Help! Like Londan, Soon To Blow A Few G's!!, Need some help though... Options

[uvbnskoold]

Hey everyone,

Thanks in advance for any advice you can give me. I've been to other forums and no one has ever replied or been interested in helping an established composer into the technological realm (of music, that is). This forum, and this site, for that matter, houses members who seem to genuinely be interested in helping people just like me. Anyways, on to the grits...

I am just about to make the switch from PC to MAC (whoo hoo!) because they're so much better, in so many ways. Not only that, but I'm new to the whole music and computers, that is to say using sampled sounds and anything but making scores with Sibelius. Kind of a music and technology dummy, if you will. But that aside, I would like some input from experienced music and technology peeps.

What I have been doing (up until recently with some difficulty) and what I plan to keep doing is Film Scoring, Commercials, trailers, etc. Keep that in mind when you read the setup and/or make suggestions!

Here's the "guts" of what I'll be getting (without listing the fancy extras):

Dual 2Ghz PowerMac G5
8 Gb RAM
M-Audio Firewire 410
M-Audio Solaris Microphone

and for instruments and progs:

Logic Pro 7.1
Garageband JamPacks 1-4 (I know they work in Logic 7.1)
EW/QL Platinum + Platinum Pro XP
EW/QL Symphonic Choirs
QL RA
StormDrum
Real Guitar
GrooveAgent 2
Bosendorfer piano samples

And a guitar and new keyboard and all... basically a home studio that I can finally start doing some serious work. I know there's a steep learning curve, but I'm a quick learner (thought I'd mention that before I get all these replies saying "are you crazy noob?")

Any comments on my setup would be welcome too. I plan on using 2 23" HD monitors as well in my setup.

Question 1) is 8 GB Ram overkill for the above instruments/setup? Would 4 GB Ram do?

Question 2) would anyone recommend getting separate hard drive for housing the samples (I'd heard that somewhere... that maybe it's a good idea)?

Question 3) can anyone recommend different/better programs to use?

Once again, thanks in advance for all your help!!

Uvee

Ce message a été modifié par uvbnskoold - dim. 15 janv. 2006, 00:01.

[jrjnsn]

Hi Uvee!

I'm not exactly a music technology guru, but that said;

8 meg RAM won't be too much for those programs, and

EWQL advises a separate hard disk for their sample library.

From the manual:

"For mid-to-large-size projects, Platinum edition works best when spread across multiple high-end computers. Power users might have a network of 8 computers collaborating to create a single large score. Even in much smaller projects, it's best to run the sample player off a different drive than the one that holds any EWQLSO samples."

If you get the EWQLSO, you will be entitled to a discount on the NI Kompakt 2 sampler which comes with a big sample library, including many patches from the Vienna Symphonic library. I just ordered mine.

You should get the fastest Mac you can to run this stuff...

HTH
---Rick

[uvbnskoold]

Thanks for the reply.

I've recently read the manual myself, and yah, I couldn't believe it. They recommend using 2 high end computers PER section, for a total of 8 all together!!

Not only that, but overnight I've reconsidered what I truly need for the cash I have to start off... when I thought about it, the only differences between platinum and gold is the bit depth and mic positions, pretty much thats it when you add the XP pack to each. For the extra $3700 CDN it's gonna cost, it's not worth it right now. I'm gonna get Gold + Gold XP, gonna save me some cash that I can spend getting the best computer.

I am sticking with a PowerMac G5 with 8 GB RAM. It should be enough to handle gold and other progs that I need. Even if for some of the more ambitious projects I have to record each section separately and piece it all together later in Logic or some other program.

Thanks again for your reply, Rick.

Uvee.

[jrjnsn]

I'm very happy with Gold for the price.

[uvbnskoold]

That's good to hear, especially after debating it for 3 hours... looking at the pros and cons. Listening to the demos. There's little major difference in the overall end sound. I think it is a good decision, too.

[rickenbacker]

1. 8Gb RAM sounds like overkill to me, but if you've got the money it wouldn't hurt to have it.

2. Recording adio to an external FireWire drive is alway a good idea.

3. Not really. Logic Pro is the best (IMHO).

Sounds like you'll be a very happy boy with a room full of all that gear.

[DANO10]

Hi Uvee,

I am also experienced in music and technology. I am running a dual 2.5MHz G5 with 4GB of RAM.

1. I use lot's of virtual insntruments and so far the 4GB of RAM is enough, but more is always better.

2. Get the MAC with two 250GB internal drives plus one 80GB or more external drive. (I prefer Glyph)

3. I know LOGIC is a great program, but you might check out Digital Performer. I think it is more musical and is also a great program.

4. The rest is your personal preference. However I gotta say that the EQ stuff is alot of money for "Hollywood" strings for commetcials etc.

Good luck,

DANO10

[uvbnskoold]

Hey DANO10 and rickenbacker,

Thanks for the replies, as well. I have the cash and planned accordingly... from what everyone tells me, here and in the real world, 8 gigs 'can' be overkill but it's nice to have. It's a resoundingly consistent remark.

I have recently decided to go with 2 x 500 GB internal drives in my dual 2.3 ghz powermac g5... unless anyone thinks that's a bad idea?

I have a lot of mp3's I want to keep on my computer for easy access... don't much like searching the 400+ CDs to find the one I want to listen to... and I want to keep them on the computer as well as have that separate drive for the samples (as the EW/QLSO manual recommends).

The whole orchestra sound... movie music, commercials, etc. is what I'm going for as that's what I'll be doing... it's just not working out so great on my PC and no samples... working from my Korg Trinity Workstation DTS (shudder).

Anyways, thanks again for your help.

Uvee.

[uvbnskoold]

Hey all, I got everything ordered, pretty much. The computer, the music gear and samples... just gotta pick some stuff up tomorrow and I'm all good. Then I just have to wait 2 weeks for the computer, and then BRING ON THE MUSIC!