Software is expensive, especially music software. Anyone who has ever dabbled in electronic music or the kinds of specialized software used to record audio to a computer’s hard drive will tell you. Back in the day, a full Pro Tools rig, which was and is the de facto studio standard, could easily run into the thousands of dollars. This doesn’t include all the ancillary software packages that you’d have to run alongside it (i.e. drum machines, plug-ins, plug-ins for drum machines), each of these also requiring you to sign over the paychecks of you and your loved ones.

I don’t use anything that decadent. Just a couple of drum machines and a few select plugins. In my particular case, I’ve taken a shine to Ableton Live, which is a fantastic piece of software. And, up until recently, I’ve been pirating it.

This is in no way related to my undying love of pirates and all things piratical, merely a choice I’ve been showhorned into due to a profound lack of money. $500, which is how much Ableton Live costs, isn’t something to sneeze at. It’s much easier, criminally easier, to get on Ye Olde Internet and just download a copy. Some of the cracked versions out there even come with their own installer. This all changed a few weeks ago when I was working on a friend’s song, and during the middle of it I got a pop-up on my screen informing me that my version was pirated, and that I’d be locked out of using it until I purchased a legitimate copy. It wasn’t entirely unexpected, but the timing sucked. (Sorry Lisa).

Now, in a perfect world, I’d just pay for a genuine version. Problem: I am gainfully unemployed at the moment. Now, before you start rolling your eyes (or gnashing your teeth) and going “oh well Mr. Lazybones why don’t you go and get yourself a J-O-B instead of whining about it,” I feel obliged to mention that this decision is, more or less, on purpose. And actually, that’s not entirely true. I am working. At a stereo store. (Plug time: http://www.decibel.com). I’m just not pulling down enough hours to justify dropping the aforementioned $500 on a piece of software–a lot of money for someone who has been reduced to Ramen or, if I’m feeling adventurous, the mysteriously-named Oriental-Flavored Ramen.

But I did it anyway. Not out of any sense of guilt or love or despair, but because I think it’s worth it. I’ve wrestled with music software for years, and Ableton Live was the first one that didn’t make me want to stab my computer. Also, I have to admit, it’s nice to go legit. I’m like the guy in that 80’s movie who finally gets out of prison and vows to stay clean and turn his life around and maybe even get to know his estranged son through a series of tender montages, etc. Minus the tattoos.

BONUS: Since you asked, one of you anyway, here’s a partial list of everything I use to keep this enterprise afloat:

• Reason 3.0 for beat-making and general fucking around with synths.
• Ableton Live 6.0 for sequencing and poverty.
• Garageband 3 for the initial outline and chords.
• M-Audio Firewire 410.
• Bluetube mic pre.
• One noname classical guitar.
• One Taylor acoustic.
• One Heritage custom electric with polarbears for the fret inlays.
• Some egg shakers, a tambourine and a lamp that’s shaped like a ship’s wheel.
• Coffee.

Meta: Ableton, M-Audio, Reason 3.0, Logic Studio, Pirates, Ramen