You can set the 'snap' value in BPM, frames or seconds, so your samples line up easily on the beat, and to help you do this there's an optional info window, when you audition your samples, that displays their length. You can loop any section of the timeline while working on your songs, and each track has its own volume control and mute button, while a global slider controls the overall output level. )? Its approach is simplicity itself - you just use the left-hand folder tree to click on your desired sample folder, and drag files from this folder directly onto any of the eight tracks that appear by default beneath the timeline (although you can add and delete tracks as you need). If you fancy a quick, fun approach to making sampled music, why not download Richard Spindler's Gungirl Sequencer (. Along the way I did have to discard a few that were either confusing or unreliable: some seem to remain in Beta versions for several years. The applications I've chosen to feature in this round-up are those that are easy to get into, yet capable enough to accomplish a variety of serious musical tasks. As I said in our recent in-depth SOS review, I was most impressed with Reaper, but (like some other musicians) found some of its features initially confusing, and many novices seem to end up bewildered by the number of choices available. However, this hasn't proved to be the case. Strictly speaking, Reaper ( is shareware, but given that you can download the full, un-crippled version to try out, some might consider that other freeware sequencers would now be dismissed out of hand. I must mention one particular sequencer application in passing, given the shock waves it has managed to send through the audio community for its slick, professional interface and huge array of functions. Other products are simply classified as donationware: you can download and use them free of charge, but users are encouraged to send a modest financial contribution to help pay the developer's bills and encourage further development (often using Paypal, the most popular way for anyone with an email account to securely send or receive on-line payments using their credit card or bank account). Some are free 'lite' versions of more sophisticated products, while others are free for personal, educational and non-commercial use, but you're encouraged to pay a suggested (small) fee for a commercial licence (in other words, if you end up making money from music you create using it). I'm also surprised at just how many good freeware sequencers are available. It never ceases to amaze me how many talented people find the time to develop and continue to refine the amazing freeware applications available, and are generous enough to release them for all the world to use without charge. On the other hand, not every new PC musician wants to create all their songs using construction-kit software plus thousands of bundled audio loops! There certainly seems to be a demand for serious creative applications that have fewer options and are easier to use, and this is what set me off on my quest to find out what you could achieve with simpler freeware sequencers and audio editors. Even some freeware sequencers manage to baffle the newcomer unused to concepts like automation, external clocking, and so on. Most commercial packages have 'entry-level' versions that are cheaper but may not appear much simpler to the novice, since they merely cap the maximum numbers of simultaneous audio/MIDI tracks, soft synths and insert plug-ins, while their menus remain awash with options. Musicians new to PC sequencing often feel overwhelmed by the sheer number of features provided by the flagship versions of modern MIDI + Audio sequencing packages, and are on the lookout for easier-to-use applications. Not only are these applications easier to use than commercial packages that can be confusingly feature heavy, they're also extremely easy on the wallet.
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