DAW for kids

[EldorBoye]

Thanks, but these options kind of involve more finances than I had planned or investment of time that I don´t really have searching for free loops on the net. I did that as a fairly young lad and enjoyed it, but not now.

Not disregarding Sonar at all. They seem to only include EDM loops in the entry level version, though, requiring Platinum to get more.

[Zexila]

Did you checked ones I posted, some of this stuff really delivers what you want, Mixcraft (not Home Studio) is not even entry level like others listed and there's ton of content coming with it.

Yeah, updated my post in the mean time, here's the links:

https://www.cakewalk.com/Products/Music-Creator
http://www.magix.com/int/samplitude-music-studio/
http://www.magix.com/int/music-maker/
http://www.acoustica.com/mixcraft/
http://www.acoustica.com/mixcrafths/

Or you can just get a kid cheaper second hand MacBook (which got more than decent on-board soundcard too) for the money you are willing to spend on a DAW with Garageband and get over with all this, introduce him with Logic at some point, he will be grateful for it on long run, than all this entry level jazz.

[EldorBoye]

Mixcraft looks quite on point for a beginner, really. Not sure how long it will be enough for him, but I'm starting to realize you can't have your cake and eat it too unless you go Mac and Logic (possibly via GB). He has a PC now for other reasons (school), though, so perhaps Mixcraft will have to do and I'll teach him Logic on my Mac of he's hooked.

[Zexila]

I'm voting for Mac route, he doesn't need much of a machine this early on for sequencing loops and using stock instruments, I have late 2006 white Macbook and this thing goes for less than 100 bucks these days and it's enough for his needs, you can score some 2009/2010 one for 150-200 bucks, at least around here, maybe even cheaper somewhere else.

Also this cans will do the job for him.
https://en-us.sennheiser.com/over-ear-headphones-hd-201

Maybe even get him something like this:
http://www.akaipro.com/product/mpk-mini-mkii
http://www.akaipro.com/product/lpk25

Kids in that age are like sponges, so better invest in future now and teach him GarageBand and he will naturally evolve into Logic in his own time and be comfortable with using it.

[EldorBoye]

A Mac is not an option.

[Zexila]

A Mac is not an option.

Shame, poor kid.

[JonSolo]

I would go with FL Studio. It has a work flow that appeals to the very thing your son is already doing. It has an easy low starting point and plenty of room for growth.

[EldorBoye]

Really like FL Studio, only thing I'm not sure of is loops – of they're included an if it's well implemented.

(And I have a Mac for myself with Logic, but he already has a PC for school projects)

[Zexila]

Think FL lack loops and stock content is barely decent in this case, also whole pattern thing is really confusing, being one newcomer or advanced, it's counter intuitive, at least in traditional DAW's one can understand that all that channels in playlist/arrangement view are different spices of his meal which he can use in any point in time, in FL, it's like dropping/working with spoons/mixture of different spices instead, like preparing something on the side, than dropping all that in the pot, that get's really unnecessary when one wants to drop just one spice at the time, really unnecessary step to create pattern for every single channel.

[ras.s]

Since you already got it and know your way around it, after installing FL Studio on his computer, you could of course just go around shopping for loops. 50 of whatever the currency you deal with will get him enough to get started and keep on going for a good while.

I'm using Bitwig as my main host and me and my 12 year-old have had a blast using it together, I'd recommend that as an alternative as well. There's a fair amount loops that come with and it has the kind of clip arranger Ableton Live has, but for me at least, it's easier to get my head around (and I suppose for my son as well).

Some tactile controller might be good though, either grids or something to beat on. Music is more than just clicking a mouse, ...

In any case, best of luck, this is exactly the kind of brain-washing a parent should put their children through. ;-)

[EldorBoye]

Hm, got me doubting FL now. Used it years ago when it was Fruity Loops mainly just to create loops, not to finish projects. If it doesn't glue well with the whole composition, perhaps it's not worth it.

[ras.s]

Well, these things are very personal choices -- as you can figure out from the wide variety of suggestions. Some piece of software just clicks with the user and the other one doesn't, even though it's the greatest thing under the sun for someone else.

The major benefit of FL right now is that you can just download the latest version and install it and go for a ride with your kid (or just try it yourself first, you got the license). He'll have something of his own to work with. The application itself is without doubt a fine piece of software, by 2016 it's very mature and has a user base counting in, I don't know, at least tens of thousands? It's been around long enough to be heard on countless records by now.

Something I think might be particularly good about it for a kid is the pattern side of it, that is, the user creates patterns and then arranges them on the timeline. A very fundamental lesson learned there already about arranging, how songs are made of parts, how often they repeat and so on. Plus the parts can be modified without changing the whole arrangement. And even then, it's not necessary to work with loops and patterns but things can be done directly on the timeline just the same. The step sequencer side of it is visually a great thing for understanding rhythm, how moving things around changes things, etc.

I know a few musicians who use it exclusively and while I like many things about it, the thing that has kept me from getting into FL Studio myself is the mixer. But that's me, I'm a bit of a mixer fetishist. But even if the mixer turns out to be some sort of a problem later on, you and your kid can take the exported tracks from his projects and take them over to your Logic, where you're more familiar with the mixing aspect and you can then show him that side of things.



I myself got into music when I was 13 and for better or for worse, my first instrument was a computer running a tracker. Your kid will have tons of fun compared to me trying to decipher on my own what on earth a tracker is about.. :P ...even though even I had so much fun that I got hooked and I'm still on that same trip. It isn't so much about the tools but about the interest and feeding that interest, taking steps and making some sort of progress every once in a while.

[ATS]

bought my nieces acid music and they loved it

[Zexila]

Hm, got me doubting FL now. Used it years ago when it was Fruity Loops mainly just to create loops, not to finish projects. If it doesn't glue well with the whole composition, perhaps it's not worth it.

It's not, just because people mock FL for been toy, it's not for kids by any means, I tried it on more mature newbie, but after I showed him MuLab, Bitwig, Logic, Reaper and who knows what more, he freaked out about Reaper and FL, go figure why, they have unnecessary steps and are little confusing, they maybe work for someones workflow, but in general, not that intuitive.

Mixcraft definitely, it also got clip launching area like Bitwig, comes loaded with content you seek, quite affordable too, in other thread someone wanted something close to Logic/GarageBand factory offering on Windows for songwriting and got himself Mixcraft.

[EldorBoye]

Funny how ras.s made the part of FL Studio I a minste felt not to be so great appear as a deal breaker. There certainly is no objektive truth here, and great post, ras.s.

Installed Reaper on his PC to check out, but found it not so easy to make music on straight out of the box. He'll benefit from something where it's easier to just get a little groove going.