@James Music
Hi James. I started with Renoise for electronic music, but I ended up using it for orchestral music.I tell you my experience. If you have used trackers in the past and you’re interested in composing orchestral music, I recommend you Renoise 3.1! This software seems focused on experimental music or electronic music basically, but that’s just an idea. The truth is that it works fructually well for orchestral music for many reasons…
I would say that the 10 main things are:
- Compatible with MIDI instruments (keyboard MIDI)and mapping, for live recording, include velocity (volume) and time (delay).This is great for the nuances and be more expressive.
- Absolute control of notes in the Pattern Editor (with advanced drop-down panel). Volume, panning, delay and effects for each note.The main difference between a tracker and a sequencer with pianoroll.Writing in the Pattern Editor gives you practically absolute control for each note using a usb keyboard (and mouse).If you have advanced control(knowledge of the commands) you can do things very fast.You will end up loving the parameters (numbers and letters)!!!
- Pattern Sequence Matrix, very important. If you manage to control it, you’ll be able to compose a song very fast.You can duplicate a pattern instantly and modify the new pattern later for nuances. For repetitive exercises it is very fast.The trick to be quick with Renoise is to control effectivelythe Pattern Sequence Matrix.
- Creation of own instruments with Keyzones Editor and compatible with VSTi (VST instruments) and VST (VST effects), not compatible with VST3.An instrument XRNI can consist of hundreds of samples.Each sample can have assigned strings of effects (effects chain).This is great to create instruments, especially for percussion. Through Keyzones, you can assign several samples to a single note by adjusting the velocity (volume) to achieve greater realism in the instrument.For example, the sound of a piano note does not sound like stronger than weak.Both sounds are different.In addition, it allows routing tracks with VSTi and VSTi alias.
- Individual sound control for each track and possibility of groups.It involves using native effects or even VST on each track, but also share effects chain on multiple tracks tucked into a group.
- Native Spectrum Analyzer, for mixing and mastering.Very effective for equalizing and comparing.
- The Sample Editor.Pretty advanced!
- Create new samples with effects, loops and phrases, with complete recording of the song, a piece or separate tracks.
- Compatible for scripting tools with LUA.It is customizable to add some features that you miss.As you are interested in orchestral music,I built a tool oriented to this style of music, with some functions that I missed, things to go faster.Can you take a look here: GT16-Colors.Currently is a beta, but you will have an idea of the scope of some tools contributed by the community.
- Forums Renoise.Here you will find the help you need…
Some limitations that could change in future versions:
- Order and association. The instruments box does not allow management by folders, nor groups or visually associate the instruments with respect to the tracks or groups using colors, not even manually.This is a problem when starting a medium or large project.Renoise does not take advantage of the colors to associate things that are useful, as is to associate visually the instruments used in each track.In this regard, the instruments box is very basic.If you use many libraries or many VSTi, you have to classify them somehow, but it’s chaos.
- Creation of complex instruments. Keyzones is very basic.You should learn some repetitive tricks to create a large library of instruments (XNRI).
- A real problem is the control of the automation editor.Still in version 3.1 of Renoise it is very basic and cumbersome to control.Automation is very important for orchestral music.You can also use automation parameters in the pattern editor or even some effect of automation in the chain of effects of each track.But you’ll miss a decent automation editor.
- Version 3.1 has some bugs related to group management and cloning, which will be resolved in the next version.
- It does not support high screen resolutions.It is rumored that it will be added in a future update.
- Only allows two VST folders in Preferences.
- It does not allow live recording of several instruments with MIDI control.It is necessary to play in steps…
I think the best way to control Renoise is currently with two HD monitors (both of 24" or 27" HD 1920x1080 px.)Of all the available DAWs you will not find anything better than the selling price of Renoise, even for orchestral music.What’s more, this software is great for this style of music.If you use tracks templates (you can create a tool with LUA) and preloaded instruments, within a few hours you can have a solid foundation for a serious song.Between Monday and Tuesday I composed a complete orchestral theme, in two free moments,only using Renoise (and VSTi, with libraries for Kontakt).
Of course, Renoise has many more things that keep far him from being just a tracker, is much more.Although you may miss a few things, it is a fairly complete DAW, even to compose faster than with other DAWs with pianorroll…
Finally, creating your own XRNI libraries is a great job. I tried but I desisted in favor of using libraries with Kontakt Player and others (VSTi using VSTi alias)…