Commodore Remix

I really want to have a shot at remixing at least one of my favourite Amiga tunes before I die ( ). Problem is, I know absolutely nothing on how music is made on a computer, I've only got classical training (piano, harmony etc.). Could you recommend where to start, a website with newbie material for example, or a software package? I have access to a beefy Mac Pro (and a less beefy PC, which I prefer) with Logic Studio and its bulky manuals - should I start studying those? Remember, I have no idea on how sounds/instruments are selected and used, never done anything like this. Does it depend on the software used, or are they all pretty much the same?

Thanks a lot

Looks like a lot of learning to cram in. Looks like you need a whole book more than a few words.

Do you understand the principles of multi-track recording, know the difference between MIDI and audio signals or stereo and mono? Some do, some don't and we should start at the beginning.



I assume you may want to play your music in realtime and adjust what you've recorded afterwards. If proficient then a simple audio connection from your keyboard or microphone will suffice. If Macs don't have them, a good interface or USB MIDI device will also serve you well.




Maybe try simple one-shot recordings to begin with, using a simple sound editor and move up to sequencers later. It could also be more worthwhile starting with a software workstation more cut down.

Here are some freebies you may or may not want: http://www.sonicstate.com/news/2012/04/ ... d-windows/




I would seriously recommend Computer Music magazine because they assume the latest issue is the first for someone out there. Their DVDs do the most to help first-timers in my opinion and all should be there in terms of archived info and free software.

Thanks, Commie_User. I know of course all rudimentary stuff related to digital audio playback (stereo/mono), I've been actively using hi-fi, home-theater devices + HTPC's for years, but when it comes to creating music on computers, even basic knowledge such as MIDI, multi-track, sequencers etc. eludes me. That's why I thought maybe reading the 1000+ pages Logic manuals could help. I'll carefully consider all of your helpful advice.

Commie_User wrote:I assume you may want to play your music in realtime and adjust what you've recorded afterwards. If proficient then a simple audio connection from your keyboard or microphone will suffice. If Macs don't have them, a good interface or USB MIDI device will also serve you well.

On this, one of my many questions arises. I somehow always thought that no keyboard or recording should be necessary, and that creating music on a pc is done with the mouse, just adding the notes and then adjusting all else. Thinking about it, the use of a keyboard mostly helps in saving time, right? Or even, making the recorded result more "real" than just adding notes in a program?

Sounds as if you could do with a glossary: http://www.sweetwater.com/expert-center/glossary/t--DAW


But the principle is to record or import a musical piece in order to adjust, embellish and present it with the computer. If you're good on the keyboard you can simply play it in. Or you can download a MIDI piece which somebody else has made, which I would roughly liken to an electronic player-piano file. This can simply be altered or set to play through outboard MIDI equipment or software instruments.

Most sequencer programs have a 'piano roll' MIDI mode in which you can plot or amend your tunes before rendering or printing as notation.




Plotting the music from scratch, with mouse, can be a very disconnected and robotic affair. Though those Assembler guys know to have fun with less, so who am I to complain? There are plenty of Amiga trackers out there with countless MOD files in their pockets to prove it (MOD is similar in principle to MIDI), so you may want to Google around.




Though plotting or not, I would consider it imperative to own and connect a music keyboard to your computer using MIDI. The joystick port on the computer (if there is one) would be ideal. It's much easier to dab your work with the human touch where and if needed. (And given many compositions being exactly tailored to the old computers, much data would be lost in transition, meaning a lot of information being re-interpreted and played again for the new work.)



To take a look at a creative use of mouse-driven piano roll, see my page on Instant Music for the Amiga and C64: http://www.dustybin.org.uk/IM.htm

I agree with Commie_User if you grab the latest copy of the Computer Music magazine you will get everything you need to get you started.

You can also grab Audacity which can let you do very simple multi track recording from any real instrument.

http://audacity.sourceforge.net/

Might seem as too simple an advice, but find a friend who knows how and force that person at gunpoint to teach you. Gun optional.

Our Tutorials section contains some very helpful articles:

http://www.remix64.com/tutorials.html

Thanks a lot everyone for your valuable posts. The Tutorials section is quite nice. I have a final, essential query regarding the sounds/instruments used and how do we find them.
Let's say I want an unusual sound, that comes close or even equals the Amiga/C64 original for example. How do I get that? There was an interesting phrase at the legal section of the tutorial, "to sample the SID". Do remixers use the "samples"/instruments solely available in the software they use? Are there lots of freely available sounds out there, and in what form/format? Are there compatibility issues between software suites for freely (or even paid) available "sounds"?

Also, assuming a satisfactory ready-made sound cannot be found, is it common practice to "create" sounds? How is that done?

Sorry for all the questions, I will soon stop asking and start studying.

A great source to get sounds that are open source and free: http://www.kvraudio.com

The only word of advice that i could possibly offer is one that I was guilty of, and that's the 'overload factor'. It's far too easy to overload yourself with countless free Vst's each sounding different or doing different things then getting 'lost' in the search for the next fancy sound or effect. Ending up with a list of 50 Vst's in your plugins folder isn't very productive imho. I had a cull a while back and stuck with a few crucial plugins and maybe one or two fun ones. Any more than that you risk, as I mentioned, losing track of what's really important. The tune.

The 'Synth1 http://www.kvraudio.com/product/synth1-by-ichiro-toda plugin is a great start,

as is SuperwaveP8 http://www.superwavesynths.co.uk/product_p8.htm

Aside from that, just have fun...Good luck!

If I were you I would concentrate on just getting started and testing the recording and playback facilities of your first recorder or sequencer.

There are plenty of ways to get the 'real' old computer sound with your Mac - virtual instruments which run inside the sequencer itself (VSTi) or taking waveform samples from the machine when running software.


One good, free sample player is Kontakt Player. And some decent Commodore or Sega samples were done by me actually: viewtopic.php?f=3&t=7594


But first things first. Get straight on what's been said so far and get to know the basic equipment setup - computer, interface, music keyboard and recording software. Then understanding of the rest should follow more smoothly.

Thanks for the links and all the helpful advice. I also have this Clavinova with an excellent quality keyboard, MIDI and USB ports and a floppy. It'd be the clever thing to use it! I can't connect it directly to a computer though (too far). Do you think I could use its USB/floppy for transferring (MIDI?) information, or it'd be best to connect a laptop? If so, what kind of external device is needed?

Well we're moving along.

The best idea seems either to run long cables between the piano and Mac, set up the computer beside the piano or find a cheap old laptop to use as a location system. USB MIDI and extension repeater cables are mindblowingly cheap and the Ebay shops can let you have them for maybe a couple of Pounds each.

You may also be in luck and discover the piano floppy disk filing system is Mac compatible, plus any MIDI put to disk.

Welcome to the magical world of Amiga remixing. Now is a great time to start remixing as there is alot of advice out there and lots of free stuff to build up your studio. Certainly more than when I first started my first music studio - that cost me a lot of money and now you can get it all for free!

The advice I will give you that different people have different setups that work for them. You will have to find out which setup suits you best when you have covered the basics. For me I tend to use a mixture of hardware/software synths and then do all the post work that is; FX, EQ and Mastering on the computer.

If you are classically trained then use that in your productions - don't rely on computers to do the work for you they don't have feelings. Playing it in yourself will give your productions a better style. Don't neglect the mixing and mastering stage. This is the final stage but be warned get it wrong and all the hard work will be lost as this can make a standard remix sound poor. Get it right however and your remix is turned into a great sounding remix. If you need guidance pick a commercial tune close to the tune you are doing and try and compare it to that. This is the stage I hate and gets me stressed out the most!!

One aspect of remixing is that you should bear in mind and that is not everyone will like your vision of how a remix should sound so be prepared for the comments. Then again some people will love your remix and inspire you to do more! Just do a remix that you feel needs to be done and if people like it then count it as a bonus and always be proud that you finally did it!

Thanks for the warm welcome and advice, Doddsy. It will take months, possibly more than a year before I can present something decent, but I promise to deliver sooner or later, it's something I've always wanted to do.