Hello, my name is Phil. I have started producing UK Garage a while ago. I just switched over to FL Studio 12 after using Reason for ages due to Reason being pretty hard to use, I own a Axiom Air 32 Midi Control an thats all the hardware I own.. Any tips on producing Garage would be really appreciated, thanks.. <3
Garage Production tips.
- Thread starter Deadwax
- Start date
slunk
New member
What sort of advice are you after? Song structure? Instruments?
Generally the garage I listen to is very easy on the ear, with light instruments but a funky beat. It might be good to find a decent vocal part and try and build the song around that. I sometimes find that is the most difficult part to nail.
Generally the garage I listen to is very easy on the ear, with light instruments but a funky beat. It might be good to find a decent vocal part and try and build the song around that. I sometimes find that is the most difficult part to nail.
B Side Producer
Moderator
Listen to garage and practice by trying to recreate. Then slowly start by creating your own. Also, as said above, working with a singer (rapper or mc more in place here) would be good as well.
Some of my favorite uk artists are on this list
UK Garage Artists | List of Best UK Garage DJs/Groups
I love craig david, although that's more of the polished stuff.
Artful dodger is also one of my all time favorites.
How's your music production and sound engineering skills in general?
If those are not well developed, work on those. Read up on theory, practice this theory. Youtube tutorials, dvd courses, online courses, FP forum, stickies, links, etc.
Some of my favorite uk artists are on this list
UK Garage Artists | List of Best UK Garage DJs/Groups
I love craig david, although that's more of the polished stuff.
Artful dodger is also one of my all time favorites.
How's your music production and sound engineering skills in general?
If those are not well developed, work on those. Read up on theory, practice this theory. Youtube tutorials, dvd courses, online courses, FP forum, stickies, links, etc.
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I am after advice on how to just put better together beats, a better vibe. I guess you could say sound structure. I guess I don't really want Burial-esque style stuff, I want to sort of develop my own style. My music productions are not the best but I get along. Engineering skills are pretty shit, I just started producing.. I have just turned fifteen so its probably no suprise but I did improve in the past year or so when i started producing.
slunk
New member
It takes time. You are still young, so I wouldn't worry about getting amazing straight away. I started when I was around 22, and I'm 25 now and still have so much to learn. I wish I started when I was 15 because I would be a pro by now. Just make sure you keep motivated and try and learn something new every day, even if it is just watching one YouTube tutorial.
localspace
New member
My general advice to any beginning producer would be to mess around with some good sample-packs first, and then once you get the hang of structuring your tracks the way you want, dump the sample packs and get to shaping your own sounds. That's when the real magic hopefully starts to happen. Doing it the other way around is noble... but you'll spend ages trying to get your sounds fat or a certain way or whatever. That's how I got started.. it's helped my sampling and sound design a LOT (i can turn anything into anything) but mostly it's been a waste of time..
Then again, UK garage is so broad.. a lot of what I enjoy about is stuff that almost revolves around breaking musical rules.. out of key, out of time, just clever ways of getting sound.
You gotta keep in mind what kind of sound you're after and how the people that came up with it made it originally. If you're looking for a raw, underground sound... then use raw, underground tactics. Use dirty sounds, use that crappy old synth people forgot about... work with tape recorders exclusively... do something crazy. You see a lot of producers producing so neatly within the lines nowadays.... which is why a lot of it sounds great, but utterly the same.. you can do that perfect, break, build, drop thing all you want, but it'll always be boring and safe.
To me 'garage' (in whatever form: house, UK, deep, bla, future, grime) is supposed to be the giant middle finger up the ass of all the neat glossy genres and established production methods.
Also one of the best general tips I ever had: stop listening to the music you're trying to make! It'll just get in the way of your own creativity..
Then again, UK garage is so broad.. a lot of what I enjoy about is stuff that almost revolves around breaking musical rules.. out of key, out of time, just clever ways of getting sound.
You gotta keep in mind what kind of sound you're after and how the people that came up with it made it originally. If you're looking for a raw, underground sound... then use raw, underground tactics. Use dirty sounds, use that crappy old synth people forgot about... work with tape recorders exclusively... do something crazy. You see a lot of producers producing so neatly within the lines nowadays.... which is why a lot of it sounds great, but utterly the same.. you can do that perfect, break, build, drop thing all you want, but it'll always be boring and safe.
To me 'garage' (in whatever form: house, UK, deep, bla, future, grime) is supposed to be the giant middle finger up the ass of all the neat glossy genres and established production methods.
Also one of the best general tips I ever had: stop listening to the music you're trying to make! It'll just get in the way of your own creativity..