Tips, hints, help, tech support, setups, systems and all things related to making phat beats. Post your latest production for all to hear & review. Or quiz the resident nerds about that tech problem you just can't figure out.
Just get reason and or fruity loops and do what ever you think sounds good. Play around with it all and shit.
Then as you go on you'll see you need different programs for different things and how to incoorporate them all.
Importing, exporting, using 2 samples together to make 1 etc etc etc ..
If you start with a professional program, like Cubase or Logic, and start exploring all the VST and VSTi goodies available... then you'll be in good stead later on down the track to use the skills acquired through the experience...
If you start with Reason (for example) , you will get very good at using it... and then it's limitations will shit you up the walls.
(Although, there is nothing stopping you from ReWiring the bugger into Cubase, etc..)
Fruityloops seems, by all accounts, a pretty good third-way between the daunting pro mastering, sequencing and audio production suites, and the more limited, but user-friendly environments of Reason et al.
So you will need to acquire;
Fruityloops (or FLStudio) for sequencing and control
VSTi synths (albino, sytrus, z3ta, pro53, b4) for noise
VST effects/processing (fishfillets set, ohmforce filters, etc, etc) for good/interesting noise
... add quality samples to taste (from records, CDs, musicians = getting a record player or mics ... and a soundcard that has AD-DA converters instead of drunk transcription hamsters).
Are you gonna be using PC or Mac?
i would say get ahold of Logic studio 8 cause its such a nice program and there are now heaps of tutorials on youtube which will get you going (lookup sflogic ninja), even buy some video tutorials which you can download from the net, they are a big help with how to structure you production and manage the files etc.
Also check out this website for some music production theory etc http://www.tweakheadz.com/
Im just playing around in Ableton at the moment and having heaps for fun with it but I figure I need to decide what program Im actually going to spend the time to learn in and out
if you're enjoying using ableton then stick with it
from from scenes to arrangement to build up tracks
if you have operator with your copy of ableton its a good way of getting to grips with sound synthesis
if not you can use simpler and drop sections of tones in to create your own synths
check out covert operators website for lots of ableton info, also ableton lessons go over basics quite well, if you dont have them then dl from ableton site
go to ableton forum and check tips n tricks thread, or the things i didnt know thread.. heaps of good info in there
yeah stick with it if your having fun, thats the most important part, half the battle is motivation and if its fun to use you are on a winning formula imo.
Shifty, I'll sort you out with everything you need bruva, from all the latest vst's to dvd's of 96k 24 bit samples. You know the Snowman's got what ya need bruva... We'll sort it out on Tuesday night.
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Snowie wrote:Shifty, I'll sort you out with everything you need bruva, from all the latest vst's to dvd's of 96k 24 bit samples. You know the Snowman's got what ya need bruva... We'll sort it out on Tuesday night.
Thanks Snow,
Sounds like Christmas is on Tuesday for me this year
Everyone else thanks for the input and tips
I read your guys posts about this and that to do with production and most of it is straight over the top my head but hopefully in a little bit I may have half a clue and be able to join in
Or just keep picking your brains without being such a noob ha ha ha
Like Al saus, try to have fun with it.
I get unmotivated really easy, but having other housemates thtae mke music gets me inspired again. Need to kee p at it to learn, improve and get results desired.
Interesting... I'm sure you'd know more than me mate... I just thought that you'd want some of the frequencies below 40Hz in a sub... guess I'm doing it wrong.
The best advice I can give you is to ask people how they do things. Techniques in music vary a lot, so there isn't necessarily one way of doing things. One of the things that changed my learning curve was realising that I had my own way of working and that was ok, desirable even.
Instead of just randomly playing with a synth until it makes a noise you like, go and watch the tutorials on youtube they're invaluable and I wish I'd had stuff like that when I started!
Also ask people how parts in songs are being made, some will know how the bassline is sounding like that, how to write a certain fill, or how an effect is achieved. Collaborate with people as much as you can, because its such a fun way of sharing the knowledge.
I would also suggest that while Reason is a fun software to get started, its hopeless for audio and after a while you will want to expand. Learning how DAWs like Cubase, Logic and Ableton work early on is essential. Ableton is such a good package and has great tutorials and is cheap so maybe start there?
And sample the plumps! Dont be afraid to nick sounds from other people's records its what dance music is built on.
Also: get good monitor speakers and a good sound card which can offer you next-to-zero latency. In fact get a good computer as well. Its a total waste of time trying to work with bad equipment even as a novice and your biggest investment will be your speakers. Buy active monitors and your tunes will sound better than people without them straight away I can guarantee it. Also dont feel you need to always work with the speakers, I spend more time writing music in headphones than on the speakers because its just faster like that for me. A lot of people I know feel the same when working on their own.
