Well first let me say "thank you" for being part of it. This site is maintained for people like you and we appreciate what you just said.

As for the question you asked, I think I know what you ened to do to "take your music to the next level". You need to walk a bit away from the "graphical interfaces" and "sequencer inside the soft synth" a little bit, and learn how to write your tracks in CUBASE VST 5.

If you want to learn and if you don't have much money, my advice is to get CUBASIS VST which is a lite version of Cubase VST5 and learn how to write your notes in each track.

NOW.. something important to know is: sequencers do not generate any sound (yes it may sound silly). When you write a track in Cubase/cubasis, you select which MIDI PORT you want to send the note informations to.

A MIDI PORT can be your Sound Blaster MIDI OUT to control a hardware synthesizer (there are some really cheap second hand Yamaha CS1X which would do the job and make you forget the 303 limitations) or... this port can be a software synthesizer "bridge".

A "bridge" appears as "Gigasampler Endlesswave" or "Reality port", or "VST instrument PRO-52 port"... They are virtual MIDI connections between the sequencer and software synthesizers. They let you control the software synthesizer note by note, in a multitimbral environment (multitimbral means that you have 16 parts/channels, each channel can be an instrument, a track).

So... So far we mentionned:

. Cubase VST 5 (or cubasis VST) to sequence/control synths

The software synthesizers (which will be controlled by the sequencer and generate your sounds) I would direct you to are:

. Gigasampler (I think there is a lite version, worth checking out)

. Reality (this one is a full synthesizer on your screen, with some very ncie features, quite easy to use and fully controllable by MIDI)


If you get the full Cubase VST 5, you can also (and that would be the easiest way to setup all this) buy one or two VST instruments.

VST instruments: they are software synthesizers which run directly from within the Cubase VST program, in a solid, stable environment coombining sequencer tracks and synthesizers. My advice is to get those: PRO-52 (the complete emulation of an old school Prophet 5 synth) and a drum module (i don't remember the name of it, but you can insert drum samples and control freely from the cubase note tracks)


Also you should get a simple MIDI controller (PC200MKII Roland or MK-4902 are below 150 USD and will help you "play" the notes and preview sounds, play while you record...". It is important.


NOTE: if you choose to get a cheap CS1X Yamaha synthesizer, you won't need any software synthesizer or MIDI controller, just cubase to control it. I don't own a CS1X but I know that it is a very cost effective synth.

NOTE2: As DJ Chriss just said, there is also a future program called Reason, successor of Rebirth. I think it will be a good soft. synth too. I think it will have a built in sequencer even. Learning Cubase and sequencers in general is important I think though.

I know some would say something different and direct you to other directions... But I believe in all I said as I went through this and didn't have the money to get decent speakers for years even.