Starting out in Music Production

[Sherlock_Ohms]

Starting out in Music Production

Right, now I’m sure this will attract the same kind of flaming as the old Mac vs PC issue (or emacs vs vi for the oldschool programmers in here) but …

I’d like to start producing a few tracks - it’s the standard lots of ideas, no way of geting them out into the real world issue.

From what I understand the choices are roughly:

• Ableton Live - insanely powerful, almost industry standard, hard to get started with, expensive

• FL Studio - been around a while, seen as a bit ‘amateur’ though people like Burial have produced albums on it, cheaper than Ableton

• Pro-Tools - irrelevant to me as I odn’t use a Mac, and I think this is tied to them isn’t it?

NI Maschine - don’t really know a lot about this one …

Erm, don’t really know what else is out there?

What a good cheap way of starting out?

I don’t want to fall into the trap that some on here seem to b (go out and drop a grand or two on CDJs/turntables/TSP/A&H mixer, turn up on the forum asking how to sound like Tiesto/Deadmau5/insert famous DJ name here, then start asking daft questions about how to make the sounds come out of their computer/why can’t I sync, whats an RCA plug …)

When I started out DJing, I used a makes ‘other’ copy of his Traktor Sudio 3 license (yes I know …) but rapidly bought my own copy, then a BCD3000 then TP, then a VCI100SE, then TSP & !210s etc. I’m looking to do something similar - start out cheap, see if I take to it, invest if I do …

A little help?

[levvis]

@Sherlock_Ohms

• Ableton Live - insanely powerful, almost industry standard, hard to get started with, expensive

Common dilemma. I think at the end of the day ableton is the way to go, but has one of the steepest learning curves and if you’re not sitting in a basement for 18 hours a day on it, results can be slow and frustrating.

[quote]NI Maschine - don’t really know a lot about this one …
[/quote]

Learn some stuff about it! I’m definitely heading down this path once my finances allow it. Probably the most intuitive piece of equipment out there imo. I think really good to start out with as it’s pretty easy to navigate and can get you on a roll early on. Also would recommend rocking something else with it like NI Massive or something.. Or if you have the balls/cash, ableton.

My best advice would be to research the balls out of all your options and not just jump at something. And cop something that will suit the way you want to create. Honestly something so tactile and with such a good work flow as maschine I can’t go past recommending it

[Jason_Cerna]

I recommend you download the trial of Live and try it out.

been around a while, seen as a bit ‘amateur’ though people like Burial have produced albums on it,

if you have the knowledge of proper production techniques and a good grasp of how to program a synth, then you can make tracks on any software, given enough time.

[SAFC2403]

You could try and get hold of a copy of ableton live lite - sure its a cut down version but should be enough to let you get a flavour of ableton and then if you like it you can upgrade.

[Sherlock_Ohms]

@levvis

Also would recommend rocking something else with it like NI Massive or something..

Already got Massive, though I’ve barely used it - purely as I had a voucher that came with my old Audio Kontrol 1, so it was free. On the recommendation of the bloke in the shop I got Massive, as opposed to anything else.

[Sherlock_Ohms]

@Jason_Cerna

I recommend you download the trial of Live and try it out.

if you have the knowledge of proper production techniques and a good grasp of how to program a synth, then you can make tracks on any software, given enough time.

Is there still a free trial, or do you have to stump up for Ableton Lite?

(I had a quick look on their website, and nothing jumped out as a free trial …)

[Jason_Cerna]

@Sherlock_Ohms

Is there still a free trial, or do you have to stump up for Ableton Lite?

(I had a quick look on their website, and nothing jumped out as a free trial …)

forget live lite.

the trial for Live 8 is 30 days long.

Try Ableton Live 12 for free – 30-day Trial download | Ableton

[quote]Try Ableton Live 8

You can try Ableton Live 8 free - without any limitations or missing features - for 30 days. Just follow the instructions below to download Live and set up your free trial.[/quote]

if you have problems with the link, start from the main page and goto

Products > Try [under each product]

[Coldfuzion]

Exactly what Jason said. If you have knowledge on how to work with synths, any and all tools will work. Its just preference.

As for the Maschine, it’s a great tool to tap out beats on, but if you really want to produce you will have to (well atleast this is what I do) drum out beats and rough ideas on the Maschine, then fine tune it with Ableton (or whatever you choose to go with).

[Lambox]

Oh man, I feel like a broken record saying this.

I recommend that you try all the DAWs available to you. I used FL Studio for a long time, and I stand by it. The only reason I was even interested in making the switch to Ableton to begin with was the ability to actually ‘perform’ my tracks was very appealing.

[Sherlock_Ohms]

@Lambox

Oh man, I feel like a broken record saying this.

I recommend that you try all the DAWs available to you. I used FL Studio for a long time, and I stand by it. The only reason I was even interested in making the switch to Ableton to begin with was the ability to actually ‘perform’ my tracks was very appealing.

Whereas (at the moment admittedly) I’m not that arsed ‘performing’ them - I’ll play 'em out obviously, but as a track …

oh, and if I do buy ableton, then turn up here asking how to ‘make the bass go all wobbly like in dubstep’ - SHOOT ME

[lethal_pizzle]

Just assign the LFO to the… never mind.

[Lambox]

@Sherlock_Ohms

Whereas (at the moment admittedly) I’m not that arsed ‘performing’ them - I’ll play 'em out obviously, but as a track …

oh, and if I do buy ableton, then turn up here asking how to ‘make the bass go all wobbly like in dubstep’ - SHOOT ME

Hey not everyone wants to perform their tracks. The idea was just appealing to me!

I have a tendency to point firearms at anyone who asks how to make wobbly bass! Nah I’m playing man we all have to start somewhere. A long time ago I made a thread where people posted their first productions. Funny stuff.

Good luck tho man, whatever you decide to do. Sometimes I feel like producing music consumes my life, or at least my free time.

[Jack_Clark]

Do you have a Mac? If so then it seems like Logic is peoples weapon of choice, although I have never used it myself.

If your on a PC I personally love Cubase. Its not hard to learn at all. Its really straight forward I find. It looks pretty as well now its in version 6.

My only problem with Cubase is that the synths and effects that it comes with are balls. Well, the effects are not bad so much, but the synths are shite. I would still recommend it though.

[mostapha]

I didn’t read anyone’s responses because most of them translate to “use what I use because I use it.”

Try whatever you can. There are demos available for most of the major software, and whatever sorta-kinda makes sense to you is the one you should start with. And there’s no reason you can’t end up with more than one after you figure out a basic idea of what you’re doing…but if you try to learn multiple DAWs at once, you’ll confuse yourself.

Look into

Mac/Windows: Ableton Live, Pro Tools, Reason (good sounds; crappy sequencer), Maschine (based on a step sequencer), Cubase, Digital Performer, Renoise.

Linux: sorry; you’re out of luck. They all suck. Ardour might be the least-suck and it doesn’t even support midi as of the last version I read about.

OS X-only: Logic.

PC-only: Cakewalk Sonar, Fruity Loops, Acid

The most popular are Ableton Live, Logic, and Pro Tools, not in that order. The most widely used in the world seems to still be Pro Tools, though I think Logic takes a very close second. And there’s good reason. Pro Tools is freaking amazing…it’s insanely fast to do anything in it, and I–for one–enjoyed working in it better than anything else. But, I’m not willing to deal with Avid’s BS. For example, they take forever to update their software to run on new versions of OS X. I loved working in Pro Tools, but until I can’t justify staying that far behind on OS updates unless I can dedicate a machine for production. When I can justify that expense, the current version of Pro Tools will be my first purchase.

Reason is based on a really interesting concept. Everything’s in the computer, but it’s as close as you can get to working with analog hardware: as in, you have to connect CV and audio cables in part of the interface. It sounds great, and it’s not bad to use. It has an actual drum machine as well as a step sequencer. It’s an interesting way to work.

They’re all very capable systems that are used in professional capacities. I know it sucks to be told that it’s all personal preference when you don’t know enough to develop a preference, but that’s the way it is. Also, don’t skimp on price if you can help it…Pro Tools is really expensive, for example, but it comes with a lot of cool sh*t. Logic Studio might be the best value of the bunch (as long as you’re on OS X).

Good luck.

[Lambox]

@mostapha

I didn’t read anyone’s responses because most of them translate to “use what I use because I use it.”

How could you know that if you didn’t read any of them?

[Dbmlabs_Clothing]

Reason is also an excellent piece of software that can do a lot. Some say that the final product output isn’t as good quality as others but starting out, Propellerhead Reason is pretty quick to learn and it’s like having the equipment in your room.

[wrong_chris]

use Ableton or Cubase and start with them, read tutorials.
don’t bother learning the basics in something like fruity or reason, it’s a waste of time. you’ll be kicking yourself once you outgrow them and have to learn an entirely new workflow with something like Ableton or Cubase.

[Nesquigs]

use live (I used to use FL, but switched to live when i went to a mac). use youtube. read. and play

[Lambox]

use Ableton or Cubase and start with them, read tutorials.
don’t bother learning the basics in something like fruity or reason, it’s a waste of time. you’ll be kicking yourself once you outgrow them and have to learn an entirely new workflow with something like Ableton or Cubase.

I couldn’t disagree more.

A lot of stuff that I learned in FL transferred easily when I started learning Ableton. The concept of a Piano Roll, VSTs in general, Automation, how to correctly use samples…

The work flow is different, but many of the concepts are the same. I never ‘kicked myself’ for having started with FL.

[eeloe]

I’ve never seen anyone to start with 1 DAW, and stick with it.

Personally myself, i used cubase SX for a few years, and then jumped to Ableton 7, currently using 8.1.3 and i must say i love it.

Many of the core elements are the same in each DAW, so which ever one ya pick, they’ll all usually be the same.

Ableton has a lot of followers cus of the whole live performance set up, make a jam in ableton, perform it live in ableton, without having to move files from one daw to another.