Music mixing software

a lot of people use ableton, its good shit

Awesome, plus karma for you.

yeah i use ableton its legit, just torrent it

serato is a really good program for mixing but you need turntables and a laptop for it though

http://www.rane.com/scratch.html

Live mixing: I use Traktor 3

Beatmaking: Reason 4 and Recycle

Mixing/mastering:  I like protools.  I think protools and the digi rack is the most intuitive and efficient hardware/software combo for producing final mixes, and/or recording live instruments and vocals.

Mashups:  Well, Acid Pro is popular in the dance/electronic crowd.  You can record live "performances" of riding fx, eq, pans, etc.  You can also create markers in order to fade a particular track in and out over the course of a composition.  I suppose you could do the majority of that with Pro Tools, but Acid is easier to pick up and I find it much easier to rip samples, create beats and measures with said samples, and what not.

Creating original beats:  Analog equipment is better.  Sampler/drum machine combo hardware like the MPC, keyboards, synths, etc.  Programs like Reason are fun to play with, but I'm never satisfied with the sound.  It is nice to be able to individually track drums from hi hats, to kicks, to snares.  Of course, you can buy/download sample packs for all of these programs (incl. pro tools) that would contain both drum "single hits" and full loops.  You can integrate Reason into Pro Tools, a definite plus.  Other people swear by Fruity Loops, but I've never used it/seen it.

Oh yeah, BOSS offers really inexpensive kick ass samplers (which you can record live with any legit music editing software) like the Dr. Sample.  Small, and portable....perfect for recording found sounds, weird late night preachers, etc.

+1 great for the dj who likes to produce and do 'mashups' as theyre called.

Also take a look at this

https://www.newschoolers.com/web/content/viewcult/action/view/id/2205/

music producers cult on ns

heres my 2 cents:

true, protools is the number one program for producing your own music and remixing. meaning your gonna need a midi keyboard and probably some midi drum pads. its also the most complicated program out of them all, and it can be really discouraging if your just starting out and learning. if you get good at producing, its a good idea to switch over to protools if you wanna improve.

Reason is more like a VST/synth than an actual program. its got good sounds and its a good idea to use Rewire to hook it up to your main mixing program/sequencer.

for mashups its a good idea to check out Adobe Audition. girl talk uses it and its a really simple program. you can cut/edit tracks on the fly from the sequencer view. if your starting out you should look into this, but for any other uses like actually producing music and making new sounds, this thing blows.

ableton is pretty much your all in one tool. you can DJ, mashup, produce, remix in one package. there are tones of lessons out there on the internet (theres a torrent with a video explaining like everything about ableton i found). its not as complicated as other programs, but takes a while to get it down.

as for going analog. i wouldnt. it costs too much money and you can find so many VSTs on the internet these days that model a lot of analog synths for free (pirated). just get yourself a midi keyboard and you have like an infinite amount of sounds and possibilities. look at the M-audio axiom keyboard, its cheap and its got built in drum pads, 2 birds with one stone.

as for other programs. Acid is old lame shit. and Fruity Loops is more meant for hip hop beats.

Just torrented ableton, thanks guys.

my friend uses virtual dj 5 haha