Most well-featured sequencer under £100?

[xtr.eme]

I'm a student so can't afford the full version, big boy sequencers. I say I have a budget of £100 but the type of stuff I'm looking into includes Live 7 LE, SONAR HS 6, CUBASE Essential 4.

I primarily use synthesizers and samples, so would prefer software to be geared towards that rather than recording.

In your opinion, which is the least restricting cut down version out there, basically?

Thanks,

xtr.eme

[cruttox]

Tracktion 3 very highly recommended and very simple to get started.

I'm afraid i don't know the current shelf price of version 3 because I started with v1 and have been through the upgrade deals. But I've stuck with it and never needed anything else. It's very cheap compared to the consumer and pro audio competitors.

[Sporky_McGuffin]

FL Studio Producer Edition is $200, so pretty much bang on £100. Not cut down at all - the XXL version just adds extra synths and plugins.

[clare_bear]

Originally Posted by cruttox

Tracktion 3 very highly recommended and very simple to get started.

I'm afraid i don't know the current shelf price of version 3 because I started with v1 and have been through the upgrade deals. But I've stuck with it and never needed anything else. It's very cheap compared to the consumer and pro audio competitors.

I use Tracktion 2 (although I may upgrade to 3 soon), and there's a lot of it for the money - especially compared with the prices of other sequencers. And, IMO, easy enough to pick up the basics, and I'm a bit thick at these things

[ecc83]

Do download a demo of Samplitude 9.se

It is available now as a download only at 49.99 Euros.

I have tried CM's clunky site but putting "back issues" into the search box got me rubbish, still, check to see if the issue with Sam9 on it is still available. (CM 119?)

I have Cubase SE3 but I cannot seem to get on with it, also it is not as "rugged" as Samplitude( can't really explain that, C just seems more "twitchy"!).

One great thing about Sam is that you can open as many (different) inputs, both audio and MIDI as you have hardware for. Same for outputs*, I can route 1 track to AP 2496 1, another to AP 2496 2, another, usb fast track pro 1 &2 and yet another to a usb device I shall not mention!
*the in must =out per track however.

Dave.

[Grunfeld]

Originally Posted by xtr.eme

I'm a student so can't afford the full version, big boy sequencers. I say I have a budget of £100 but the type of stuff I'm looking into includes Live 7 LE, SONAR HS 6, CUBASE Essential 4.

REAPER

It's a no-brainer.

It's like £25 and is simply fucking awesome for what you get.


I started using Reaper after a problem I had with SONAR. I really got into it. I've sorted out the sonar problem but I still do projects in Reaper. It's a very powerful proggie.


Oli

[Kalmo]

If you already have a proper sound card (NOT the one integrated on your PC's motherboard) spend your money on a cheap midi control keyboard and get Reaper.

If you don't have a proper soundcard, buy one that fits your budget, and learn to use the software that comes with it. All the forums are full of posts from folks who try to use pro level sequencers with the useless onboard soundcards.

[xtr.eme]

Originally Posted by Kalmo

If you already have a proper sound card (NOT the one integrated on your PC's motherboard) spend your money on a cheap midi control keyboard and get Reaper.

If you don't have a proper soundcard, buy one that fits your budget, and learn to use the software that comes with it. All the forums are full of posts from folks who try to use pro level sequencers with the useless onboard soundcards.

Yep, got a delta 44 soundcard & a midi controller.

I've been using Acid Music Studio which i got for 30 quid. Ive been getting frustrated with the number of features left out, so I had a look around for possible upgrades, and everything decent seems to be about £300!!

I tried reaper, but it seems geared towards music "geeks" (no offence!!). I think i need an easier interface

Tracktion 3 seems good, apart from the fact that there are no tutorials for it in the mag, why not?

[Sporky_McGuffin]

Tried FL Studio? There's a full-featured demo (can't save is all).

[Grunfeld]

Originally Posted by xtr.eme

I tried reaper, but it seems geared towards music "geeks" (no offence!!). I think i need an easier interface

It is worth spending a bit of time with -- really! And in terms of value for money and sheer bloody quality of what you get it is awesome.

Just sharing what I've found but I've used FL Studio, Sonar, and Reaper a lot, and used Tractions 1 and 2 a fair bit too. All sequencers have some kind of learning curve -- there is no completely painless and easy way into computer recording. But that said, it ain't that difficult either!

Have fun


Oli