Why music makers need to get

There are alternatives, such as recording analog audio via tapes, but these options are cost-prohibitive and require massive amounts of talent to utilize in a meaningful way.

What Are Some Good Options : For new producers, Logic Pro or Ableton are two of the best options depending on what you want to accomplish with your sound. Ableton is much quicker to use for simple compositions and has the bonus of automatically matching tempos between different audio loops and clips, making live performances with just a controller extremely viable. Its simplistic interface makes creating beats and loops incredibly intuitive for those new to producing.

If you want a better hands-on comparison, check out our article detailing the 3 best DAWs for beginners. MIDI, or Musical Instrument Digital Interface, is a universal technical standard that allows for communications between physical hardware and digital audio workstations.

One of the most common forms of MIDI controllers is keyboard controllers, which mimic the look and feel of traditional piano keyboards. While keyboards are vital to producers who can already play one, grid controllers are a much more intuitive and inexpensive way to arrange beats and trigger samples.

Why you need it: A grid controller, such as the Novation Launchpad, allows for precise drum sequencing and live performance, with a DAW like Ableton Live. What is it : Studio headphones are headphones designed for professional work and have specific tunings to meet this goal.

Studio headphones differ from consumer and gaming headphones through their neutral sonic balancing. Essentially, studio headphones seek to output the least colored sounds possible in order for producers to mix their tracks as effectively as possible.

Without knowing what your song actually sounds like, correcting tonal imperfections during a mix-down will only exacerbate them. Why you need it: For listening to your works in progress, there are two main options: monitors and headphones.

For new producers, headphones are the option you want to take. Studio monitors require substantial modifications to obtain clear sound, as their sounds are colored by factors including the shape of the speaker, the layout of the room they are sitting in, and much much more. Bluetooth diminishes audio fidelity, and style headphones typically have distorted dynamics.

For those looking for a high-end pair, the ATH-M50x delivers all of the benefits of the 20X turned up to eleven. Ultra-crisp dynamics, fantastic sound isolation, and sports a fully-collapsible design for easy transport. What is it : Non-MIDI instruments such as guitars or vocals lack the universal connectivity of their peers. An audio interface is designed to address this problem. The easiest way to conceptualize an audio interface is that they are the bridges between traditional analog sounds and digital audio.

Why you need it: When handling live instrumentation, a proper audio interface is required to translate the nuance of the acoustics into a digital audio file. In a digital audio system, analog instruments such as pianos or guitars are recorded as analog electrical signals, which are then converted into a digital audio signal.

Depending on your needs, different audio interfaces will work better than others. Simply put, the mistakes you make and believe us, you will make mistakes lead to some of the better learning experiences you will ever encounter. If you learn from these mistakes, pick yourself up and try again you have the proper attitude.

Never be afraid to fail. Learn by doing. A tenured professor. An online trade school. I don't need no stinking teacher! Answer: Learn by doing. Text books, classroom courses, online video tutorials, next door neighbors and friends, even trial and error all have their place in the learning process. But to learn the best techniques, the best practices of how things are done in the real world, there is no substitute for learning by doing in the real world.

The concert hall's acoustics suck. The live sound engineer sucks. The band sucks. Do I blame Bruce? Hell no, the venue acoustics since improved were atrocious. While auto-tune has transformed many an average singer into someone who can at least hit the notes, once a band is out on the road, performing live, without the aid of recording studio tricks and techniques, their true lack of talent can be exposed.

Certainly, creativity is a great part of being successful in the music business, but if you are not thinking like an entrepreneur you are only limiting the odds of your success. How are you going to get noticed? It can even benefit your brain in ways you may not have realized.

This type of music genre encompasses more digital or produced sounds, with a focus on pre-recorded drum beats for hip-hop, or electronica type sounds for techno or club music.

In these instances, a producer needs to have a focus on using software, such as sequence MIDI and editing audio, and these genres are better suited for someone who does not have music theory knowledge. When you pick up and learn to master an instrument, the ultimate results would be an increase in business growth, generation of more revenue, and from there, recommendations and testimonials to your knowledge as a producer, which will increase your value.

The main goal is knowing where you want to get to during the creation process, and understanding enough about the production process to achieve a final sound. As a music producer, you should definitely consider learning an instrument. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Privacy Policy — About — Contact. Music Industry Advice. Related Articles. A good condenser microphone is a nearly indispensable tool for the music producer, and more than one is an excellent idea, particularly from industry standard brands like Sennheiser, Shure, Rode, Audio Technica, or Neumann.

So, if the music producer has a small budget for microphones, the SM58 is an excellent investment. Boom stands are more versatile, so if the music producer must choose between stands, they should opt for the boom. A decent mixing board is also an important investment for the music producer. While many DAWs have built-in mixing boards, a physical unit is required for multi-instrument and vocal recording. It can also grant the music producer greater control over the mix when recording and during post-production.

Mixing boards can be expensive, so music producers, especially those on a budget, should carefully choose and price boards that fit their basic needs. Music producers will need a quality set of mixing headphones, often more than one set. Closed-back headphones are the best budget option, and many affordable and good quality brands produce them, including SONY, Yamaha, and Audio Technica.

Any speakers are better than none, even if they are small computer speakers or stereo speakers. Music producers who are a little further developed in their career may want to invest in a few studio instruments, such as guitar, bass, and keyboard. While these are not strictly necessary, having some good quality instruments on hand can make a music producer more attractive to clients who want options for recording their material.

But for aspiring or beginning music producers, a basic foundation of skill is vital to become established. To start with, the use of the studio equipment must be learned and mastered. Learning the limitations and strong points of purchased gear, will lend itself to good quality recordings and end-stage production quality.

Knowing what microphones to use for different instruments, how best to utilize a mixing board, and developing strong listening and communication skills are first on the list.

No matter what DAW a music producer chooses, it must likewise be appropriately mastered. Every DAW has its pros and cons, and an experienced audio producer can make their DAW do backflips on a kickstand, because they have learned, with practice and heavy experimentation, what it can do, what it does best, and what its limitations are.