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What do JWFan.net composers use for composing


David Coscina

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I have the following the is my primary composing rig:

Apple Mac Pro 2.66 ghz Dual Xenon w. 4 gigs ram

Logic 8 Pro

Digital Performer 5.13

NOTION (for orchestral scoring)

EWQLSO Platinum Pro XP

VSL Vienna SE Standard and Extended PLUS

HALion Symphonic Orchestra

Atmosphere

CS80V

Korg Digital Legacy Collection

NI Bandstand

NI Kontakt 3

MOTU Mach 5

and tons of other plug-ins......

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Nice set-up!

Mine is:

Macbook Pro duo core 1.16 processor, 2 GB of RAM, 160 internal Hard Drive, and one 500 GB external connected via firewire 800

Audio Interface: Edirol FA 66 connected via firewire 400

Software: Logic Pro 7.2.3

Vienna Symphonic Library Special Edition

Finale 2008

Midi controller: Kurzweil PC1X Keyboard

Speakers: Blue Sky EXO 2.1

I think that's about it.

Colin Thomson

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I know what you mean. And even when I get a chance, there is something very hard about being creatively disciplined. I am learning to just write stuff, regardless of whether I consider it to be good or not. I used to try to only write masterpieces, but I never ended up writing much and the things I did write weren't masterpieces. It is far better to make yourself write music, regardless of what you consider to be its value. At least that is what I have found. Still trying to put it into actions, though.

Colin Thomson

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Oh, and for speakers, I have the Blue Sky EXO 2.1 setup, which I would highly recommend for anyone for either mixing or listening.

Colin Thomson

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VIENNA SPECIAL EDITION & strings +

Halion 3

FM8

hosted by Cubase 4

in a PC XP 64 bits and 8 giga of RAM

CARD RME 9632

Nice! I also have an AMD Athlon X64 set up but because VSL is one of the few companies that release their stuff in 64 bit, the whole more-than-4gigs-memory is a moot point as the PC will not use that RAM unless it's in a 64 bit environment. Also, does your host program run in x64 mode? I use Sonar when I'm on PC (I'm going to do a dual boot on my Mac Pro though pretty soon with x64 and Leopard) because that is the only native 64 bit host program that I know of now. Logic 8 sort of runs in 64 bit mode but once again, a lot of plugs don't run in that mode and the 32 bit bridge that x64 has to use actually slows down CPU power.

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I'm not in a very good technological state right now. Finale is my sequencer, but I've come to the point at which I really need to start using a serious sequencer like Logic. More realistic sounds are needed -- not to mention better performance. I'd like to start playing my orchestrated music, but my performance skills just aren't there.

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Cubase sx3 + plugins, M-Audio keyboard, behringer midi controller. that's it, pretty simple.

And Sibelius, or some weird combination thereof.

I tried the demo of Notion a while ago, btw Fiery Angel after you mentioned , it is very nice, but it just didn't seem to work very well with my system, beyond one instrument. It became glitchy, even though I did have the system requirements.

Miss Padme wrote:

Pencil and Paper

well the cat's out the bag now, you are John Williams :P

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Cubase sx3 + plugins, M-Audio keyboard, behringer midi controller. that's it, pretty simple.

I tried the demo of Notion a while ago, btw Fiery Angel after you mentioned , it is very nice, but it just didn't seem to work very well with my system, beyond one instrument. It became glitchy, even though I did have the system requirements.

Hmmm that's weird. Are you using a Mac or PC? NOTION was really developed for PC's methinks and that's why I still have an AMD since I use the PC primarily for NOTION as well as Microsoft Office when I need to.

NOTION isn't on the same level (yet) of Sibelius or Finale in pure notation features. It's sound sets (I have all of the expansion kits) are getting better and better mind you. It's more of an all-around compositional tool. I prefer using it to Logic or Digital Performer when I'm writing something directly for real musicians. However, in this day and age of mock-ups, having top notch samples (like VSL, EWQLSO, etc.) is a must to attract directors or other such clients to one's services.

NOTION has now released ver. 2.0 which is much more stable. I would give it a try again. They are holding another composer competition this year where the winner gets his/her piece played by the London Symphony Orchestra. Judges include Carter Burwell and John Corigliano. I'm figuring that I can go a little more modernist if Corigliano will hear my piece. Or perhaps re-tool a Bartok inspired Mini-Essay for Orchestra I composed last year. Not sure. The only difference this year is that NOTION is not giving out demo copies to those who wish to enter the competition and you must compose your work on the program as you email it as an attachment into Virtuoso Works in NOTION format file.

Not that I really needed to tell you guys about this contest as I don't need the competition from you talented blokes! :P

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0.1 Calligraphy markers, 0.2 Calligraphy markers, basic 0.1 marker, ruler, white-out (correction pen), staff paper (11x17 and A3), typically 18 staves for chamber music, etc. (always landscape format),, and 30 staves for orchestra.

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0.1 Calligraphy markers, 0.2 Calligraphy markers, basic 0.1 marker, ruler, white-out (correction pen), staff paper (11x17 and A3), typically 18 staves for chamber music, etc. (always landscape format),, and 30 staves for orchestra.

do you use a pitch reference source like piano or something or do you compose solely in your head. If so, you must have perfect pitch- and also if you do that, I hate you! :P

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