Morning_Star
ProTools + Reason user
This is a guide for what you should buy first if you want to start making music. Mods please look at making this a sticky. There are two groups of people. Beat makers and Recording Engineers. I'm going to assume that eventually you want to do both but you have to decide now, which is more important. Recording vocals or making beats?
I'm going to assume right now that you have a computer and that your computer has speakers. If you want to be a hardware person this is not for you.
First lets talk about the beat makers.
1) Midi controller. Always a first purchase IMO for a beat maker because what's the point if you can't get software to make noise. There are professional producers that do not use a midi controller but it is not common. Buy the cheapest midi controller that has the features you need. An expensive midi controller does not increase the sound quality of your music. Look at M-Audio Oxygen series midi controllers. They are durable, fully featured, cheap, and have great drivers and forums for support.
2) Time to test some software. Download FL Studio, Reason, Studio One, and Ableton. These are great beat making software. Mac users might wanna try Garage Band and later upgrade to Logic. Try them and pick one that suits you. Make sure you watch videos about getting started with them. I'm a Reason user because it comes with all the instruments you need but I also love FL Studio and Studio One. Ableton is not for me but many people love it. FL Studio is a great way to start at only $99. If you choose anything but Reason or Garage Band you will need to get some additional instruments although there are plenty of free ones available. If you are on a pc you will also need to download ASIO4ALL. It's a soundcard driver that allows your stock soundcard to preform like a studio soundcard with low latency.
3) Now it's time to get loud with speakers. I started with bookshelf speakers and a home stereo amp. Here is a list of monitors I like that are cheap and sound great. Passive monitors will need an amplifier such as a home stereo unit from your local goodwill or a yard sale.
Alesis Monitor One mkII passive monitors
Alesis M1 Active mkII active monitors
Yamaha HS50m active monitors
Mackie MR5 or MR8 active monitors
Please stay away from Rokit, M-Audio BX5 (the first models, I have not tried the mkII), Behringer Truth.
4) All about audio interfaces. They allow your computer to function faster and also allow you to hear your music at a higher resolution that will help you make better decisions mixing and choosing samples. They start at $100. You only need 2 inputs and 2 outputs in most cases but choose accordingly. Please consider M-Audio stuff, Presonus stuff, Apogee (mac only), Avid, Motu, RME, and even UA if you can afford it.
5) Sound treatment time. It's always nice to acoustically balance the place a little and also give your neighbors some dampening. Look online for how to build your own or just buy some acoustic foam kits.
Now beat makers are ready to make hits. There will be no excuses because pros have made tracks with less.
Now lets talk to the Recording Engineers in the house. Time to demo software as well. Some require dongles to even try. So if you wanna try protools pick up an iLok. I love protools for the editing and routing features as well as the interface. Cubase is always great and so is Logic, Reason 6, Studio One, or Sonar. So download and test them first. Also you can just download Reaper for free and pay the $60 when every you feel like it. So that's really the first step but it is free (for now).
1) Audio interface. The most important part when your recording vocals. You need at least 2 in and 2 out and a built in mic preamp. This is what dictates the quality of your recording so put the money you can while saving about $300 for a mic. Please consider M-Audio stuff, Presonus stuff, Apogee (mac only), Avid, Motu, RME, and even UA if you can afford it.
2) Mic. Pick the mic for the job. Very few mics do everything well like the Shure SM7b. It's an amazing mic for the money. It should cost $1,000 but only cost about $350. While your at it pick up a cheap condenser mic. The AT2020 is a great starter condenser mic. Other mics I like are the Bluebird, Baby Bottle, AT4040, Bock Audio 195, and Blueberry.
3) Headphones. You need two par and probably a splitter. Get some cheap but durable headphones. Some $20 sony's or if you have the cash HD280's or EX29's for the booth and anything that sounds decent for the engineer.
4) Treatment. Now it's time to reduce room reflection that causes bad recordings. Build a booth or just hang a tent of blankets around the mic.
5) Speakers. Here is a list of monitors I like that are cheap and sound great. Passive monitors will need an amplifier such as a home stereo unit from your local goodwill or a yard sale.
Alesis Monitor One mkII passive monitors
Alesis M1 Active mkII active monitors
Yamaha HS50m active monitors
Mackie MR5 or MR8 active monitors
Please stay away from Rokit, M-Audio BX5 (the first models, I have not tried the mkII), Behringer Truth.
Now you are ready to record. To step up your recordings try a dedicated mic preamp of at least $500 for true pro quality and $1,000 for that million dollar sound. The next upgrade should be a better mic to add to the collection. Great mics start at about $1,000 also.
Don't forget to decide on a software and buy it. I recommend ProTools, Reason, Cubase, and Studio One.
So have fun with it. And buy the right gear in the right order. So you are never re-buying. Also try it out as much as possible before you buy. Always try a couple of mics and mic preamps before buying one. But if you have to order on the internet the SM7b and the AT2020 NEVER sounds bad. As for mic preamps, it's kinda a shot in the dark until you use a couple.
Enjoy, Morning_Star
I'm going to assume right now that you have a computer and that your computer has speakers. If you want to be a hardware person this is not for you.
First lets talk about the beat makers.
1) Midi controller. Always a first purchase IMO for a beat maker because what's the point if you can't get software to make noise. There are professional producers that do not use a midi controller but it is not common. Buy the cheapest midi controller that has the features you need. An expensive midi controller does not increase the sound quality of your music. Look at M-Audio Oxygen series midi controllers. They are durable, fully featured, cheap, and have great drivers and forums for support.
2) Time to test some software. Download FL Studio, Reason, Studio One, and Ableton. These are great beat making software. Mac users might wanna try Garage Band and later upgrade to Logic. Try them and pick one that suits you. Make sure you watch videos about getting started with them. I'm a Reason user because it comes with all the instruments you need but I also love FL Studio and Studio One. Ableton is not for me but many people love it. FL Studio is a great way to start at only $99. If you choose anything but Reason or Garage Band you will need to get some additional instruments although there are plenty of free ones available. If you are on a pc you will also need to download ASIO4ALL. It's a soundcard driver that allows your stock soundcard to preform like a studio soundcard with low latency.
3) Now it's time to get loud with speakers. I started with bookshelf speakers and a home stereo amp. Here is a list of monitors I like that are cheap and sound great. Passive monitors will need an amplifier such as a home stereo unit from your local goodwill or a yard sale.
Alesis Monitor One mkII passive monitors
Alesis M1 Active mkII active monitors
Yamaha HS50m active monitors
Mackie MR5 or MR8 active monitors
Please stay away from Rokit, M-Audio BX5 (the first models, I have not tried the mkII), Behringer Truth.
4) All about audio interfaces. They allow your computer to function faster and also allow you to hear your music at a higher resolution that will help you make better decisions mixing and choosing samples. They start at $100. You only need 2 inputs and 2 outputs in most cases but choose accordingly. Please consider M-Audio stuff, Presonus stuff, Apogee (mac only), Avid, Motu, RME, and even UA if you can afford it.
5) Sound treatment time. It's always nice to acoustically balance the place a little and also give your neighbors some dampening. Look online for how to build your own or just buy some acoustic foam kits.
Now beat makers are ready to make hits. There will be no excuses because pros have made tracks with less.
Now lets talk to the Recording Engineers in the house. Time to demo software as well. Some require dongles to even try. So if you wanna try protools pick up an iLok. I love protools for the editing and routing features as well as the interface. Cubase is always great and so is Logic, Reason 6, Studio One, or Sonar. So download and test them first. Also you can just download Reaper for free and pay the $60 when every you feel like it. So that's really the first step but it is free (for now).
1) Audio interface. The most important part when your recording vocals. You need at least 2 in and 2 out and a built in mic preamp. This is what dictates the quality of your recording so put the money you can while saving about $300 for a mic. Please consider M-Audio stuff, Presonus stuff, Apogee (mac only), Avid, Motu, RME, and even UA if you can afford it.
2) Mic. Pick the mic for the job. Very few mics do everything well like the Shure SM7b. It's an amazing mic for the money. It should cost $1,000 but only cost about $350. While your at it pick up a cheap condenser mic. The AT2020 is a great starter condenser mic. Other mics I like are the Bluebird, Baby Bottle, AT4040, Bock Audio 195, and Blueberry.
3) Headphones. You need two par and probably a splitter. Get some cheap but durable headphones. Some $20 sony's or if you have the cash HD280's or EX29's for the booth and anything that sounds decent for the engineer.
4) Treatment. Now it's time to reduce room reflection that causes bad recordings. Build a booth or just hang a tent of blankets around the mic.
5) Speakers. Here is a list of monitors I like that are cheap and sound great. Passive monitors will need an amplifier such as a home stereo unit from your local goodwill or a yard sale.
Alesis Monitor One mkII passive monitors
Alesis M1 Active mkII active monitors
Yamaha HS50m active monitors
Mackie MR5 or MR8 active monitors
Please stay away from Rokit, M-Audio BX5 (the first models, I have not tried the mkII), Behringer Truth.
Now you are ready to record. To step up your recordings try a dedicated mic preamp of at least $500 for true pro quality and $1,000 for that million dollar sound. The next upgrade should be a better mic to add to the collection. Great mics start at about $1,000 also.
Don't forget to decide on a software and buy it. I recommend ProTools, Reason, Cubase, and Studio One.
So have fun with it. And buy the right gear in the right order. So you are never re-buying. Also try it out as much as possible before you buy. Always try a couple of mics and mic preamps before buying one. But if you have to order on the internet the SM7b and the AT2020 NEVER sounds bad. As for mic preamps, it's kinda a shot in the dark until you use a couple.
Enjoy, Morning_Star
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