Producing

[Rumblejazz]

1. buy daw
2. buy monitors
3. buy mpk39

easy

[empolo]

MIDI Keyboards add a lot of functionality. Yeah, you can draw your notes in on the piano roll, and you can use your mouse to do filter sweeps, and that works for a lot of people.

When trying to find a good melody it's much easier for me to just bang on the notes until something comes to fruition, and if I am playing with effects it's a lot easier to use the knobs and faders. Really it's a personal thing. A lot of people will tell you that using a MIDI keyboard will make your life a lot easier. It might not for you, but it can never really hurt.

+1

I just picked up a M-Audio KeyRig 25 and can attest that not only does it work great with Traktor but also with all of the MIDI software I use in the open-source audio space (ie - ZynSubAddFX, Hydrogen, SooperLooper, Ardour, etc.). Hell, it's even inspired me to learn just a little bit about tickling the ivories so that I can knock out my own melodies.

[djhipnotikk]

3. buy mpk39

rumble has access to secret akai products

[Lambox]

I hardly ever do anything dj-related. I mostly produce. I use this forum because you can learn a lot from people that do dj.

Oh my goodness this thread is old! It's so old it was necessary to quote myself (since I posted this I've gotten into DJing heavily and played at small parties and what have you). My word! haha

...

And since that post 5 months ago, I've learned that one of the best ways to get better at producing your favorite genre of music is to practice producing others. I don't know why this has worked for me. Maybe because it forces you to avoid going through the motions when you put a track together.

But I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that what I was producing 5 months ago was some straight trash. I'm not saying I'm some professional producer, but I'm comfortable with how I've progressed.

Another thing that makes or breaks a track imo: tiny little nuances and differences in parts. Even adding or getting rid of one hit every other measure will keep your music from sounding overly robotic and repetitive.

The last thing I'm going to suggest is to get some fresh drum samples. I really don't have any particular suggestions on where to get these samples (hint: google), but all I can tell you is that as soon as you stop using the basic drum kits that came with whatever environment your using, your songs will start to sound a lot more unique-- and they will be more unique.

Note: Maybe my last suggestion is a Fruity-oriented one. It took me a couple years (gasp) to force myself to get away from that stupid 'Club Basic' kit that it comes with. And there isn't anything wrong with using these samples, but it's all about moderation. I don't want people to be able to tell I made a track in FL because they recognize the samples. :eek:

[wrong chris]

i've been producing twice as long as I've been djing.. I'm not a great producer by any means, but I'm pretty handy with synthesizers and writing catchy melodies. The most difficult aspect of making tracks for me is the engineering side of things. There are a lot different schools of thought on how to engineer tunes properly. It seems like different rules apply to different styles of music which can be very confusing for guys who are trying to self-teach themselves through info on forums, articles and trial&error. I'd go to school to learn this but just cannot justify the time/cash investment for a hobby.

[djhipnotikk]

i've been producing twice as long as I've been djing.. I'm not a great producer by any means, but I'm pretty handy with synthesizers and writing catchy melodies. The most difficult aspect of making tracks for me is the engineering side of things. There are a lot different schools of thought on how to engineer tunes properly. It seems like different rules apply to different styles of music which can be very confusing for guys who are trying to self-teach themselves through info on forums, articles and trial&error. I'd go to school to learn this but just cannot justify the time/cash investment for a hobby.

i agree. there are so many ways to approach the mix of a track, and the way each instrument/effect interacts with each other, especially across genres. my approach has always been (with more than just audio engineering) to learn everything you possibly can about it, then you can pick and choose how and what you apply in different situations. knowledge is power, and in this case, the more the better. i try and read every book on the subject of engineering, mxing, recording, no matter how basic or complex. you'll get at least one new thing out of it.

[DJ_Ze_MigL]

Get ana Akai MPK-25 tis way you get some quality build, nice endless knobs, decent keyboard and some drum pads aswell, they are not as cheap as the competition but they are worth the difference money wise.

Z

PS - Been a Dj since 1990 (before it was all just tape cuting and pasting on K7s and pause tapes lol) started producing around 92-93