Hello all, im completely new to the software side of production and need some help. I halve some knowledge when it comes to using hardware to produce and very limited knowledge of midi.

1: what is protools exactly? and why is it important

2: how can i connect my mpc and eventually a midi key board to my computer, what will i halve to buy hardware wise?

3: what are some other production software programs out there? and whats the best suited for hip hop ?(i plan to stick with reason at least for a while regardless)

thanks in advance

Protools is pretty much an Industry Standard for Recording and Editing audio. The plug-ins (VST effects, compressors, EQ's, etc...) are almost unlimited. Anything you can think of as far as editing audio can be done in ProTools in superb quality...

If you are using Reason.. All you really need is a Midi Keyboard Controller. You can start off with something cheap like an M-Audio Keystation 49e for like 100 bucks or if you want more control, check out the M-Audio Axiom49 or the Akai MPK49. All you really need to do once you get one is plug it in, install the drivers and select it in the preferences within reason.
As Far as the MPC goes... In order to get your tracks onto the computer, If your using Protools, You would need an audio interface that will work with pro-tools (digidesign for protools LE (the M-Box comes with protools) or an M-Audio interface for use with ProTools M-Powered) Personally I have an M-Audio Ozone, which has an Audio interface built into it, along with a midi keyboard... I also just got an Axiom49 to use with My Production software. (still learning how to use all the features on it)

When using an audio interface, you will more than likely need some Studio Monitors if you don't already have some, but Im assuming you do since you've been using all hardware...

I've been using Reason for a while now (about 4 years) and i Completely love it... I produce Hip-Hop, and with the thousands and thousands of sounds and samples available to use in reason, I can pretty much garuntee you will never run out of them... Not only are there thousands available, but within each sound there are thousands of ways to alter them and make them your own new instrument.

I produce completely with software... The main reason i got into software from the get-go was the math I did adding up prices of different pieces of equipment that i would need to get the job done... I started off with a $150 Radium49 Midi Keyboard and Reason 3.0... so i'd say i spent maybe 400 bucks.. I've spent maybe 200 bucks on a bunch of refill disks since then, and i haven't even gotten to half of them, I also found a refill for reason that had all of the Yamaha Motif sounds, on ebay for 40 bucks... THey sound awesome, and i can now basically do almost anything that a $2000 Motif can do.. Triton and Fantom sounds are also available...
Recycle is something you might want to check out too... Its basically a software MPC... You take a clip you want to sample, load it up, add markers where you want each "pad" to play then save it as a Dr. Rex file... Open it up in Dr. Rex or NNXT in reason and start messin with your sample with your keys as if you were hittin your pads on the MPC..


Reason is my favorite by far but just off the top of my head...
Other Production software:
Ableton
Orion
Fruity Loops
GarageBand

Edit:
I should mention, in case you didn't already know...
No recording can be done in Reason, it is completely Midi..
but... You can record in Pro-tools, then bounce the track to a wav file, then use NNXT to open up the recording...

Symbolik threw down a great answer, I just wanted to clarify some stuff about Pro Tools.

Pro Tools is what is called a "DAW" (digital audio workstation). Like symbolik said, it is used for recording, editing, sequencing, and mixing audio and MIDI, kind of weak on the MIDI side as of right now (and symbolik -pro tools doesn't natively run VST plugins, FYI) It is important because it was one of the first DAWs and has become the "industry standard", this does not mean its the best, but it is the most widely used in recording studios. One does not necessarily need pro tools to produce decent music, if you already have reason any rewire-compatible DAW (logic, digital performer, cubase etc.) will help you deal with the audio recording you need to do in order to produce hip hop. rewire is a way of running reason into a DAW because reason cannot record audio, so when you want to put down vocals or any other real instrument (or audio from your MPC) you must use other software.

thank you so much for your replys it clarifited alot for me

thanks agian

peace

btw Reason works very well with hip hop. In fact, it works well with anything, but a lot of the newer hip-hop arists use Reason, and you can hear it in their songs.

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Co-sign, Reason is VERY capable in the hip hop area. I use it all the time for drum programming, synths, strings, effects and anything else I need in my hip hop production.

Also on the subject of Pro tools, it's a very capable DAW but remember you're not limited to protools, research about other DAWs like Sonar, Ableton, Acid Pro etc, find one you feel most comfortable with, remember you shouldn't limit yourself.

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Right guys... sorry i should have mentioned Pro-Tools isn't the only DAW available.. I just use it and was using it as an example... I've used Cubase, Mixcraft, Nuendo(one of my favs), and Sonar..
Im mainly using Pro-Tools right now for the ease of use with my Ozone, in m-powered... everything just kinda clicks together like legos hehe...