Lo-tech Music-maker, low cpu low ram workstation? Options

[Mr. Jason E. Lec...]

I recently acquired an older iBook G4 for simple on-the-go email and web things. It's running 10.4, 1.33 GHz PPC processor, with only 256 MB RAM. I've been wanting to do some basic music stuff on the bus ride to/from work, but i haven't successfully found a program that runs smoothly. i don't need it to do a lot. and i'm remembering the days before i switched to mac, having a crappy pc with a 500MHz processor, and only like 64 MB of ram, and easily running ReBirth and a couple other programs.

i mainly want a couple drums and synths to work with. i actually got rebirth from the website, but for some reason this iBook's previous owner apparently deleted anything to do with Classic OS, so i don't have os9 on here to run rebirth in. and i don't have the install discs. (i'm not complaining because the iBook was free)

is there anything that could be suggested for me? either a way for me to "re-get" Classic onto my iBook or some sort of os9 emulator.... OR a similar light CPU light on RAM program.

This community has been a huge help to me over the past few years! so i'm sure you guys will have plenty of ideas for me.

[Mr. Jason E. Lec...]

i actually have reason 4 on my iMac, and love it. i use it along with Ableton Live. for their prices, they do anything i'd ever want.

unfortunately i don't have an additional license to use it on this old iBook. i do love the idea of using older versions of various daw's, and especially having something super basic like an old version of reason. but the problem is... where do i find older versions of programs? i certainly don't want to be spending hundreds of bucks for something i simply want to mess with while on the bus.

that being said, you guys are perfect examples of why i love this forum. lots of great ideas... keep 'em comming please, especially now that i've told you more of what i actually know about software.

oh... and it has been so long since i've used garage band, i actually forgot about it. it is indeed on my iBook. i might see how easy basic midi editing is on there with their built-in soft-synths.

[Jim Hoyland]

i actually have reason 4 on my iMac, and love it. i use it along with Ableton Live. for their prices, they do anything i'd ever want.

unfortunately i don't have an additional license to use it on this old iBook. i do love the idea of using older versions of various daw's, and especially having something super basic like an old version of reason. but the problem is... where do i find older versions of programs? i certainly don't want to be spending hundreds of bucks for something i simply want to mess with while on the bus.

that being said, you guys are perfect examples of why i love this forum. lots of great ideas... keep 'em comming please, especially now that i've told you more of what i actually know about software.

oh... and it has been so long since i've used garage band, i actually forgot about it. it is indeed on my iBook. i might see how easy basic midi editing is on there with their built-in soft-synths.

The Propellerhead license agreement allows you to install their software on a maximum of two computers for non-simultaneous use, and I'm pretty sure the same would apply to Ableton Live too, so if you can get your iBook up to a compatible OS you shouldn't need to buy anything at all.