Another tool as easy to use as RiffWorks?

[garnold]

I'd like to start recording some songs. Christmas is coming and I have been getting some nice links to some songs....

http://guitar.about.com/library/Christmas_Tab/bl-the-first-noel.htm.

RiffWorks is killer for jamming out and having some major fun so please don't think I'm bashing it at all. Though I find it kind of hard to record a full song.

I have tried Reaper which seems to be another very good product but it's just to complex for a simple guy like me The biggest thing I loved about RiffWorks was how fast I was able to get started, man it was pretty much mindless. I can do without alot of the fancy tools.

If not another program maybe some tips then on how to use RiffWorks for songs?

[redbaron]

Well - the obvious question here is what in particular you found hard about creating full songs with RW? You create (for example) a verse, a bridge and a chorus riff, play guitar, sing along, then drag them into the song layer - and before you know it, there's your song!

Alternatively, if you prefer the camp fire approach, you just strum your entire song along to a single riff and then sing. Or you try a mixture of both and compose the instrumental riffs first, creating the song from numerous riffs, and then sing over the entire arrangement in the song layer. Have you tried that?

Quite honestly I'm only superficially familiar with the likes of Reason, Reaper and Ableton. But I just can't imagine what, especially when all you want is simple song creation, these programs could offer that you couldn't get from RW in a simpler way. My perception is that other recording programs may offer more when it comes to high-end sound processing, mixing, effect batches and post production. But that's not what you're looking for anyway, is it?

[garnold]

You are correct, I'm not looking for any high end features. Again, this is not a bash at RiffWorks and saying that it's just some dumb toy. It does exactly what most folks at home what it to do, record stuff quick and easy.

I guess I never looked at it that way and thought you would only want to record very short segments of music with RW then string them together. I could rather create longer ones and place them together. Ok man cool I guess I just needed another persons perspective on this, thanks

[GuitarSlinger]

You might want to log into Rifflink and check out some completed tunes, to give you some ideas of how people are using it. IMO there is nothing quite as quick and spontaneous, but you can set up looping in a similar way on programs like Ableton and Acid.

[garnold]

Will do, thank you

[yabanada]

Riffworks is a great sketch pad. It is quick and easy and the instant drummer feature is a good compromise for pre done percussion. Wave form editting is extremely limited to some broad volume trend shaping, cutting and pasting to new locations is not available, and mastering functions are nonexistent. It is what it is...what do you want for less than $200 USD?