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[Request Help]Taking the first step into Music Production

Hello all,

My name is Craig and I've just recently signed up to the forums as I'm looking around for tips and guides on how to start creating electronic music (I was told to come here from another site).

Basically I'm in my early 20's and since a young teen I've wanted to create my own music (electronically) but never had the funds or knowledge of what I will need and a guide on how to start off.

My main question really is in regards of what I will actually need to start me off? My idols are those of; Avicii, David Guetta, Calvin Harris and Swedish House Mafia so would like to make music styles towards their genre.

I have asked around on what equipment I will need and I'm being told different things every time. Some say all I need is a DAW such as Fruity Loops, Ableton, Live etc whilst others say I need other equipment as well as the DAW.

So basically if someone could give us a hand on taking my first step into this hobby and could explain what I will need and why etc.

Any information or direction into the right path would be much appreciated.

Kind Regards

Craig.

Re: [Request Help]Taking the first step into Music Production

quote:

Originally posted by Kelvan My main question really is in regards of what I will actually need to start me off? My idols are those of; Avicii, David Guetta, Calvin Harris and Swedish House Mafia so would like to make music styles towards their genre.

My advice would to be please don't. Please don't.

lol, I would say if you do it for fun then why not lol but if you wont to be famous like those guys you mention then you have 0.01% chance at the best - so seat tight and have great run with all of us over here - welcome on board Craig !!!

Cheers,

Darek

OP dont mind these haters. Everybody has to be a comedian nowdays.


Im new to this as well like you, so ill share my experience with you.

My advice to you is dont buy anything. No daw. no gear. Learn what a composition is, what are its parts, learn about notes, chords, melodies. once you have some knowledge, download some free daw (i suggest caustic, but there may be others)

http://singlecellsoftware.com/node/184

caustic installer

Apply what you know about composition. Once you get a feel for using a DAW and you want to explore other effects and sounds check out other comprehensive DAW like sonar, flstudio, reason, etc. at this point you may also consider some gear.


Dont miss the forest for the trees.

quote:

Originally posted by Spacey Orange OP dont mind these haters. Everybody has to be a comedian nowdays.

It ain't about comedy, it's about taste.

quote:

Originally posted by Spacey Orange OP dont mind these haters. Everybody has to be a comedian nowdays.

Nope, not at all just a simple reality check - didn't said that OP doesn't have any chance but it is going to be a bumpy road for him lol - Avicii was lucky enough to be pickup by Laidback Luke after months of posting his work lol so if OP is talented and dedicated person I would say �anything can happen� - so good luck and remember �have fun�

Cheers

quote:

Originally posted by Spacey Orange OP dont mind these haters. Everybody has to be a comedian nowdays. Im new to this as well like you, so ill share my experience with you. My advice to you is dont buy anything. No daw. no gear. Learn what a composition is, what are its parts, learn about notes, chords, melodies. once you have some knowledge, download some free daw (i suggest caustic, but there may be others) http://singlecellsoftware.com/node/184 caustic installer Apply what you know about composition. Once you get a feel for using a DAW and you want to explore other effects and sounds check out other comprehensive DAW like sonar, flstudio, reason, etc. at this point you may also consider some gear. Dont miss the forest for the trees.

Honestly, it's not going to hurt to ignore most if not all of this advice.

quote:

Originally posted by EddieZilker Honestly, it's not going to hurt to ignore most if not all of this advice.

Hi is asking for advice. If you have nothing add, stfu.

quote:

Originally posted by Spacey Orange Hi is asking for advice. If you have nothing add, stfu.

Firstly, you're a DJ not a producer. Also, we aren't haters. You aren't adding anything with that pointless comment either. We're giving this guy a reality check. The best kind of style, out of any other, is your own.

The motto here is "no pain no gain". If you don't invest anything into your starting setup, you won't feel any motivation and/or stimulation to produce, and everything will feel extremely cheap and worthless. I would say to start off with, for example, Ableton Live Intro, which is available at a good price of 99 USD. You can also pick up some cheap AKG headphones online and purchase a used decent audio interface, such as the Scarlett 2i2. I learned to use Ableton simply through watching a complete sequence of tutorials on YouTube, and I'm sure you can do as well. Just be patient, as it'll take a while before you start producing quality material.

Welcome to the EDM community

quote:

Originally posted by Spacey Orange Hi is asking for advice. If you have nothing add, stfu.

Your advice is counter-productive and irrelevant. My experience says that you don't know what the fuck you're talking about. You're therefor unqualified to be dispensing advice. It's you who have nothing to add and, consequently, you have added absolutely nothing.

Your approach to "learning" is flawed. It's not that he shouldn't learn about music theory, chord structures, or composition. It's because the value of learning about them is decimated without the ability to combine knowledge with practical application. Advising him not to acquire anything that would allow him to practice is a bit like teaching someone to type without a keyboard, swim without the water, or ride a bike without the bicycle. Futile.

Furthermore, learning about song structure is useless without the skill-sets required for developing parts that a song is fundamentally comprised of. You're basically working backwards. The chances of anyone putting together a song without the use of a MIDI keyboard are negligible and using that keyboard requires skill acquired through practice; preferably along side some form of professional instruction.

Yet here you are, fully admitting you have very limited experience with a subject you presume to have enough authority to be dispensing advice on.

http://www.tranceaddict.com/forums/...31#.UPHf7XeH-So

See # 31.

I have bookmarked #31 for constant future use.

Thankyou Eddie Zilker. Thankyou.

I'm actually a little surprised by the applicability of my comprehensive list of Music Production Cliche's. Suppose I should add Avicii to # 38, though.

I think somebody should take that list, flowchart it into an app called 'how to life'

Go easy on the kid. He's obviously like 16.

Cheers for the information guys.

Going to check those tutorials now to familiarize myself with this.

Thanks Again

Check youtube for "master classes" of those producers you mentioned. They're not very valuable coming from these guys, but you can see some of the shit they use. There is tons of info on youtube anyway. Ask Google before you ask us.

LMMS is a free sequencing program that functions similarly to fruity loops, this would be a central program where you lay out a long.
zynaddsubfx is a free software synth that sounds amazing
hydrogen is a free drum machine that comes with some beats to start your collection.

If it were still 2003 I'd say get into jeskola buzz, but it is dead, it probably still works and is out there to play with. James Holden made his breakout trance hits in buzz.

If it were 1997 I'd say get a copy of rebirth, only in 1997 that costed a couple hundred bucks, but now it is free! Mind you, it doesn't make the best sounds by today's standards, but it does give you that hardware styled interface if you were curious to know what that must have felt like.

My point being, you can do all this in software without paying a dime and without piracy if you were so determined. Everyone is out there trying to sell aspiring producers $800 software packages, if you aren't sure what you want yet, then save your money for when you are.

Your life will be a lot easier with a midi keyboard, some good headphones, a legit music soundcard/usb interface and a pair of studio monitors. I'd suggest starting with the midi controller.

Also, read and understand the following:
-http://www.scribd.com/doc/5220863/Ravenspiral-Guide-to-Music-Theory
-http://ia700300.us.archive.org/7/items/GuideToMixing/mixing.pdf

The first will give you most of what you need to know for notes and chords and melodies and stuff, it is written in a way to apply to electronic music rather than most material on the topic being centered around jazz and classical.

The second will explain mixing, effects, EQ+compression and all the knobs and techy stuff that these types of forums are constantly discussing. It is a very good summary of a very long and complicated topic and should get you off the ground nicely.

(in my opinion production forums don't discuss the composing element of this music nearly as much as they should and are always focusing on the mixing)

Beyond that there are tools to aid you in composing music as you are learning about notes and trying to master playing your midi keyboard. This is controversial because people will tell you to learn to play the keyboard and learn theory yourself, but they are powerful tools for getting the song from your imagination and into your computer, plus you will be learning your keyboard and your theory as you go. These are not substitutes for practice, they are supplements.
I'd suggest:
-an audio to midi program, so that you can hum notes into your mike, and see where they are on your keyboard or record into your sequencer (with a side effect of correcting your singing)
-a composing tool that can transpose notes, rectify melodies into new chords, move notes around, give you suggestions and stuff, there is a free one called impro-visor, it is amazing but a bit tricky to use (it does a lot of stuff and you only need it for a couple features, so don't get lost wasting all your time inside it)
-a chord tool that gives you a bunch of buttons to press for different chords so you can learn what they sound like and experiment with what sounds good together, there is a free one called tonespace, there are also many web based places that can play with chords for you.

If you were on linux, I could bury you in more free music making software than you could possibly use, but the listed stuff is about as excellent a starter kit as I can think of.

I shall henceforth paste this message into later getting started query threads.

quote:

Originally posted by Anakratis I would say to start off with, for example, Ableton Live Intro, which is available at a good price of 99 USD. You can also pick up some cheap AKG headphones online and purchase a used decent audio interface, such as the Scarlett 2i2.

Whats the point of an audio interface when you have nothing to record through it?

quote:

Originally posted by Deillon Whats the point of an audio interface when you have nothing to record through it?

Latency.

quote:

Originally posted by tehlord Latency.

Onboard soundcard or a decent external soundcard + ASIO is free and gives good/decent latency aswell.

Re: [Request Help]Taking the first step into Music Production

quote:

Originally posted by Kelvan (I was told to come here from another site).

I don't know why because...

quote:

My idols are those of; Avicii, David Guetta, Calvin Harris and Swedish House Mafia so would like to make music styles towards their genre.

This is a trance forum, those are all cheesy, commercial house producers....out of the bunch, only Calvin Harris produces things that are quality on a regular basis.

quote:

I have asked around on what equipment I will need and I'm being told different things every time. Some say all I need is a DAW such as Fruity Loops, Ableton, Live etc whilst others say I need other equipment as well as the DAW.

At minimum you should have: A DAW, an audio interface, PRODUCTION (not djing) headphones. You also try to get, if you can afford it: monitor speakers, a midi controller, additional plug-ins according to your needs.

quote:

So basically if someone could give us a hand on taking my first step into this hobby and could explain what I will need and why etc. Any information or direction into the right path would be much appreciated. Kind Regards Craig.

The first thing you are going to do, something that no one fucking says, is you are going to go study. You are going to study: the history of electronic music, at the very least the major genres (if not the many many many sub-genres that exist), the basics of synthesis, the basics of mixing, some music theory. Those things that I listed should be the MINIMUM of your knowledge base, and you should never stop learning about electronic music and production.

You should download demos of every DAW, and see which one "jibes" with you. I personally hate Live for many reasons, one being that it didn't "jibe" with me. I use Logic, for many reasons: I need a good MIDI environment, the packaged instruments and effects are wonderful, it has a strong history, and its not hard to learn the basics.

Many people use Live because a lot of people primarily use loops and samples in their productions these days, and Live shines in regards to that kind of composition. And if you want to just get Live and buy Vengeance sample packs and use those, thats fine, but that doesn't foster creativity. A lot of people today "make" music, but they don't "create" music. That's why you should learn synthesis, so you can make your own sounds. Its very rewarding to be able to say "I made that bassline" "That great sounding drum? I made that". If you are going to use just samples and loops, try to be creative with them, not just using them as is.

Now to wait to be told how wrong I am.....

quote:

Originally posted by Deillon Onboard soundcard or a decent external soundcard + ASIO is free and gives good/decent latency aswell.

No, it doesn't. Quality is crap and latency is crap. I suggest you do an A/B and listen for yourself. Plus a 2i2 costs 120 brand new, 90 refurbished, and around 60 used. Great interface and can't get better for a price like that.

ASIO is obviously the best option. Onboard is fine too, the only discernible difference to you will be latency, which has never messed with my productivity because I don't use controllers. I've produced many tracks with onboard sound and not to float my own boat but my mix down among the best in the production forum. If you are just starting out, my suggestion is just have a decent computer and a nice pair of headphones, and get cracking. There is plenty you can do with just that before you even worry about getting monitors or an interface.

Re: Re: [Request Help]Taking the first step into Music Production

quote:

Originally posted by djshire I don't know why because... This is a trance forum, those are all cheesy, commercial house producers....out of the bunch, only Calvin Harris produces things that are quality on a regular basis.

Great advice to this guy, but the genre of music lacks importance. Plus, if you haven't noticed, most people in the production forum don't even like trance. Mostly because it's for 37 year old Dutch guys who can't dance and lacks the groove and sex appeal that house music has.

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