Getting a Mac and software!

E

eaks

New member
I recently purchased a Macbook Pro... Now I need software, but I don't want to buy everything if I don't need it all. On my PC I used FL Studio 9 exclusively, but I know that there is much better software out there. I have no problem learning new things.

I'm not worried as of now about recording vocals or anything, I'm just trying to make instrumentals. What would be the best software to do this? Logic? Reason? Pro Tools? Cubase? (please keep in mind that I'm new!)
 
Logic reaper and reason 6 when it comes out. Also congrats and welcome to the club :cheers:
 
That's right, Imageline said they would never do it, but finally they're going the Mac route with FL Studio. It's hard to ignore the Apple Juggernaut.
 
It's what you think is best for you. Do you want to learn something new? Fl studio is just as good as anything out there. Majority of the people on this site use Fl studio. I could be wrong. But Fl studio has proven itself to be up there with the big boys. I'm just sayin.
 
eaks said:
Is it going to be worth it? Or are Logic and Reason still going to be better..
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That's hard to say, but if you like FL, then at some point you'll be able to use it directly on the Mac. Reason won't ever be better since it's a closed system. It will never match what's possible with open systems. Reason's samplers are not serious enough to play quality instruments. Logic won't get close to the sample editing that FL does. But if you're recording a band, Logic would be better since FL is basically just dabbling in audio recording. Logic also has better built in instruments and fx and presets, etc by far. Personally, I found Logic to be the most illogical sequencer I've ever seen. It's idea of logic is not like any other sequencer, but some people really like it. Maybe you will too. Nobody knows. But FL definitely is excellent when it comes to just manipulating a sample and doing whatever you like with it. If your focus is on sampling, FL will probably shine and also Cubase is in a league of it's own when it comes to manipulating samples.
 
I use a keyboard and that's it. I run a few plug ins on FL and that's about it.. Haven't done much with sampling.

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I also have another question... Would I need to purchase a different sound card on the mac? The current soundcard I have on my PC is so terrible. The Lag between my MIDI keyboard and FL is ridiculous!
 
you could always get CrossOver and juz run FL from that....you dont need any parts of windows and IMO it runs better on a Mac than it does on a PC....I got a MacBook Pro and all i use is FL

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and Krushing is right....its juz gonna be FL in a CrossOver Wrapper
 
VMWare Fusion IMO waaaayyyyy better for running FL. You need to install windows to run it, but with XP you have short load time and it runs flawlessly. Yeah, this is still just PC Emulation, I wouldn't mind a REAL ver. of FL for OSX, I think I'm about to be pulled back in to Reason with the release of 6. Just feels right running all your software inside OSX without PC emulation.

From my experience, making the jump from FL to anything comes with realizing whatever you jump to has limitations(or waaaayyyy more tedious work arounds)for things you can do easily in FL(note panning, sampling, loop editing, timestretch, automation, step sequencing), but (and I really hope not to offend anyone)these other programs do seem to give you a more "professional" approach to creating music.

Don't overread that, I'm just saying you feel like because of the way you do things like Routing, mixing, sequencing, recording, ect. in these other programs being closer to how they're done on real hardware mixers that you're being "more professional".
 
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DBawls said:
you could always get CrossOver and juz run FL from that....you dont need any parts of windows and IMO it runs better on a Mac than it does on a PC....I got a MacBook Pro and all i use is FL

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and Krushing is right....its juz gonna be FL in a CrossOver Wrapper
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How do you run FL? Bootcamp or crossover. Also does your mac book pro run hot while running windows? When i tried running windows threw bootcamp, my macbook pro became really hot.
 
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Is VMWare safe to run? Because I would definitely rather use FL on my Mac than learn a whole new software... And is it a pain to download within VMWare?

And which costs more? bootcamp or VMWare?
 
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Every professional studio that I know and go into runs Logic fronting PT HD. If you have the Macbook Pro then get Logic. Its particularly good for sequencing, and I've recorded release quality vocals in Logic as well. Its everywhere at the pro level. You can also get the latest version of FL if indeed they are bringing it onto the Mac platform then learn Logic at your own pace while using your old familiar friend.

Incidentally all of Gaga's number 1's that Redone did are completely in Logic. Those Redone vids (from Keyboard magazine I think) are on Youtube.
 
Bootcamp comes with your mac. You just need to run the app. You will need a windows os. The thing that concerns me with windows on mac is the over heating issue. If i was you I would wait for the official release of FL for OSX.
 
VMWare Fusion is $50. I'm on an iMac, I've had no overheated or any issue for that matter running VMware. I hate bootcamp because you actually have to boot to windows and restart your computer when you're ready to boot to Mac. With VMware you can run FL in OSX and even drag a file from your windows to OSX and vice versa in real time.

It's worth researching. And you even can get a free trial to test drive it.

P.S. I'm using an M-Box interface, I remember there being a latency issue while trying to use the mac's sound drivers to run FL in VMWare, but a usb interface with drivers loaded should fix the problem.

FL runs smoother on my Mac than it did on my old PC.
 
That's interesting. In my close to 20 years on Macs, I've found that every program that is supported on both Macs and PCs runs better on the PC. Actually, I should say after OS X. Prior to OS X, PCs and Macs were both very troublesome and very similar in performance. OS X is generally smoother than Windows until I actually get inside a program. Then everything runs better in Windows. Everything including audio software, graphic software like Photoshop and Illustrator, plugins like Kontakt. It all runs better in Windows. I used to run bootcamp and Windows on my Mac. Windows did seem to run better under bootcamp, but the programs ran better in Windows on the same Mac. Things that make you go hmmm. These days, after using my PC my mouse feels like it's in quicksand when I get back to my Mac. I'm mostly PC at home and Mac at work as a graphic artist. What I particularly hate about Macs. 1. When I'm done working and go to shut down my Mac, programs refuse to shut down. They may take several minutes to finally close out. Most of the time I just put it to sleep and go home. 2. The update is stupidly disruptive. You're working along, a window pops up and asks if you want to update the computer. You say, yes. It says OK, but it's going to shut down the computer. You say, hell no you're not. LOL The result. I'm never ever finding the time to allow the computer to update itself because I'm ALWAYS WORKING of course. Windows. It updates silently. Asks if you want to shut down now or later. You choose later and you can continue working through the update. No problem. But Lion is nice. Very nice. Apple took their legendary smoothness and prettiness and upped the ante. Windows is hopelessly lost in the contest of good looks and experience. I still prefer Windows for getting the damn job done though.
 
^^^You have to run PC plugs. It's pretty much just an installation of a hybrid windows OS(like what was found on Nekos and Mikos)that's sole purpose is running FL and plugs. Again, I'd just go with VMWare Fusion. I'm not sure why image line pretends the company doesn't exsist, they have a great product. Puts Crossover to shame IMO.

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L. A. Stone said:
That's interesting. In my close to 20 years on Macs, I've found that every program that is supported on both Macs and PCs runs better on the PC. Actually, I should say after OS X. Prior to OS X, PCs and Macs were both very troublesome and very similar in performance. OS X is generally smoother than Windows until I actually get inside a program. Then everything runs better in Windows. Everything including audio software, graphic software like Photoshop and Illustrator, plugins like Kontakt. It all runs better in Windows. I used to run bootcamp and Windows on my Mac. Windows did seem to run better under bootcamp, but the programs ran better in Windows on the same Mac. Things that make you go hmmm. These days, after using my PC my mouse feels like it's in quicksand when I get back to my Mac. I'm mostly PC at home and Mac at work as a graphic artist. What I particularly hate about Macs. 1. When I'm done working and go to shut down my Mac, programs refuse to shut down. They may take several minutes to finally close out. Most of the time I just put it to sleep and go home. 2. The update is stupidly disruptive. You're working along, a window pops up and asks if you want to update the computer. You say, yes. It says OK, but it's going to shut down the computer. You say, hell no you're not. LOL The result. I'm never ever finding the time to allow the computer to update itself because I'm ALWAYS WORKING of course. Windows. It updates silently. Asks if you want to shut down now or later. You choose later and you can continue working through the update. No problem. But Lion is nice. Very nice. Apple took their legendary smoothness and prettiness and upped the ante. Windows is hopelessly lost in the contest of good looks and experience. I still prefer Windows for getting the damn job done though.
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In all fairness, I'm not sure what's under the hood of your PC. I can't argue against your experience. In all fairness my last music PC was limited. I have other PCs in the home for other uses that were wayyyyy faster, but i still noticed no significant enough difference in workflow to switch out what I was using.

I do have Adobe photoshop for both PC and Mac running on up to date machines. I honestly notice no difference in workflow. I'm not the Mac user who pretends they're flawless. I turn mine off at the surge protector when it doesn't want to shut down. lol.
 
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