|
solid dj but new to production and need some advice
|
View this Thread in Original format
| Scolomon |
so i have a djm 800, and soon i will have a midi keyboard. i also have a computer and access to ableton live 5, soundforge, acid, cubase and reason.
Now, if i want to make my own PROFESSIONAL (i want this to sound good enough to play in a club at a gig) music from scratch here are my questions
1) with my midi keyboard would i be able to synthesize professional sounding music in a program like cubase or reason? What about protools?
2)as far as highhat and drum beats and bass go, is that done the same way with keyboards? Would I need to buy a drum machine, or can I approach this the same way i approach the melodic elements of my music
3)any other key components i am missing to make music (I am trying to do this with as little hardware as possible, at least at first to keep costs down, so saying buy a korg or a roland synthesizer isnt a practical suggestion, unless its the ONLY way to do it)
Thanks :gsmile: |
|
|
| david.michael |
| You can use all software. Any major sequencing program has full functional capability to make professional sounding tracks. It's what you do with it and how you use it that makes the difference. |
|
|
| thesuperfunk |
1. Not sure what you mean by 'synthesize'? ... if you've got vst's hooked up in cubase though you'll be able to play out all the pads, leads, etc
2. Using a software sampler like NI Battery you can load all the individual percussion hits and trigger them from your midi keyboard
3. Sounds like you have pretty much all the essentials ... some extra vst instruments wouldn't do any harm though! |
|
|
| MrJiveBoJingles |
| quote: | Originally posted by Scolomon
1) with my midi keyboard would i be able to synthesize professional sounding music in a program like cubase or reason? What about protools? |
Reason and Cubase alone will get you a professional-sounding track if you use them right.
| quote: | | 2)as far as highhat and drum beats and bass go, is that done the same way with keyboards? Would I need to buy a drum machine, or can I approach this the same way i approach the melodic elements of my music |
Some people draw their drum beats into a drum sequencer such as Reason's Redrum, and others use a keyboard mapped to samples like the above poster said.
| quote: | | 3)any other key components i am missing to make music (I am trying to do this with as little hardware as possible, at least at first to keep costs down, so saying buy a korg or a roland synthesizer isnt a practical suggestion, unless its the ONLY way to do it) |
If you have the programs you mentioned and a basic knowledge of how to shape sounds and put together melodies, basslines, and drum beats, then you have everything you need to make a professional-sounding track.
If you don't have that knowledge yet, this forum is a good resource for any questions you have.
This is definitely an intensive learning process, though, by which I mean that you won't be able to make tracks that sound professional as soon as you start laying down some beats and melodies. No program, VST, or hardware synth will allow you to do that: it comes from experience. So unless you have huge amounts of free time or are insanely talented, expect to spend at least a few months just learning the ropes.
That's not to discourage you at all. The learning process itself is really fun, or at least it is for me. :) |
|
|
| Pjotr G |
really, the program doesn't matter much, it's experience that makes your tracks sound good.
So try some DAW's (demo's?), get some free vsti's, buy some sample cd's and see what fits you, and just get crackin! |
|
|
| Scolomon |
| where do i get these vsts? do i buy them seperately? again, sorry like i said when it comes to producing i am a total n00b |
|
|
| djsphere |
| quote: | Originally posted by Scolomon
where do i get these vsts? do i buy them seperately? again, sorry like i said when it comes to producing i am a total n00b |
yeah, but for now you can try some free ones.
try http://www.vstcentral.com/ |
|
|
| Derivative |
| quote: | Originally posted by Scolomon
where do i get these vsts? do i buy them seperately? again, sorry like i said when it comes to producing i am a total n00b |
Read the stickies. |
|
|
| MrJiveBoJingles |
| quote: | Originally posted by Scolomon
where do i get these vsts? do i buy them seperately? |
You buy them separately, or just download them in the case of free ones. Don't go and buy a whole bunch right away, though. I recommend that you get one good VST and really master it before you go buying or downloading others. It's way too easy to get caught up in the thrill of new gear without learning to take full advantage of the stuff you've already got.
Here is a page on KVR about free plugins, with the highest-rated ones toward the top:
Free plug-in ratings
And here is their forum:
KVR
You'll probably want to try their "getting started" section. The stickies on TA are very good as well. |
|
|
| richg101 |
the best way to understand modern production is that you use your midi keyboard to control a load of software based instraments. a few (vst)synths that run like programs. and a (vst)drum machine/sampler along with a few audio samples in your sequencer. cubase/etc will run all the vst's together and allow mixing etc.
remember that reason is an all in one box that handles all synths/drum machines and samplers as well as sequencing. but cannot run with external equipment unless ran alongside another sequencer via linking. cubase etc are pure sequencers and come with less bundled features like synths etc, but offer more expansion options.
i would try reason as a demo. it offers all you will need imo. |
|
|
| dj_kane |
| use reason as rewire with sx. i use this and have my kick and percussion all run through reason. very easy to handle and very user friendly so you wont have to learn to use a vst like battery. |
|
|
| NO! |
| I'd say that you should go out and buy yourself some good monitors you can afford. Later on you'll think I'm stupid for taking my advice, but as someone who's using their computer speakers as monitors you'll find that your song will only sound good in just computer speakers. |
|
|
|
|
