Advise for my new I Mac, I need Midi and audio help Options

[mtrev]

I have recently bought a new I Mac 700 MHz, and am anxious to make some music with it...I need some advise.

I want a program to compose and arrange music...I want to use my synthesizer via midi, as well as use outside audio like voice, guitar, sound loops etc...
I want to be able to manipulate sounds, cut and drag, and notate.  I also want the capability to receive audio from my mini disc player.  

I have been researching Cubase and think it would be perfect.  Any thoughts on this program, and whether it might be right for me?  Which version?  

Would I need to by a sound card as well as the software?

I know I have a lot of questions, but ANY advice and/or wisdom would be much appreciated...

[lepetitmartien]

We are all waiting for the X versions…

Cubase SX should arrive soon, Logic and Performer are on the way but when…

Begin to work under OS9 the X trouble will be over in a few weeks/month at least.

[bachaboulou]

i use same machines (imac g4, minidisc, midikeyboard...)
i made three partitions on my hd (5giga for os9+softs, 5giga for osx+softs, 30 giga for documents)
i only make music on os9 [protools free, digital performer3, reason, T racks], osx is not ready for it (wait for jaguar [osx.2] and, if i may, don't use cubase if uve never used an audiosequencer before, this one is not the easiest to handle)
if u have 500$, get an Mbox (digidesign): soft=protools le [24 audiotrax+unlimited miditrax], usb hardware interface.
if u have 1000$, get a motu 828 : soft=digital performer 3 [unlimited audio & miditrax], firewire hardware interface
if ure poor like me at the moment, prefer edirol ua-1d [129 euros] (usb>optical&coaxial) to exchange audio data from minidisc to imac.

[lepetitmartien]

Thanks bachaboulou

Anyway, mtrev you could really do with a bit of reading un the macOS X and 9 forums

It helps sometimes

(and ask only one thing at a time if you want a quick and knowledgefull answer

Happy reading, GO!

[damann]

some good information here, except...
protools is nowhere near as good with midi as cubase, logic, dp3 etc.
dp3 is no easier than cubase.
cubase sx will be the first to support 'x' .
probably best to stick with the motu hardware (better all round compatibility), but keep an open mind as far as the software is concerned !
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