Audio Software?

[ntba]

I'm looking for some music creation software for windows, I REALLY like Garageband for my Mac, but it's not right for me I guess, and using it on my iBook isn't cutting it. So I need to know is there any similer software for Windows, that has a nice instrument library, that can be used simply at first and move up in complexity, and not some junky MIDI creation software. Also, what's available that's better then Garageband for the Mac?

I'm not sure this is the right forum to ask but I'll give it a go.

 

[phide]

A number of professional musicians actually use Ableton's simple, inexpensive app called 'Live' for rough compositions. It's simple enough to get into, but complex enough to get enough mileage out of before you'll need to move to something more complex like Pro Tools, Logic or Nuendo. There's a free demo available for you to give it a whirl.

You might also try Sony's ACID, which is a good deal like GarageBand, and probably comes with a decent assortment of samples in the full version, or Propellerhead's Reason, which is more oriented toward drum programming and virtual synthesis (but is also used frequently by artists and producers because of its ease of use).

Frankly though, there's nothing all that 'hard' about learning the more complex apps. What'll likely get you quaking in your boots as you play around with 'em is that you won't know the terminology and how signal routing is treated internally. After grasping those concepts, it's just a matter of learning which functions are where and the various intricacies of those functions. Additionally, the more complex apps don't typically come with much in the way of samples or virtual instruments -- just rough, basic starter plug-ins in general, if any -- so you'll need to have a good idea of what extras you'll need to get before you can start really getting down to it. For PC or Mac, I prefer Pro Tools.