Do you think this is nuts? I’m going to try to review all of the major DAWs, in other words all of the music editing software, music mixing software, music making software, recording music software, audio production software, whatever you want to call it. While each one has acquired it’s own fanbase, not many musicians would be tempted to trash an investment that can sometimes have a very long tedious learning curve to make the switch to another program, or would you? Another case in point is that the biggest, most popular programs have already reached a higher level of growth. But on the other hand,  I don’t believe that if any or all of them vanished overnight leaving only one, would it be that terrible? They all work well and you’d still be able to make great music! (assuming that you make great music:).

It’s nice to be able to compare/review each product because they all have different strenghts and weaknesses. Hopefully this will help you with your decision making as to what audio production software would work the best for you and your budget constraints (if any exist). The nice thing about some of these programs is that they have a less expensive version available that while not quite as fancy as the full fledged version, will still get the job done quite nicely.

So what about that learning curve? Don’t bury your head in the sand here. There will always be a learning curve. Like most programs available now, they are becoming more and more in tune with either Mac or Windows operating systems, which helps to lesson that fabled learning curve. Not to mention that these music editing software programs tend to borrow from the competition, hence making it easier to learn them and if you stay with the same company, but upgrade you’ve got even less of a learning curve. So you can relax it shouldn’t be that hard.

Sometime down the line you may want to switch. Like every thing else in this world nothing is static or stays the same, including recording music software programs. At some point you may want to try another product, it might have some feature in it that the program that you’re currently using is missing and you know that you just can’t live without. Personally I love technology and want every new gadget out there. If you’re anything like me I’m sure that eventually you are gonna want to try something new.

With that said I need to remind you that again nothing is static here. These music making software programs are constantly being changed and updated. Which on the one hand is great, but on the other hand can be frustrating. It’s the nature of the beast or anything electronic nowadays. Repeat after me, there will always be upgrades and improvements. Some you will love, others you will hate. Get use to it.

Next up, support. Well we all know what support can be like. Some audio production software companies do a pretty good job with support, others not so hot. I would suggest that you first check out any FAQ’s and second if they have a forum go there. Forums can oftentimes be the best place to find answers to your questions or problems. Most of these music making software companies are not set up for unlimited support. Use it wisely.

Technorati Tags: audio production software, music editing software, music making software, music mixing software, recording music software

iPod Basics and Purchasing Guide

So, you are looking to purchase an iPod? Please take the time to read this brief article which will at best help you get the most out of your new iPod, and at the least, help you avoid mistakes and misconceptions. This article is written out of my personal experience with iPods.

1. What is an iPod?

An iPod is a MP4 player, not a MP3 player. Basically, the MP4 format is a proprietary format only recognized by Apple products, such as iPods and QuickTime™. In order for music to play on an iPod, it must be in MP4 format. Apple’s music download site, iTunes™, offers music only in the MP4 format. The iTunes™ software which comes with an iPod will convert MP3 music files to MP4 format, so they will play on your iPod. An iPod will not play MP3 files, neither will Windows Media Player play MP4 files. Both the Nano and Video iPod will store and display photos, but a video iPod is needed to play video files.

2. What is iTunes?

® Apple hosts the world’s largest music download site called iTunes™. As of March 2006, over 1 billion files have been downloaded for use in iPods. Pretty amazing. This site offers music files for 99 cents each, and you need not download an entire album, but can select only the music files you want and download it into your computer. The iTunes™ software in your computer is the vehicle by which files are loaded into the iPod. Simply place your iPod into its dock (which is attached via USB to your computer), start iTunes™ and your iPod is updated automatically with new music, playlists, Podcasts and so forth. I have tried other music download sites and have not found any which I like as well as iTunes™, even though they may offer music cheaper than iTunes™. A basic search will locate alternative music download sites.

There are a variety of other files available on iTunes™ called Podcasts. These are audio or video files which include news broadcasts, informational programs, comedy programs and many others. The great majority of Podcasts are free, and others are not.

3. What You Get

iPods come with the following:

iPod with battery

Earphones (called “earbuds”)

A generic pouch for the earbuds

A docking station (to transfer files and charge the iPod)

iTunes™ software CD

Instruction manual

That is all.

4. What You will Need

Every iPod user will need a case, and we strongly recommend a screen protector.

Both the iPod Nano and 5th generation (5G) Video iPod are susceptible to scratching, and the black units seem to show scratches worse than the white ones. This is true of both the iPod housing AND the screen. Nothing is worse than having your iPod blemished with unsightly scratches, especially when it is easily avoidable by using a case and screen protector. Having your unprotected iPod floating around inside your purse or in your pocket will absolutely cause your iPod to quickly accumulate scratches both on the housing and on the screen. Be warned! This is not really a defect, but just the way it is.

5. Using iPods in your Car

Most people quickly realize that it would be great to be able to have their iPod play music through their car stereo. No longer would they have to mess with CDs or tapes. How many CDs would you have to carry to have your entire music library with you in the car? You can take it all in the palm of your hand with an iPod. So, how does one play music through their car stereo? There are several options.

First, there are cables available for most car stereos which plug into the iPod and the other end of the cable plugs into a port on the back of the stereo. Removal of the stereo is usually required to accomplish this task. Also, the wire used to connect your iPod is exposed. It does, however, sound great! Some car stereos have a line input on the faceplate. In this case, all one needs to do is use an adaptive cable from the headphone jack of the iPod to the input on the stereo. In both of these scenarios, the iPod will run on its internal battery unless a car charger is used as well.

Second, (and by far the most popular) method, is to use an FM transmitter to transmit a signal from your iPod to your FM radio and play it as if it were a radio station. There are a variety of FM transmitters from several manufacturers. We recommend using a unit which is a dock and not a plug into the iPod port. The plug-in units consume power from the iPod battery and seem to produce a weak signal resulting in poor audio quality. A docking unit (such as the Griffin RoadTrip™) holds your iPod in place, charges the iPod and produces a strong signal. The RoadTrip™ also features a removable FM module which allows it to plug into your computer. You can therefore listen to FM radio through your computer without having to install software.

6. Using iPods at Home

iPods can easily play through your home stereo. One can simply use an adaptive cable which plugs into the headphone jack of the iPod and into the stereo input of your stereo. In this setup, the iPod is operating on battery power unless the iPod is also plugged into a charger.

Docking your iPod is the preferred method, and there are a variety of docking solutions available. The iPod docks into a base which charges the iPod, and an output jack on the base connects the iPod to your stereo via a cable. Some units offer remote controls for your iPod and others do not, but often these remotes are weak and have very limited range and field of reception. We have found that some television or stereo programmable remote control units can be programmed to work with certain iPod docking systems, while others work partially or not at all. It is worth trying if you have a programmable remote.

Some docking units also have a video output for use with the 5G Video iPod, which allows one to watch videos or photos stored in the iPod on a television. We have found that the picture quality is poor on large screen televisions, but ok on a smaller screen. Using a dock with S-video output will provide a far superior picture than units using an RCA connector. As of now, iPods do not support high definition.

There are speaker systems which contain their own amplifier and operate as a stand-alone unit with an iPod. These are not all created equal. Our testing has found that a high price does not always equal high quality. We have found $150 systems which in our opinion sound significantly superior to $400 units. It is best to listen to the various systems before making your selection; or if buying online, follow the recommendations of the seller IF they have tested the systems and can provide you with recommendations based on testing results.

There are alarm clock radios (such as iHome™) which allow you to go to sleep listening to your iPod and wake up to it as well. We have tested the iHome™ and others, and found iHome™ to be our unit of choice.

7. Loading Movies into Your 5G Video iPod

When the Video iPod first came out, I gave it a high ranking on the “Dumb-O-Meter.” Who wants to watch a movie on a 2.5 inch screen? However, after having used one, I have recanted my original opinion. It is now my iPod of choice. Unfortunately, iTunes™ and other MP4 download sites usually have little to offer in the way of legal movies which are formatted to play on an iPod. ITunes™ does have some short films, music videos and television shows, but not much else.

An easy solution for this is to convert your own DVDs into a format that the iPod can play. This can be accomplished by means of a software product called a DVD to iPod converter, such as Cucusoft, Lenogo and others. It is a simple process. Put a DVD in your computer, start the converter program and let it convert the movie to iPod format. Then, move the converted file into your iTunes™ video list. The next time you dock your iPod to your computer, it will load into your iPod. Some converter programs will also convert AVI, MPEG, MPG, WMV and other computer video formats for use on an iPod. This can allow you to convert your family videos and view them on your ipod. IPod movies are great for entertaining children on the road, for the business traveler stranded at an airport or for long airplane trips.

DVD converters we recommend are available here.

8. iPods and your PC

The music files for your iPod are stored in two places: in your PC in the iTunes™ program, and in your iPod. If your PC crashes and you loose your hard drive or have to reformat, you will loose EVERYTHING contained in your iTunes™ folder, including all of the songs you have purchased from iTunes™. Furthermore, iTunes™ does not offer the means to re-download songs you have purchased for free. You will have to buy them again. Neither does the iPod come with a means to load files into a computer. Fortunately, there are software programs which allow you to copy the contents of your iPod into a PC or from one iPod to another. These programs are usually titled “iPod to PC”, or something similar. If your computer crashes, you will kick yourself for not having this program to restore your music files back into your computer.

IPod to PC programs we recommend are available here.

We hope you found this article helpful.

Paul Mccormick
http://www.articlesbase.com/art-and-entertainment-articles/ipod-basics-and-purchasing-guide-58349.html

The “Power Mac” brand name was used for Apple’s high-end tower style computers, targeted primarily at businesses and creative professionals, in differentiation to their more compact “iMac” line (intended for home use) and the “eMac” line (for the education markets). They were usually equipped with Apple’s newest technologies, and commanded the highest prices among Apple desktop models.

A good place for start addressing PCI performance on power Macintosh CPUs is the PCI standard itself.

Other past Macintosh lines that have used PowerPC processors include the Macintosh Performa, iMac, iBook, and PowerBook 5300 and later models. Power Macintosh, or Power Mac, is a line of Apple Macintosh workstation-class personal computers based on various models of PowerPC.

The first models were the Power Macintosh 6100, 7100, and 8100, which offered speeds ranging from 60 to 110 MHz. The initial implementation of the PCI bus on Power Macintosh computers supports up to four peer PCI bridge connections to the main processor bus.

The Power Mac G4 models including the Power Mac G4 (AGP Graphics), Power Mac G4 (PCI Graphics), the Power Mac G4 (Gigabit Ethernet), and the Power Mac G4 (Digital Audio).

The Intel-based successor of the Power Macintosh is named the Mac Pro, in line with the renaming of their professional notebooks from PowerBook to MacBook Pro.

List of Power Mac:

PCI Power Macintosh
Power Macintosh 4400
Power Macintosh 7200
Power Macintosh 7300
Power Macintosh 7500
Power Macintosh 7600
Power Macintosh 8200
Power Macintosh 8500
Power Macintosh 8600
Power Macintosh 8600 Mach 5
Power Macintosh 9500
Power Macintosh 9600
Power Macintosh 9600 Mach 5
Power Macintosh G3 All In One (AIO)

The Power Macintosh 4400 is a high-end Macintosh personal computer designed, manufactured and sold by Apple Computer from 1996 until 1998. The Power Macintosh 4400 was rather different from most other Macintosh models, in that the floppy disk drive is on the left rather than right, and the casing is made of metal rather than plastic. Apple did this to reduce production costs, and in addition also used more industry standard components. The following Power Macintosh are different in the form and characteristics.

Go to the Following Mac Sites. Here you find the new advanced featured of Power Mac Software and peripherals information.

http://www.macmart.com

http://www.sellamac.com

Go to http://www.macmart.com, they offer offers an array of quality used Macs at a substantial discount. They offer first generation G5 Computers, second generation G4 Computers, as well as G3 Models and Power Macintosh Legacy Models. No matter if you are looking for the latest and greatest model or just a quality used Mac, we’ve got what you are looking for and sellamac.com, they offer Asset management services, buy backs, Trade-ins, or Liquidation of large inventories of used Macs.

Harry Johnson
http://www.articlesbase.com/hardware-articles/pci-power-macintosh-71450.html

Thanks,
Maggie Erin <3
the link didnt work, here’s another one.

http://remixer.clubcreate.com/v2/themusicstudio/launch.html
i need a program that also has preprogramed beats.

i using "GoldWave" for music mixing..its freeware…its working fine…try it

A true sports enthusiast loves all kinds of sports and would like nothing better than to have access to every channel–whether that includes Local, National, or International channels. With limited sports available on Cable TV and more on Satellite TV, a void still exist that doesn’t seem to fulfill the lust for more sporting events. Perhaps this never hit home what exactly is missing or needed but what the sport fan doesn’t know can only be attributed to paid-TV brainwashing. However if you think outside of the box, there exist another dimension–Watch Sports Online–which can skyrocket the lust for sports through the roof.

The Internet has become the number one information source Worldwide, and the same may be said about its FTA (free-to-air) television entertainment someday. During 2008, NFL officials made an announcement that they will be streaming Sunday-Night NFL Football games to the Internet. As a result, this gave existing Internet sports channels a tremendous steroid boost. As it looks, this kind of free media is breaking new grounds and causing more people across the globe to take notice. As for now, sports enthusiasts can get access to any and all Worldwide Internet sporting events to their computers either for a fee or for free.

Whether or not your current sports channels are totally depleted, the goal is to enhance more sports channels for TV viewing. There are more Worldwide sporting events available daily for viewing than any paid-TV. Best of all, more channels are constantly being added making ones sports experience quite a satisfying one. Anyone, from all walks of life, and who speaks a different language can have access to this awesome global sports arena.

Now the decision boils done to knowing how to harness the power of the Internet to watch sports online via computer, as well as knowing where. For the already experienced Internet sports fan, s/he with time to spare can scour the Internet for sports websites and channels. This person is considered a do-it-yourselfer who knows or have some idea where to begin.

Consequently if a newbie wanted to save lots of time while lowering the curving and eliminate paying monthly fees, downloading/installing a watch sports online software could be the answer. In a nutshell, this software streamlines your access to 1000s of free Internet TV/Radio/Music/VOD media for a small one-time fee. All the work is done which saves tremendous time if trying to find free sports channels on your own. In essence, all of the free Internet sports channels is delivered right to your computer for instant access.

What else do you get when using a watch sports online software? You get a service that comes as a package and offers a lifetime membership with free software upgrades, channel updates, and tech support. A top sports software can be downloaded to any Windows or Vista desktop/laptop computer with an Internet broadband connection. And there exist software and non-software packages for both MAC and Linux users as well.

Users get safe, legal, and risk-free access when watching NFL/International football, soccer, hockey, baseball, golf, tennis, NBA/college basketball, NASCAR racing, wrestling, boxer, and so much more. This includes receiving access to premium, HDTV, and on-demand channels with good to excellent video quality. Whatever TV or sports issues at home is or when going away, a top watch sports online software eliminates these issues instantly. Download the software to a laptop using a laptop broadband card and watch sports from any location while at home or on the go.

If watching sports on a TV-set is preferred, then connect your computer Internet TV using a video connector–it’s that simple. There are a great number of benefits when using software to point and click your way to any sporting event imaginable. And watching a game in full screen while at work, on a vacation/trip, or when living in a college dorm, says a lot about how flexible a top watch sports online software really can be. Two features that helps enhance this entertainment more are daily sports schedules and programming sports alerts. Both will eliminate the chance of you missing a big game, even if there is a local blackout.

Philip Sumpter
http://www.articlesbase.com/art-and-entertainment-articles/never-miss-any-sporting-event-again-watch-sports-online-and-enjoy-while-at-home-or-away-743166.html

Creating your own slide shows can be fun and entertaining, and easy to accomplish. Almost every digital camera now comes with some sort of software to manage your images. Some have more features than others. Some will allow you to create slideshows. Some will add transitions, and allow image durations to be adjusted. You can also use most video making programs to produce slideshows, which is one way to have more control over the outcome. For example, Windows XP offers MovieMaker, which has many of the functions of a full-blown video producer program. The program allows you to set the duration of each picture, the transition between each picture; offers various effects to apply to individual pictures, and allows you to overlay an audio track.

To start, I have found that most digital images need a little adjustment for viewing on monitors. If your program allows it, I recommend increasing both the brightness and contrast just a few notches. Also, if you can, sharpen them slightly. A note about color: colors come in two categories: transparent and opaque. When you prepare images for printing or for viewing on a monitor you must consider how colors interact with each other. Printed colors, when mixed together, go towards black. Projected colors, when mixed together, go towards white. Printed images are usually produced on equipment with a much higher resolution capability than your monitor, so they will appear richer and sharper in print. Most cameras are preset for printing, and that’s why it’s a good idea to sharpen, brighten and increase the contrast on images to be viewed on the pc.

Selecting your images and ordering them are the next important step. It is best to try and tell a story, to have a logical sequence to your images. Don’t show people going in the house before the shot of them getting out of the car. When you are taking pictures, remember that you may make a slide show, and try to take pictures that will present well in that style; for instance, in a room full of people , start at one side and take many pictures as you swing across to the other side of the room. When presented as slides, it will give the effect of creating the complete environment. Vary the duration of the slides; don’t make them all 3 or 5 seconds, make some shorter and some longer. If there’s one person in a picture, shorten it; if there are many people then lengthen it so people have a chance to look at every face.

Once you have assembled the slideshow and applied transitions and effects, you can put the crowning touch on by adding a narration. You can simply choose some favorite or appropriate music, but to really personalize it, a narration is best. Not everyone is a natural speaker, nor does everyone have the most recordable voice for such a purpose. Here’s where you can take advantage of a program like AV Voice Changer Software to create a separate track, or you could use AV Movie Morpher 2.0 to overdub the production. (You can go to http://mp3-player.audio4fun.com/free-audio-software.htm to download the software for free trials). In that case you will have to output the slideshow first and then open it inside theMovie Morpher program. The nice thing about both of these programs is that they can alter the sound of your voice to make it more entertaining. It can deepen or enrich it, or make it faster or slower; it can even change a male voice to a female-sounding voice. It can add special effects for emphasis or dramatic effect. You should work out either a written narrative or an outline of what you will say, practice it, and then record it. The final outcome will be an entertaining, creative, and personal record of part of your life, whether it’s a party, a graduation, or a simple family gathering, you will have created a cherished memory to be shared for all time.

BIO:
Wayne Rice is a freelance journalist, copywriter, photographer and artist. He currently resides in the United States.

Media
http://www.articlesbase.com/information-technology-articles/some-ideas-for-creating-your-own-slideshows-76373.html

Also, get on MSN LOL.

Expert: Frank Green
Contact: www.digitalmaster.com
Bio: Frank Green, owner of DigitalMaster, moved to Nashville, Tenn., more than 24 years ago to further his music recording and production career.
Filmmaker: Dimitri LaBarge

Duration : 0:5:0

Technorati Tags: Audio, devices, equipment, music, recording, software, studio

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Audacity: Free Audio Editor and Recorder · Open Source
A free, open source software for recording and editing sounds in Linux, Mac OS X , and other operating systems.
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Free recording software · Software
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free recording software - freerecordingsoftware
free recording software.

CamStudio - Free Screen Recording Software · Open Source
Records screen activity from the Windows desktop into standard AVI movie files. It is an ideal tool for creating software demonstrations and active …

KRISTAL Audio Engine · Music Composition
16 audio tracks; 32 Bit floating point audio engine; 44.1 to 192 kHz sample rate ; 3-band parametric EQ &; 2 VST insert slots per channel …

Free Software Recording Programs… Studio Recording Software for Free
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Duration : 0:8:1

Technorati Tags: audacity-tutorial, free-recording-software