I got a MacBook Pro (Mid 2012). Essential Apps?

[Mahesh]

After quite a few months of no computer, I was able to buy a new MacBook Pro Mid 2012 version. This was the last non-retina model to come out from Apple with the DVD drive on it. I've got 500GB of HDD, Intel i5 3rd Gen processor and 4GB of RAM. I upgraded the RAM to 8GB as soon as I got it. It is running the latest El Capitan and I'm just getting used to it since I've never used an Apple computer before. 

 

I do find it much better than a Windows system even for an old model. I'm able to record video on photobooth and audio on Reaper/GarageBand at the same time. It makes it very convenient for me to load my usual VST's on the DAW and make the audio sound good and render the video with it right from the DAW. Makes things easy for me especially when I don't have any interface.

 

I was wondering, what are the apps that you recommend I install from a musician's point of view? Any cool free softwares that you use for practice? Certain VSTs that you can't live without? Would love to go thru em.

 

Shoutout to @Lisa Gates for helping me get this computer. Songstuff sure is family!

[Teresa Anderson]

I just thought I would throw out there that I have a friend who just got a MacBook, and he is using the Audiobox interface.  The cool part is, it comes with recording software that has TONS of bells and whistles, and even tons of samples to use, so perhaps in the future it will cost  more.  Right now though he got it for $100 or so.  Just something to check out

[Mahesh]

7 hours ago, Teresa Anderson said:

I just thought I would throw out there that I have a friend who just got a MacBook, and he is using the Audiobox interface.  The cool part is, it comes with recording software that has TONS of bells and whistles, and even tons of samples to use, so perhaps in the future it will cost  more.  Right now though he got it for $100 or so.  Just something to check out

 

 

Oh, looks like it is the device from PreSonus. Will check it out. Thanks Teresa

[starise]

Presonus and Focusrite make great prosumer hardware. Congrats on the new Mac!

[Mahesh]

On 6/14/2016 at 6:51 PM, starise said:

Presonus and Focusrite make great prosumer hardware. Congrats on the new Mac!

Definitely. I really want to invest on at least a very basic 2i2 Focusrite interface. hopefully soon. Thanks bud!

 

On 6/14/2016 at 7:39 PM, HoboSage said:

Don't VST plugins require some kind of a "wrapper" to work in Apple's OS X operating system?  Are you doing that, or do you mean AU plugins?  Did you have both the VST and AU versions of the plugins you used on your previous PC system, and now you're using the AU versions on your Mac Book?  I'm confused.

 

P.S.  Congrats.  Mac Book Pro's are great laptops for music production - or, so I hear.

 

 

Dave, I don't think you need any of that. At least i didn't have to do that much of a hoopla over it. I'm using Reaper(for now), all I had to do is put those VSTS in the plugins folder and have reaper scan them. Using them flawlessly so far. 

 

Thanks for the wishes. Lots of work to do!