I'd like to start producing, but I have no idea where to begin

J

JayS

New member
Hey guys,
I just registered in this forum, and I am completely new to this. I love electronic music and sometimes I come up with melodies in my head that I would love to turn into songs, but I feel like I've been dropped in some foreign country and I really have no idea what to do now. I have a roland keyboard from when I was a child, but I don't really know how to play it anymore. I was hoping you guys could give me some help here.

Thanks in advance
 
Firstly, you need a DAW, right?


Then, you're gonna read it's manual, and start messing around with it, to get the feeling of it, and to be confortable with how things work.


Then, you're going to watch tutorials on youtube, on how to achieve the sound the pros get.


Sometimes you'll have a tutorial that is based on the DAW you've chosen, sometimes not. But you'll keep in mind that any DAW is capable of doing the same things, even if people say "this DAW" is better than "that DAW". So you can watch a tutorial made on Ableton, while you're using Cubase, for example. And you'll understand it, and you will replicate it on your DAW, as you have already read the manual, and you know how things work inside it.


Then, you're going to search for breakbeat loops to chop, and create your own breaks. Or you'll create them from scratch. And this, obviously, following tutorials on youtube.


Then comes the biggest problem: how do the big names get this clean, punching mix? You, again, will search youtube, or any other website that contain valuable info on how to clean your mix.


Then, you're going to practice, and practice. And post your efforts here, for feedback from the most experienced users.


While doing all this, you're going to study some theory too, as it'll help you get that medoly you have in your head, and transform it into music.


I hope my answer helped you
 
Ddream thanks a lot for your answer. I see now that there are a couple people in the same situation in the forum, I'm gonna take a look at their threads too.
 
Before you even pick a daw, learn an instrument, preferably piano or guitar along with music theory, otherwise you'll start making dubstep or trap.
 
So I'm still a little lost here. I've seen a lot of videos and webpages, but none if them explain how to actually make music.


Before you even pick a daw, learn an instrument, preferably piano or guitar along with music theory, otherwise you'll start making dubstep or trap.
Click to expand...

Music theory isn't necessary to do dubstep and trap? Those are my favourite genres.
 
Last edited:
JayS said:
So I'm still a little lost here. I've seen a lot of videos and webpages, but none if them explain how to actually make music.




Music theory isn't necessary to do dubstep and trap? Those are my favourite genres.
Click to expand...

Just type something like "Buidling/making beat from start to finish".Maybe add your music genre to that search.
And just watch the whole video from start to finish.Prolly you will have to watch it couple of times to get all details.
But if you want to get those melodies out of your head.You need to learn,learn and learn as much as you can.As more you sit and watch and repeat dudes in videos,more and faster you will get to your goal and after some time(It can vary from person to person)you will know how to get sounds you want out of head and into the speakers without any help.
Thats just how human works.If you want something you have to spend time on reserch and practice.

Google and YouTube is the best teachers for you.
It can really help if you learn to play some real instruments like drums,cuz drums are backbone of most of the music.And if you know how to play them it will be easy for you to feel the music and make hits.

Ps:It does not matter what software you use as they all have the same goal just different layouts of functions.I started with FL studio and im still working in FL cuz i just like it.
Try different softwares and decide who suits you the best.
 
Last edited:
JayS said:
So I'm still a little lost here. I've seen a lot of videos and webpages, but none if them explain how to actually make music.
Click to expand...

Make a drum beat that's 4 or 8 beats long and repeat it to infinity. You say you like dubstep and trap, so make a 4 or 8 beat part of that. Now you've got that beat so it's repeating itself find another sound that you like a make a jingle with it that's the same length as your drum beat (4/8 beats). Put this jingle on another track and repeat this to infinity also so it doesn't end and is playing alongside your drum beat. Now find a bass and repeat the process. Next find another sound that you like and that compliments the rest of this noise and repeat the process.

And that's it, you've made music. The better you get at designing and implementing this process the better your music gets.
 
Thanks for your replies. I actually know how to play the drums, I had classes for a couple years.

But these drum beats and bass sounds and all, where do I get them? I have to download them, right?
 
mycbeats said:
Before you even pick a daw, learn an instrument, preferably piano or guitar along with music theory, otherwise you'll start making dubstep or trap.
Click to expand...

To be honest, man, this little affirmation of yours made me laugh. Although there are tons of producers in the scene that aren't "classicaly trained", you can't generalize. Example? Noisia.

To the OP: no, you don't necessarily need to "download" the bass or anything. You can sample, but you can also synthesize your own basses, pads, leads and everything else.

When I said on my previous post that you'd need to learn things in your DAW, it includes it's bundled plugins, or VSTIs as well.

Or you can invest on any "top" plugin, like Massive, Sylenth, and such. But I advice you to first try to make your sounds on those stock plugins.
 
(You guys are going to make his head explode.) Go grab a DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) demo and start dabbling with the dam thing. Soon, you will discover the wonderful world of sound and begin to slowly understand that there is never a moment when you are not constantly learning, perfecting or experimenting with your music.

I use Reason 7.0 myself and they have a great demo, Download Reason, Reason Essentials and ReCycle Demo, Free Sample Libraries, Software Updates and More - Downloads - Propellerhead

Totally agree with ace puns, "just dive in and mess around!" - The water is, well...who peed?
 
There are tutorials over the internet but most of them lack knowledge or are misleading. You should try things on your own but its very time consuming. There are even experts that help you to get familiar with FL. You can PM me for details. I think I can manage something out.
 
Firstly buy midi keyboard, install Ableton or Logic or any another DAW from that list The 19 best DAW software apps in the world today | Apple Logic Pro | Tech Tuition | MusicRadar . Personally i love logic, coz i'm using it for a long time. But there is no big difference.
After that download some samples and watch videos on youtube about music production in the DAW that you installed. Watch some videos about how to make trap music.
After that start producing, playing around with instruments.
Hope this will help in the beginning.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top