Doni Music

The Basics of Music Production

The Basics of Music Production

In the world of sound, some like it hard and some like it soft. Others still like it hard and soft. No matter how you like it, its becoming easier and easier to make sound happen on a modest budget. This chapter will take a quick look at all of the components you will need to consider when building your in house studio. I’ll also talk about some other critical items that will play a key role in your success as a producer.

SOFTWARE:
Software is one of the biggest reasons that sound production
is possible for more and more people today. There are many software programs available that emulate the older, more expensive and more difficult to acquire production devices of days past. Now we can replicate an entire studio on our home computers. In this book, we are going to focus on 4 main software groups: Sequencers, Synthesizers, Effects Modules, and Mastering/Compression modules.

Sequencers:
A sequencer is a program that you will control all the software
and hardware you have installed on your computer to make music, sound, noise, etc. The sequencer has two levels. The overall level is called a Digital Audio Workstation, or a DAW. The next level is the sequencer inside the DAW.

Digital Audio Workstation:
This is where you can organize tracks, place effects on those tracks, equalize and master those tracks and the overall track and basically create the overall mix. There are several different styles of DAW available to you, each with their own strengths and weaknesses. In the Sequencers chapter I will review some of the best options to help you decide which is best for you.

Internal Sequencer:
The sequencer inside the DAW is what you will use to arrange samples, synthesizers, midi sequences, etc. This is a very important part of creating drum arrangements, piano arrangements, guitar arrangements, etc. I will teach you how to use internal sequencers to save loads of time in the Sequencers chapter.

Synthesizers:
These are the tools you use to make awesome “Star Wars” sounds and soothing bass lines. There are a lot of synthesizers available and the trick is to find the ones that work best for you. Want guitar in your tracks but can’t play guitar? Get a guitar synthesizer. Want a killer string arrangement
but can’t afford an orchestra? Get an orchestral synthesizer. In the synthesizer chapter I will share with you the results of all my research so that you can build the best synthesizer arsenal for your studio.

Effects:
Effects are essentially the icing on the cake. You would put effects on a drum track that you want to pop out or echo. You would put effects on a bass-line that you want to distort. In the Effects chapter I will take a look at the major effects available to you to give your tracks some spice.

Mastering/Compression:
Equalizers. Compressors. Limiters. Expanders. Warmers. These are just some of the tools you will need to ‘master’ if you want to create clean sounding professional tracks. A good arrangement is one thing. A good sounding arrangement is another. In the Mastering/Compression chapter, I will show you how to warm
your tracks up and temper them down to create the Excalibur of final mix-downs.

HARDWARE:
Although the role of hardware in audio production is not as profound as it once was, it still plays the important role of facilitator. Hardware stores information, controls information, and records information so that it can be edited and manipulated further. In this book, we will look at 5 major hardware components you will need to consider when putting together your studio: Computers, Audio Interfaces and Soundcards, Microphones and recording equipment, Mixers, Controllers
and Effects, and finally, Speakers and Monitors.

Computers:
This is obviously the most important piece of the puzzle when it comes to making music on your computer. There are two directions you can go when it comes to setting up a computer: Mac or PC. Which is better? You decide!

Mac:
For a long time, Mac was the system of choice for producers. Now, the playing field is a little more evenly matched. I won’t lie, I have a Mac Book Pro Laptop. Sometimes I sleep with it. But has it solved all my problems? Read the Computers chapter to get the full story so that you do not spend more than you have to.

PC:
The old workhorse PC is turning into quite a beast when it comes to producing on a budget. These days, you don’t need to be born in it to be producing mad tracks! Check out the Computers chapter to find out how to stretch that dollar.

Audio interfaces and Soundcards:
These are the devices that will help you bring sound and data into your computer and get sound out of your computer. There are a few features that are critical if you want to reduce limitations when choosing the best audio interface for your studio. I’ll review some of the best and give my recommendations in the Audio Interfaces and Soundcards chapter.

Microphones and Recording Equipment:
So you sing, or rap, or do voice acting? You are going to need a good
microphone and a good preamp. I’ve used a few, and I’ll help you figure out what will make the difference when you are trying to capture that crisp vocal clip. Read more in the Microphones
and Recording Equipment chapter of this e-book.

Mixers, Controllers and Effects:
Mixers and controllers are a couple of pieces of equipment that you may or may not need for your audio productions. These are all items that are emulated with software, but some would attest that the software rendition is not the same as the hardware. Get the truth in the Mixers and Controllers chapter.

Speakers and Monitors:
Do you need to spend a whole bunch of money on professional speakers (monitors) in order to make good quality sound? Well, you do need to spend some money. The 2 speaker and sub combination that many computers operate with are a great start, but if you want to produce sound that will sound good on a range of different speakers (car stereo, radio, etc.), then you will need to invest in a good pair of monitors.The good news is that it will cost you less than you think.

SAMPLES AND SAMPLING:
Sometimes synthesizers aren’t enough to get the job done. Sampling is something that was difficult for me to master, but in hindsight, it’s really a very easy concept to grasp. Where do you find those raw clean samples? And how do you use them? I’ll tell you how in the Samples and Sampling chapter.

SONGWRITING AND CREATIVITY:
Can I teach you how to be creative? No. But I can teach you how not to be the same as everybody else. An interesting song doesn’t have to sound like everything else to be popular. There are a few things that good songwriters do that can set them aside from people who are just slapping pre-fab beats together. You’ll find more in the Songwriting/Creativity chapter.

MIDI:
Midi, which stands for ‘Musical Instrument Digital Interface’, is often made much more complicated than it has to be, at least in the explanations I have deciphered through all of my research. The stuff that you actually need to know to be functional using MIDI to make music and sound on your computer is actually very simple. MIDI was a great source of mystery for me when I was first starting to make cv music, and it was something that I initially ignored completely because I just thought it was too advanced. When I finally figured it out, I slapped myself! After reading through this book and pin-pointing all the stuff you will need to make music, let me teach you how to use MIDI to your advantage using Ableton Live as an example.

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