KVR Audio

EliteRezk · Post by **EliteRezk** » Fri Dec 18, 2015 10:49 am

Hi all,

So ive really being enjoying attempting to make music, nothing good has come from me yet but i guess thats the start of the process (then again ive only done it for a couple of weeks) but I have some issues I hear people talking about dB and freq and all this stuff which seems like an entirely new language, I have no training in keyboard or any music theory (but i do want to one day soon get lessons) literally just some dude who got a keyboard awhile ago deciding to try to do something, but I have no idea where to start.

Do i start attempting to make melodys?.
Do I start attempting to make some form of drum beat?

Im using Ableton live as most of devices (Lauchkey mini, and Axiom 49 By M-Audio) Are kinda built real easy for use with that, and also my laptop has DYNAUDIO speakers, will they suffice long enough till I can pick up a audio interface and pair of monitors?.

Sorry if this is wrong place to post this.

Redmerkurii · Post by **Redmerkurii** » Fri Dec 18, 2015 11:14 am

Hello and welcome to KvR.

There's a pretty good crew on this ship who are very friendly.

Your obvious enthusiasm comes through in your post so don't feel lost you're already doing everything right.

Re the language: just keep learning it.

Beats or melodies? Do both.

Music theory? library books are free plus tons of free online tuition.

Keyboard skills take time. Lessons can help. Practice is key.

Just trying to do something is always a great place to start.

Don't worry too much about the equipment, you'll get it as you need it. You've already got heaps.

Have fun

Googly Smythe · Post by **Googly Smythe** » Fri Dec 18, 2015 12:18 pm

You're already doing the most important thing - enjoying yourself!
Don't worry about gear - that's a bottomless pit, ask anyone here.
Do explore your DAW, read the manuals.
Don't be afraid to delete a day's work if it's going nowhere.
Don't worry about coming here to ask dumb questions - even the best of us can miss the obvious.
Don't be discouraged if no one likes your stuff - they just don't have your good taste!

The Sound On Sound web site has a lot of good articles, it's worth a visit.
Don't expect to produce brilliant music straight away - like any craft, making music requires practice.

Good luck.

RichieWitch · Post by **RichieWitch** » Fri Dec 18, 2015 3:11 pm

Here's a great way to get un-lost.

Head over to Coursera/Berklee College of Music and sign up for two of their FREE 6-week classes:

Introduction to Ableton Live: https://www.coursera.org/learn/ableton-live
Introduction to Music Production:https://www.coursera.org/learn/music-production

If you take the Ableton Live course first, the Music Production class will be a little easier.

I've taken them both and they're a great place to start if you're new to making music.

EliteRezk · Post by **EliteRezk** » Fri Dec 18, 2015 3:20 pm

Ayorinde wrote:You're already doing the most important thing - enjoying yourself!
Don't worry about gear - that's a bottomless pit, ask anyone here.
Do explore your DAW, read the manuals.
Don't be afraid to delete a day's work if it's going nowhere.
Don't worry about coming here to ask dumb questions - even the best of us can miss the obvious.
Don't be discouraged if no one likes your stuff - they just don't have your good taste!
The Sound On Sound web site has a lot of good articles, it's worth a visit.
Don't expect to produce brilliant music straight away - like any craft, making music requires practice.
Good luck.

Haha this place is awesome already.

The issue with the daw is kinda trying out demo of fruity, cubase, and ableton atm but im not sure which i like more im sure ill work that out, they are different but kinda same in a way IMO

Thankyou this shall be a long process but a fun and wonderful one

EliteRezk · Post by **EliteRezk** » Fri Dec 18, 2015 3:23 pm

RichieWitch wrote:Here's a great way to get un-lost.

Head over to Coursera/Berklee College of Music and sign up for two of their FREE 6-week classes:

Introduction to Ableton Live: https://www.coursera.org/learn/ableton-live
Introduction to Music Production:https://www.coursera.org/learn/music-production

If you take the Ableton Live course first, the Music Production class will be a little easier.

I've taken them both and they're a great place to start if you're new to making music.

Literally just finished the week 2 of the Music Production class, Great minds think alike?

.

Would taken the Ableton live course even if i decided one day to change daw's be beneficial? they are all similar in way but with minor differences IMO.

rod_zero · Post by **rod_zero** » Fri Dec 18, 2015 5:08 pm

Take lessons, look for a teacher that can teach piano and composition.

thecontrolcentre · Post by **thecontrolcentre** » Fri Dec 18, 2015 5:31 pm

rod_zero wrote:Take lessons, look for a teacher that can teach piano and composition.

... and/or get a guitar and learn some songs.

brisket · Post by **brisket** » Mon Dec 21, 2015 6:22 am

There's an important question: what kind of music do you imagine yourself making?
This kind of dictates what your priorities should be in terms of choosing software etc.
If you wanna make commercial-sounding EDM, FL would be a great choice.
If you wanna record live-sounding songs with real instruments and vocals, Reaper would be better. Etc. There are so many options, and they're basically all really good, it just depends on your personal goals and preferences.

Do you have good headphones?
They'll be more trustworthy than crappy speakers, and will do the job until you can get proper interface/monitors. While you're just learning, super-duper sound quality doesn't matter too much anyway.

Whatever DAW you choose, it will take many hours to become familiar with it, especially since the concepts are new to you. Be prepared for some moments of real frustration. It takes hundreds of hours to become efficient with any of them.

You should know pretty soon whether this whole computer-music thing is for you, or not. Remember, it should be fun, most of the time!

excessional · Post by **excessional** » Wed Dec 23, 2015 7:56 pm

Michael Hewitt has some good beginner books:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Michael-Hewitt/ ... ont_book_1

Have a look at the synopses and see if these are what you want.

DJ Warmonger · Post by **DJ Warmonger** » Thu Dec 24, 2015 8:23 am

Just a note: quick look at biographies of successful artists show that they are all either trained musicans or engineers of some sort (directly sound engineers or electrical / electronic). So if you have trouble playing music AND don't get the engineering side of things it might be difficult to come up with something satisfying in your lifetime.

Im somewhat lost. :S.