Hi all. Happy to be here. So to be somewhat brief I've never really been deeply involved in music. I did play the drums in school. I've fiddled around with some instruments in the past as well. However I love music. I'm always listening, I have a vast love of many genres. From rock, to dubstep, foreign pop, etc etc etc. I sometimes sit and imagine how songs could be better, or at least how I would like to hear them, what would sound good to men.
So I've come here because I finally want to start learning how to make music. Dubstep, ambient, etc. I'd like to experience it all. Now my problem.....I have no idea where to begin, what I'm doing, how to get my feet wet.
So I figured I could ask how to get started, what programs are good, what I need to learn. All the basics. I heard FL Studio was good. From what I've read it seems the producer edition is a nice choice, that it is good and easy to use. Again though. I'm a Level 0 Beginner and I would appreciate every little bit of help I can get.
Thank you all, I'm so excited.
Noob here, where do I start?
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- KVRian
- 588 posts since 3 Oct, 2011
http://www.amazon.com/Yourself-Songwrit ... e+yourself
Learn to be creative with music first. I also suggest www.sonicacademy.com to work within genres for a bit.
Try every demo of every host you can. See which one you like and go with it. FL is fun. I suggest trying the Ableton Live demo as well. Look up how-to videos on Youtube to get you started with them.
Learn to be creative with music first. I also suggest www.sonicacademy.com to work within genres for a bit.
Try every demo of every host you can. See which one you like and go with it. FL is fun. I suggest trying the Ableton Live demo as well. Look up how-to videos on Youtube to get you started with them.
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- KVRist
- 392 posts since 21 Sep, 2011 from Northern California
Start by demo various hosts to find the one you like best. I suggest you try:
-Cuckos Reaper
-Cakewalk Sonar
-Ableton live
-audacity (free, no midi)
-and do a search online for the many others I didnt mention that have a demo.
Each one has a different workflow. All of them are good and bad in different ways. You need to find the one that is best for you.
There are various books targeting the beginner for learning various hosts, but I find that these are just the user manual regurgitated and not really that useful.
I think the best thing to do is to just jump right in. Pick small tasks and learn them: how to make a trance lead, or how to mix drums, or whatever. It can be overwhelming so you will need patience. Remember that a professional musician putting out tracks will have a whole team to help: mixing artist, mastering artist, producer, sound techs, etc. So dont get discouraged!
I would not spend a ton of money up front on software. Find free vsti online at places like here (kvr). There is so much available that are as good as payware in some ways. My fav payware pack is NI Komplete. It can't be beat for the price.
Look on youtube for 'how to' videos in different styles, there is a wealth of knowledge available. However be warned that there are many who post videos and don't really know what they are talking about, so just be aware that info found online is not gospel.
So, make some tracks, put them on soundcloud or where ever, and let us know about them!
-Cuckos Reaper
-Cakewalk Sonar
-Ableton live
-audacity (free, no midi)
-and do a search online for the many others I didnt mention that have a demo.
Each one has a different workflow. All of them are good and bad in different ways. You need to find the one that is best for you.
There are various books targeting the beginner for learning various hosts, but I find that these are just the user manual regurgitated and not really that useful.
I think the best thing to do is to just jump right in. Pick small tasks and learn them: how to make a trance lead, or how to mix drums, or whatever. It can be overwhelming so you will need patience. Remember that a professional musician putting out tracks will have a whole team to help: mixing artist, mastering artist, producer, sound techs, etc. So dont get discouraged!
I would not spend a ton of money up front on software. Find free vsti online at places like here (kvr). There is so much available that are as good as payware in some ways. My fav payware pack is NI Komplete. It can't be beat for the price.
Look on youtube for 'how to' videos in different styles, there is a wealth of knowledge available. However be warned that there are many who post videos and don't really know what they are talking about, so just be aware that info found online is not gospel.
So, make some tracks, put them on soundcloud or where ever, and let us know about them!
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- KVRian
- 996 posts since 14 Jun, 2012 from Toronto, Canada
I made a video about this yesterday, but alas, it's only for private use.
I'm not the most experienced, so, apologies in advance.
1. Learn technical things and do not be afraid. It will save you both time and money. Period.
2. Do not spend money unless you find yourself demoing it and simply you cannot live without it. In fact, jump from demos to demos to find out what is good and what is not good. Being able to use many different systems is a good training.
3. Find out how you can store your idea, and stick to it.
4. If you cannot find out what is wrong with your music or where it is lacking, you are not doing something right. Music always lacks something. You'd do well do remember that.
5. Find someone who you can absolutely trust and show your music to, and discuss further equipment and general growth, especially if your critical listening experience is short. (Why don't people PM me?
)
6. There are many ways of doing things. Following tutorials is all good, but you really need to carve out how you work.
7. You are in this to have fun. Music is not a sport.
All the best.
PS. Ah, one more. Do not take other people's advice to be your final decision. Sounds strong, but what I mean is at bedroom producing level, everyone's status varies so widely that you will get so much conflicting yet good (or sometimes bad) information. That's why you need to know someone who actually knows what you like, what you can afford, and what kind of things you are into.
This is why I don't do specific advice unless I have information.
I'm not the most experienced, so, apologies in advance.
1. Learn technical things and do not be afraid. It will save you both time and money. Period.
2. Do not spend money unless you find yourself demoing it and simply you cannot live without it. In fact, jump from demos to demos to find out what is good and what is not good. Being able to use many different systems is a good training.
3. Find out how you can store your idea, and stick to it.
4. If you cannot find out what is wrong with your music or where it is lacking, you are not doing something right. Music always lacks something. You'd do well do remember that.
5. Find someone who you can absolutely trust and show your music to, and discuss further equipment and general growth, especially if your critical listening experience is short. (Why don't people PM me?
)6. There are many ways of doing things. Following tutorials is all good, but you really need to carve out how you work.
7. You are in this to have fun. Music is not a sport.
All the best.
PS. Ah, one more. Do not take other people's advice to be your final decision. Sounds strong, but what I mean is at bedroom producing level, everyone's status varies so widely that you will get so much conflicting yet good (or sometimes bad) information. That's why you need to know someone who actually knows what you like, what you can afford, and what kind of things you are into.
This is why I don't do specific advice unless I have information.
It's all about the wavelets. I dream of the perfect additive synthesis.
You can hire me if you are in Toronto! Contact for details.
You can hire me if you are in Toronto! Contact for details.
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- KVRAF
- 5564 posts since 13 Jan, 2005 from the bottom of my heart
youtube holds many learning videos but the quality varied of coz'. for fl studio: it seems its not for everyone, a bit cluttered for many - but i personally love it and the forum and support is great.
Whoever wants music instead of noise, joy instead of pleasure, soul instead of gold, creative work instead of business, passion instead of foolery, finds no home in this trivial world of ours.
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- KVRian
- 996 posts since 14 Jun, 2012 from Toronto, Canada
SO Free doesn't take VST.johnwoo wrote:Presonus Studio one (Free)
CM Magazine (lots of synths and effects free)
Start making music ...
It's all about the wavelets. I dream of the perfect additive synthesis.
You can hire me if you are in Toronto! Contact for details.
You can hire me if you are in Toronto! Contact for details.
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- Banned
- 10196 posts since 12 Mar, 2012 from the Bavarian Alps to my feet and the globe around my head
I would recommend you MuLab as your first DAW. It's easy to work with, and the included synths and FX are great! It was my first DAW, and it helped me much to understand the principles of music production.
FL Studio is great, too, but can be a bit overwhelming at the start.
If you're masochistic, you could make a song with Audacity. I've done it several years ago, but I'll never do it again...
FL Studio is great, too, but can be a bit overwhelming at the start.
If you're masochistic, you could make a song with Audacity. I've done it several years ago, but I'll never do it again...
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- KVRist
- 243 posts since 17 Sep, 2006
I'd also give Cubase a try... You could start with the cheaper versions (starts with Cubase Elements for 99€) and should you ever need to get more pro you can upgrade to the professional versions. Cubase is quite feature complete to get started. It has a good set of instruments and drums out of the box and good tools to start with. There is a learning curve, though.
Other daws might be easier to start with, but are somehow limited when reach for the limits. So it all depends on where you are going.
Steinberg recently published a demo-version of their actual flagship Cubase 7, but you might be overwhelmed by the features...
Cheers,
Codex
Other daws might be easier to start with, but are somehow limited when reach for the limits. So it all depends on where you are going.
Steinberg recently published a demo-version of their actual flagship Cubase 7, but you might be overwhelmed by the features...
Cheers,
Codex
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- KVRist
- 366 posts since 7 Apr, 2011
Studio One is a great choice, but the free version doesn't support third-party plug-ins. Watch the market-place here for some great deals on Studio One Producer used. Also, as everyone else has said, download and try the demos first.johnwoo wrote:Presonus Studio one (Free)
CM Magazine (lots of synths and effects free)
Start making music ...
I would also recommend learning some basic music theory. Just knowing the intervals in a scale and how to construct major and minor chords will help a lot.
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- KVRer
- Topic Starter
- 6 posts since 5 Mar, 2013
I was reading up on this last night, it seems like an interesting program, but even the demo version says I need a usb e-licenser...which I think is a little rediculous to pay $30 to try a demo, especially if I end up not wanting to use it.Alphacodex wrote:I'd also give Cubase a try... You could start with the cheaper versions (starts with Cubase Elements for 99€) and should you ever need to get more pro you can upgrade to the professional versions. Cubase is quite feature complete to get started. It has a good set of instruments and drums out of the box and good tools to start with. There is a learning curve, though.
Other daws might be easier to start with, but are somehow limited when reach for the limits. So it all depends on where you are going.
Steinberg recently published a demo-version of their actual flagship Cubase 7, but you might be overwhelmed by the features...
Cheers,
Codex
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- KVRAF
- 8237 posts since 22 Sep, 2008 from Windsor. UK
Do yourself a favour and go subscribe to the Groove 3 all access pass for a month and watch all the videos they have there. It should be hugely inciteful to you even if you don't understand a lot of what's on screen.
Demo all the DAWs, the only real difference between them all is workflow.
The most crucial thing is to make sure you can hear what you're doing. A good set of monitor speakers (preferably) or monitoring headphones will make life so much easier. I cannot stress this enough.
Set a budget and stick to it. An easy mistake to make is to think that more stuff will make your music sound better. It won't. The less you have to start the better.
Realise now that it'll be several years before you can create something of true quality, and just enjoy the process in the meantime.
Demo all the DAWs, the only real difference between them all is workflow.
The most crucial thing is to make sure you can hear what you're doing. A good set of monitor speakers (preferably) or monitoring headphones will make life so much easier. I cannot stress this enough.
Set a budget and stick to it. An easy mistake to make is to think that more stuff will make your music sound better. It won't. The less you have to start the better.
Realise now that it'll be several years before you can create something of true quality, and just enjoy the process in the meantime.
Soundcloud | Facebook |
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- KVRist
- 243 posts since 17 Sep, 2006
One cannot stress that point enough. Don't ever think: "I'll have fun once I have some better gear! I'll start having fun when I have that better sound-library! The fun will start when I can really produce high quality tracks!"tehlord wrote:
Realise now that it'll be several years before you can create something of true quality, and just enjoy the process in the meantime.
Enkoy the process of learning and making music with whatever you have! Have fun right away, even with the most crappy equipment, or your doing something fundamentally wrong.
The point is: Real good compositions even sound great on the built in Realtec MIDI chip on your motherboard. I started composing on a Roland SCC-1 which basically was a GeneralMIDI ROM-Player like two decades ago...
Do my mixes sound better today? Maybe... partly because of better equipment and partly of what I learned in all those years
Did this equipment make my compositions better? Not at all, sometimes I even found myself spending too much time fiddling with my equipment instead of really making music (still that can be some fun too
I think THAT is the most important tip of em all...
Cheers,
Codex