Short loops, drum beats and sound effects, the kind often found on relatively inexpensive sample CDs, are basic tools for laying down most any kind of music track. While work like this is exactly what samplers were designed for, you don’t need to invest in one unless you’re doing a lot of work with chromatic instruments or strings. You can get the same job done using any Creative Labs soundcard that supports “SoundFonts” and a SoundFont editor program like the Vienna SoundFont Studio.

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Are you a songwriting prude? Do you sigh and shake your head when someone mentions "rhyming dictionaries"? Well, folks, I hate to break the news, but the information highway is plowing a great big road right through your creative process and perhaps it 's time to jump on board.

So if you have been hesitant to use all these "new-fangled" tools or just haven't been made aware of them, here 's your chance to see what "high-tech" songwriting is all about. Don't worry. It 's not going to tell your creative side to go sit in the corner. Rather it will open your eyes to just what is available.

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Should You Play Live Or Use A Computer?

by kevin03
With the computer being able to do so many composites' in the new era you might wonder should you play live or should you just synthesize every sound needed in the comfort of your own home? Many wonder this every day, with the computer you can make virtually any instrument sound with ease and have them play at the same time. If you are considering this option, think about the things you can do either way. Playing live means that you can see your audience, but you can't so much with a computer.

MIDI files are one of the types that are used to simulate the sounds of instruments. As time has progressed, the sounds have become less electronic sounding and more realistic. The MIDI format is primarily used on Mac Pc 's . They utilize plug ins that are already existent, plus you can always download more of them. This makes them very appealing to those who just seek to make music using a computer rather then going live.

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New Online Label Store VirtualMusicMarket.com Debuts

Nashville songplugger Raleigh Squires, a 30-plus-year veteran of the music business, has announced the opening of a new Internet record label/music download store at www.VirtualMusicMarket.com.

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Update 5/22: The winning song was announced last night: Time Of My Life by Reggie Hamm. Mr. Hamm's bio is below. However, based on Idol's low key approach to the song's announcement (amazing that Hamm's name was NEVER mentioned on the show), it just adds fuel to the fire. Does this mean that:

a) Idol is aware of the growing discontent with the contest and chose to low-key it.
b) Hamm specifically requested to "fly in under the radar"
c) This is the end of this songwriting contest.
d) All of the above.
e) None of the above.

Who knows - and will we ever know? Either way, certainly no disrepect to Mr. Hamm is implied. (or any other songwriter). Hamm is an accomplished writer and we wish him the best of success in his career.

Now back to the original article:
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On the eve of the 2008 American Idol finale, there is a growing conspiracy theory about the songwriting contest. Last year's winner had relationships with American Idol. This year's winning songwriter has a working relationship with last year's winner. What's wrong with this picture?

For the second year in a row, American Idol has run this songwriter contest, allowing people from all over the country to enter in which the winner will have their song sung and recorded by the winning Idol. At $10 per entry, American Idol – more accurately 19 Entertainment Co made a few hundred thousand dollars off the submissions. Was the general public "conned" into thinking they had a shot at being "discovered"?

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If you have been recording or producing music via a computer, you may have heard the term VST. What is VST and how does it figure in to playing, recording, and editing music?

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