JamesB

Thanks guys, I appreciate the input. I have not had much time to spend with Reaper in the last week due to work, but I will be looking into it more now. I should also take some time and get around to working on a few more song lyrics. There is just so much to do, and only one lifetime to do it in.

I downloaded Reaper over the weekend, to get my first real feel for a modern DAW (my last such software was FastTracker2 circa 1997,)((yes, I know that is not a DAW). The user manual is a monstrous 400 pages, but i am working my way through it, and have been able to go from knowing pretty much nothing to truly understanding exactly how much it is that I do not know. Plus I can make space sounds with my Nanopad now. I do not have enough experience to tell if it is really missing anything from the "bigger" DAWs that I might need, but so far I really like it. Just my 2c. BTW thanks TapperMike, this thread helped me get my head around the available options, and quite a few points on what I should look for.

Hi Garrett. I see this post is getting on in age, but I just wanted to put my 2c in, because I have really gained a lot from listing to a few particular artists, and they had no small part in inspiring me to write. One of the best lyricists of all time in my opinion is Mark Knopfler of Dire Straits. Sultans of Swing and Romeo & Juliet are my personal faves. R&J "When you can fall for chains of silver you can fall for chains of gold You can fall for pretty strangers and the promises they hold You promised me everything you promised me thick and thin yeah Now you just say oh Romeo yeah you know I used to have a scene with him...." SoS "And a crowd of young boys, they're fooling around in the corner, Drunk and dressed in their best brown baggies and their platform soles. The don't give a damn about any trumpet playing band. It ain't what they call rock and roll. And the Sultans, Yes the Sultans play Creole..." Another great writer is Roger Clyne, formerly of the Refreshments, currently of Roger Clyne and the Peacemakers. He writes great songs such as Counterclockwise, Green and Dumb, and A Little Hung Over You. Listening to and singing along to songs like these really inspired me to pick up my guitar after years of not playing, and has gradually led me to try to write something as good myself. That of course it a work very much in progress.

Thanks for sharing your experience, I found it helpful, as i have very little experience with DAWs myself, but was able to understand better for myself what I might want/need based on your descriptions.

Hi Mary. I have listened to your clip twice, and first off, you do have great voice. I am not well versed in how to critique singing, my experience and vocabulary are limited, but I wanted to mention, because the similarity in voice is astounding (to me anyway) that you sound like Marta Jandová who fronts a German band called Die Happy. You should check them out on YouTube if you are not familiar. I think with the similarity in voice you would have at least fun singing some of their songs, and it might make for some good vocal exercise.