I'm completely new to making any type of electronic music, how do I start?
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- KVRAF
- 12098 posts since 2 Dec, 2004 from North Wales
I would recommend Ableton live as a good starting point, I think it is more imidiate than Reason and other Daws, it has lessons and tutorials built in and contains pretty much everything you need to get going... Lots of fast start videos for free on utube
X32 and 24C mixers, S88MK3, Live + PUSH 3, Osmose, RedShift 6, Pro3, S4, Tempera, Syntakt, Digitone, OP1-F, OPXY, TR-1000, Eurorack, TD27 Drums, Guitars, Basses, Amps and of course lots of pedals!
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- KVRist
- 425 posts since 9 Nov, 2012 from Colorado, USA
Don't know what specific hardware you have (computer specs, interface, etc) and don't know if you have Reason full or Essentials (or which version of Reason).
You say your a guitarist. can you record your guitar into reason and are you pretty comfortable doing that?
You have to know how to drive a car to compete in a auto race, and you have to be a really GOOD driver to win a race.
know your DAW, you instruments, terminology.
In Reason you need to learn how to use the Rack Extensions - at least how to load sounds and record them.
learn the basics of Malstom synth, Thor synth, Kong drum, Redrum drum computer (pattern programming for drums), and NN-XT sampler. later you can learn Combinator and RPG-8 Arp. ALL of these are Reason Racks in the full version of reason and you don't need to go buy or look for anything else.
that's the basis for any electronic music - synth, drum, sample (bass), arp. now throw in the mix some of your guitar playing - funk, soul, quick stabs.
search on youtube for "Reason EDM" and you can find many tutorials specific to reason a learning how to do things.
mostly just learn a bit and then play. nobody creates music buy watching lots of tutorials and jumping in creating a track. it's all trial and error and happy accidents - and FUN. If you not having FUN then try something else, come back to something later tht ids driving you crazy.
search the web for Free Reason Refills, Reason free track downloads etc. these are good examples to grab and tear apart, figure out how someone did something you like in reason by looking under the hood.
lastly don't take other peoples hard work and call it your own. make your own stuff, be original, have FUN.
You say your a guitarist. can you record your guitar into reason and are you pretty comfortable doing that?
You have to know how to drive a car to compete in a auto race, and you have to be a really GOOD driver to win a race.
know your DAW, you instruments, terminology.
In Reason you need to learn how to use the Rack Extensions - at least how to load sounds and record them.
learn the basics of Malstom synth, Thor synth, Kong drum, Redrum drum computer (pattern programming for drums), and NN-XT sampler. later you can learn Combinator and RPG-8 Arp. ALL of these are Reason Racks in the full version of reason and you don't need to go buy or look for anything else.
that's the basis for any electronic music - synth, drum, sample (bass), arp. now throw in the mix some of your guitar playing - funk, soul, quick stabs.
search on youtube for "Reason EDM" and you can find many tutorials specific to reason a learning how to do things.
mostly just learn a bit and then play. nobody creates music buy watching lots of tutorials and jumping in creating a track. it's all trial and error and happy accidents - and FUN. If you not having FUN then try something else, come back to something later tht ids driving you crazy.
search the web for Free Reason Refills, Reason free track downloads etc. these are good examples to grab and tear apart, figure out how someone did something you like in reason by looking under the hood.
lastly don't take other peoples hard work and call it your own. make your own stuff, be original, have FUN.
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- KVRer
- Topic Starter
- 9 posts since 19 Oct, 2014
I've never tried to record any of my guitar playing on reason. I've recorded some on audacity and added some effects. https://soundcloud.com/glvtch/dazed this is something I made with sounds I recorded and just edited them with audacity. I was really into dream pop at the time (I still really enjoy dream pop) so I was just going for that kind of cloudy feel. That's honestly the best I've gotten out of any programs. My guitar skills aren't spectacular. I'm more into acoustic fingerpicking and singing a long kind of things rather then solos.
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- KVRist
- 425 posts since 9 Nov, 2012 from Colorado, USA
so you don't own a copy of Reason you only have the trial version?noko wrote:Alright, I'll take a look at it. I just have the free trial of reason right now so I don't mind switching over.
Reason is not the 1st DAW I would pick to do electronic music. It's a closes DAW, meaning you can only use Reason, it's RACK and cannot load 3rd party plugins like VST plugins or AU plugins.
You have not mentioned if your on MAC of PC computer.
If I were you I would look into Reaper, Ableton Live, FL Studio, Cubase.
There are tons of free VST plugins, synths, drum plugins etc out there to start with and your going to want a DAW that can take advantage of those. Reason while really easy to start with won't let you play with all those other toys.
I have a Cubase AI6 license if you want it. It came with some hardware I bought but I have not registered it. It's the entry level Cubase software.
You might find someone with a Ableton Live LE license they might give you. Live LE comes with hardware usually and is the baby Ableton Live program. limited but gets ya a full working Live to start learning.
PM me if you want the license for Cubase AI6, happy to help out.
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- KVRist
- 425 posts since 9 Nov, 2012 from Colorado, USA
Nice music track you have there. Very ambient. I like the reverse effect you have later in the track. some gems and ideas to build on in there.
one of my favorite tracks right now is Yelawolf "Till it's gone". I'm not really into rap much but the guitar and backing track is minimalistic and the harmonics are just so wild. simple ideas and structure and a very strong track.
you can do something like this.
I'm 47 and can barely play my guitar.
build on your strengths and throw some more spice into it.
one of my favorite tracks right now is Yelawolf "Till it's gone". I'm not really into rap much but the guitar and backing track is minimalistic and the harmonics are just so wild. simple ideas and structure and a very strong track.
you can do something like this.
I'm 47 and can barely play my guitar.
build on your strengths and throw some more spice into it.
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- KVRer
- Topic Starter
- 9 posts since 19 Oct, 2014
I actually took the time to check out the trial for ableton live also, I kind of prefer it over reason, it feels much more customizable. Thanks for the offer for cubase but I think I'm going to get a copy of ableton live on my next paycheck (mcdonalds minimum wage grind zzzz) thanks for the offer though!MachineClaw wrote:so you don't own a copy of Reason you only have the trial version?noko wrote:Alright, I'll take a look at it. I just have the free trial of reason right now so I don't mind switching over.
Reason is not the 1st DAW I would pick to do electronic music. It's a closes DAW, meaning you can only use Reason, it's RACK and cannot load 3rd party plugins like VST plugins or AU plugins.
You have not mentioned if your on MAC of PC computer.
If I were you I would look into Reaper, Ableton Live, FL Studio, Cubase.
There are tons of free VST plugins, synths, drum plugins etc out there to start with and your going to want a DAW that can take advantage of those. Reason while really easy to start with won't let you play with all those other toys.
I have a Cubase AI6 license if you want it. It came with some hardware I bought but I have not registered it. It's the entry level Cubase software.
You might find someone with a Ableton Live LE license they might give you. Live LE comes with hardware usually and is the baby Ableton Live program. limited but gets ya a full working Live to start learning.
PM me if you want the license for Cubase AI6, happy to help out.
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- KVRist
- 425 posts since 9 Nov, 2012 from Colorado, USA
no problem at all.
you might see if you can hunt someone down with the free Ableton Live LE. I think you can update from Live LE and save some money. can't remember.
if you are still in school as a student Ableton offers educational discounts of 40% off, save you some cash.
good luck. keep grooving.
you might see if you can hunt someone down with the free Ableton Live LE. I think you can update from Live LE and save some money. can't remember.
if you are still in school as a student Ableton offers educational discounts of 40% off, save you some cash.
good luck. keep grooving.
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- KVRian
- 1133 posts since 31 May, 2007
Reason is a good starting point,I still consider it a great tool for electronic music in general
Ableton live as before mentioned is another great option,along with reason these 2 daws have some great features
Ableton live as before mentioned is another great option,along with reason these 2 daws have some great features
live 11 / Arturia collection / many Softube plug ins / thats it
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- KVRer
- 11 posts since 6 Nov, 2014
You just made a first step that many producers forget to do, and that is focusing on an instrument and music composition! That is actually really good!
I would say experiment with FL Studio and get some understanding on how mixing, synths, and production works.
I would say experiment with FL Studio and get some understanding on how mixing, synths, and production works.
Check out my soundcloud!
https://soundcloud.com/vidalemusic
https://soundcloud.com/vidalemusic
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- KVRer
- 19 posts since 10 Feb, 2014
Start off by downloading a daw and using a bunch of drum samples and presets. Then watch shitty youtube tutorials to learn whatever you want to learn. Be sure you think about the exact things you want to learn about; it will make the pursuit of learning much more easier.
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- KVRer
- 18 posts since 16 Apr, 2007 from Salt Lake City, Utah
Watching the videos is a good idea with Reason...it's alot to start out with.
Here's a suggestion. Don't try to create an entire song all at once out of the gate. Open one instrument. Try out some of the presets. Find one you like and just mess with some notes or rhythms. Record a 4, 8, or 1 bar loop. Save that loop as a song, and keep going trying out presets and recording loops while saving each one as a song. Do the same thing with other instruments. Open up some of your loop songs, and add another instrument. Keep building your like that.
It's like a notebook of ideas that just keeps growing.
Here's a suggestion. Don't try to create an entire song all at once out of the gate. Open one instrument. Try out some of the presets. Find one you like and just mess with some notes or rhythms. Record a 4, 8, or 1 bar loop. Save that loop as a song, and keep going trying out presets and recording loops while saving each one as a song. Do the same thing with other instruments. Open up some of your loop songs, and add another instrument. Keep building your like that.
It's like a notebook of ideas that just keeps growing.