the inputs/ outputs. i wish there was a cheap stripped down, nice sounding 2/2 to 4/4 firewire interface. that'll be the day.


does anyone use logic gold (or the lowest priced one - i think it's called logic audio)?

i was wondering if they (logic gold in particular) are any good?
i was sort of eyeing that logic production kit with logic gold and an emi 6|2. i don't know though. even if i don't get the kit, i'm really considering logic gold.

or should i really try to get platinum?

any thing helps. thanks again.

[ottokbre]

all the logic stuff is rock solid. now that it's owned by apple, it will be become more platform optimised, altivec enabled, plug-ins are cool too!

not sure what's in these packages tho. i do know guys are getting good stability out of the USB emi 6|2 and 2|6 tho.

[soundhack]

there will be a cheaper firewire interface from maudio soon. 2 in 8 out, 399.

http://www.midiman.com/products/m-audio/fw410.php

there is a firewire box from canopus that has 2 in 2 out and video for 299, but for some reason (maybe since it is geared to video), it isn't compatible with all audio programs.

http://www.canopus.com/US/products/advc ... vc-100.asp

(on the topic of video, and odd ways of doing things, one of my friends is now using final cut pro as his main audio mix tool - says its faster than protools)

i've been using the emi 2|6 for about a year. i like it a lot, but it can glitch (i think only when running several programs, or when switching programs). logic gold with the emi would be a nice package.

[Hooliator]

I'm looking for a laptop for recording too. Actually I am thinking of building my own. I would love to hear your thoughts. What would you want in a laptop for recording.

By the way consider getting a laptop cooler. It will improve your performance. Cyber Cooler sells one for about $20. But there are others on the market...