I've decided to buy a laptop as my desktop is running XP Pro and it's getting increasingly harder to meet "system requirements" for software.

Can any of you members tell me if a musician has "special needs" regards specs.

One of my concerns is the sound card. I bought a special card for my desktop, but I understand it's integrated into the motherboard on a laptop and it's not top quality. Will that affect how I hear my mp3's?

Also I want to install a top of the line music editing program. I looked at the screens at my local store and can clearly see the difference between a 1080 and a 1900. I want to see my "notes" as clear as possible if I'm doing editing.

Basically, can you think of anything I should know as a musician before I make my choice?

Thanks

Mark

First you need to know what you are going to do with it.. what DAw, using VST, will you do audio edditing or just midi.. what other programs will you run .. then you can

As for audio interface, i would go for a high quallity external USB interface, if you ever change laptops again, you can take that with you.... Choose an audio interface with a multiclient ASIO driver, whichj allows you to get audio from several sources at the same time if you for example would like to run Band in a box, varranger and a DAW at the same time.. tere is so many options possible, all depending on how you are going to use the laptop and the audio device..

MP3s played from my laptop sound great using the internal sound source.

It all depends on your needs. Are you going to record with it, or you just want to brows the internet and listen to youtube or mp3s??

Don’t put too much reliance on screen resolution as there is more to a usable screen than that, and as always the best way is to try the screen out in store with the type of documents you are using to see which one suits.

Go for a laptop that has an SSD (256GB is fine for most use) and USB 3 which will allow you to add an external HDD/SSD if you do need a higher capacity. (USB 3 is also suitable for disk streaming if you use large sample VSTi)

If you use the keyboard/touch pad a lot, try this out as well as they vary considerably in quality.

Also consider a hybrid that can be used as a laptop or tablet (With touch screen) as if you’re out live a tablet will be more convenient, with the keyboard allowing you to make more detailed use when at home/studio. (Keyboards can be detachable or you could have a laptop that fold through 180deg)

Go for a minimum 4GB Ram (8GB if using VSTi) and at least a dual core CPU.

If you are prepared to spend the cash (And you want to use it just for music and simple office stuff plus don’t mind paying over the odds for the looks) then a Mac Book Pro is a good one to look at. (Just remember that they are severely limited in available software outside of the Video, Music and office software, plus if you have a problem Mac gurus are few in number compared to PC gurus)

Finally go for the best you can afford, as this will be money well spent in the long term.

Hope this helps

Bill

For a first class laptop, take a look at the latest Dell XPS 15, with 6th Generation Intel Core i7-6700HQ Quad Core, 16GB of memory, and a 512GB SSD, upgradeable to 1TB SSD. May be overkill, but should be able to handle anything.

Take a serious look at the MacBook Pro. The 2016 version will be released in March and rumors say it will have a touch screen.

Deane

Most of todays laptops will do more than anyone can imagine, even the inexpensive ones. For me, I just use mine to view lyrics in wordpad, play an occasional midi file using VanBasco's Midi/Karaoke Player, or playing an MP3 during breaks, which I rarely take. Just about any laptop on the market today can handle those chores.

I have even done some multi-track recordings using Audacity, a free program, and had excellent results using a $225 laptop.

No sense in spending a bundle on a PC or Mac if you're not into gaming or complex graphics. Most of the stuff we do doesn't require much speed or memory.

Good luck on whatever you decide upon,

Gary

Go with Mac and you will never look back....

Hi Mark,

Here's a document attached explaining my setup with a Dell laptop/tablet 2-in-1. And the way I've arranged it to display scores automatically on selecting a registration. I've nearly 4000 scores loaded on it now. The computer is more than capable of handling any tasks. My keyboard = Yamaha Tyros 4


Cheers,
Phil

Plus one !

Phil

Thank you very much for sharing the information.

I have a Dell Inspiron All in One 20" touch screen computer, which has replaced my Music Books. It now has taken the place of the books on my music stand. I will now be able to control it from my Tyros.

The 19.5" "all in ones" start at $299 on clearance. Since the screen is large I can view my files in landscape mode.

http://www.amazon.com/Dell-Inspiron-TouchScreen-Desktop-Computer/dp/B00THDYRWI/ref=pd_sim_sbs_147_4?ie=UTF8&dpID=41Xz2oqGhSL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR160%2C160_&refRID=0QS6HRQS9TBTKW5TYQFG

I also have my fake books on the device, and can look up a request in record time, resulting in happy customers and increased tips.

Regards,

Jerry Ryan

Bachus......One thing I definitely do is edit wave files and I'll probably buy a MIDI notation program. I don't think I want to go into DAW and VST....just not enough time.

I originally planned on just using it to browse the Internet with a good anti-virus rather than use my XP Pro computer with NO anti-virus. Then I thought about musical performance. Why not change my routine, and take it on the job to sing Karaoke like everyone else is doing. I have 2,000 Karaoke tunes from when I was doing that.

Question: HOw do you get decent sound out of (probably) a cheap sound card that's integrated into the motherboard. One of the techie's said you "bypass" the internal sound card and run the signal out to some kind of an audio box. Then THAT signal goes to your mixer and external speakers. What do you think?




Yes, this is starting to get complicated when you're spending close to $1,000. I'm starting to think about what Gary said. Just buy an everyday laptop and enjoy yourself with it!

Mark

I didn't think much about screen resolution, but I was in the store looking at the 1028's. Then I saw a Dell with a 1920, and then I saw a 2300 resolution. I could really buy into looking at my photographs with that kind of a resolution!



But I'm noticing that most laptops come with 128 GB SSD. Only one I saw had 256 GB. Anyhow, I have 120 GB of songs I need to put on there so I'm going to have to get 256 GB. They're expensive though.



Yes, I can feel the difference in the touch of each keyboard. That's a definite factor.



I'm shooting for 8GB of RAM and an I5 processor.

The Mac is a fine machine, but all my programs run on a PC and I need to migrate the data.



Yes, definitely, I thought about that. Better to have more than you might need than less than you WILL need.

And then sometimes I think about it that way. There's just not enough time in the world to look for perfection....in anything!

After a week of looking at laptops, I've narrowed it down to Toshiba and Dell. But I'm thinking more Dell...prettier to look at, nice design, good feel under my fingertips, nice specs, reasonable price, etc.

But, would you believe, I called Dell to inquire about having a custom laptop built, and the communication with them sucks......I don't know how else to say it. The salespeople are all in India, they speak "Ind-glish" (a nice way of saying their English leaves a lot to be desired), don't know anything about computers except for how to take down an order, are not interested in your inquiries if you tell them you're not buying now, and are generally rude and probably bored out of their minds over there. I had to call three times. On the third call, I made up something like this. "I want to speak to a supervisor. I just called Dell corporate headquarters here in the United States and they told me to to get the names and ID #'s and note the time of the call for each instance you have trouble." Of course, it wasn't true, but it certainly got me a little more respect. So what happens......they give me a supervisor and she was just a "blah" as the rest of them.

That's putting me off Dell somewhat because if that's how they talk to you when your "buying," imagine what you'll have to go through if you need warranty service.

Phil....thanks for posting this. I forgot all about accessibility to my song sheets. I have a couple of thousand scanned into my computer as pdf's. I'm tired of getting up and down from the piano to look for music.

So, with that in mind, I'm definitely going for a high-resolution screen!

Mark

Larry.....that's a lot of machine.....a "dream machine!" It's more than I can afford or want to afford. But I forgot about looking at Dell's online. I'm going to sort through these and others.

Dell Computers (link)

Mark

For what you want to do with your PC anything with an intel i3 and up will probably do.. i would go for an i5 with 8GB memmory to be future proof...

You also want to go for windows 10, it comes with a great antivirus tool build in..

I still would go for an USB audio interface, its nothing more then a soundcard running outside your laptop that offers you high quallity sound..



This one is under $100, and blasts you away with its soundquallity..


the only thing you now need to decide on is vissibillity versus portabillity.. i.e. big screen all in one versus small formfactor Laptop and everything in between..

another tip, go for a build in SSD, that really speeds things up, atleast 256GB to be futureproof..



EDIT: do you want physcical midi, or is midi over USB sufficient?

Here are some links that may help

Link 1
Link 2
Link 3
Link 4
Link 5

Bill

Hi again Mark,

I've never owned a Dell before - so no Dell experience and I have no affiliations with that organization.

After purchasing my Inspiron 7348 2-in-1 there were several problems with it:-

* Touch screen not working
* Wouldn't recognize external DVD

When I reported these problems to Dell support they, the next day, sent a technician 200+km from Melbourne to my house (I live in the bush up unsealed roads) and fixed all issues - then ran extensive diagnostics on the laptop. That's at least 6 hours driving to keep me happy. I rate their support very highly.

Cheers,
Phil

I don't know how these things are generally handled in Australia, but in Germany you have to pay attention to the type of warranty included in the purchase: normal consumer laptops have a bring-in warranty, i.e. the customer has to send the laptop to the manufacturer. But some products (like luckily my Toshiba Portégé, which was a B-Ware business model originally purchased by a company) have a warranty which includes a technician coming to one's home and exchange or repair on site.

I am also happy with Dell support. I had a minor software glitch, and e-mailed them. I got a response the next day with some fixes to try, and if they don't work to let them know my phone number and a convenient time to call, A senior support Technician would give me a call, at my convenience, to handle the problem.

The e-mail also apologized for the 1 day delay due to heavy volume of requests.

Regards,

Jerry

If you get a Dell buy a standard 'as advertised' configuration. The headline prices are usually competitive but the delta cost of upgrades always looks expensive. I think Dell also run an outlet store with last-year or refurbished models at a discount.

all my computers are built locally so I don't have to deal with commercialized run of the mill units problems .....I pout in only what I want for my needs, without all that garbage they put in from the factory, and service, upgrades, questions, etc, is easily done by the builder with one phone call...

good luck

Who builds those for you, Donny ?

Tony, most independent computer stores will custom make any kind of PC you wish. My son has not purchased a PC in 30 years - he built every one of the 20 or so he has owned. You can purchase all the components from a number of online stores, then it's just a matter of plugging them in and installing the software, which is pretty much self installing.

Gary

yeah ... it sounds like one of those things any three year old could do with 20 years experience ...

Although now, probably any 10 year old COULD do it !!!

Most computer parts are not tested, so you need to keep in mind that about 10% of your ordered part will fail you, you will have to figure out what part failed you and send it back for replacement..

Also the combination of memmory, CPu, mainboard is critical when it comes to timing, you can not just use every CPU with every type of memmory on a mainboard.. this combination is what used to create many of the BSOD's.. and still hangs your PC..

In this time, its probably even cheeper to buy a Dell then build your own, Dell comes with great warranty and service, well worth the few extra dollars.


Building computers is more then just plugging all parts in.. Sure if you're lucky everything goes okay, but if you are not, then you are in trouble.

In the olden days you could end up with problems, however these days all the compatible CPU, Ram details etc. are available on the Motherboard manufactures website, so no problems there.

The main hiccups (If they do occur) are with graphics cards, however for a music machine the on-board graphics are all that is needed.

Since Windows 7 the OS pretty much sort’s things out on its own, (As long as your connected to the internet when installing (Or shortly after) only occasionally asking for a driver disc.

Been working with all types of computers for over 35 years and been building PCs since the late 80s (When you did have to know the ins and outs) and these days you can pretty much build one blindfold. (The main thing these days is tweaking the software/firmware (Overclock etc.) to get the last ounce of performance out of the machine)

The OP will probably be better off with a laptop/hybrid (Which you can’t really build yourself) and there are plenty of manufactures that have base laptops which you can specify what you want and they will fit the parts in the laptop for you. (The most sensible route unless you know the ins and outs of laptops)

Bill

the compatibillity list for memmory modules taht have been tested with a mainboard is still quite small, mostly it are the more expensive brands... They just cant test with all of them..

With current prices there is not much reason to build yourself unless you want a highend machine, i would allways choose for the extra service of companies like dell these days..

Thanks for everyone's response here. I've been reading it every day, but, mostly I've been laptop shopping and "reading, reading, reading" reviews, specs, etc. and trying to learn my PA3x in between.

I'm in "laptop overload" at this point. Gary said pretty much just buy anything and make it work. I'm on the verge of doing that, but then I think about using the notebook for DJ jobs, and singing Karaoke on the nursing home gigs like everyone on the planet is doing now. I have about 2,000 Karaoke songs so that's a real good thought.

I'm still looking, and your advice here is extremely helpful as musicians, I believe, have special audio needs.

Mark

I wasn’t aware of an “audio interface” until you mentioned it here. I thought I was going to have to listen to my music through that sound card that comes on the motherboard. I can’t view the Youtube clip. What is the name of this one (that you recommend?).



I decided on an Intel i5 (over the extra price of an i7) and 8-16 GB of memory.



Definitely getting Windows 10



So then, it connects through the USB port and the software directs it to bypass the motherboard sound card?





I’m going for the 256 GB SSD



Bachus…..I’m not sure what this means.

Mark

Bill..thanks, those links DID help. Added them to my reference literature.

Bill…..with Windows 10, do I need to do any “installing” because I only have a “dial-up” connection…..no DSL.



Are you talking about a 2-in-1? A laptop that converts to a tablet?

Thanks

I've been gravitating toward Dell and now I'm reading here that you guys are keen on Dell too. A couple of stores said to consider Asus instead of Dell so I'm wondering about that now.

These are the main specs that I’m pretty sure I want/need:

Intel 6th Generation 15 or 17
memory: 8-16 GB
additional memory slots
hard drive: 256 GB SSD
screen: 15.6”
screen resolution: 1920 x 1080
Windows 10
USB 2 and 3
Are my missing anything? Anything else I should know?

Now what is the next step? Try and find a ready-built one in the store or order one from Dell without seeing the design?

I spoke to Dell today and they said the Inspiron line is your average middle-of-the-road machine. That the XPS is much better made and the components will last for years. It’s also about $1,300!!!

This is one I’m considering.

Dell computer

Questions:

Should I go for a 2-in-1 (laptop to tablet)?
touch screen?
is there much difference between a dual-core and a quad-core?
Does Windows 10 come with an “imaging system” so that I don’t need to buy Acronis?

Is there a simpler way to go about all this. As Ed said in the other thread……”Need more hours in the day.”

Mark

Thats a great laptop with great specs, super usabillity and Dell service.

Having the tablet function on it makes it easy to use in live situations if you ever wanted to (touchscreen) or just on the bench for browsing the forums as a tablet, while still having decent QWERTY keys.. However for a music setup with laptop on a stnd, this works perfect as a tablet, on the bench on your lap its a tiny bit heavy and needs to rest on your lap (but so would any other laptop) all in all i personally like this formfactor.

A quadcore is only faster if the software is written to use the extra Cores, most of the professional Music software like DAWs and VSTs uses the extra Cores and gives you extra performance.. However for the way you intend to use it a dual core might work to..

For images Acronis is great, however there is also a lot of freeware software thats just perfect for making images of windows 10 and does not cost money. Make sure to not make the image on your local SSD. If that fails the image is gone to. In the LINK is information about system backups in Windows 10


The audio interface i advised was a focusrite Scarlet Solo, its $99 and tested as best.
It does not have physical midi, as in 5pin DIN connectors. However there are other interfaces that have that to.

Hi Mark

When you buy your laptop make sure it has been fully updated before they send it out to you, that way any software installation will just be any software you decide to put on it.

Looking at the Specs, (Dell) it doesn’t seem to come with a DVD drive for software installation, so pick up an external USB drive up as well. (They cost every little these days)

2 in 1 are great, as you have all the convenience of a tablet, with all the advantages of a Desktop. (Ideal if you play out live)

I am surprised you are still on dial up, as these days Broadband (DSL) usually works out way cheaper and allows you to do much more.

Most modern keyboards can send Midi Data over a USB cable so that you do not need to buy a separate Midi interface for your computer, (You will still need Midi cables if you wish to connect your keyboard to other keyboards or module’s) plus some will even receive digital audio data via USB so that you won’t even need an audio interface for your computer, (All the D/A conversion is done in the keyboard) you will need to have a look in your keyboards manual to see what it can & cannot do. (If it can’t do any of this, than Midi/Audio interfaces can be picked up quite cheaply from your local pro music store)

Have fun with your purchase

Bill

I pulled this thread back up, because I'm having trouble with my new laptop. I bought a "loaded" Dell 2 in 1, touchscreen,6th gen i5, 8 GB of ram, 256 SS hard drive, Windows 10 home.

Can anyone of you help me with these two problems.....in "words?"

1) the touchscreen doesn't work half of the time. If I'm correct, whatever icon I see on the screen can be activated by either the cursor or by my finger. That's not what it's doing for me. Oftentimes I can't even close out a window (X in right hand corner) using my finger (but it closes out using the cursor). I've tried all kinds of tapping the screen, finger combinations and different levels of pressure.

2) the cursor. Sometimes when I'm working the touchpad the cursor doesn't move. When it does move, it lasts about 3 seconds and then stops dead in its tracks.

I was on the phone with Dell techies for two 1 hour phone calls diagnosing it over the phone. The first one helped me adjust all settings that might have anything to do with it. The second one (today) updated the BIOS over the phone to see if that worked. The third one I happened to briefly talk to said it's probably the drivers. My response was how can the drivers be bad on a new Windows install?

My dilemma is I have 10 days left to tell Dell to replace this computer before I'm stuck with it.

Any comments or suggestions appreciated.

Mark

Since Dell customer support could not solve your problems, and you have records for that to prove it..

I would vote for a replacement..

(otherwise i would try and callibrate the touchscreen again, but that would not resolve the freezing of the cursor)

It’s most likely a driver problem in that the touch screen interface and touchpad are interfering with each other; however this should have been sorted by Dell before despatch, so send it back for a replacement. (Perhaps choosing a slightly different model)

In the meantime try turning off the interface you are not using, to see if this improves it.

Hope this helps

Bill

If its a driver issue, then it should classwide, and then Dell would probably allready have a default fix for it.... The model is not entirely new but sold for a few months now...

Did you try it with a pencil for capacitive touchscreens? Available in any big supermarket, those pencils with a soft gum end. And does a USB mouse work correctly?

Good idea.......I'll try this before I call Dell again today for a replacement. I'll telephone tech support one more time and explore a possible "driver" problem.

Mark

I will ask the techie if this is a known issue...the drivers..and is there a fix for it?

I ordered an Insiron 7558 but they sent me a 7568 "because it's a newer machine with "minor improvements." He DID have to upgrade the BIOS so I'm wondering if there IS a driver issue too?

Mark

Good thoughts again. Yes, I plugged a wireless USB mouse into it and that seemed to work fine. But I'm hardly using the laptop except to go online. I still have to buy WORD and ACCESS and get a PDF reader to view my music, etc.

I don't want to have to use one of those "pencils," but I see what you're getting at. See if it works with a "precise" tap right in the center of the icon.....correct?

I'm not understanding why I see everyone else just "poking" their screen and having it work the first time around!

Mark

I'm going to address this issue today with the Dell technical dept and definitely ask them what their comments are about the drivers?.....before my return period runs out.

Thanks for your concern, guys......I'll keep you posted. You've been a big help with your comments even before I bought this "pain in the neck" computer.

BTW......their sales team and communication is so poor I had to cancel my first order because they didn't apply my promo code of $50 savings off the price. Then when I got the invoice I noticed they didn't take an additional $40 off for being an AAA member. And they put McAfee anti-virus on the OS and charged me $30 for that (which I also got refunded).

I think Dell means well, produce a good product, a decent price, but they do what all companies do now....outsource EVERYTHING. I never once got to speak to an American in American-ese!

Mark

What a mess this situation is. But if you're going to be in the music business nowadays, a laptop 2 in 1 is an absolutely necessity.

I've been on the phone 3 hours with Dell now, since the above message. He took remote control of my computer.
We tried a number of things including disconnecting the touchpad to see if the touchscreen works any better. He said the two drivers do not affect each other but he'll do it anyway. When he finally said he wants to try a new OS install I drew the line there.

Luckily I know how to handle situations like this....options are as follows. They'll send me a replacement laptop but will not extend the initial trial period. That means I still only have up to April 05 to determine if the 2nd computer works correctly. But.......they WILL give me a refund on the 2nd computer if I decide I don't want it for a 30 day period from the time I receive laptop #2. I'm to let them know tomorrow.

The reason I'm writing all this out is.......can any of you give me your opinions on what YOU would do given these circumstances. I mean I have no problem returning this for a refund right now and "re-buying" again.

So, what I mean, is............would you go for a different brand or stay with Dell and go for a different model? And do you have suggestions on a "model." etc, etc, etc Meantime I'll make the decision on how I'm going to go about returning this one.....refund or exchange. But...it's clearly going back!!!

Thanks

Mark

Mark,
You go a PM.
Deane

Deane......I'm not sure what a "PM" is, but I came up with a solution to a problem I never should have got involved in. I'm just plain returning it and getting my money back. I've had my fill of technology!

Mark

A PM is a private message. Click on MY STUFF at the top of the page, then MESSAGES.

Hi Mark, I sent another PM. I personally would let them have it back and look at other manufacturers. See my PM for why.

Deane

I'm on my 2nd 2-in-1 Dell laptop. I had to return the first one because it was defective. Now I'm having problems with this one.....the "touch-screen" is working somewhat better but not 100%. The "touch-pad" works, but the cursor freezes every so often. Dell said it's "bugs" in the new Win10 Home edition I have....that Microsoft hasn't worked out all the glitches yet.

That makes sense to me, but.......is anyone else here having issues like this?

I have about 9 more days to determine if I want to return this one too!

Mark

Nope, the windows 10 home edition with touchscreen works flawlessly on my PC..

But if you want a good advise, maybe you could post a small video of what actually happens... to do this open the windows task manager and choose the performance tab... this shows what the computer is actually doing once your screen freezes up... check for both CPU, memmory and disk..

(you can open the task manager by right clicking on your taskbar in desktop mode)

Thanks Bachus....I could try this Task Manager thing. i.e. see what resources are being eaten up?

One of the other members here is helping me too. He said the same thing....his works "flawlessly." I must have the only two in the world that DON'T work "flawlessly!"

There's nothing really to video.....what happens is simply this. I'll be using the touchpad to move the cursor around and the cursor suddenly freezes in one place. I then have to take my finger OFF the touchpad to get it moving again.

I really like this laptop. I'm hoping I don't have to return it and get a third one now.

Mark

From that description it looks like a faulty touchpad, so I am afraid it will have to be sent away to be changed. (If the problem was the same as last time, then it could be a faulty batch of touchpads that got into the supply chain)

Hope this helps

Bill

When I updated my ACER laptop from windows 8 to 10, the mouse pointer as always not smooth. After some windows updates, it is now almost ok