Vegas best for editing/creating/mixing loops? or?

ken c wrote on 5/15/2009, 12:51 PM

Hi -

Is V9 the best non-Midi type software to use for mixing loops into songs, or should I try cakewalk/sonar/one of the other musician-type programs?

I'm asking because I just found out there was an entire "loops" industry, looks relatively recent, with a lot of UK-based outfits (producerloops.com/primeloops.com), with rf dance/vocal type mixes and elements.

I've long bought rf tracks from all the major places that produce songs, but hadn't heard about these loops-only places, very good prices, though all the bits are just small individual samples /clips. Trying to figure out the best / most fun way to mix the elements together; I'm cataloging what I buy by dragging clips onto Vegas timeline, then soloing tracks to audition, works great..

just wondering if there's software that's more geared specifically for mixing loops/stacking layers, that would be more suitable than Vegas? Vegas works great, just wondering though if there's any loop/mix type s/w that's more tailored for that kind of audio post production mixes..

thx,

-k

Comments

rs170a wrote on 5/15/2009, 12:57 PM

ACID
ACID Xpress if you want a free version to play with.

Mike

ken c wrote on 5/15/2009, 1:11 PM

thanks -- I'm not familiar w/acid, though I see it as a format for a lot of loops, downloading the trial now - I appreciate the tip!

Looks great, I went ahead and ordered pro, since it's 20% off today only with the deal of the day... should be a fun weekend ahead.

-k

farss wrote on 5/15/2009, 2:25 PM

For CREATING loops I think you'll also want to look at Sound Forge.

Bob.

ken c wrote on 5/15/2009, 11:07 PM

thanks - will do...re sound forge.... I've got adobe audition too .. downloading the Sound Forge trial... I appreciate the tip, if it looks good I'll buy it while it's on the 20% off sale (hey Sony's getting a lot of $ from me today!) ...

I still have my terrific Roland D-50 keyboard and HR16 drum machines, DSP 128 etc from back when I gigged 25 years ago in L.A.... would be good to have some way to capture/record/mix things, though I haven't played keys in years, with all this new software it'll probably be a whole new experience.

also one plus of Acid is that the timeline is very similar to Vegas, so hopefully that means an easy learning curve, and it looks like my plugins (newblue etc) were also automatically linked in acid too

farss wrote on 5/15/2009, 11:47 PM

Vegas plus good sound card/box is all you need for recording that Roland kit. SF records too, don't know about Acid as I've never really used it. I use an M-Audio Firewire 410 but there's plenty of other good stuff out there, just avoid any of the Sound Crapper stuff and you should be fine.

That old Roland kit is probably worth a bit today you know. No muso myself but exactly that stuff came up in a conversation yesterday.

Bob.

ken c wrote on 5/16/2009, 12:18 AM

thanks, good to know it... I love that D50, it was (and is) a great board...

hey I just put this quick loop together, my first in acid... 1st impression is, it's pretty much the same as using Vegas' timeline; took about 20 mins, just throwing together some stuff... easy to create

what's really cool is it auto adjusted things at different bpms so they all fit, without phase/pitch distortion, eg stuff with 127/128/140 bpm, just tossed it on the timeline and it all synced with no work from me... fun!

farss wrote on 5/16/2009, 1:04 AM

Not that I know squat about music but sounds OK to me.
Don't forget to join Acid Planet, free hosting of whatever you create (I think) and free loops and projects.

Bob.