Looking for a Music-Making Program

[Vimana]

I know there are probably tons of threads about this, but I have a pretty specific request that I've tried in google that hasn't yielded sufficient results, and I figured people on this forum probably already have experience.

It needs the following things:

- Ability to create looped beats, and put multiple loops together so that I can create a full song out of them, without a time limit or something stupid like I've had with programs I've used in the past
- Ability to insert tracks through direct recording through a microphone and place them and edit them alongside the beats
- Ability to record a track alongside the beats and/or other instruments
- Ability to have music written out with a good variety of instruments, and played alongside the looped beats
- Ability for me to make beats at breakcore speeds
- A good amount of effects, so I won't have to put tracks in audacity

Garage band kind of has the third one, but you have to play it through the keyboard which I think is retarded. I have a mac, but I am planning on getting windows soon, but if there is a program like this that is mac compatible, mentioning it would be greatly appreciated.

 

[El-Shoggoth]

I'm not sure if it's exactly what you're looking for, but I use the program Propellerhead Reason for my music. I use it for programming fairly complex drum parts, by sequencing together loops and editing them for fills, transitions, etc, and I'm also currently using it for synth parts and basslines. I do most composition and arrangement in Reason too, but replace the guitar parts with recordings from external equipment. I think the only requirement of yours that's not met is for recording actual audio. Reason has drum machines, several types of synthesizers (you can use presets or actual synthesis your actual sounds from simple sound waves and filters), samplers, sequencers, and countless effects. I actually use Pro Tools for mixing my Reason tracks with audio recordings of live instruments and vocals, but Reason is a program I highly recommend looking into.

If you're interested, this is a song from my progressive black metal project Dalla Nebbia that I used Reason extensively on. The drums, bass, keyboards, and even the high feedback-like sound that enters at about 2:30 were produced in Reason.

 

[Vimana]

I tried the trial of Reason and it was too complicated for my taste. I didn't know how to do anything. I posted this thread somewhere else and was told about Logic 9, and so far that seems my best bet. Everything looks pretty easy and straightforward, and completely like what I was looking for. Thanks for your help, though.