computer music
Computers for Music Production
Computers for Music Production
The most obvious piece of the puzzle to making music on your computer is a computer! How does one decide what they need? Is your current computer going to do the trick or will you need to invest in something more powerful. I’ll help you decide. I’ll let you know.
MAC:
I think a good way to make a point about the Mac computer would be to regale you with a little experience I have had with my very own Mac. You see, I heard the hype, I saw the commercials, and you know I read the articles. The Mac (specifically, the Mac Book Pro) is the coolest of cool and the fastest of fast. I saved up some scratch and made the purchase. A slick 15” Duo-core Mac Book Pro. The real deal. The thing was hot, sleek and sexy.I cracked open the box and loaded it up. It worked awesomely right out of the box. I didn’t need to install a billion drivers and face any blue screens to make things work. I just needed to install the latest software updates, which were all downloaded and installed automatically. This would be the beginning of a wonderful friendship.
Or would it? It took me a few days before I had enough time to start getting my audio production software ready for this beast, but one thing I noticed off the bat is that everything installs so easily and it just works. On PC, I had problems where I could not get programs to work or install properly. This is almost never an issue on the Mac.
But after installing everything, including all of the music production tools I use (most of which appeared to install properly), I realized something terrible. Almost all of my programs were incompatible with the Mac Book Pro. This was because of the new Intel processors that the Mac Book had on board. I checked around on the websites of the makers of the software I used and most of them had at least acknowledged that they needed to do an update for the Mac Book Pro.
But some of the timelines I read were bleak. One of them is quoted as
saying, “We are working on an update for our software on the new Intel Mac computers, but it will be a very long time before it is done.” A very long time!? I didn’t have a very long time; I needed to make music now! So what did I do? Well, I waited for about 3 months, to really see how long it would take for the various software updates to come live. Some of them came through, but another problem presented itself. Some companies were charging for the update! Ouch! So I had a decision to make. Do I wait and possibly pay more to make my Mac Book a dream machine? Or should I buy a new PC hoping that the price would be less than buying the software upgrades. Turns out the PC would be a bit more expensive than buying the updates, but it did solve the more important problem of having to wait.
The point of the story is this: even though the Mac is a great machine, it costs a whole lot more than a PC and it is not a necessity like many would have you believe. The PC is just as good now and a fraction of the cost. So did I waste my money? Actually, the Mac Book has still indeed served me well. Even though it is not my main music production tool, it does a great job for me running Traktor DJ studio. Of course, this one had to be updated too, and of course, I had to pay. Shame on you software companies!
Mac Summary:
Ok, so you really want to know if you should buy an Intel Mac. Let’s consider the advantages and disadvantages:
Advantages:
• Works perfectly out of the box
• When software works, it works well
• Easy to install new programs
• Excellent display on laptops
• Very stable system
• Cool factor
Disadvantages:
• Not easily up-gradable
• Expensive
• Lack of software updates hurt your resources (time and money)
• Some software not compatible
Final verdict:
Get a Mac if you have the money. As you will find after reading the PC section of this chapter, it really will help you production efforts if you have both a Mac and a PC. It’s a matter of being ready for everything. Another thing you can do with the Mac is run windows. So effectively, you could buy a killer Mac machine, and run both Windows and OSX. Do that, if you can afford it.
Recommended system:
A laptop or desktop with these minimum features:
• Processor: 2 GHZ core 2 duo
• Memory: 2 GB 667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM
- PC -
Most Mac owners would scoff at the sheer mention of the acronym PC. But the fact of the matter is, a Windows operated Personal Computer is a much more cost-effective way to break into the sound production scene than by buying a Mac. So, as you read before, I needed to buy a PC to keep up with my production efforts. My old PC was not able to handle my tracks in their effects loaded state, so I needed an upgrade. I had hoped the Mac Book Pro would do that, but I had to get another PC instead. In hindsight, I would have saved a lot of money if I just went for the PC upgrade instead. That doesn’t mean I would not have got a Mac laptop, but it does mean that you can get a sweet machine that will let you start making music fast.
When you get a PC, you are getting extreme bang for your buck. A solid PC can be bought for under $1000 easy. I paid $950 for my latest PC, which is even a little bit faster than my Mac Book. I paid over $3000 for my Mac Book. Do the math! Are you limited on a PC? Well, in a sense you are. On a Mac, you can load both Windows and OSX, giving you the best of both operating systems. Windows actually runs perfectly on the Mac too. But you need to pay 2/3 more than you
would for a good PC.
One perk to the PC is more software compatibility. It’s almost a guarantee that software will work on a PC. If it works on PC, there is only a chance that it will have a Mac compatible version. Another perk is that you are able to upgrade a PC and conversely, you can omit certain pieces of hardware that you may not require. So, you do not need a big graphics card to make music, so if money is an issue, you do not need to buy one! Also, if you want to upgrade your PC after a couple of year, it’s entirely possible. With a Mac, you will need to buy a brand new machine most of the time (although this has gotten better in recent years).
PC Summary:
Will a PC do the trick? It most certainly will. Take a look at the advantages and disadvantages:
Advantages:
• Cheap!
• Up-gradable
• Compatible with almost all software and hard- ware
Disadvantages:
• No cool factor
• Does not work right out of the box (unless you pay considerably more)
• Drivers may be difficult to install properly
Final verdict:
Buy a PC if you want to break into the sound production scene on a bargain budget. Even the slowest PC on the market today will be enough to make some mean sounding music. One spec you may want to consider if you are buy a PC (or Mac, for that matter) is the Duo Core processor. Two processors can be used for different functions within many sound production software studios, so this will give you a huge boost for a very small price increase. That said, with the advancement of computing technology, it is very likely that single core processors could be obsolete and off the market when this book is published, so look forward to things getting even less expensive!
Recommended system:
A laptop or desktop with these minimum features:
• Processor: 2 GHZ core 2 duo
• Memory: 2 GB 667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM
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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.
