Hello everyone,
I am a newbie in music making. I have been trying to create music for almost 3 years now but only for the fun and nothing serious, but my intentions are switched now and I want to get better in it. I can’t play the keyboard altough I own one, but only with 25 keys which is not very pleasend to learn it on. I have a teenage engineering Po33 which is very fun to use and I own a pair of presonus eris e4.5, yamaha hph mt5 headphones and ableton live. My Pc is a slow machine from 8 years old, but I dont have the cash for a new one atm:( and I also dont own a audio interface.
I try to make detroit electro kind of music. Example of a track im working on;
https://soundcloud.com/coentromer/vanta ... on/s-ltMzP
So if you listin to it it sounds very empty, because its in the early stages, but I dont really got that real electro vibe.. I use a 808 drumkit which lots of use, but the synths etc. I dont know.. It doesnt really is the thing. Can someone who got experience in this genre give me tips? My first thought it that I use the wrong scale or something and the wrong synth.
Next question is about my gear. I only have a 200€ budget right now so a new pc is not gonna work sadly. I try to sell my nektar impact lx25 keyboard, because is only use it for finding the right note and not for actually playing music. Maybe i need to upgrade to 49 keys keyboard to get better in it, because I feel really stuck now with playing live. A step sequencer would also be handy for a noob like me. And for a audio interface, I dont really see the purpose of it because I dont use a mic, have no synths and my monitors are pluged in to the 3.5 mm jack input of my pc. Damn I would love to get my hands on a korg volca, but I dont really think thats handy to purchase right now.
I want to get better in music production
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- KVRian
- 1185 posts since 11 Sep, 2015
for this style I don't see why 2 octaves isn't enough. focus on learning the minor scale and groovy timings, some basics in funk could also help.
an 8 years old pc is also more than fast enough for this, but you need an interface no matter what, it's not optional. just get an adapter for your monitors if you need to.
a good step sequencer would indeed be useful, look into Thesys and HY-Seq16x3
an 8 years old pc is also more than fast enough for this, but you need an interface no matter what, it's not optional. just get an adapter for your monitors if you need to.
a good step sequencer would indeed be useful, look into Thesys and HY-Seq16x3
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- KVRAF
- 8414 posts since 4 Jul, 2012 from Alesia
Ok my advice would be to go Demo Propellerhead Reason and run that as a Rewire SLAVE to Ableton.
Use Abletons Midi Clip launcher to trigger the devices in Reason and only use the Reason sounds, FX and instruments. You will be surprised at what you can do.
I used to compose with this system and it never LET me down, I never had any bugs or problems and I could use this on a much older system than you probably have.
Definitely worth considering, and if you feel the need to buy it then you'll find plenty of cheap used copies for about your budget.
As for the producing part, you'll just have to pull up your socks and learn. Go to youtube, learn a bit about mixing, music theory.
Use Abletons Midi Clip launcher to trigger the devices in Reason and only use the Reason sounds, FX and instruments. You will be surprised at what you can do.
I used to compose with this system and it never LET me down, I never had any bugs or problems and I could use this on a much older system than you probably have.
Definitely worth considering, and if you feel the need to buy it then you'll find plenty of cheap used copies for about your budget.
As for the producing part, you'll just have to pull up your socks and learn. Go to youtube, learn a bit about mixing, music theory.
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- KVRist
- Topic Starter
- 46 posts since 8 Dec, 2018
Okay. Can you point out why a audio interface is so necessary? I dont have much gear to connect and the ones I have can be connected trough the pc inputs. Ive seen this one;acYm wrote: ↑Sat Dec 08, 2018 2:39 am for this style I don't see why 2 octaves isn't enough. focus on learning the minor scale and groovy timings, some basics in funk could also help.
an 8 years old pc is also more than fast enough for this, but you need an interface no matter what, it's not optional. just get an adapter for your monitors if you need to.
a good step sequencer would indeed be useful, look into Thesys and HY-Seq16x3
https://www.bax-shop.nl/externe-audio-i ... -interface
This one got midi in and out and that quit good for this price because you dont see that much and I would to get a nice synthesizer in the future.
And for a step seq;
https://www.bax-shop.nl/midi-studio-con ... controller
https://www.bax-shop.nl/midi-keyboards/ ... -sequencer
These seems nice and they are cheap, but got decent reviews.
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- KVRist
- Topic Starter
- 46 posts since 8 Dec, 2018
I would look in to Reason soon. I always seen is passing by, but never actually looked up for what is does and is. Yeah looking up for youtube tutorials is what I do now. Just the problem and i might sound stupid is that is suck at combining the black and white keys when live playing. It just don’t feel really comfortable, so I might gonna take some piano lessons in the futureV0RT3X wrote: ↑Sat Dec 08, 2018 2:45 am Ok my advice would be to go Demo Propellerhead Reason and run that as a Rewire SLAVE to Ableton.
Use Abletons Midi Clip launcher to trigger the devices in Reason and only use the Reason sounds, FX and instruments. You will be surprised at what you can do.
I used to compose with this system and it never LET me down, I never had any bugs or problems and I could use this on a much older system than you probably have.
Definitely worth considering, and if you feel the need to buy it then you'll find plenty of cheap used copies for about your budget.
As for the producing part, you'll just have to pull up your socks and learn. Go to youtube, learn a bit about mixing, music theory.
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- KVRian
- 1185 posts since 11 Sep, 2015
^ the first thing to learn is keyboard fingering, otherwise it will never feel comfortable. if C Major is your current "home key", make it C Minor instead, much more useful.
as soon as you use a computer, you need an interface because it provides a solid ASIO driver that serves as the brain for your entire studio inside the operating system.
as soon as you use a computer, you need an interface because it provides a solid ASIO driver that serves as the brain for your entire studio inside the operating system.
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- KVRist
- Topic Starter
- 46 posts since 8 Dec, 2018
I dont really got a scale I use currently. Im awair that minor scale sounds the best in this genre. For this I use the build in midi effect scale from ableton with the settings of D minor.
What are the benefits for me now if I purchase a audio interface? I only use headphones, monitors and a keyboard right now. If I want to send in data from my pocket operator I just the mic in from laptop.
What are the benefits for me now if I purchase a audio interface? I only use headphones, monitors and a keyboard right now. If I want to send in data from my pocket operator I just the mic in from laptop.
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- KVRian
- 1185 posts since 11 Sep, 2015
the immediate benefits would be lower latency and better converters. any cheap sound card is a big improvement over all on-board audio. you won't know the full potential of your studio until you have one.
by playing c-minor you can have two full octaves on your 2-oct keyboard, than you can just transpose it to any other key while keeping the scale, that's why I recommend learning to play that.
by playing c-minor you can have two full octaves on your 2-oct keyboard, than you can just transpose it to any other key while keeping the scale, that's why I recommend learning to play that.
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- KVRist
- Topic Starter
- 46 posts since 8 Dec, 2018
Would this one be a good one to start with?
https://www.bax-shop.nl/vlog-geluidsapp ... -interface
Its really cheap but it got decent reviews. Only problem is that I want to connect a korg volca in the future, but I dont know how? This one doesnt have midi in and out.
https://www.bax-shop.nl/vlog-geluidsapp ... -interface
Its really cheap but it got decent reviews. Only problem is that I want to connect a korg volca in the future, but I dont know how? This one doesnt have midi in and out.
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- KVRAF
- 2586 posts since 19 Mar, 2008 from germany
The hardware of the UMC-22 is very good and solid! The only dubious issue:Coenf99 wrote: ↑Sun Dec 09, 2018 12:14 pm Would this one be a good one to start with?
https://www.bax-shop.nl/vlog-geluidsapp ... -interface
Its really cheap but it got decent reviews.
Behringer recommends to install ASIO4All. Sometimes this works good,
but sometimes not. In the last case you have to search the original Behringer
ASIO-driver in the internet and install it.
There is the "Behringer UMC-204HD" with MIDI-in and out - price ca. 80€.
free mp3s + info: andy-enroe.de songs + weird stuff: enroe.de
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neverenoughfunk neverenoughfunk https://www.kvraudio.com/forum/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=12310
- KVRian
- 825 posts since 6 Feb, 2004
in my opinion... there are 3/4 parts not sections of a song... rhythm, harmony, melody and secondary melody... in your example of your music... i hear the rhythm, but not sure about the harmony or melodies... i would focus on some basic harmonies and adding melodies (main/secondary) to your songs...
p.s. making music is like playing the lottery... you have to play it to win it... just keep at it... because time will be your best teacher...
p.s. making music is like playing the lottery... you have to play it to win it... just keep at it... because time will be your best teacher...
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- KVRist
- Topic Starter
- 46 posts since 8 Dec, 2018
Hey Rian,
The song is in early progress:) So indeed there has to be much more variations. I am kinda happy with the rhythm altough maybe it needs some more variations in some parts of the song. I think there is a melody there, but maybe there needs to be a second part of the song that can combine with the first melody if you know what I mean. And yes indeed it needs some more harmony, but not too much I think because I still try to aim on Electro and its not a genre with lots of harmony. But maybe a secondary pad is gonna make it more alive. Also a nice robotic vocal would maybe be cool in it.
P.s. Nice words;)
The song is in early progress:) So indeed there has to be much more variations. I am kinda happy with the rhythm altough maybe it needs some more variations in some parts of the song. I think there is a melody there, but maybe there needs to be a second part of the song that can combine with the first melody if you know what I mean. And yes indeed it needs some more harmony, but not too much I think because I still try to aim on Electro and its not a genre with lots of harmony. But maybe a secondary pad is gonna make it more alive. Also a nice robotic vocal would maybe be cool in it.
P.s. Nice words;)
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- KVRAF
- 3847 posts since 13 Jun, 2014
I recommend getting something like a 49 key korg microkey, and actually play music with the keyboard, if you really want to improve your music, because feel comes from the way you interact with an instrument. Then over time you might want to switch to something with more expression, save up for something with aftertouch.
<List your stupid gear here>
