dj-ing, making beats, ninja tune, newbie questions

Hi, I am an electronic music fan. the stuff i mostly listen to is off the ninja tune label, mainly coldcut. i am also into guys like funki porcini, kid koala, you get the point

I want to start making beats, but i don't even know where to start. It's not like buying a guitar and fiddling around with it. I literally don't even know where to start, what to buy? can somebody help me out and give me a few pointers>

get on kazza and download reason...

or buy it

www.propellerheads.se

Fruity loops or Orion are good sequencing software programs to start. download the demos. see what you like. both programs are all in one programs like reason. That is to say you can sequence music and they also have sound generators. cubase and logic ar just sequencers. you have to buy the sound generators separately. Cakewalk has project nine which is like reason. Supposed to be very kick ass but requires you to have a 2 gig processor and mad ram. basically only for people with computers made in the last year or so. acid is loop based but its the best arranging program I've ever worked with.

really once you have a sequencing program you'll probably want at least one vsti synth plug in like novation, absynth, pentagon, etc.

Theres no hard and fast rules though. some people like to sequence their beats others use loops and samples exclusively. some mix it up. drum and bass is a very sample oriented art form. Recycle is the standard program but most all in one programs like fruity loops have recycle like function built in.

I would say download demos and see what appeals to you before buying. And do buy the stuff. cracked software is unreliable. You'll hate life if you spend hours on a beat and then lose it all cuz of some weird digital snafu. Besides, the software companies aren't like record companies who deserve to get ripped off for putting out britney spears and good charlotte. They're just trying to make a buck and their stuff is very reasonably priced for the most part. unlike photoshop or macromedia. what struggling artist has a thousand bucks to spare for a {censored}ing photo editor? Oops, i'm digressing.

well good luck to ya

thanks for the good info.