Tools for Creating Music

Software

Non-Free

Pro-grade (thus quite costly) applications:

• Cubase Mac / Windows
• Logic Studio Mac
• Sonar Windows
• ProTools Mac / Windows

Less expensive alternatives:

• REAPER Mac / Windows
• FL Studio Windows

Free

• Ardour Linux
• Audacity - Cross platform digital audio editor

Samples

Non-Free

• Garritan Personal Orchestra $200 Full orchestral samples.

• East West Samples (Platinum, Gold, Silver) Check other websites for much lower prices than retail. One of the most expensive, but most powerful samples commercially available.

Free

• G-Town Percussion Excellent orchestral percussion sounds.

• Celtic Harp Beautiful 250MB celtic harp soundfont (d/l links are in the thread; there's also a giga version available)

• Soeren Bovbjerg's Pianos A few pianos in sf2/gig format. Sound good considering their size.

• Very good clarinet by Mats Helgesson (the site requires registration):
  • Maestro clarinet Legato
  • Maestro clarinet Breath
  • Maestro clarinet Staccato

• Maestro Concert Grand 985MB concert grand piano by Mats Helgesson.

• Alex Glockenspiel A nice little glockenspiel.

• EmulatorXone Trumpet 60 meg solo trumpet in emulatorX format.

• Douglas Concert Timpani Very good timpani freebie from Naturalstudio.

• Project SAM A number of pro-quality freebies, among other things some really cool percussion samples. Registration required.