Need Educated Opinions ASAP

[brewgoodbeer]

I have just unearth unspend money in my music budget. I will be cheating a bit an looking toward next year. I have 3-4k in funds. I am starting a music technology program. While I have been in the industry for quite awhile and have a strong idea of what I want to do, there are a few new wrinkles, that I know of, and I am sure more I do not or that may be coming I would like to take advantage of.

 

We are a mac school, but I have the option of going windows based. The only drawback to a mac system is that I am windows based at home. However if I go with a laptop then I have portability.

 

Regardless I need to put together a purchase order asap before the money disappears.

 

I am leaning toward starting with garage band, reason, and a small version of pro tools.

 

I am also incorporating Sibelius.

 

For an interface I am not sure whether to go with a M-audio device or I have been wondering about the line6 kb37. It has some nice features and looks intuitive for guitarist, but is it limiting in other areas.

 

I am also wondering if a full 88 key midi keyboard is necessary or should I stick with smaller ones.

 

Like I mentioned earlier, I have a idea on which direction. I am looking for a few people to sound off and please give some validation to your opinions.

Remember this is for teaching high school students about the new technology. It is not only about how to use the technology, but also about using the technology to release a nd inspire creativity.

 

So let's hear it.

 

Thanks

[Lee Knight]

Gus is probably your guy here. I would think the M-Audio stuff on the Mac would work well for you. Pro Tools M Powered along with GarageBand.

[brewgoodbeer]

After reading through a couple of other threads, I am thinking that maybe I through out the windows xp platform too quickly. I just to the ADK site. Now I am thinking that might be the ticket, and then I have compatibility at home. Please add the Mac vs PC platform to your thoughts.

 

This is not a power studio situation, but a place for students to learn.

[UstadKhanAli]

I'll just throw this out there. If, say, about 90% of the computers out there are PCs and you are teaching students about music technology, should one try and use PCs? That said, I'm a Mac user (for audio stuff, anyway - I use a PC for other stuff), btw. I'm just wondering.

 

What level are these students at?

 

Obviously, if you are introducing them to simple music programs, Garageband is a great start, and you should disregard what I am suggesting. If, on the other hand, you are really teaching them about the inner workings of a computer as it concerns music technology and all the stuff associated with that, them maybe a PC might be good simply because so many computers out there are PCs?????

[Phil O'Keefe]

Hmm... I'm not certain that I am understanding the questions correctly, but on the issue of Mac or PC... why not get something like a new Mac Mini? They're inexpensive, fairly fast (I bought my wife one for Christmas) and with Boot Camp, you can run either Mac OS X OR Windows XP on the same machine, with equal efficiency.

 

On the subject of interfaces, if you want to run Pro Tools, you need to use either a Digidesign or M-Audio interface - the Line 6 interface is incompatable with Pro Tools.

[brewgoodbeer]

Let me try this again and clear some confusion. If you could start a music technology course in a public school, that not only taught the students to use the technology, but also used the technology to teach them theory, composition, and creativity, how would you technnically stock it? What platform and what software would you feel would be important to use?

 

This might work better. Then I can incorporate your thoughts into what I am thinking, and go from there.

 

Thanks

[monstermaker]

If the goal is to teach music, Sibelius is a good start. I'm sure they offer educator discounts.

[Lee Knight]

I think your original choices are good ones.

 

 

A scoring program of your choice to teach traditional notation and arranging.

 

GarageBand on Mac or Acid on PC to teach how fun and serendipitous creating music can be.

 

Reason for it's ability to cover synthesis, sampling, drum programming, etc.

 

Pro Tools to cover editing, mixing, recording, and because of it's wide spread acceptance.

 

Mac or PC... take your pick.

 

 

The reason I suggested an M-Audio interface was so you could run Pro Tools and anything else you think of in the future with the same box. Digi boxes can be a little finicky with other apps.

[chipmcdonald]

 

Let me try this again and clear some confusion. If you could start a music technology course in a public school, that not only taught the students to use the technology,

 

 

If you're teaching how to use the *technology*, then there's two choices:

 

1) the Typical Pro Tools Big Rig route - the standard issue kind (which is not your budget)

 

2) the PC "do it with what you can get" route (Reaper, cheap I/O, cheap mics)

 

There's no in between; you're either teaching the standpoint of "What you need to get by in the business" or "how to use the concepts" (which doesn't have to be expensive at all).

 

 

but also used the technology to teach them theory, composition, and creativity, how would you technnically stock it?

 

]

Feh, music theory, composition and creativity has little to do with computer technology IMO. If anything it stifles it; someone better already have their theory, composition and creativity going BEFORE they sit down in front of a computer.

 

That's like saying you're going to use a hammer and saw to teach someone how to learn to calculate load bearing, floorplan layout, and architectural design. You build houses with those tools, but they don't have anything to do with what you were thinking *before you picked them up*...