This past October I ran a half-marathon to Canada and back.

Why? Well, because I like to run, of course, but also because I wanted to raise support for people in Africa who don’t have any water. 

The Pokot tribe, numbering in the thousands, walk up to ten miles a day just to get a drink of water.

That sucks.  :-/

For centuries they’ve used clay pots, typically handmade by women in the village.

But somewhere in history, someone discovered that a jug with TWO HOLES could make… really cool sounds.

Voila… the Udu drum was born!

If you’re hearing the sloshing call of this instrument’s potential for your own music, today you’re in luck. In this article, it’s all about that Udu voodoo, so…

Let’s get wet!

Video Ud’- eo!

So let’s give you a taste of what the Udu can do for you… 

(Hmmm… sounds like a song there…! ) 

In this video, you’ll hear some tones from my own personal Udu drum and how I tend to play it. Enjoy!

It Rises From the Clay!

From the little documentation we have, it appears that the Udu drum originated in Nigeria.

The word “Udu” comes from the Nigerian tribe known as Igbo. In their language, it means “vessel”, or “container”. 

Even today, if you travel throughout Nigeria, you’re sure to find these clay pots everywhere you look. 

They’re used to store grain & field produce… by placing them in the shade, they’re the closest thing villagers have to a refrigerator… 

And of course, they are often used to collect a family’s portion of water for the day. 

They are all so interestingly put up into trees where bees begin a nest and produce honey for them. 

For hundreds of years this interesting take on a drum has been used during ceremonial rites, usually by the women. 

This is not only because they were the ones who gather the clay, mold it, fire it and carry it all the time. The location where the women collect the clay is considered sacred. The women even supplicate and make offerings to a female pottery deity there! 

To women who have served their craft faithfully, the Igbo people bestow upon them a “Potter’s anklet”, immediately confers upon them status and seniority. 

It’s good to know that, even in Nigeria, exceptional artisanship in the musical instrument field is admired and well-respected!

But beyond all the everyday, practical uses of the Udu, how cool that it’s now also revered as a tribal musical instrument. And WE get the benefits!

For a glimpse of Udus being made in Nigeria, WATCH THIS.

Or GO HERE to read what Wikipedia has to say about it. 

The Four Sounds

There are four ways to produce music on the Udu drum, which bring out very different sounds. 

First, there’s the SLAPPING the outer clay with the fingers. This produces high-pitched “CHICK”-s that grow sharper the harder you hit the surface. 

Next, there’s the BASS port. This is the whole that’s in the side of the pot, somewhere near the top or the middle. 

When you quickly cover the bass port with the palm of your hand, you get a very deep, sustaining bass note that’s almost like a low hum. 

The moment you then LIFT your palm from the bass port, you get a more subtle, ascending tone it’s almost like a “whoop”. I think the sound is also very akin to the open-mouthed that a gorilla makes. 

Regardless, it’s a unique voicing that is usually the main thing that attracts attention on an Udu drum. 

The third timbre we can eke out of the Udu is made by using any RING you might be wearing to hit the surface. This will give a much louder, sharper hit that can drive your 2 and 4 like a snare would. The sound is noticeably different from simply tapping with fingers only.

Lastly, you can play the TOP SPOUT of the gourd, where the contents would usually be poured. If the bass port is open when you do this, the sound will be similar to the bass port, a sharp upper frequency added.

If your palm is over the bass port as you hit the top though, you’ll get a fun, mid-frequency “boink” that, used judiciously, always brings smiles out of the crowd. Especially kids. They’ll always be the first to tell you something sounds, looks or smells funny, right?! Lol 

You can actually get a kind of 4th timbre out of the Udu drum by simply RUBBING the outer surface of the clay. This produces an airy, subtle, almost rain-like sound.

It can be appropriate for softer songs, but honestly this method isn’t used often enough for me to do more than just mention it to you.

Combining these disparate timbres into flowing rhythmic patterns can produce a very hypnotic, organic, tribal kind of sound. It’s perfect for “World Music” but it can also complement Western music if used appropriately in the right kind of song. 

I find that the bass frequencies in most YouTube videos online are pretty hard to hear. I did find this one, however, by Fahad Zuberi that not only allows you to hear clearly all three voices on the Udu, but also showcases Fahad’s fine playing. 

Open to New Positions…

The Udu can be played with a few different positionings. Choose your favorite and slap away…

Traditionally, you see the drum sitting in the LAP of players with crossed legs. This is fantastic if you’re gonna go old school and sit on the ground as you play. 

If that’s uncomfortable for you, most Udu drums come with a foam, wicker or cloth RING to set it on. Using this, you can set it out in front of you which tends to set your arms free a little more. 

I find, however, that the leaning forward inherent in this position gets old pretty quick. For that reason it’s my least favorite way. 

The final method is a great one, but it hinges on you making a separate purchase. World Percussion Stands are made by several manufacturers (for example, THIS ONE) you to play Euro to drum up high, standing. 

This is the preferred way to go if you’re playing with more than one other person. It helps you not only play freely, but also lets you be seen more easily, as you mesmerized the audience with your ethno-savage rhythms!! 

Even if I’m on a stripped-down gig with a songwriter or instrumentalist, I tend to play the Udu on a stand, while standing. The reason is simple… 

… I’ve yet to find a guitar-playing songwriter that would sit on the ground with me!! Lol 

Slap Capturin’!

I’ve played the Udu drum both in the studio and live. I’ve used a variety of mic methods, and over the years of doing so I’ve landed on one technique that is my favorite. 

The reason? It catches the various sounds of the drum better than any other method. To my ears at least. 

If you tape a flat-headed, omni-directional lavalier mic INTO the top spout of the drum, and tape it close to the bass port, you’ll get a very full, rich representation of what the Udu can do. 

The only drawback to this method is the wire the way of you playing the top spout. I find you can still get the sound out of it, but I tend to avoid the spout mostly when doing this because, frankly, I don’t want to break my mic cable! 

I personally use the top spout hit least, so for me it’s not that big a deal. YMMV. 

THIS MIC by Countryman works great for this technique, though it’s not cheap. A little duct tape and this baby will get you rocking in no time flat!

Any mic that is small and flat, like the Countryman though, will work fine. Just remember that if you use a lav mic you’ll need a lav transmitter & receiver too. I have a whole package that I use live with everything.

The second best method I’ve found is to tape a flat-headed cardioid lavalier mic on the outside of the drum, near the bass port. 

If you use this method, just make sure that the microphone is out of the way of your playing. It’ll still pick up the nuances of the drum quite well. The bass frequency response will not be quite as full, however. 

If you don’t have any lav mics, then you can use the method I see all the time on YouTube. That is, just point a microphone on a stand near to the bass port about two feet away. 

A full-spectrum condenser mic is your best option here, though if you’re playing live and wanting to avoid feedback, you may have to stick with a simple dynamic mic and boost the bass on your mixer EQ. 

Whichever way you choose, the first time you hear your Udu drum through a sound system, you’re going to be transported to whole new worlds of inspiration. 

Go for it – you’ll have a slammin’ good time! 

Size ’em Up

Udu drums come in small to medium sizes. I have yet to see a really large one. 

The one I own is 15 in high, which is about the size of most that I see in stores. 

They make ones that are much tinier, but their bass response is diminished so I’m not that interested. The bass port tones are what make the drum the most compelling to me, so I wouldn’t want to do without them. 

I also find that the larger they are, the easier they are to play from a lap position. This is typically the route I choose when recording in the studio, so I’m usually sitting in my mixing desk chair. Works for me! 😉 

Land on a Brand

I can only speak for the LP brand of Udus, since that’s what I have. Mine has served me well for over a decade now, with nary a break, crack or change in timbre.

I know that Meinl also sells quite a few of these drums, and they also have a very good reputation. I’ve purchased many Meinl products in my day, to complete satisfaction. 

For example, if you missed our post on Cajon drums, where I talk about my Meinl Cajon, READ IT HERE.

In any case, a quick Google search of “Udu drum” will have you G.A.S.-ing for hours over the limitless options. 

Just don’t forget to eat. Like I did writing this article. 😮 

Other Variations

Various musical instrument developers and inventors have put their own spin on the drum over the past few decades. Here are the most popular reimaginings that I found: 

One drum not enough for you? Try three! The triple Udu drum, which you can SEE HERE, is bound to keep you busy… for a few sessions at least.

You’ll get slightly different tones and frequencies out of each pot, so it does make for good variety the more Udus you have.

The Utar is basically an Udu drum that’s been squished! Some find it easier to play, based on their hand size and shape. I don’t personally, but to each their own.

See MORE INFO HERE if that shape interests you.

The Hadjini is a fairly recent addition to the lineup. It’s like taking two Udus and joining them at the spouts. 

One additional plus in the Hadjini is that it comes with two small holes to fit in lav’ mics. That’s awesome for those of us that prefer this method of mic’ing. 

Here’s a very entertaining and insightful look into Udo expression during a live concert in Paris: 

These option are only just the tip of the iceberg. There’s a lot of variations on this clay drum. Some more bizarre than others. 

My take is go with the tried-and-true traditional Udu first. Then, once you’ve established a groove… you can go crazy!! 😉 

A Pro Class in Clay!

Before we leave, I thought I’d turn you on to a masterful percussionist who gives us a great glimpse into Udu potential. 

Bashiri Johnson is a New York City professional who’s played with the best (Sting, Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, Lionel Richie, etc.).

In the following video he provides the perfect rhythmic complement, on an Udu drum, to some soulful original music. Check him out!! 

Tappin’ into a World Beat

The world is full of all kinds of music. Tonal, atonal. Organic, electronic. Ambient and percussive. The certain instruments may not be everybody’s cup of joe, but one thing’s for sure… 

It’s all good! Ain’t nothin’ but a groove thang, yo! 

So next time you’re in the mood to get all SLAP-happy… pick up an Udu drum.

It’s sure to be an instant HIT. 😉

Now, go… make… sounds!! 

Teaj

The end of 2018 is just hours away, and we here at Seriousgas are putting to bed our last, facetious article of the year.

It’s important to always have worthy goals, so today we submit for your perusal our “Gearheads New Year’s Resolutions List”.

Perhaps you’ll find some of these goals resonate with your own objectives for the new year. Or perhaps you’ve already tried them? Or maybe they remind you of a bad dream you had once?!

Regardless, no worries. Resolutions aren’t for everybody. And anyway… even slackers accomplish something eventually. lol

Defeat the Foam Monster!

It all started innocently enough.

After all, in order to properly construct an isolation booth, or corner, or room, you need… what? Acoustic foam, of course.

So I bought a big studio foam package and put it up.

Then I bought some more supplementary foam, and put that up.

Then some more.

And some more.

And some more…

About this time that I started to notice things disappearing. Not physical things, mind you, just sounds.

Like when someone would try to call me on the phone would ring in the studio. I never heard it. Yeah, the ringer was on. But somehow the sound just got swallowed up.

But I kept putting up foam, thinking, you know, it’s just what you do in the studio, right?

Soon I was encountering a real problem. That is, I would record audio, see multiple waveforms clearly in my Pro Tools display, but couldn’t hear it, no matter how many times I press play.

I started disassembling, and then reassembling, gear; swapping out cables; trading monitors with other audio gearheads: making each and every plug-in inactive.

Nothing worked. All my work was as silent as the grave.

Then one day my wife walked into the control room. I turned to look at her and noticed she was talking right at me.

But I couldn’t hear a word.

I open my mouth and responded, saying, “Are you trying to pull a fast one on me by only moving your lips??”

But when I spoke I heard not a syllable that I uttered.

Then it hit me, like a ton of Auralex. My studio gear wasn’t malfunctioning – I just had installed waaaay too much foam.

Yes, friends, I had created a soundwave monster! It devoured every humming morsel, every ringing tidbit, every vibrating frequency from soft whisper to standing wave!

We were lost… in an aural vacuum of tonal nothingness!! Oh… the HORROR!!!

It’s because of this that, for the new year, I shall cautiously enter the control room and see if, bit by bit, scale by scale, square by square, I can reduce this sucking morass of a beast down to a manageable audio partner.

One that mitigates noise, but cannot steal a newborn song’s soul before it can even crawl on its four verses!

Wish me luck. If you never hear from me again… It’s not because I’m not SCREEEEEAMIIIIIING into the VOOOOID… !!!

Fulfill the Sacred Monitor Quest!

For decades now… I have searched.

Easter Island.

Oymyakon, Siberia.

Tristan da Cunha.

Motuo, Tibet.

The clearance section at Target.

I’ve looked high, I’ve looked low, but nowhere have I found the treasure I seek…

The perfect studio monitor.

But I know it’s out there. I have read the legends.

I have heard with my own two ears the whispers of its transcendence… from the palms of Siwa Oasis to the yak-driven plateau of ChangTang!

This cunning, elusive and beguiling entity is what we audio engineers have needed, desired, yea… even wept, and wailed for, in the inner sanctum of our Control Room.

The perfect monitor! Speakers that will sound out our mixes with perfect clarity, balance and layered nuance.

A revered transducer that will bequeath unto us a “Final Mix” that will sound absolutely perfect on each and every sound system known unto man!!

This… this is what I seek!! And I shall not be thwarted!!

And I believe this is the year my quest comes to an end! For I have laid eyes upon the Maeshowe’s Runes on the Orkneys, and have discerned its true, hidden meaning.

My 2019 journey to fulfill this ambition will not be easy, however, for, if I am right, I will need to travel thousands of miles.

First, by plane. Then, by boat… by helicopter, dog sled, kayak and, yes, even miles by foot to even get near the Sacred Speaker’s resting place.

But I shall do it!

I shall ascend the ice that circumscribes the settlement of Ittoqqortoormiit, Greenland!

I shall surmount the loose scree slopes!

I shall breach the veiled snow door of Manjkhapurtee!!

And there, for you… for me… for all audio kind… I shall at last obtain that coveted relic!

And, yes… I will do a selfie for Instagram. 😮

N.A.M.M. Will never be the same…

Dither Me, Baby!

If you’re a pro audiophile, you know about dither. You know that sometimes putting some NOISE into an audio file is just the ticket for smoothing things out and avoiding frequency content distortion.

What you might NOT know is that dither has so many uses even the mighty Wikipedia hasn’t dared to mention.

For example, did you know it can save marriages? Oh yea. No joke. It’s all about signals being clear, right? Discernible, with no distorted meanings.

So, the next time you and your significant other are having a moment of misunderstanding, where he or she just doesn’t seem to get that you’re right about something (‘cuz, ya know, you clearly are!), try introducing dither into the dialogue.

When he or she gives you that look (you know the one), and you know they’re going to go off on a litany of reasons you’re bonkers, just start dithering.

Remember, though, dither is not just uninterrupted white noise. It’s full-spectrum “filler” that’s put in between the real McCoy audio snapshots.

What that means for you and your, uh. “conversation challenge” is that you need to interject noise in a punctuated, non-continuous manner.

Here’s a recent example from my current family vacation at Disney World:

Wife: “You’re not in the right lane.”

Teaj: “Yea. So?”

Wife: “So you need to be in the right lane.”

Teaj: “Uh… why?”

Wife: “Because you’re going to be turning right soon.”

Teaj: “Um… that’s not for a mile and half, dear.”

Wife: “Yea, but these vacation tourist drivers are crazy. We don’t wanna get stuck! Or hit!!”

(It’s at this point that I introduce some awesome, marriage-saving pro audio DITHER to the conversation. My personal dither setting sounds like a mix between an old modem connecting to the Internet and Darth Vader breathing…)

Teaj: “Okay (KHHKHHKHKHKHKHHKHKHKHKHK), I’ll start switching lanes. But (KHHKHHKHKHKHKHHKHKHKHKHK), you know, there’s no real (KHHKHHKHKHKHKHHKHKHKHKHK) hurry. And the traffic (KHHKHHKHKHKHKHHKHKHKHKHK) isn’t really that bad here. Take a (KHHKHHKHKHKHKHHKHKHKHKHK) look. (KHHKHH)”

Wife: “Oh, yea. I see. You’re right. Wow, why didn’t I see that before?! You’re such a better driver than I am. Like so many things… Honey, let’s drop the kids off at Hollywood Studios and go back to the hotel. (wink)”

Teaj: “Sure, hon’. Whatever (KHHKHHKHKHKHKHHKHKHKHKHKHKHHKHHKHKHKHKHHKHKHKHKHKKHKHKHK) you think is best (wink back).”

As you can see, dither is a powerful tool when used sparingly, with discretion and the slightest fader push of informed whimsy.

Make it your personal resolution to engage some dither into your 2019 days. You won’t regret it!

2nds, Please!

Finally, I’m going to join in with a New Year’s resolution that audio engineers often make in professional studios. That is, to give their 2nd Engineers more time at the controls.

My 2nd, Pippin (seen to the right with me), is always asking me for more time to practice tracking and mixing.

He’s really gotten a lot better in the last year. Before that he was too much of an undependable, juvenile adolescent to trust him with a big session.

But recently he’s really proved himself. Before Christmas, he tracked and mixed a new song he’d written all by himself, and it sounded great!

He called it, “To All the Bones I’ve Loved Before”. Says he thinks it could crack the Billboard charts. I don’t know about that, but his mix impressed me.

Yea, he still leaves fur in the faders, and I have to wipe off the occasional slobber on my computer keyboard. But he’s a responsible craftsman now, so for 2019… I’m going to let him take the chair more!

Maybe you can do the same for your 2nds?! You know… you need to throw ’em a bone sometimes. 😉

That’s a Wrap!!

Well, 2018 has been great!! Our website, just like your amount of GEAR (we hope), has grown by leaps and bounds its inception and this year was no exception.

And YOU are the reason! Thanks to all of you who stop by here at Seriousgas often and inflate your gear love with the rest of us.

There can never be to many stories of how our music equipment makes our lives more rockin’ so continue to share your comments, accolades, insights and absurd audio memories. We love ’em all!!

One thing’s for sure: in 2019, just like always, there’ll be no lack of exciting new music equipment to get a slavering and salivating for the latest and best.

We’ll hit shopping carts online with ya later. But for now, may all your pro audio promises and digital dreams come true.

But until then, go… make… sounds!!

In 1979, Michael Jackson’s “Off The Wall” album dropped and soon was rackin’ up the hits.

Being into soul music, I was a fan, and for Christmas Eve that year, my parents gifted me his album AND a brand new Sony Walkman to listen to it on.

Just it time too. Christmas morning I was up at 5 a.m. delivering HUGE, heavy newspapers in a mild blizzard!

Michael’s hot, funky grooves made the storm far more tolerable, and I was more inspired than ever to make my OWN chart-toppin’ music one day.

Free music recording software was not even a thought in anyone’s MIND yet however, let alone a product I could use to start creating my own songs.

Today? It’s a different story. I’ve got no less than four different software programs on my computer for making music, and hundreds of hardware pieces to go along with them.

As we go into Christmas Eve tonight, I invite you to celebrate with me, not only the reasons for the season, but one of the most life-changing realities of our musical times…

…. the fact that we can now make our own albums… our own music… for FREE!!

Add a good pair of headphones, and we’re in audio nirvana!

Audacity

We’ll start with one of the simplest – Audacity. I’ve dabbled with this program for a few years now, so I know it pretty well.

If you’re just beginning to explore audio recording, I highly suggest this software. It’s intuitive, easy and offers just enough parameters to whet your appetite but not so much that you get lost in confusion. It’s also available on Windows, Mac and Linux.

If you’ve never experienced the joy of recording an instrument, then hitting record again to sing along to that instrument, download Audacity and give it a try. If you’re like me, you’ll be hooked for life!

Not only does Audacity allow you to multitrack, it also provides quite a lot of effects for you to use make your audio sound a lot less “ordinary”. Reverb, delay, chorus, flanger, fade in and out… the list is quite extensive.

Are these effects going to be professional-grade? No. But neither do they sound terrible.

If you go into the software knowing it’s not professional-grade, satisfied with its results.

There are two drawbacks that I find, however, that you need to consider:

First, if you want to export your music as an MP3, you’ll have to download and install a separate encoder to enable that. With MP3 being so ubiquitous, it’s pretty lame that it’s not supported audacity, but hey, at least there’s a work-around.

The second drawback is a big one though – all the editing you do in Audacity is destructive. This means that every edit you do on your recording actually changes the waveform.

What this means for you practically is that if you decide that you’ve made a mistake, your only option is to “undo” it.

This is fine if you just made that edit, but what if TEN edits back you added EQ, and now you want to take it off?? And you’ll have to undo 10 times, losing ALL the work you did after that as well.

This destructive editing is the biggest reason why audacity is not used professionally. Downloader beware!

Pro Tools First

I first started using Pro Tools back in 1994. Amazingly, it was the industry leader then, and still is even today, over 20 years later!

There’s not a lot of products you can say that about.

The free version of Pro Tools known as “First” has its limitations, but compared to other free options out there, it’s quite powerful.

Its sound quality is great – you can put down 96 kilohertz/ 32-bit audio with this software. Of course that’s only if your hardware also supports that level of quality.

Pro Tools First also gives you 20 audio plugins right outta the gate. This is so cool for those who have not yet worked with plugins, gives you an insight into a whole new world of possibilities.

The number of plugins available is endless, and I have plenty of recording friends who are plug-in “junkies”. Pro Tools limits you to 20 here, but that’s not a bad thing. Better to use a few tools well, than many tools in a mediocre fashion.

Pro Tools First also does not offer MP3 or M4A file exporting, but since it’s a professional platform, those using it won’t typically WANT to export compressed audio, so it won’t be missed.

The only drawbacks to this software are:

1) you must have Internet access to use it. You will actually be recording to Avid’s Cloud setup, so all clips and files will not be on your computer.

2) You are limited to THREE active projects. To record more, you’ll have to finish one of your songs up and delete it.

3) It’s computer demanding. It’s around 800 megs just to install it. Thus, if you have a small computer with not much memory and storage capability, you should try another option.

On the other hand, this program it’s a big help for someone ready to invest money in recording software, but who is not sure which platform to use.

If you find, like me, that Pro Tools is the industry leader for good reason, simply upgrade to a paid version for unlimited projects and tracks.

Garage Band

For those of you who work on a Mac computer, GarageBand it’s probably quite familiar. It’s the program already loaded for free in your Mac when you buy it.

It’s quite easy to use, and gives you lots of options to explore.

One reason I like this software comes from the fact that I’m a music teacher: it has a built-in sound and loop Library that allows even non-musicians to make some pretty cool music.

This often has the encouraging outcome of leading people to try an instrument, or singing, or further loop production, or… whatever! As long as it gets people interested in music, I’m a fan!

GarageBand is typically not used professionally for one big reason: audio quality. It doesn’t support 48 kilohertz recording, which has become such an industry standard now the even I always use it every time I start a new song.

But if you’re not looking to actually put out an album with this software, it’s a good option to investigate on a Mac computer.

Reaper

Reaper is an excellent software platform. In fact, it has the best audio quality out of any product discussed here today.

How can I say that? Because I personally know the esteemed former Motown sound engineer and audio genius Dr. Ed Wolfrum. He tested all the major recording software programs extensively with his lab equipment and found Reaper to produce the best audio quality by far.

Nothing beats having an inside track on the business. 😉

After the 60-day trial period, you’re supposed to start paying for Reaper, but if you’re using it to learn recording techniques, and are making no money from it whatsoever, and you can keep using it.

The Reaper company hopes that eventually, if you do turn a profit, you’ll remember their generosity and become a paying customer.

Reaper is definitely more complicated than some of the other options here, but it’s because professional platform that has many more options available to you. More options = longer menus.

So the learning curve will be a little higher, but in the final analysis, if you’re all about producing serious audio, Reaper delivers in spades. I use it in my studio, and know two other professionals that I work with in an ongoing basis who also prefer Reaper over other programs.

It’s just that good. 🙂

Podium Free

I had not heard of “Podium” software until researching for this article this week. Not surprising though, since I keep up with pro audio stuff by going into stores a lot, and stores don’t tend to carry FREE items.

Gee… I wonder why. Lol

Reviewers are giving it a thumbs-up across the board though, and my subsequent glimpses of its specs, ease-of-use and feature set definitely show it warrants a closer look.

It’s a Windows–only program, which may be its biggest detriment.

The developer of this program has been upgrading it slowly. Supposedly he’s more concerned with stability as the software ages than “bells & whistles”. For this reason, I didn’t find any user complaints of crashes at all. Quite the opposite. If you want a program that is stable, dependable and rock-solid, Podium appears to lead the way.

It has the look of a program that’s “not-quite-finished”, at least compared to the pro software that I use. But since it’s free, I don’t think we really have anything to complain about! Plus, how it works is far more important, and users are saying across the board that its got a winning, understandable user interface and workflow.

I like that this program also gives you full functionality compared to its upgraded big brother. It’s also great that it can work on a 64-bit computer system like what I work on. Very cool.

The biggest drawback to Podium Free is that it remains a SINGLE-CORE platform. No matter how many cores you have in your computer setup, Podium Free only allows one to power your plugins.

Thus, if you are the person who has serious, beefy, CPU-intensive plugins and are not afraid to use ’em, this probably isn’t your best choice. Sure, you could change and be “plugin conservative”, constantly monitoring how much you’re taxing your system and rarely bringin’ out your big guns, but who wants that?? I wouldn’t.

Other than that, I actually like the program. As always, it’s all about HOW advanced you are and WHAT you prefer in a DAW that matters.

Ableton Live Lite

This particular software is my least favorite among the bunch, but that doesn’t mean it’s not a powerful platform on which to create some dope music.

The drum & synth programs really rock on this program, and they’re incredibly easy to drop in and create music with, even if you’re not a musician at all. If you’re into Electronic music or Hip-Hop, you’ll probably REALLY like Live Lite.

You can tell that Ableton is into helping people learn to create music. The program not only has a vast “Help” section, they also provided tutorial videos right inside the program to help you get the hang of how to do things. It’s a music teachers dream, in that respect.

Like a couple others on here, you can’t export as an MP3 with this program. But there’s always the possibility of exporting your final song and then using an online file converter.

The user interface is very different from other DAWs, so if you’re used to any professional recording software program, you’ll probably find Live Lite very different, if not maddeningly un-intuitive. If, however, you’re new to recording software, you’ll find it quite ergonomic in feature placements.

There’s also a limit on how many channels you can access with this Lite edition. Once you reach 16 tracks you’re done. The party’s over – sorry!

But, hey, you can always start another song. Or upgrade to a paid version, which opens up many more tracks.

As usual, depends on what you deem important.

All I Want For Christmas is… Software!

With each passing year, there are more options for the recording musician. I was pleased to find at least 5 new programs this season that I had NOT ever heard of available to us. That’s awesome! It means more music, more of the time.

I considered some of these others for this article: LMMS, Cubase LE, Ardour… but after weighing them against what you see here, I found their limitations too much of a detriment. Instead I listed here the ones that I would actually consider using myself, based on feature set and user reviews.

Hope it helps!!

Do you use any of the free music recording software above? Do you think there’s another I should have included?? Do you think all software should be free, along with every video game ever created??!!

Well, let us know in the Comments. I can’t say we’ll agree, but it’s an interesting proposal. Lol

Oh, and if you want to know what some great options are for recording software that you purchase, you’ll appreciate THIS ARTICLE!

Merry Christmas Eve, everyone. Or whatever holiday you’re celebrating. Make it the best by… well, recording a new SONG, of course!! 😉

Now, go… make… sounds!!

Teaj