Regarding Reaktor: I have literally gotten lost inside that thing - in a good way. We're talking looking up and seeing that the sun is about to come up lost. Not sure if that is productive or not but it sure can get some juices flowing.

Regards,

Hm, I gave the Matrix view a try but that didn't work out too well... I had a clip with a MIDI bassline but 7 out of 10 times it didn't play the right notes or there were even odd notes added. Very strange. A MIDI drum loop did work alright. But well, if even a simple test doesn't work well, I don't dare to create a complicated project with the Matrix view...

I have to say I've been looking at FL Studio 11 and I think I might give that one a try. Seems like a great, if not the perfect, tool to create dance music! And you can link it to Sonar (afaik). And I can use Massive or Z3ta or Battery with it so I don't even need the most expensive version (afaik). I think I will give the demo a try.

Hm, I gave the Matrix view a try but that didn't work out too well...

If you have never used MV before I would recommend checking out the X2 videos available. Groove 3 has an excellent one by Eli Kratzenberg (iirc) and of course FastBikerBoy (a forum member) has his from SWA. FBB may have something on his YouTube page also.


I've found the Matrix to be quite robust in usage although it did take a while for it to sink in. YMMV of course but it seems to me that any tool you pick, if you have not used it before, is going to require a learning curve.


Regards,

For whomever is interested: here is my first dance tune... I hope.

http://forum.cakewalk.com/tm.aspx?high=&m=2834712&mpage=1#2834712

By Jove I think he's got it!

John


By Jove I think he's got it!

LOL

I had a listen to the first song you created, and replied to it in the other thread.
I guess I was a bit thrown that you did a chilled, ambient piece.  When I saw you were interested in trance, house, etc, I was going to recommend you the harder hitting synths like Massive, Razor, etc. 
 
But as I forget sometimes ambient/chilled is a form of EDM (Electronic Dance Music).
 
So, if you're going to continue down that road, check out Absynth, it has a lot of pads and more 'etheral' sounds.
Also, don't forget Kontakt, especially the orchestral strings.  You can always creatively use a filter to help brighter patches 'fit' more into a chilled mix.
 
I also just remembered you can use reverb and large delays, especially Ping-Pong delays (works great on vocals and drums).

Very nice piece.

Thanks for the tip about Absynth, forkol! And sorry for putting you on the wrong track about the style...  When I posted what I did I didn't yet know what all those styles were. Now I more or less do.


And thanks for the compliment, mmorgan!

If u want to spend the loot, Maschine does it all.  Leads, loops, beats, bass, fx,....eveeything. works as a plug inside sonar. Maschine micro is pretty awesome