[Jeff Guidry]

Hello. I'm going to buy a computer soon, likely a Mac G5 tower, for the purpose of having a home computer, but also to begin sound editing. I have some experience in it from college and a year long stint at a radio station, but I haven't done it for a while.

I'd like to start with good software and good tools, so if anyone has suggestions on what I should get, I'd be grateful.

I'll primarily be doing radio ads/promos type VO's.

97X...BAM...the future of rock 'n roll.

 

[chadbang]

I used to have some good editing stuff, but much of it went by the wayside on the move to OSX.

Now I make do with Sound Studio (comes free with OSX) it's pretty mediocre, though. I also use a copy of Peak DV, which is also okay, but nothing to write home about. I used to like SoundEdit16 2.0 the best, for simple effective sample editing. But that doesn't run under that crap known as "Classic" for some reason. Deck, for me, remains the easiest way to juggle multiple samples on an editor window, although with a little footwork that's probably now bested by Garageband. But if you can buy just one, and you want a powerhouse ap, I'd say you have to go for Cubase. It's the most versitile program and has the best interface. I ran through at least 5 "heavy hitter" audio programs from the mac, and finally decided Cubase was the keeper. Again, that is now lost to OSX. What I did lose...

 

[hero zero]

Is it possible to dual boot a mac so that you can use OS9 and OSX?

Pro-tools Free is available for OS9
http://www.digidesign.com/ptfree/

 

[chadbang]

The older macs (up to about a year ago) you could dual boot. The latest gen won't dual boot. That's a shame, I would have liked to try out that pro tools. But my machine won't dual boot. My fav wave editing software of all time is Sound Forge. Shame it never made it to make to Mac. You don't really need much, Jeff. I would say try out what you can do with the free stuff that comes with OSX. If you can do what you want to do, then don't waste the extra bread. But you do want to upgrade to quicktime Pro. That's a must.

 

[Jeff Guidry]

I have an eye towards using skills gained professionally, so just 'getting by' with non-professional programs is not an option. I really want to learn Pro-Tools, because that's the industry standard. I wanted to know what other programs were popular and what bells/whistles I ought to be looking at as my equipment/software list develops.

I probably will play around with other programs so I can know a wide range of software and get new ideas about what is possible. But for now, I will start with ProTools.

 

[chadbang]

Hell, if you can afford ProTools, go for it.

 

[episiarch]

You might find some good advice on the Tools page from Transom.org, devoted to do-it-yourself radio:

http://www.transom.org/tools/index.html

(You'll need to scroll down to get to the software tools part.)

 

[hero zero]

Pro Tools is a standard; there are other alternatives, however.

You can look to Steinberg [ http://www.steinberg.de/Steinberg/de...ml?Langue_ID=7 ]

Cubase, Wavelab and Nuendo are pretty popular. I use Nuendo for editing myself, and don't need any special hardware to get it to run, unlike...say...Pro Tools, or Pyramix. But I'm using a PC. I think. As far as I can tell, for Steinberg products, Cubase and Nuendo are Mac compatible.

 

[scrypt]

Peak tends to be useful for processing tracks even if you happen to have Protools. The Native Instruments bundle is good if you intend to transform sounds as well as edit them -- especially Reaktor, Absynth and Battery (which is indispensable for playing rich sample libraries).

Nuendo is legendary for its musical use of the G5's velocity engine (in the right hands, Nuendo sounds exceptional). Digital Performer, sad to say, is probably in its decline, though many still use it. Logic has been on the upward path ever since Apple, in its quest to best Digidesign, acquired it. My studio owner friend in Philly, who mixes in Protools professionally (because his clients insist), prefers to use Logic in private. That's how good it's become under Jobs's tutelage.

I recommend strongly that you acquire a great-sounding ADC to go with whatever software you choose.

 

[Mikey01]

[size=x-large]Sonar.[/size] By Cakewalk. Easy and very full featured.

 

[rickcr42]

kinda goes to the topic and adds some real world meat

http://www.discmakers.com/music/pse/2005/tune_up.asp

 

[MD1032]

Audacity is my favorite:

http://audacity.sourceforge.net/download/

 

[Jeff Guidry]

Thanks for your helpful suggestions guys. I was wondering if anyone could recommend a pro sound card for a Mac that would be good for sound editing. I figure if I get a good sound card with plenty on board RAM, I won't need to expand past what comes with the computer, at least initially.

 

[headphonecrazy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeff Guidry I have an eye towards using skills gained professionally, so just 'getting by' with non-professional programs is not an option. I really want to learn Pro-Tools, because that's the industry standard. I wanted to know what other programs were popular and what bells/whistles I ought to be looking at as my equipment/software list develops. I probably will play around with other programs so I can know a wide range of software and get new ideas about what is possible. But for now, I will start with ProTools.

I work for the parent company that owns Protools, BTW you can get a ProTools Free on their web site.

)For me it is Protools or nothing

)

 

[scrypt]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeff Guidry Thanks for your helpful suggestions guys. I was wondering if anyone could recommend a pro sound card for a Mac that would be good for sound editing. I figure if I get a good sound card with plenty on board RAM, I won't need to expand past what comes with the computer, at least initially.

I don't want to misdirect you, as I haven't done the kind of research I'll be doing when I purchase my next G5. If you still want to buy three months from now, feel free to check with me then.

However, you should know about problems relating to certain G5 models, PCI bus speed and the use of non-PCI-X cards, as written about here and here, and in the latest issue of Electronic Musician. If I were buying now, I'd research this problem thoroughly to make certain my G5 model and PCI card choices would be unproblematic.

Digidesign's Protools Forum used to be a good place to ask compatibility questions and perhaps still is. Long ago, I used to check with one of their engineers on which Mac systems and attendant hardware worked best. They used to database compatibility specs for nearly everything -- even hard drive models -- and probably still do.