Music Production software that’s not too expensive?

Question by Ami: Music Production software that’s not too expensive?
I’d like to produce some music using only software (I have no synths or other hardware) but I’m a total beginner, so I don’t want to have to buy a really expensive software. What can you recommend that’s decent quality but not over £30?

(I’m most influenced by Dance, Electronic.)

(I know anything in my budget will sound pretty amateur, but I just want to get a feel of if it’s worth buying proper software, and I need longer than trial periods offered by most companies; I’m not planning on releasing it or anything)

(Preferably a software pack you can buy in UK shops or amazon, my Internet connection is too bad to trust downloads)

Thanks xx

Best answer:

Answer by califran
[Found more information, so I’ve edited this answer.]

Take a look at Sony Acid Music Studio. Here’s the link for version 7:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sony-Acid-Music-Studio-PC/dp/B000RO7H3W/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=musical-instruments&qid=1291676708&sr=8-1

[Edited this] Here’s the link for version 8.0, which for some reason Amazon UK lists without the “Acid” name:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sony-Music-Studio-8-PC/dp/B003L51CSA/ref=dp_cp_ob_MI_title_0

8.0 is more expensive, but it looks a lot more powerful, and it gets better reviews at Amazon.

If you can get access to a computer with better bandwidth, you can try a free version of Acid, called Acid Xpress, and see if you like it enough to buy one of the paid versions.

http://www.acidplanet.com/downloads/xpress/

Hope that helps. Good luck.

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