I couldn’t agree more. Coming from playing guitar, studying music theory, learning key signatures, etc. It helps tremendously to be familiar with all of these things. Even if you don’t obsess over staying in key all the time with what you make, at least you have the musical intelligence to put together a well thought-out track.
And what really bothers me is that with a lot of production software, people learn how to use it, and once they learn how to use it they assume they can make quality music. Unfortunately, just because you have the know-how, that does not mean you have the inspiration or the musical fortitude to put together something great.
In short, learn how to use the software. But always keep in mind it is music that you’re making.
hey guys i really love djing but i can be stock here i want to go to the next level and start producting my own tracks the only thing is that idk what exactly do i need to achieve my goal…can any of u guys would give a ny advice of what should be a perfect beggining setup for production…what u guys recommend me of what should i get and please guys say stuff that they are affortable i want to start everything slow at least the basic for start production thanks guys
Check out Reason 4.0..with that and a midi control you can create and sequence everything right in the program, or another option is using a software sequencer that supports vsti’s and get native instruments komplete( http://www.native-instruments.com/index.php?id=komplete5 ) or any of their sound banks, this would be a better option because you can load a acapella in one track and build the instrumental around it from drums to bass to synths or any instrument possible around it…if thats the production style you’re looking to do
Dude, first try some software demos, just to make sure what app supports your creative workflow best.
From here on go.
I have given the advice here quite some times, but for you, I will type it out once more.
If you’re a complete control freak, and like to “code” more or less every bleep in your track, than go for a so called ‘tracker’. (Fast Tracker II, Mad tracker or for the nowadays tracker app Renoise)
If you’re into 19 inch racks, mixers and sequencers and don’t want to bother too much with finding your own sound, opt for Reason. (MIDI keys needed)
If you’re into heavy clicking and sequencing, you might want to go for apps like Cubase and Logic.
You will have to find your own VSTs (sounds or effects), but it adds to the charm.
If you’re more into the intuitive stuff and that has quite some nice VSTs included, but also want to be open for importing new VSTs into your app, than go for Ableton or Fruity Loops.
Ableton works for me. Bento is, I think still, more partial to Fruity Loops.
For me Ableton was slight more intuitive, once I came to Ableton, I never looked back to all the others I mentioned earlier.
thanks for all the response guys i really appreciate that now thie is my other question im buying a apple pro from my friend it has already logic and ableton installed so for that im good…now in harware what u guys think i should buy kepp in mind about that i want to use ableton for live performance later on so…what equipments would do the job for both
You will be able to handle it by means of laptop keyboard and mouse at first.
(Laptop keyboard can be set to send out MIDI messages within Ableton.(Well not entirely true, but you will be able to play VSTs(sound) with your laptop keyboard)).
From this point you can look at what kind of MIDI controller you’d want to have.
Yea tekki I was thinking of getting 1 beringer bcr and one bcf for the live performance…but I also love the korg zero 8 so im like thinking and I think with the korg zero I don’t have to buy another soundcard
FL studio(formely Fruity Loops) has a great workflow that suits me, like any DAW’s there is those people who hate it and those people who love it. Admitedly there are some parts of the program i hate and others that i really love, but this is the same with all the other DAW’s i have tried over the years too.
Its good to try a few programs over time, learning multiple programs can actually help you learn some other things that you might not have otherwise have learnt otherwise using just sticking with the one DAW all the time. Then again sticking with the one tool can be important within itself, because then you are learning that tool inside out and becoming very fluent which in turn decreases the amount of time your spent trying to getting ideas out of your head. Once you have learnt one DAW inside out you will find it alot easier learning other DAW’s.
Ableton is looking to be a good choice to i have to say. If you want to learn how to produce and learn a good program that you can also play live with - this would be killing 2 birds with one stone. Also if you choose to learn how to code in max msp over the long term you would be able to make your own\download max code to add new features that dont already exist inside Ableton.
That just is not possible with any other DAW other than Reaktor and other similar kinds of visual programming enviroments - these other programs are another kettle of fish and are not really recommended for someone who hasnt spent alot of time using a DAW in the past. Ableton will alllow you to get you started, learn a program you can also perform live with. It will also give you the room to grow over the long term into learning how to use visual programming enviroment for both your live performance and audio productions. That in itself makes Ableton pretty hard to beat if you ask me.
Fruity loops contains a similar sort of program called SynthMaker but it is not as feature rich as what is being promised by Ableton in their marketing blurb. Lets just hope it lives up to what they say they is possible with it !
You got my point! That was what I really want to mean before hehe
A very good program to do some basic stuff is the Image-Line Fruitty Loops Studio 8. It’s awsome to make Psytrance even though I’m not very experienced at it.
I think that the easyest program is the one that has more infos, tutorials, manuals, youtube videos on the web… Search a lot and find one that has a lot of stuff to help you, once you have learn the basics by these vids you can do it in any program.
When I first started producing music a few years ago I was using Reason and had an inherent hatred for FLStudio, and I don’t know why.
My girlfriend at the time used it and I did some work on it. Got some really good synth sounds really quick, and enjoyed using the different filters to just destroy sounds.
As I moved to other DAW suites (tried Sonar, Cubase, and Project 2.5) I found myself wanting to go back to FL Studio for the workflow.
I started with Fl.Studio way back when it was version 1.5. I did not stick with it and dropped it and picked it back up off and on over the years. Never focused on production more then just dj’n.
Now today though I am a little more focused in producing. I start all my tracks inside Fl just because for loading VST’s, Samples, and Sequencing them I find the work flow is rather easy and efficient (IMO). As well there is a slew of tutorials on youtube/net. You cannot kick on free upgrades for life either!
The only gripe I have is the in-ability to get precise values out of some settings.
For that I use Ableton for final mix down of my tracks and to play them live. This works great to mash them up with other songs when I am performing out. I also find bringing the final mix down into Ableton easier to make different versions of the song.
While producing the tracks within Fl.Studio I use: Behringer UMX-25 Midi Keyboard($120.00 Can)
and M-Audio X-Sessions Pro($111.00 Can)
to control various aspects of the program (filters, volumes, note/sample sequences etc..) that I later send to automation.
and for playing out with Ableton I use: M-Audio Trigger Finger($180.00 Can)
and Vestax VCI-100(A gift from a wonderful friend)
Everyone is right here though in saying it all comes down to what you become comfortable in using. I know people who hate Fl.Studio, others who love it or that Swear by reason and a Motif / Tritan or just hardware in general. Some who use no controllers, others who have the latest and greatest in gear. It does absolutely come down to what you find works for you, makes your work flow easy, efficient and fun.
For sure you will want to get your head wrapped around music theory and learn your keys, Chords, Scales etc.. ( I am wishing I paid more attention in Music Class during school ).
Wow this thread has been great tweakheads is massive! I haven’t even been able to look at some of the other links, though I will read em all eventually. Right now I have decided to get a feel for production with just garageband. I have the ableton demo and would like to buy ableton eventually but I feel like starting with garageband will make for a very nice learning curve and then I can learn stuff gradually on the technical side while being able to practice composition almost immediately.
I have a nanopad and a vci-100, I am using the nanopad just fine and thinking that due to my budget I will have to stick with this setup for a bit (trying to buy some speakers first). Does anyone know of any mappings for the vci for production? I know it isn’t ideal but I figure that since I have it I might as well use it.
the only thing is that idk what exactly do i need to achieve my goal…can any of u guys would give a ny advice of what should be a perfect beggining setup for production…what u guys recommend me of what should i get and please guys say stuff that they are affortable i want to start everything slow at least the basic for start production 
