Apple's Soundtrack and Reason 2.0
- Thread starter Perseus
- Start date
Arden
Where mah "any" keys at?
I've used Reason, and it's awesome. Soundtrack is similar in some respects, but completely different in others. If you can find a demo, download it and try it out; if not, head to your local Mac retailer and check it out on a demo computer. The G5 that CompUSA had set up last time I went there had Soundtrack, and if there's one near you it might have it as well. See if the sales people will install it on a machine for you because you're interested in buying... tell them to consider it a test drive.
ElDiabloConCaca
U.S.D.A. Prime
I played aroud with Soundtrack, and the one thing I find lacking is that it is difficult to "create" sounds. It comes with a bunch of instruments and loops which you are free to arrange however you want, but I felt limited to the loops and sounds included. Reason 2.0 lets you do just about anything, as long as you know what you're doing -- you can create any effect or sound that you want.
I don't know about the import abilities of Soundtrack, but I would use both in tandem if I could -- the ease of use of Soundtrack is amazing. Reason 2.0 has a little bit of a learning curve, which I feel frustrated with sometimes.
I wouldn't compare those two programs on the same level -- they're just too different.
I don't know about the import abilities of Soundtrack, but I would use both in tandem if I could -- the ease of use of Soundtrack is amazing. Reason 2.0 has a little bit of a learning curve, which I feel frustrated with sometimes.
I wouldn't compare those two programs on the same level -- they're just too different.
Arden
Where mah "any" keys at?
Okay, I played with Soundtrack yesterday, and it is a great program. It is quite different from Reason, actually; it is for people who want a simple way to make music, though you may lack much musical ability. It comes with many, many pre-recorded tracks that usually loop very well, and you can add your own sounds if you feel that something is lacking.
Reason, however, lets you tinker with every little nuance of a song, tweaking the bass line to sound just right and modifying the drum and synth effects until it flows perfectly. You can use your own sounds in Reason as well, but the loops you might use are user-created typically instead of pre-fab. Reason does have presets, which you get at with any new file, but you can tweak those presets to your hearts desire as long as you know what you're doing (and even if you don't; in that case you'll pick it up as you go). Soundtrack is limited in that you can't really tweak any of the components of a song significantly.
Soundtrack has a much simpler interface, but it's a simpler program, and Reason's module-based interface is really cool. I don't know if you've discovered this or not, but hit Tab to flip everything around and see what's connected to what.
Reason, however, lets you tinker with every little nuance of a song, tweaking the bass line to sound just right and modifying the drum and synth effects until it flows perfectly. You can use your own sounds in Reason as well, but the loops you might use are user-created typically instead of pre-fab. Reason does have presets, which you get at with any new file, but you can tweak those presets to your hearts desire as long as you know what you're doing (and even if you don't; in that case you'll pick it up as you go). Soundtrack is limited in that you can't really tweak any of the components of a song significantly.
Soundtrack has a much simpler interface, but it's a simpler program, and Reason's module-based interface is really cool. I don't know if you've discovered this or not, but hit Tab to flip everything around and see what's connected to what.
ElDiabloConCaca
U.S.D.A. Prime
Originally posted by ksv
You probably didn't find the Soundtrack Loop Utility, lets you create your own loops out of sound files
And you can of course add any AIFF sound to a project.
Perseus, if you're a student and go for Soundtrack, be sure to get the student discount. I think it's -$100 or so.
Ah, no, I didn't discover that utility. I played around with it for the better part of an hour, and still found it difficult to "create" a sound like you can in Reason. Reason simulates a lot of equipment, including drum machines and phase whatsits and looping doozies. Reason does offer a LOT more options for tweaking sounds and what-not, but, as stated before, has a pretty good learning curve.
Soundtrack would be wonderful for all these sound bites I've been collecting for ages!