Software
From DNBWiki
These days there is a vast amount of software for music production, and it is almost unheard-of for tunes to be made without using any software whatsoever. Even those producers with a largely hardware setup will typically use a software sequencer to control their outboard, although a few do still use hardware sequencers.
Software can be categorised into two basic categories: hosts and plugins. Within the world of plugins we find Software Instruments and Software Effects.
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[edit] Hosts
A host is your main operating environment, and can be further divided into the following general types, although naturally these divisions are not always clear cut.
[edit] Sequencers / DAWs (Digital Audio Workstation)
These are usually derived from a more traditional approach to tracking/recording bands, with a channel/track-based arrange window and mixer with routing which mimics traditional hardware mixers. Products which most closely come from this background are referred to as DAWs, the most obvious example being Pro Tools. MIDI/audio sequencers such as Cubase and Logic incorporate features such as MIDI and virtual instruments more extensively. Of course, the distinction here is almost impossible to define.
Popular sequencers:
[edit] Soft studios
These often abandon some of the traditional features, interface and workflow of DAW/sequencers. For example, Reason cannot record or play back audio channels - all audio is dealt with in sampler instruments. They are also frequently characterised by being "all-in-one" solutions which do not support 3rd party plugins. Of course, once again there is no easy definition, as FL Studio (for example) does support VST plugins.
Popular soft studios include:
[edit] Trackers
Trackers are a curious beast, dating back to the days of music creation on Commodore Amiga/Atari. Essentially they were software samplers, where samples are triggered by entering numeric (usually hexadecimal) codes in a grid-based format, although next generation trackers have expanded this considerably with the addition of plugin and virtual instrument support and so forth.
Popular trackers include:
- Original Trackers such as: NoiseTracker, SoundTracker, ProTracker, Octamed
- Older Trackers such as: Impulse Tracker, FastTracker
- Next generation Trackers such as: Renoise, Buzz
[edit] Plug-ins
Unlike hosts, plug-ins perform only specific operation, such a certain type of effect or synthesis. They require a host.
