For those looking to dip their toes into music creation with a computer, Magix Music Maker 12 XXL is a very good place to start. The very capable software is matched with a Midi keyboard.

Music Maker can be used to record and arrange music on a timeline. It is similar to the Ableton Live 6 software which arranges portions of music, called samples, on a timeline to create a full music track.

Alternatively, the keyboard can be used to create sections of Midi music. Midi tracks are much more flexible than sample-based tracks: once this came at the cost of quality but, impressively, some of the Midi options in Music Maker are hard to distinguish from real instruments.

Recording options are a little limited, so if you want to actually record from instruments, the alternate Magix Music Studio 12 would be more appropriate.

Like many Magix products, there is plenty of help provided for beginners. The 1Click button is particularly impressive for quickly creating tracks in various styles. This is a great feature for learning how to use the software and is complemented by plenty of tutorial videos. Even without this, the clear organisation of the large collection of samples makes it easy to get going quickly.

The supplied keyboard has 49 full size touch sensitive keys. They won't fool a pianist but are good quality for this level. It connects to the computer using USB.

Magix Music Maker 12 XXL is good value for those who already have some keyboard skills. If not, the cheaper versions of the software offer all the same musical features but without the keyboard.

Vista compatible: Yes