Being a music production school, our faculties and ticket representatives constantly get questions from students who want to start music production. This ultimate music production guide contains answers to those questions, hoping to help people who want to try their hand at music production.
1. Intent
2. A workspace or a studio
3. Tools and/or equipment used for producing music
4. Knowledge or skill
5. Talent
DAW is the acronym for Digital Audio Workstation. The DAW is the centre of everything in the studio. Each DAW has its own unique features. The vital functionality of a DAW is to act as a Mixer or Arranger for Music. Few DAWs used widely by the producers:
1. Avid Pro Tools
2. Ableton Live
3. Apple Logic Pro X
4. Propellerhead Reason
5. Cubase
6. PreSonus Studio One
The list is exhaustive and no music production guide can tell you which is the best. Therefore, we have named the most widely used, professionally recognised ones, above; of which the seminar teaches three.
In the nascent stages of music production, it is increasingly important to be well versed with a Digital Audio Workstation and understand music fundamentals. As one digs deeper into music production, you will get yawner with all the functionality of the DAW, and icon out variegated ways to unzip your requirements for the music you want to create. Remoter on you will be worldly-wise to add MIDI that allows notes to be programmed or played via a MIDI controller into the DAW. Plugins are moreover a major full-length of DAWs, from a simple EQ and pinch to vintage emulations.
Some producers would switch their DAW while producing. For example, writing lanugo musical ideas on Ableton & taking it into Logic Pro X or Pro Tools for mixing & mastering. Some DAW-s have simplified unrepealable processes than others which are way increasingly complicated. Some offer largest tenancy and others, increasingly options to ease your workflow. Any DAW with its stock plugin is powerful unbearable to create good music. Making music or producing in a DAW is a very personalised process. Spend good quality time using your DAW & learn the inner workings, inside & out.
There is a lot of discussion in forums regarding the engines of DAWs and which ones are largest to produce on, but in the end, it doesn’t matter. “All that matters is whether the music sounds good or not.”
Even if you don’t currently know how to play an instrument, it is a good idea to learn the nuts of some or decide to start learning one. Learning variegated instruments may help you strop variegated production skills too. Music is an uncounted and fascinating subject, the increasingly knowledge you gather in the subject, the largest a musician you will make. So don’t be scared or shy-away from learning more. Put the knowledge that you have, to work for you.
1. Learning the Drums helps you alimony largest time (tempo) and gives you a largest understanding of beats. Play on a live kit for trendy music styles and/or on electric pads for making killer beats in electronic music.
2. Learning the Keys (Piano or Electric Piano) will help with music composition. Finger positions learnt on the keys (thru finger exercises) will help your fingers glide over the midi keyboards when you are producing or using a synth with keys. Keys would help add a human finger to your production making it finger increasingly organic and not computer-generated.
3. String instruments like the Guitar can help you add a unique live flavour to your productions and ease the production-performance gap that a lot of electronic producers squatter when they want to start performing and go live. Additionally, a guitar is increasingly mobile and can be carried outdoors, giving you easier wangle to play and/or etch outdoors.
4. Wind instruments like the harmonica, flute, sax and clarinet are unconfined instruments to learn. Music producers often tend to ignore their health, putting everything in producing music. Wind instruments can unquestionably help you exercise your lungs and zoetic patterns… And we all know how much zoetic is a part of Yoga.
Learning to play an instrument is a long process and can be mind-boggling without proper instruction. So do seek out an instructor to make the journey easier.
If you know your nuts and have a good sense of beats and music, you can start producing. No doubt, acquiring the vital understanding of Music theory and a strong music foundation would modernize the quality of music you make. So plane if you don’t learn an instrument, you must understand the nuts of music, learn music theory and audio fundamentals- like beats and bars when you plan to start learning how to produce music. If you have the intention and/or the worthiness to learn an instrument, do it, it will only help.
It will take as long as it takes! Music Production is both an art and a science and both aspects take time to master. The path to success in this industry is conistency in improving one’s work. Artists make as many as 8-12 tracks a quarter.
One needs a lot of practice. The increasingly time you spend producing music, the better. It is a good idea to remake popular tracks and songs, trammels out self-ruling project files misogynist online and reconstruct them and work on fresh ideas. The path to success in this industry is consistency in improving one’s work. Artists make as many as 8-12 tracks a quarter. That’s an stereotype of 4 a month**. So if you are still struggling to finish 1 track in 3 months, you need to put a lot increasingly work into it.
**This does not imply that all their tracks will be released or misogynist to the public. Allot of artists create new material periodically and hold onto it to perform live and release only without they have successfully explored the same in front of an audience. This helps them understand new ideas that they are working on as well as see their audience’s reaction to their work surpassing investing remoter into the idea of spending money on releasing it.
1. Multicore processor.
2. 2-4 GB RAM.
3. 3 GB self-ruling disk space.
Most of the companies these days make DAW-s uniform with both Mac & PC. (Logic is an exception as it is purely Mac-based and owned by Apple)
In today’s day & age with technological advancements in computing, there is a wholesale range of DAW misogynist for both platforms. Most of the companies these days make DAW-s uniform with both Mac & PC. (Logic is an exception as it is purely Mac-based and owned by Apple)
Linux
Not a very user-friendly interface unless you are a coder and understand computers vastitude the stereotype user. Linux is not the first nomination in operating systems for most musicians although it has a host of open-source audio workstations.
Mac or Windows
Mac is Apple Macintosh operating systems and PCs stuff the Microsoft Windows-based Operating systems. Each has their own advantages and disadvantages and you will find many an treatise and reviews on each, but neither can be dismissive of the other as a good platform
In the end its unchangingly well-nigh what you prefer to work with on a regular basis.
There are producers all virtually the world who makes good music on both: Mac & PC
It can be difficult but is not untellable to mix on headphones. Some good upkeep headphones misogynist are:
1. Audio-Technica ATH-M20x Over-Ear Professional Studio Monitor Headphones (Black)
2. Beyerdynamic DT880
3. AIAIAI TMA-1 STUDIO
One needs to listen to recordings/mixing in studio monitors or headphones. It is important to segregate Professional audio over Commercial or Consumer audio when choosing the right headphone or monitor.
Headphones
It is perfectly fine to use headphones for writing lanugo your ideas & mixing in the DAW. It can be difficult but is not untellable to mix on headphones. One can unchangingly reference mixes in cars & their friend’s music systems to understand the frequency response & other minute details in variegated environments. Below are a few studio headphones that you could trammels out.
Commercial audio – headphones, and speakers are normally enhanced to requite users a largest experience. This ways that the Highs may be higher and the Low frequencies may be enhanced too. While it may be unconfined for a consumer, commercial audio is never good for producers as they are inaccurate. Go for Pro Audio.
You do not need to invest in the most expensive Monitors. It is largest to start with a good hardy one, that will indulge you room to understand, make mistakes and experiment to largest yourself. Most expensive Monitors are moreover soft-hued and meant for pro-users. Try:
1. Yamaha HS 8
2. Monkey Banana Gibbon Turbo 8
3. Monkey Banana Gibbon Turbo 5
4. Mackie HR824 MK2
5. Presonus R-80
6. Tannoy Reveal 802
To stave Ear fatigue and get largest clarity of your productions, you can invest in Studio Monitors. Studio monitors indulge you to wits a wider range of frequencies and spread. They definitely help in hearing intricate elements in your work but remember not everyone would be listening to music on such speakers. Referencing audio is unchangingly a good idea.
A favourite among new users are the Yamaha HS series; the word-for-word model would depend on the size of the cones, which would depend on the size of the room you place them in. Have a squint at Presonus as well.
What do you need to start producing music?
Intent
And or ideas. This will establish what kind of work you plan to do. If you plan to play or record live instruments, your setup will be increasingly elaborate, but if you are starting out and making music purely electronically, you may not need it as much.
A good practice one should have surpassing investing in anything is establishing the very need or intent. It’s not just the gear and studio that defines the quality of production! Ultimately it is you!
A workspace or a studio
Based on the intent, you can segregate the right workspace. A creative tideway to music may require a increasingly pleasant informal and well-appointed space. For example, a well-appointed table and chair placed in a well-lit patio with lots of fresh air and sunlight could really help. Whereas, a technical tideway to music production requires strategically placed, acoustically treated, formal workspaces. Do you really need a studio or just a workspace? Your workspace is your studio.
Tools and/or equipment used for producing music
Based on what one plans to do, one can pinpoint the equipment needed. Here, your worthiness to use the equipment is as important in relation to what is needed and what can be needed. Dont buy equipment based on what you think you need or what you seem is a requirement; make sure youdo unobjectionable research:
Go through reviews of the products, study tutorials and resources misogynist to understand the sufficiency surpassing investing. Seek out an Industry senior, mentor or guide who can help you understand the requirement surpassing purchase. Find a store that has the equipment for demo so you can unquestionably try it surpassing you buy it. This, however, is scrutinizingly non-existent in India, but there are trade shows annually like Palm Expo where manufacturers and distributors demo and exhibit products for prospective purchases.
Knowledge or skill
To bring ideas to reality through the use of the tools of the trade, one must be first trained to use the tools. A DIY tideway is fine, but formal training is unchangingly increasingly constructive and nothing beats having a mentor/teacher/trainer to sieve doubts and get your work reviewed. This should be the starting point in one’s journey for music production. Once you know the process of producing music and understand the use of the equipment, it puts you in a largest position to unquestionably invest in your studio.
Talent
To make/write music or play instruments -analogue or digitally, one needs to be talented to some extent. Of course, you need music knowledge to execute the music ideas, for production. Talent is specified as a natural worthiness or well-practised skill. So get skilled and put in the practice.
Frequently asked questions to start producing music
Do I really need instruction in music?
A DIY tideway to learning anything is unchangingly a unconfined experience. But are you really ready to “Do it Yourself”? Learning via Youtube, Books and Blogs is a unconfined way to research & learn well-nigh a subject. But this DIY tideway to learning can be very time-consuming. Additionally, in a subject such as music production, which has technical parts as well as originative skills, who will correct you when you make a mistake or guide you to practice the right techniques.
Instruction, formal education and learning under a mentor is very helpful and rewarding expressly when unescapable a subject at the very beginning. Once you know your nuts and your fundamentals are clear, it will be easier to explore increasingly techniques in the same subject. A strong foundation and strong roots in a subject will indulge you to explore and experiment with the subject on your own. And that’s when you can DIY your way to increasingly knowledge. When you get stuck or need help you unchangingly have your teachers and mentors you can refer to, to help out.
If you know your nuts and have a good sense of beats and music, you can start producing. No doubt, acquiring the vital understanding of Music theory and a strong music foundation would modernize the quality of music you make. So plane if you don’t learn an instrument, you must understand the nuts of music, learn music theory and audio fundamentals- like beats and bars when you plan to start learning how to produce music. If you have the intention and/or the worthiness to learn an instrument, do it, it will only help.
Always remember, it is difficult to unlearn the wrong skill & then learn one afresh.
Do I need to buy any gear to start producing?
It’s easy to get carried yonder with setting up a studio with equipment that you think you may need, but what you really need to ask yourself is do you know how to use that equipment? Choosing the right space to work in is important, but the gear you use or need would unquestionably depend on what you plan to do with it.
If you are just starting out as an electronic music producer, you can sire to start with just the yellowish essentials (instead of stocking up with unnecessary or expensive gear). Most good Music Production schools will indulge you to use their equipment to learn and practice on. So you can hold off till you know what you are doing. It is largest to fully understand the sufficiency of the essentials surpassing you buy more.
Audio Interface/Sound Vellum for Music Production
You can make vital recordings with any computer or palmtop as they all come with a seated soundcard. You can modernize the sound of your recordings to some extent with a largest microphone. However to really create professional recordings you will need an audio interface or a largest sound card.
Unless you want to record a band, plane a single waterworks USB interface would do. Yes, surely it boils lanugo to budget. If you are a beginner, just pick an affordable one & explore the intricacies of what that they do & dont do. Here are a few of these beginner soundcards.
– Audient iD14
– Native Instruments Komplete Audio Interface
– Focusrite Scarlett 2i2
What is MIDI?
An acronym for Musical Instrument Data Interface. MIDI is basically a signal that is used by musical instruments to communicate with each other or a computer.
MIDI Controller
A Midi controller is nothing increasingly than a user interface, similar to a mouse or a keyboard; only here, it helps you to tenancy virtual instruments on your DAW. Midi Controllers come in various shapes and forms based on what they are designed for, but normally have a combination of controls: Pads, Knobs, Dials, Faders, and Keys. Newer models have touch slides and some plane have touchpads.
Each Tenancy can be individually prescribed for a specific function. Some midi controllers come pre-mapped to the DAW. For example, the Akai APC 40 MK2 is pre-mapped to Ableton Live, but each of the controls can be prescribed to a specific function on Ableton.
Mapping here refers to assigning tenancy to a specific function on the DAW.
What are the weightier upkeep microphones?
If you’re looking to buy a microphone soon, we recommend you trammels these out
1. Rode NT 1A
2. CAD GXL 2400
All producers should own at least one Microphone. Plane if it’s just a vital one, you never know when you may want to record or sample a sound. Invest in a vital condenser microphone to record vocals. Also, Record sample sounds to use as elements in your productions.
In specimen you perform, go in for a multi-use dynamic microphone such as a Shures SM-58, or the Lewitt MTP550.
If your not sure you can moreover squint at a USB microphone for your home use. Some unconfined microphones are out there, Blue stuff one of the leaders in this space.
So what are you waiting for? – Start producing music, now!
- Spend time on your DAW, experiment with grooves, melodies whatever!
- Don’t waste time trying to create that perfect sounding room, just like you, that is a work in progress!
- One should focus on skills rather than collecting Free synths, owning 100 variegated plugins or ownership gear.
- Invest in yourself first and learn to master the process with knowledge and practice surpassing you spend money on fancy gear or treated spaces.
- Don’t procrastinate on creating music
- Don’t waste time & money.
Learn, Practice, Ideate, Produce, Release & Spread your music!
In the end, it’s your creativity and the quality of music you produce, that gets people to identify with you and your music. We hope this ultimate music production guide helped you.
Producers expressly freshers often make silly mistakes while producing which can hands be avoided. You can stave these basic mistakes that fresh producers often make, with the proper guidance.
Need help? Contact us to get you started!
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