So, how does one make “legit” sounding music?

[marthamarcy]

Basically, I’ve been working exclusively and extremely amateurishly within Ableton and it’s accompanying MIDI library for a few years. I have upwards of 150 demos and half finished arrangements. Obviously Ableton’s sample library has its limitations in quality, in terms of the majority of it just sounding weak and flat. Very bedroom sounding. At risk of comfirming my extreme amateurishness, I wanted to ask how people get good sounds? I don’t currently own a MIDI controller keyboard, at this time I’m still a click and drag kinda guy. Do these keyboards come with sample drum and synth libraries? I mean, I’ve checked out amateur producers of hip hop and such on soundcloud, a lot of whom just throw things together for fun and who work with nothing more than a keyboard as far as I can tell, yet their pieces still have this “real song” quality to them, if you know what I mean. What am I missing, besides a clue?

 

[fullFlex]

If you want more samples, check out sites like Synthopia, or look up here. Google is your friend in this case.
About flat synts... you can experiment with them by adding some reverb (not too much though) or EQ'ing them if needed.
(this is just my advice, someone with bigger experience might help more)

ff

 

[Yumid]

or you know...learn to make your own sounds. Ableton has more than enough soft synths for you to do that. You're only gonna keep running into the EXACT same problem until you do.

 

[SwagProductionz]

get some vst's and get better at your craft... i got my first placement while still on the demo version on fl studio

 

[fataltone]

get some vst's and get better at your craft... i got my first placement while still on the demo version on fl studio

this is the truth right here yeah you need to learn to make your own sounds as well..I'm a preset junkies so I buy a lot of presets but also make my own sounds and/or tweak presets into something totally different

 

[Wallengard]

Also, one thing that not even the best sounding loops and samples can replace, even the ability to make your own sounds, is the raw talent, the ear for what goes together and what doesn't, knowing where everything needs to be and using the right techniques to achieve those high quality tracks.

Lots of samples and vsts can only take you so far, the rest is really up to your imagination and a lot of practice. You'd think that if there was something that anyone could tell you, or some formula how to get "that" kind if sound, we'd all be doing it.

 

[KonKossKang]

Most drum kits come from modules whether Real or Digital.kong, drumaxx, native's drumlab, and the synth drums are literally synthesizer-created drums.Real ones are commonly recorded, sampled or downloaded.Same for melodic sounds

 

[Ace Roxwell]

Develop your ear & never give up on yourself. Working at crafting your sound is the crux of it & really pushing to learn what can take it to where you want it to be. Listen to a few producers that you admire & get a feel for the essence of some work that they've done. Ask yourself why they moved you the way they did. Ask yourself what techniques did they use & put some of those to work by learning about them & practice. You can only get better as you progress with your knowledge of how things mesh together to perfect your craft. That's how many of us got to where we are & striving to get to where we want to go. Just keep working hard at it & appreciate your work to grow.