Forums - Music techology
Subject: How do I get started?
Original Message 1/16 17-Feb-04 @ 06:10 PM - How do I get started?
I'd like to know how to get started recording my own dance tracks! I have long been a follower of dance music and love the likes of BT & Chicane more than anything else but have no clue/idea how to get into creating my own tracks.
What gear would I need to buy? How much would it cost (realistically) to get started? Where do people get samples/sounds (beats & Bass Lines, etc.) from?
Sorry to be a pain and I realise it's probably not a particularly exciting topic for those people who are already expert at it but any help will be hugely appreciated.
Thanks and rock on!!
Adam...
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Message 2/16 17-Feb-04 @ 06:42 PM - RE: How do I get started?
It really depends on so many factors- Do you have a fast computer? how much money are you prepared to shell out on a set-up? Have you any expercience atall of music techniques, at all? Biggest q just now is defo the Hardware setup v software one- look into that
If you have a fast comp and wanna do trancey dance stuff then 'reason 2.5' is a good alreounder featuring all the stuff youll need, ill cover a wee bit below...
to answer your q's directly tho-
"What gear would I need to buy?" -
Fast computer (fast pc or G4/5 mac)
Soundcard (so many to choose)
Sequencer (to sequence the stuff/information/play back) ***
Synth/s (to make the noises, various types Rom synths play samples, VA virtual analogues to tweak programme , and of course analogue older gear etc...)***
Sampler (also see SMAPLER! for playing back audio samples in yoursequencer)***
Mixer (to plug and mix it all together)***
Effects ( reverb/delay/compression etc.. stuff to effect the sound)***
Monitors/speakers (to hear the playback)
All above *** can now be used software only (just a computer/soundcard hooked up to a set of speakers- i.e Reason Or Cubase Sx wiring Vsti's/Vsts)
"How much would it cost (realistically) to get started?"
Cmon lets fuckin have it! How far you wanna go? 200 squid for reason will get you on the road to makijng songs if you have a good comp and soundcard - multiply that by about 10-20 to get to a good mix of hardware and software that will be great, in saying that money doesnt equal power directly tho, especially with software stuff coming out- read all ya can on that for sure
"Where do people get samples/sounds (beats & Bass Lines, etc.) from?"
Make/mangle them on the stuff above/ some borrow (from others loops/drum hits), some buy (sample cd's)- drums aside, id say most make em themselves tho
thats gotta give you about 20 or 30 keywords to have a peek on google/or here for
then ya might have a better idea of where ya want to head, go read all ya can!
blu
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Message 3/16 17-Feb-04 @ 08:41 PM - RE: How do I get started?
A magazine dedicated to begginers in computer music
Message 4/16 17-Feb-04 @ 09:26 PM - RE: How do I get started?
The important thing to realize is that CPU processing speeds are so fast now
that a PC can simulate almost all the music hardware from the past within software.
A middle of the road PC nowadays can have the power and routing capabilities that only
a top studio could have had just a few years back...
Basically you need a MIDI or USB keyboard, a decent soundcard, something like the
Audigy should be fine to begin with (or get a USB external one), a PC
(min 512MB RAM 2gig processor), and software....
Recommended sequencer software to start: Fruity Loops, Tracktion, free stuff on computer music cover CD....later you can move up to Sonar, Logic, Cubase.
Also do a search for 'plugins', these are the software versions of instruments and effects
that can be 'plugged in' to above programs. Effects are sometimes called VST's,
instruments VSTi's ... there's a ton of them on the internet...free and less free.
Usually though if you buy a sequencer it'll come with enough instrments/FX
to get you started.
But basically, you don't need much to get started, just building around a PC is
the cheapest way to go initially.
Message 5/16 17-Feb-04 @ 09:29 PM - RE: How do I get started?
Read Dancetech. Go back through the forums for a while. Read the articles and tutorials.
When you think you know what you're talking about, read a little more.
Then start looking for stuff to make music with
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Message 6/16 17-Feb-04 @ 10:10 PM - RE: How do I get started?
Message 7/16 18-Feb-04 @ 09:05 AM - RE: How do I get started?
Dingo
Message 8/16 18-Feb-04 @ 04:45 PM - RE: How do I get started?
hey, only just heard about this, but it looks good! dunno how buggy it is. it's free.
http://www.frieve.com
or search for free vst hosts
Message 9/16 18-Feb-04 @ 05:12 PM - RE: How do I get started?
Message 10/16 18-Feb-04 @ 06:02 PM - RE: How do I get started?
so - a decent pc, athlon 1800, 2000, 2400 etc are VERY powerful once you get up to 2ghz and above or P4 equivilents, but if you can choose, go for an athlon.
you CAN start with a cheap soundcard, however, the small investment for a decent cheap lo-latency stereo IN/OUT card is so worth it
so, a cheap asio/wdm soundcard such as hoontech 'dsp24/96 Value' package with the optional DB1 bracket for midi I/O - (NOTE: I/O = IN/OUT)
or the m-audio delta audiophile 24/96
EITHER IS JUST OVER THE 100 QUID MARK and will allow instant response when you click the mouse to input notes, hit play & stop and you can also play the s/w instruments from the keyboard in realtime!
then you need your HUB - Your host sequencer.... if you do NOT require to add vocals and record & edit long audio tracks then get the demo's of REASON or ORION or FRUITY-LOOPS & check them out
they all are powerful creative tools - software workstation basicaly - the s/w equivilent of a hardware unit from back in the day which would have a synth engine on-board for synth-sounds, a sampling facility on-board to add-in audio loops etc, and a sequencer to compose with.
or you can jump in the deeper end (those above ARE deep tho if you want to get deep), and get Logic Silver or Logic Gold or Cubase SX or SONAR3
I guess SX would be the cheapest/easiest balance because it is easy to get the basics, it can use a technology called: REWIRE, to link it up with Reason if you like to do that so that REASON provides all the instruments and Cubase does all the sequencing and audio - and you mix it all in cubase's s/w mixer
noAlso w with SX it's easy to do stuff like automation which was pure jokes in the previous older Cubase programme called 'VST'
However, I would say do NOT set your sights on trying to imitate the acts you like at the top of the tree in your favourite genre such as BT & Chicane... stick to the same genre range but look at artists you CAN copy, in that you wont be able to copy a huge lush sound without considerable expense - those guys can afford THE top reverbs and the rest to give them a hyper polished sound
so for example - do trance?... dont try to copy a pro-tools audio & mega plugins mixed/produced artist, go for more down-market trance, or rather, more underground ruffcut stuff and work towards learning to do the basics.
walk before you run
Once you get the swing of making the music of your choosen genre you can THEN look at improving your production skills and 'gloss'
walk before you can run - Nothing puts a beginner off like trying to do something and failing miserably.
so.... to advise further, we need to know
1. do you have PC already?
2. if yes, what's it's spec?
3. what OTHER gear do you have ? (yes, even your hi-fi bits etc)
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