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STARTING YOUR MUSIC PRODUCTION JOURNEY
Music production is one of those things that excites a lot of people! I know the first time I saw a Music being produced I was hooked. I couldn’t wait to get my hands on a computer and recording software that would allow me to record my own music. I was super excited! One of the things to remember when operating a music production operation is that you need the right tools. Let’s take a minute and go over the tools needed for great music production.
THE GEAR
Firstly, you need a computer. You need a good computer! Most music producers work in the Apple world while some still use PC. Apple computers have been time tested and are the industry standard when it comes to recording good, professional quality music. The computer that you choose really doesn't matter as much as what's under the hood. Technology is always progressing, so I will not attempt to tell you the exact specifications that you need. The goal here is to acquire a computer that is not an entry-level device. You will want a desktop or a laptop and not a tablet or something similar, like a Chromebook. Processing power is your friend! You also want to make sure you have as much RAM as you can. Those two things are probably the most important! While we are on the topic of computers, we can't overlook good hard drives. It is a sin in the audio world to use your boot drive as your main audio storage device. You will need to get another drive to store your files, so that you aren't competing against your DAW's processing needs. The more space you have on a drive the better it performs. You want your boot drive to have plenty of space so that your software doesn't have any performance issues. You can find external USB drives that work perfectly for audio applications.
Secondly, you need a "DAW." DAW stands for digital audio workstation and it is the software that you use to record your musical masterpiece. There are many DAWs to choose from and most DAWs are similar but slightly different in the way that they look and feel. Don't let anyone tell you that a certain DAW is better than the next! While not all DAWs are the same, they are pretty close. Choosing a DAW is most definitely a preference thing. It depends on what you want the look and feel of the DAW to be. If you have never worked inside a DAW before, Pro Tools or Logic Pro X is a good choice. They are basically the industry standard in the Pro audio world. But let's not forget about Presonus. Their DAW, Studio One packs quite the punch! They also have a free version called Studio One Prime that is a great DAW with which you can get started!
Third, you will need some sort of interface. An audio interface is the device that you use to get your analog audio into your digital computer. Interfaces come in all different shapes and sizes and you’ll want to do your research when choosing one to fit your budget, and the quality that you want to achieve. Again, Presonus has some great options for entry level engineers as well as the pros. Some of my favorite interface brands are Focusrite, Presonus, and Universal Audio. Another brand to consider if you are just getting started is M-Audio. They have some great choices that will fit a beginner budget as well as do the job pretty nicely! As I said earlier, this is an area that the end user will need to research extensively before making a purchase.
Another thing that you’re going to need as far as equipment goes, is a set of good studio monitors. Studio monitors are the speakers that you will use to listen to the music that you’re producing. Some use headphones in tight spaces or in a pinch, but to produce the best quality music you need a set of speakers and you need to be able to set them up in the room where you listen to your music. Again, studio monitors come in many shapes and sizes. Listening is the most important part in the Music Production process and a good set of monitors makes it much easier. You need to be able to hear the most accurate picture of the music to which you are listening. Having a good set of headphones as well as a good set of monitors allows you to reference the mix on two different platforms. If you can swing it, get a couple sets of monitors to help with this concept. The more ways you can test your mix the better. The more you mix, you will be able to create a listening workflow to speed up the process. For me, I have tuned my studio to the point that I know exactly what it will sound like when listening on a home or car stereo. I know what my speaker produce and I am able to get it pretty close the first time. For those of you who are beginners, you will notice that your mixes sound different, sometimes DRASTICALLY different, on different systems. This is because you aren't used to your monitors yet. Give it time.
While we are talking about listening, we should quickly cover sound treatment. Every room is different in this regard. In order for you to be able accurately hear the sounds to which you are listening, you will need to make sure your room isn't your worst enemy! A little sound treatment can go a LONG way! This is an area that can be super scientific, or just as simple as hanging a rug on your back wall. Either way, most rooms need some kind of treatment so don't overlook this.
One of the most important pieces of gear you will need when producing music is a good quality microphone. Condenser mics are the mic of choice for most studio applications. If you have a quiet space, a space where you will not have a lot of background noise, the condenser mic is the way that you should go. If you are in an apartment next to a busy street and you’re trying to produce music, you will need to use a dynamic mic. You will want to buy a high-quality dynamic mic because not all dynamic mics or condenser mics for that matter, are the same. High quality doesn't necessarily mean high cost. You can get a great dynamic like a Shure SM57 for less than $100. High quality condensers are a little harder on the budget, but you can still get a good mic for less than $500.
Lastly, you are going to want to have an ear for music. Not all people are cut out for being a music producer. You need to be able to think and be creative with those thoughts. Enjoying music is not all that you need to be a good music producer. You will need to be able to hear the different tonalities of different instruments. You need to know what a good quality kick drum sounds like versus a poor quality kick drum. You also need to know the different tones that you want to use for your specific style in which you are producing. There are many things that go into music production and one of the most important is a good ear.
HOW DO YOU ESTABLISH A GOOD EAR?
Listening is one of the most important things to being a good music producer. Listening to your favorite records, listening to different recordings on your studio monitors, or listening to your favorite band live are ways to help you become the best music producer that you can be.
IN CONCLUSION
Here is a summary of the things that you will need to start your Music Production Journey.
- Computer
- DAW
- Interface
- Studio Monitors
- Sound Treatment
- Microphone
- A GOOD EAR!
If you take your time and research these things, you will be able to start putting together your studio and you will begin creating music in no time!