Any real producers here. Or are you all just MP3 Dj's

[FaX-01]

Hell the one thing I most definately am not is a DJ .
I get far too anal over micro details in midi edits and sound programming etc..
Most guys here bang out tracks like god knows what.
Never been able too.
Anything I do I take at least 4 weeks minimum too finish.
That said I use create my own loops from scratch / very rarely use synth presets and make life hard for myself in general .
I use LIVE as my main composing environment.
The only "sample based CD's" I own are all Professional Reason refills that focus on sound banks for NNXT and most of those are patched into custom Combinators in Reason 3 anyway.
Reaktor I use other peoples ensembles but program all my own snaps and presets etc ....(thanks Mum & dad for the upgrade embarassing thing for a 37odd year old too say )
Kubik I use all custom patches and have a sound bank of my own included in the purchased product.
etc etc etc ....
What ever works for you.
Live is part instrument , programming device and compositional tool here.
Production is just part and parcel of working on your own IMHO.

[Freakybeatz]

I lUV PRESETS.... (just a shame that 99% of them are either complete horsepoo or already overused)

I dont see the issue in using presets. Why spend hours programming a piano sound when theres a perfect one right there...to me its just a bit anal.
When it comes to signature sounds, tweak and bleep to your hearts content, keep it original, but lets not spit on some truly useful meat and potato presets...!

In regards the Producer / DJ question. I think the lines are beginning to blur. Give it a few years and there wont be such a thing as a DJ. By definition a DJ spins Discs!

I used to DJ with something called "Vinyl", packed that up and moved into music production over 10 years ago, now I couldnt beat match 2 12"s to save my life but I can sound like an Ibiza God with Live with very little effort, but that dont make me a DJ.

Infact it was the whole "DJ orientation" that stopped me looking at Live as a serious production tool, sticking with the "Industry Standard" Protools rig. Boy was I dumb!

Since buying Live, I havent personally written anything with Protools, and my creative flow has gone through the roof.

Protools is now for client projects and maybe master mixes of LIVE sets (until I master the art of mastering within LIVE) Still love Digidesigns baby, but LIVE just gives me the Horn!

In regards the serious studio / weekend hobbyist thingy, I'm a full time producer / remixer / mangler / composer who rarely needs to step inside a "big commercial studio" thanks to the likes of LIVE. From Conception to Mastering its all in house and when I say "in house" I mean one small room. (OK so if I'm working with a large band or specialist musicians who require 10 different mic's and a cappucino, I take them to a big place, satisfy their egos and bring the disk back here...

Remember size aint everything....

Freakybeatz

[MJL]

the best thing about this program is that EVERYBODY and ANYBODY can and is making music with it - mash ups / bash ups / stealing / tweaking / top of the head / bottom of the barrel ....whatever it is. I f**kn love this program because whenever I look at the forum, everyone is here. I don't see the same variety on the cubase forum, the reason site and all the rest.....everyone keep doing what you do, and soon we'll have a stable version 5 to rival version 4 !
me - I use this thing to sketch / tweak/ mixdown with real guitars and basses and the impulse is the bomb.
keep those fingers tapping.

[polyslax]

Music?! Is that what this is all about then?

I'm just here for the pr0n links!

[mike holiday]

i bang boxs and drop wax