Software Advice - Making Music For Commercial Use, Music Generators / Samples / Loops Options

[hardluckdrive]

Hi,

I have some musical experience with real instruments but little experience in software. I have been getting pulled in so many directions in trying to search for information on good software for my purposes that I am basically standing still.

I am looking for the best options for free software that will allow me to make make music for commercial use.

Are there any you can recommend that have good virtual instruments?

Also, are there any good free options that provide mixable loops that are available for commercial use?

Thanks for any advice.

[hardluckdrive]

Thanks for the recommendations.

I looked into them and they seem like good products.

And while the prices aren't exorbitant, they are a little higher than what I was hoping for to start out with.

I may be looking for something that doesn't exist (and heaven knows I wouldn't develop an awesome program just to give it away) but is there anything free that produces decent stuff to get the ball rolling.

I would very much like to graduate to one of your recommendations, but would like to test the waters (and myself) before breaking out the credit card. If I saw right, the demo version of the first program was $450.