KoCha, the picture of my studio is pretty old , I don't know ..like 3-4 years old. actually it was the moment when I just finished setting up the room dedicated to music production and other computer-based stuff, like graphics etc..., before I had to share space. So, yeah, it was a sort of happy moment for me <IMG SRC="
http://www.interruptor.ch/cgi-bin/discu ... /happy.gif" ALT=":)">, I've build actually allots of stuff, the mixer-table/rack, speakers-stands, vary other stuff... all from cheap 2x4 and 4x4 ..., just finished it, so it looks maby like some sort of fancy studio... really it's just a basement space, turned into recording-room. Acoustics in that room is absolutely terrible. i can't really use speaker-monitors for mixing. near-field sort of works, but I still most of the time using AKG-headphones. <BR>Also all my gear are old and really not up to "speed", especially on computer-based side. <BR>I am seating on Windows95, and very slow computer 120-pentium and I have 16Megs RAM.. heh heh heh. The other computer is actually dieing on me. <BR>The reason I am not moving from W95 is that my 8-port midi-interface is OPCODE MusicQuest *port/SE, and it's a great interface, the only problem is that the producer is DEAD, I think Gibson is in charge of Opcode products now, but what ever is going on, there is NO drivers available for W98 or anything above, and it does not look like ever will be...., so there ..heh heh. <BR>So I am running CakwalkProAudio version 6.0 (actually does everuthing I need ) , well I also use SoundForge4.5 ... for vary audio-editing, especially if I need some sample-editing works done etc... <BR>****** <BR>Now, when you are asking about "composing" I am not really sure what do you mean. <BR>I mean, I understend composing as "writing music" in a tradidional sense. So to "write music". or "to compose" you don't really need anything, I mean you don't really need any synth, or sampler or what ever.... I can understand in a sense, that the SEQUENSER (especially advanced computer-based sequencer) can be actually used a 'composing tool'. But then again, you use it to put notes in order, sort of speak, regardless of what synth, or digital sampler or what ever later the composition will be played on... <BR>Speaking of BEING TOO LAZY to sequence. Yeah! this is actually a good point. I've heard many times from vary musicians, who sometimes say, that it is just TOO EASY to make music nowdays with all these 'sequencers' available... well, the reality is, that it's actually much easier to play music than to sequence it, well, of course if you can play any instrument. <BR>The coollest thing with midi-sequencer is however that if you are piano-keyboard player, then it's just so great to play midi-keyboard/piano/controller in real time and record as midi to computer sequenser, and then you have option to do editing of every note you've played. <BR>This is actually how I compose most of music, especially when it come to leads, melody etc.... I just play through something, sometimes I have something in my mind, sometimes I just improvise, and again you can be very relaxed, not warring much about missing/messing couple notes here and there, because you can always easylly fix it later. <BR>Well, that's the way it is with midi-synth/sample-playback-syth/samplers. <BR>But when it comes to guitars and bass, there you just gottar play it right. Guitars are tough for me... gotta have a good tuned-ear and right attitude and all that. Can't do it in summer time... it's just too hot <IMG SRC="
http://www.interruptor.ch/cgi-bin/discu ... /happy.gif" ALT=":)"> <BR>In my case the most time(ly) process is to sequence drumes. If I had real-drum-kit setup and could play it well... but this is not an option. It's too loud, and I really never could play acoustic drums well. I used to have complete ROLAND-electronic drums kit, which is much easier to play than real drum-kit, but the sounds are really suck, and after some time I figured that I can sequence better drum-tracks than I play on midi-trigger-based kit. It just takes time to sequence, and then to tweak sounds on mixing-desk to get 'samples together'. <BR>****** <BR>btw, this is a bit off the topic, but just to note here, <BR>after some time time, I am really getting that feeling, that the most important "part" of the production set-up is MIXER/MIXING DESK, and knowing your mixer and using it wisely/or using it effectively, or to get most out of it. <BR> <BR>ok, guys, sorry for long post again, <IMG SRC="
http://www.interruptor.ch/cgi-bin/discu ... /happy.gif" ALT=":)"> <BR> <BR>i'll check in back some time, <BR> <BR>later, <BR> <BR>respects, <BR> <BR>/Mike Zee