Magix Music Maker 10 Deluxe

4 stars (Big Improvement Over MM2005 Deluxe, But Still Not Perfect) - I have been using Magix Music Maker since version 7, and have seen it progress in terms of stability and features. This version is the most capable and stable yet, although it is not without problems. To summarize the functionality of this application, it is a clone of Sony's Acid program. It is a loop sequencer with which you can quickly put together loop-based musical compositions. Included is a set of loops of varying styles to get you off the ground quickly, as well as a series of virtual synthesizers to create your own sounds. For the price, you get a lot right out of the box. Central to the program is the main sequencer, which is simply a specialized grid onto which you can drag and drop your loops and synthesizer tracks. There is the ability to individually manipulate track data by varying volume and adding fade in/out effects, as well as a rather extensive collection of special effects for creating 3D effects in your audio. There is also an integrated effects rack for tweaking and "fiddling" to get the sound just right. The synthesizers that are included are varied in nature and include a beat box, a drum machine, a "virtual drummer", copper, silver, classical guitar, a grand piano, an ambient sound generator, and a couple of others. While these are all useful, I have found that one cannot generate the "right sound" in every situation. Particularly limited is the new "LiViD" synth (Little Virtual Drummer) which seems to be just a loop-based drum generator with prerecorded tracks that allows you to tweak the drum tracks in a few interesting ways. While the built-in synthesizers may leave you wanting a little more, there is a VSTi host for integrating other synthesizers that are downloadable from the net to allow you a wider range of unique sounds. In MM2005D I had consistent problems with the VSTi host, but the problems seem to have been addressed in this new version. Adding a couple of...
Magix Entertainment :: Sound Libraries :: Sound Editing :: Midi :: Sequencing :: Creation :: audio :: Music :: Home Publishing :: Graphics (Graphic) :: Computer software (programs) :: :: Magix Music Maker 10 Deluxe

 

Finale Guitar 2003

2 stars (Slow and difficult to learn) - I purchased Finale Guitar to finally get onto paper all of the hundreds of guitar arrangements I currently play from memory. It was a reasonably priced non-shareware guitar notation program so I thought it would be better. Well after using the program for several months, I am still having to go to the help files just to do the simplest of tasks. First of all I am a computer programmer, so I regularly learn and use all sorts of computer programs. I understand that everything has a learning curve, but this program is very frustrating in that it is not at all intuative. The main frustration comes from the fact that EVERYTHING that should be simple and out front or copy/pasteable is buried in a menu and dialog box somewhere. Also not all of the objects on the page can be simply "copied and cloned", then properties of the copied item changed, like a word processor. Even selection of things to be copied often requires some special dialog to copy it in a certain way. In other words if you are expecting to be able to put a chord on the page, then copy and paste it 20 times and simply change the attributes of all your copies to new chords, you are out of luck, you will basically have to do each from scratch. Also if you need to change the key without transposing the notes you are out of luck. Most operations cannot be done with copy/paste, you must go through all the gyrations of buried menus over and over, not much of just right clicking to get a properties window that does what you expected. It appears that they tried to simplify things by forcing you into a 'mode' for every separate operation rather than just picking one simple sequence that people understand and making all operations conform to that. I was not looking for a program to do midi playback/creation I wanted an easy and powerful notation program to get stuff on paper, so I am not reviewing the sound/midi aspects. This may be powerful but it's difficulty and ...
MakeMusic- :: Music :: Computer software (programs) :: Mac Macintosh Machintosh Apple :: Notation :: Effects :: Composting :: Video :: Sound Libraries :: Midi :: Sequencing :: Creation :: Finale Guitar 2003

 

Music Studio 2005 Deluxe

Music Studio 2005 Deluxe ...
MAGIX ENTERTAINMENT :: Effects :: Composting :: Video :: Sound Libraries :: Sound Editing :: Midi :: Sequencing :: Creation :: audio :: Music :: Computer software (programs) :: :: Music Studio 2005 Deluxe

 

Roxio Easy CD - DVD Burning

1 stars (Not good with XP) - Installing this program on a computer running Windows XP a HUGE problem. After installing Window gives the message that the software will cause Windows to become unstable, and that Windows prevented the drivers from loading. Then sends you to Roxio website for patch. The patch did not work, and their support service provides a resolution that involves editing your computer's Registry, a task I do not want to attempt. By the way, the only way you can speak to a live person is to pay $35 per hour, more than I paid for the program itself. Totally frustrating software for XP. 5 stars (Just right -- if you want simple & unadorned CD/DVD functions) - I've seen the reviews by others, and concur that the software lacks the bells and whistles of the newer full Roxio product (ver 7). BUT ... if you're looking for some simple features that don't hog a lot of drive space or CPU cycles, this earlier product (ver 6) fits the bill. I've been looking for a simple packet-writing program to drag-and-drop files for archiving or transfer between systems [your old floppy 'sneakernet'], and it's just right for that simple task. Window's XP file transfer is just miserable, as it treats a document like graphics material, storing it to disk, then writing track-by-track with balloons and other distractions. This package lets you format and write/delete to RW discs without hassle. Better yet, in "Custom" installation you can pick and choose the functions you need, and forget about the fancy 'Control Center'. For my simple needs it works like a charm at minimal cost. 1 stars (Lost this gamble! Save your $30.00 if you plan on using it for DVD copying.) - After reading mixed reviews about Roxio Easy CD & DVD Creator, I decided to give it a shot based on past experience with Roxio products. I've used Roxio products in the past to make flawless music CD creations and copies. Recently, I updated my CD-R drive with a DVD-R burner from a reputable company. The soft...
Roxio :: Graphics :: Computer software (programs) :: Apreciation :: Sound Libraries :: audio :: Music :: Shared internet :: Internet :: Edit (Editing) :: Multimedia :: :: Roxio Easy CD - DVD Burning

 

G7 Kontakt Edition

1 stars (See all damning reviews under "Sibelius G7" entry .) - buggy rubbish , poor manual , stupid design , scanning doesn't work , can't handle normal 6-channel midi guitar input . ...
Sibelius Software Ltd :: Notation :: Instrument Instruction (Instruments) :: Sound Libraries :: audio :: Music :: Computer software (programs) :: Mac Macintosh Machintosh Apple :: :: G7 Kontakt Edition

 

Xplay 2

5 stars (how to share an iPod) - An undervalued feature of this software is its ability to let you read and write a Mac formatted iPod in Windows, both through its native XPlay interface and iTunes for Windows. Granted, the extra translation layer (borrowed directly from their MacDrive software) slows the process down a little but the flexibility is well worth it if, like me, you have both Macs and Windows machines. (NB: If you use MacDrive you don't need XPlay to access a Mac-formatted iPod in iTunes for Windows - that capability comes built in.) I don't care for the native XPlay interface personally: why make something look and act like Windows Explorer when Explorer is only marginally functional? but more importantly, XPlay doesn't support Smart Playlists, to which I am addicted. I use it strictly for its cross-platform capability. Overall I am happy with this software. It stays out of the way when I don't need it and works seemlessly when I do. If you're running Windows ME/2K/XP and have a Windows-formatted iPod I'm not sure what its value is, but if you're running and older version of Windows or (like me) want to share an iPod between a Mac and Windows, XPlay is indispensable. 5 stars (Why can't all software be this powerful and easy???) - I installed it and that is all there is too it. Within a minute of installing XPlay I was transfering music to my iPod. It was as easy as using any other disk on my Windows XP computer. I can do everything I did with iTunes, but it just feels better, more "Windows" with XPlay. It really is one of the easiest programs I have ever used. Also, a friend of mine uses XPlay with his Windows Me system. With XPlay we were able to copy music off his iPod and save it to his PC. Pretty cool!!! I was leary when I first read reviews on here about both XPlay and Mediafour as a company. I am not sure what experience others had on here, but for my money this is a first rate program. 1 stars (Poor documentation, arrogant customer support...
Mediafour Corporation :: Sound Libraries :: audio :: Music :: Hobby Hobbies :: Computer software (programs) :: :: Xplay 2

 

Roxio Boom Box - Essential Software for your iPod Mac

5 stars (Great bunch of apps at the right price) - I was pretty excited as soon as I heard about this product and got it right away. Audio Hijack - works perfectly as advertised. I've been using this to record music from VH1.com to fill my library and I figured out also how to use it to record the soundtrack from music DVDs and from iTunes. It's brain dead easy to use and the quality is good. MusicMixer - after a pretty lengthy amount of time it had scanned my library. I have about 5000 songs and it took over 4 days. But it was worth the wait - it definitely makes some smart choices and groups songs that sound good together. Spin Doctor - I haven't tried this one yet - but my father has a bunch of stuff he's hounding me to try it out with. Seems like a good addition. iPodder - I like this one. Fits really well with iTunes and there's a ton of interesting stuff to fill my commute time now. Speech software - I don't really have a need for this one and the voices are a bit corny - although there's a coupon on the disc for better voices from another company. All in all I'm happy with this purchase. Unlike the previous reviewer who seems to have a personal vendetta against the music industry I'll focus on this product. Roxio certainly does not hide that these are products that have been available for a while from other developers - what Roxio brings together is 5 great apps for the right price. The Mixer is $30 by itself. AudioHijack is $16. iPodder is $24. Speech is $16. None of them are free - contrary to what the previous reviewer says. If you bought them all separetly you'd spend alot more - so even if you only use a few of the apps you're coming out ahead. Ignore the crazies and focus on the software and you won't be disappointed. It really does make your iPod better. 2 stars (Software is available elsewhere for free, Music Magic Mixer is disabled.) - When I heard that Roxio was making this software suite, I was thrilled and the reviews were gr...
Roxio :: Sound Libraries :: audio :: Music :: MP3 MP 3 Player :: Portable Audio :: Mac Macintosh Machintosh Apple :: Self Help :: Personal Improvement :: Computer software (pr :: Roxio Boom Box - Essential Software for your iPod (Mac)

 

Music Creator Pro 24

2 stars (Great features, but partially unusable, with terrible suppor) - I bought Music Creator Pro to create sound tracks for the video projects I've been putting together, and it's a very capable set of tools. The MIDI and recorded sound mixing, effects, and automation would be perfect for my application - if they worked. The description of the product on Cakewalk's web site is accurate, and the user interface is not very difficult to understand. I installed the software on a fast Windows XP machine, and soon discovered that it would crash when the drum pattern paint tool was used. Cakewalk's tech support has been very slow in their responses, taking at least one day and sometimes more than four to respond. I still haven't received any help other than advice to reinstall the product (I did), make sure I have the latest drivers (I do), and delete a couple of configuration files (I did). The drum pattern tool still crashes the application, and in the course of working through the tutorials (the ones I can use) I have also discovered some features that appear to be globally disabled. Two weeks after installing the product, I'm simultaneously very impressed with the features and capabilities, and very disappointed with the responsiveness of Cakewalk's tech support. If everything worked the way it was supposed to, I would probably rate Music Creator Pro with five stars. [update] It's now a month since purchase, and the software still does not work correctly. Cakewalk will not support this product by telephone. If you call their (non-toll-free) support number, you are told that they only support Music Creator Pro by email. They have failed to respond to either of my last two email messages, the first of which was sent two weeks ago. ...
Cakewalk :: Sequencing :: Creation :: audio :: Music :: Computer software (programs) :: Sound Libraries :: Sound Editing :: Midi :: :: Music Creator Pro 24

 

Finale SongWriter

5 stars (Learning to read and write music) - I purchased SongWriter without knowing how effective it would be in teaching how to read and write music. It turns out that it is excellent... especially when you have a piano keyboard connected by MIDI to the computer. Very user friendly. ...
eMedia :: Notation :: Sound Libraries :: Sound Editing :: Midi :: Sequencing :: Creation :: audio :: Music :: Computer software (programs) :: :: Finale SongWriter

 

MAGIX ENTERTAINMENT SoundPool Collection 2005 DVD Windows

MAGIX ENTERTAINMENT SoundPool Collection 2005 DVD ( Windows ) ...
Magix Entertainment :: Sound Libraries :: Sequencing :: Creation :: audio :: Music :: Computer software (programs) :: :: MAGIX ENTERTAINMENT SoundPool Collection 2005 DVD ( Windows )

 

SmartMusic Studio

SmartMusic Studio ...
MakeMusic- :: Notation :: Instrument Instruction (Instruments) :: Effects :: Composting :: Video :: Sound Libraries :: Midi :: Sequencing :: Creation :: audio :: Music :: Computer softwa :: SmartMusic Studio

 

MP3 Maker 2005 Deluxe

1 stars (They know its bad. They'll just try to con you.) - I have an older version of MP3 Maker Gold. When I tried to resample something from 44100 to 22050, it cut the playback rate in half, i.e. it ran at half speed. I have other software that resamples it at the correct speed. I contacted technical support and they said cutting the playback rate was the correct thing to do. They continued to tell me that I shouldn't be using 22050, but should use 44100. They would never deal with the issue. This is like a contractor building a house, and part of the floor caves in. They then tell the inhabitants not to walk there and everything will be ok. Trashy product, trashy company. 1 stars (Very Buggy) - Ugh. Well, not to sound too negative, let me start with a few positives: 1. It's pretty fast at ripping CDs. 2. The audio effects during playback are kind of fun to play with. 3. As far as I know, the CD burning component works fine; I didn't test that out at all. 4. Um, the install went smoothly? But for me, they're vastly overshadowed by the negatives: 1. The quality of ripped mp3s is uneven--some tracks have enough defects to be completely unlistenable. 2. It doesn't offer many options for ripping CDs, compared to many freeware programs. 3. It simply refuses to rip some CDs (without even giving notification that it failed), which can be ripped with no problem by WMP, iTunes, or CDex. 4. It crashed when trying to rip some CDs, again which were no problem for other programs. 5. Its help program crashed immediately on startup. 6. It crashed when trying to import some songs into a playlist; you don't have to ask if other programs had any problems with the songs, do you? 7. The visualizer isn't resizeable; you get either tiny or fullscreen, and the fullscreen mode runs at about a frame every two seconds. 8. The music editor doesn't seem to allow mixing multiple tracks, beyond a simple crossfade. Boo! 9. The music editor's copy and paste commands don't work the ...
MAGIX ENTERTAINMENT :: Composting :: Video :: Sound Libraries :: Sequencing :: Creation :: audio :: Music :: Computer software (programs) :: MP3 :: Effects :: :: MP3 Maker 2005 Deluxe

 

eMedia Allegro 2005

eMedia Allegro 2005 ...
eMedia :: Apreciation :: Sound Libraries :: Sound Editing :: Midi :: Sequencing :: Creation :: audio :: Music :: Self Help :: Personal Improvement :: Hobby Hobbies :: Computer softwa :: eMedia Allegro 2005

 

Rave Ejay

4 stars (This product kicks.) - For the novice or the pro you can do a lot with this software. One negitive is the clicks and pops you hear when you are mixing and playing back a sample. However these clicks and pops don't get recorded so its just a listing problem not a final cut problem. ...
Digital Leisure Inc :: Sound Libraries :: Sound Editing :: Sequencing :: Creation :: audio :: Music :: Computer software (programs) :: :: Rave (Ejay)

 

Roxio Easy CD -amp- DVD Burning

1 stars (Not good with XP) - Installing this program on a computer running Windows XP a HUGE problem. After installing Window gives the message that the software will cause Windows to become unstable, and that Windows prevented the drivers from loading. Then sends you to Roxio website for patch. The patch did not work, and their support service provides a resolution that involves editing your computer's Registry, a task I do not want to attempt. By the way, the only way you can speak to a live person is to pay $35 per hour, more than I paid for the program itself. Totally frustrating software for XP. 5 stars (Just right -- if you want simple & unadorned CD/DVD functions) - I've seen the reviews by others, and concur that the software lacks the bells and whistles of the newer full Roxio product (ver 7). BUT ... if you're looking for some simple features that don't hog a lot of drive space or CPU cycles, this earlier product (ver 6) fits the bill. I've been looking for a simple packet-writing program to drag-and-drop files for archiving or transfer between systems [your old floppy 'sneakernet'], and it's just right for that simple task. Window's XP file transfer is just miserable, as it treats a document like graphics material, storing it to disk, then writing track-by-track with balloons and other distractions. This package lets you format and write/delete to RW discs without hassle. Better yet, in "Custom" installation you can pick and choose the functions you need, and forget about the fancy 'Control Center'. For my simple needs it works like a charm at minimal cost. 1 stars (Lost this gamble! Save your $30.00 if you plan on using it for DVD copying.) - After reading mixed reviews about Roxio Easy CD & DVD Creator, I decided to give it a shot based on past experience with Roxio products. I've used Roxio products in the past to make flawless music CD creations and copies. Recently, I updated my CD-R drive with a DVD-R burner from a reputable company. ...
Roxio :: Graphics :: Computer software (programs) :: Apreciation :: Sound Libraries :: audio :: Music :: Shared internet :: Internet :: Edit (Editing) :: Multimedia :: :: Roxio Easy CD -amp- DVD Burning

 

Techno 2 Ejay

Techno 2 (Ejay) ...
Digital Leisure Inc :: Sound Libraries :: Sound Editing :: Sequencing :: Creation :: audio :: Music :: Computer software (programs) :: :: Techno 2 (Ejay)

 

Band-in-a-Box Pro

Band-in-a-Box Pro ...
PG Music :: Effects :: Composting :: Video :: Sound Libraries :: Sequencing :: Creation :: audio :: Music :: Hobby Hobbies :: Computer software (programs) :: :: Band-in-a-Box Pro

 

E-Jay Hip-Hop 4

E-Jay Hip-Hop 4 ...
Digital Leisure Inc :: Effects :: Composting :: Video :: Sound Libraries :: Sound Editing :: Sequencing :: Creation :: audio :: Music :: Computer software (programs) :: :: E-Jay Hip-Hop 4

 

iDrum US27000 Virtual Drum Machine for Garage Band- Live- Logic and Stand Alone Use

iDrum US27000 Virtual Drum Machine for Garage Band, Live, Logic and Stand Alone Use...
M-Audio :: Sequencing :: Creation :: audio :: Music :: Computer software (programs) :: Effects :: Composting :: Video :: Sound Libraries :: Midi :: :: iDrum US27000 Virtual Drum Machine for Garage Band- Live- Logic and Stand Alone Use

 

eMedia GuitarPort RiffTracker

4 stars (Very good, but beware of installation) - This Guitarport-Rifftracker setup is a really elegant piece of work. The Guitarport element lets the guitarist emulate a near infinite number of sounds produced by pre-amps and some of the most popular guitar amps and cabinets produced over the last 50 or so years, not to mention the tweaking you can achieve with the virtual preamp and effect settings. The Rifftracker element of the package offers basically a full service recording studio that ties into the Guitarport applications. You can even do rhythm tracks with simulated percussion. The integration of both halves of this package is one of its strong points, as anyone who has tried to mix and match recording sofware with another application that does what Guitarport does can attest. But you might have problems installing the software, as I did with Windows XP. After going through the installation process with no problems, after rebooting the system Windows didn't recognize the new hardware (Guitarport). Windows posted the pop-up window that mentioned this, and a telltale sign was that the green light on the Guitarport hardware, connected to the USB port, didn't light up, remaining red. If this happens to you, things that Guitarport will suggest will be to (1) unplug and replug the USB cable, (2) reboot the computer, (3)reinstall the software. After trying all these, I found nothing worked. So here's what to do: keep the installation disk in the CD drive, reboot the computer, and when Windows indicates that it has found new hardware, click on the option to have it search for installation software, and direct it to the CD drive. Once you do this, some residual software will hopefully load, and you can continue with the registration and initiation process for the package. After that, things should work normally. Like I said, this is a really elegant package that every guitar player will enjoy. ...
Line6 :: Apreciation :: Sound Libraries :: Sequencing :: Creation :: audio :: Music :: Computer software (programs) :: Preamplifiers (Preamplifier) :: Amplifiers (Amplifier) :: :: eMedia GuitarPort RiffTracker