Getting started, finally, well, i guess..

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Getting started, finally, well, i guess..
Posted on: 31.10.2011 by Kasi Marget
Hi guys.

I've been DJing for almost a year now, and i've learned loads of things, played at few big gigs, and i'm satisfied atm.
But i always kept production away, too hard to get into, and no initial pleasure, the first months are tough i guess.
Now that i take music more seriously, i really wanna jump in music production.

The following will be full of "newbie" question that "search" button didn't answer, so if you are ready to repeat the same thing over again, your help is appreciated

So, let's get started :
First of all i'm running Windows 7 on my soon to be called production computer, and i'm not gonna change since i just upgraded it (moar RAM, better CPU etc for Battlefied 3 )

I want to produce electro house (not top 40 shit) and maybe some dubstep.
In my previous attempts to jump in, i tried (illegally but i won't pay until i'm sure that this choice is good) FL studio, Ableton Live and Cubase SX.

I found all of them a bit frustrating. Not being able to reproduce in the software what you got in your head was really frustrating.

What do you believe about Reason ?
I'm pretty lost and don't really know what software fits my needs.


Another question, but this time about hardware. What do i need to get started, aside of a pair of monitoring speakers ?


Again, sorry to bother you all again with the same questions, but i couldn't find what i was looking for in the depths of this community .
If you don't wanna reply, and prefer to give me a link to some thread/website about this, i would still be pleased.

Thank you for reading.
Thaddeus Scamp
01.11.2011
Originally Posted by dope
Thanks for the explaintion. Another question and i believe i'm done with bothering you : When you use controllers with DAWs, is there a mapping option, like the one in TP2 ?
With all the features + VSTi etc, it must be one hell of a work to get it to work.
Yes in the case of Ableton (which is the DAW I use) it was just a matter of hitting a keyboard shortcut or hitting a button on the DAW labeled "Midi" and twisting a knob or pushing a button on your controller to map it. Similar to Traktor's Midi Learn function. I believe the majority of the DAWs have mapping functionality so you don't need to limit your choices just for that feature. Btw I also have the same CDJ setup.
Thaddeus Scamp
31.10.2011
Originally Posted by dope
Thank you guys.

@Croma : I understand why i would need a keyboard but are knobs important ?
I mean i don't know if there is a "mapping" like in TP2 but well, as you don't perform live, why are knobs needed since you can do all you want with you mouse ?
Well I guess it's a matter of personal preference but I find that having some knobs at hand (no homo ) is useful when programming or tweaking synths or adjusting certain parameters smoothly. I'm just suggesting it because when I started I bought the LPK 25 and found it quite limited in what it could do when tweaking presets on my VSTs and was a bit annoyed that each time I had to fix the sound I'd have to grab my mouse and click it on the screen when I could have easily just moved my hand a couple of inches to a knob and turned it. Again, it's just what I would have preferred, you should do what works best for you (<-a piece of advice I believe you should adhere to the most).
Thaddeus Scamp
31.10.2011
Originally Posted by ksandvik
I find it mysterious that you didn't find anything about this using a search here and on similar community s like Gearslutz as it's most likely the most common asked question. And where the responses are so generic so they seldom help, either.
^^ Haha what he said. But anyway I know how you must feel with all the information you get bombarded with in regards to music production. Since I've been doing it for a couple of months now all I can suggest is to break it down into steps. Firstly figure out where you will be making your music. Then, make that space comfortable to work in and then figure out what you can put in that space.

For a start you need an audio interface and a decent pair of monitors. Do some research on those two! Then I suggest you learn your DAW of choice or in your case figure out which one you want to use. Once you've figured out what a DAW does and how the workflow is good or bad you'll probably figure out what DAW to use. From there I would suggest a 25 key midi keyboard like the M-Audio Oxygen 25 which provides some basic features that would be useful like having pitch and mod wheels and some knobs.

Other than that some other useful things would be a hard drive to store samples and possibly a big monitor if you feel like you need the space and a pair of headphones for times when you can't blast the music. Honestly that's all you need for now as the majority of your time will be spent figuring out your DAW and assuming you don't have any experience in music theory you'd probably want to learn that too. Hope that helps, just a suggestion so you don't really need to follow. Btw I'd probably spend a good amount on monitor speakers and less on things like controllers etc unless you have money to throw around (but even then I'd buy some good monitors haha).
Detra Girardier
31.10.2011
Originally Posted by dope
Hi guys.


I found all of them a bit frustrating. Not being able to reproduce in the software what you got in your head was really frustrating.
Well.. don't expect to make the sound you have in your head straight away with any DAW. It's all about practice and getting to know the software you're using.

I had the same problem when i started: had these songs and sounds in my head, and would start on one, 5 minutes later i'd have a completely different song and sound than i intended..

Now, 2 years later i can finally manage to get the sound from my head out of my speakers, and that's just a matter of practice.
Kasi Marget
31.10.2011		Hi guys.

I've been DJing for almost a year now, and i've learned loads of things, played at few big gigs, and i'm satisfied atm.
But i always kept production away, too hard to get into, and no initial pleasure, the first months are tough i guess.
Now that i take music more seriously, i really wanna jump in music production.

The following will be full of "newbie" question that "search" button didn't answer, so if you are ready to repeat the same thing over again, your help is appreciated

So, let's get started :
First of all i'm running Windows 7 on my soon to be called production computer, and i'm not gonna change since i just upgraded it (moar RAM, better CPU etc for Battlefied 3 )

I want to produce electro house (not top 40 shit) and maybe some dubstep.
In my previous attempts to jump in, i tried (illegally but i won't pay until i'm sure that this choice is good) FL studio, Ableton Live and Cubase SX.

I found all of them a bit frustrating. Not being able to reproduce in the software what you got in your head was really frustrating.

What do you believe about Reason ?
I'm pretty lost and don't really know what software fits my needs.


Another question, but this time about hardware. What do i need to get started, aside of a pair of monitoring speakers ?


Again, sorry to bother you all again with the same questions, but i couldn't find what i was looking for in the depths of this community .
If you don't wanna reply, and prefer to give me a link to some thread/website about this, i would still be pleased.

Thank you for reading.
Micaela Scherbert
03.11.2011		i'd strongly recommend picking a DAW and just focus. the learning curve on most of them is kind of steep early on, but once i got over that initial hump, it seems to get easier (although i'm still learning new stuff every day).

I tried Reason and Ableton. I decided to go with Abelton, because it came for free with my keyboard and it integrates with serrato.

I'd also recommend picking up a music theory book. that helped me tremendously while getting started.
Queen Sichel
03.11.2011		And as for DAW, would you like to have a more live focused one, Ableton's the one to go with. It goes great on stage and can be used as your DJ software as well, then you'll get double the time in your DAW. :-) (Or you could route your Traktor into Ableton etc.). If you're just interested in making music and home and DJing "as usual", then either one (unless you reallyreally like something about one or the other, but as long as the can handle VSTs I'm happy pappy...)
Vernice Dezwaan
02.11.2011		Hey,

Software: as different as they are all the DAW operate on the same principle. Bottom line is the more you use it the more proficient you will become. The bigger and badder the workstation the greater the learning curve (odds are). Pick one - put the time in.

Hardware: You really only need speakers and some form of controller. For me it didn't really feel like I was making music until I was using my hands. You can get a USB controller and skip the audio interface for now. Other than that I would recommend monitors - you will likely blow your computer speakers soundscaping basslines.

J
Thaddeus Scamp
01.11.2011
Originally Posted by dope
Thanks for the explaintion. Another question and i believe i'm done with bothering you : When you use controllers with DAWs, is there a mapping option, like the one in TP2 ?
With all the features + VSTi etc, it must be one hell of a work to get it to work.
Yes in the case of Ableton (which is the DAW I use) it was just a matter of hitting a keyboard shortcut or hitting a button on the DAW labeled "Midi" and twisting a knob or pushing a button on your controller to map it. Similar to Traktor's Midi Learn function. I believe the majority of the DAWs have mapping functionality so you don't need to limit your choices just for that feature. Btw I also have the same CDJ setup.
Kasi Marget
31.10.2011		Thanks for the explaintion. Another question and i believe i'm done with bothering you : When you use controllers with DAWs, is there a mapping option, like the one in TP2 ?
With all the features + VSTi etc, it must be one hell of a work to get it to work.
Thaddeus Scamp
31.10.2011
Originally Posted by dope
Thank you guys.

@Croma : I understand why i would need a keyboard but are knobs important ?
I mean i don't know if there is a "mapping" like in TP2 but well, as you don't perform live, why are knobs needed since you can do all you want with you mouse ?
Well I guess it's a matter of personal preference but I find that having some knobs at hand (no homo ) is useful when programming or tweaking synths or adjusting certain parameters smoothly. I'm just suggesting it because when I started I bought the LPK 25 and found it quite limited in what it could do when tweaking presets on my VSTs and was a bit annoyed that each time I had to fix the sound I'd have to grab my mouse and click it on the screen when I could have easily just moved my hand a couple of inches to a knob and turned it. Again, it's just what I would have preferred, you should do what works best for you (<-a piece of advice I believe you should adhere to the most).
Kasi Marget
31.10.2011		Thank you guys.

@Croma : I understand why i would need a keyboard but are knobs important ?
I mean i don't know if there is a "mapping" like in TP2 but well, as you don't perform live, why are knobs needed since you can do all you want with you mouse ?

@ksandvik : Try to search with generic terms : tons of threads. It's like if you want the definition of a word, and i give you a dictionnary which is not in alphabetical order. The answer is here, somewhere, but hard to find.
That's why i prefer, in that case, if you don't mind, create a new polite,well written, detailed thread about my question, so that you, kind, talented producers can help me out.

Thaddeus Scamp
31.10.2011
Originally Posted by ksandvik
I find it mysterious that you didn't find anything about this using a search here and on similar community s like Gearslutz as it's most likely the most common asked question. And where the responses are so generic so they seldom help, either.
^^ Haha what he said. But anyway I know how you must feel with all the information you get bombarded with in regards to music production. Since I've been doing it for a couple of months now all I can suggest is to break it down into steps. Firstly figure out where you will be making your music. Then, make that space comfortable to work in and then figure out what you can put in that space.

For a start you need an audio interface and a decent pair of monitors. Do some research on those two! Then I suggest you learn your DAW of choice or in your case figure out which one you want to use. Once you've figured out what a DAW does and how the workflow is good or bad you'll probably figure out what DAW to use. From there I would suggest a 25 key midi keyboard like the M-Audio Oxygen 25 which provides some basic features that would be useful like having pitch and mod wheels and some knobs.

Other than that some other useful things would be a hard drive to store samples and possibly a big monitor if you feel like you need the space and a pair of headphones for times when you can't blast the music. Honestly that's all you need for now as the majority of your time will be spent figuring out your DAW and assuming you don't have any experience in music theory you'd probably want to learn that too. Hope that helps, just a suggestion so you don't really need to follow. Btw I'd probably spend a good amount on monitor speakers and less on things like controllers etc unless you have money to throw around (but even then I'd buy some good monitors haha).
Detra Girardier
31.10.2011
Originally Posted by dope
Hi guys.


I found all of them a bit frustrating. Not being able to reproduce in the software what you got in your head was really frustrating.
Well.. don't expect to make the sound you have in your head straight away with any DAW. It's all about practice and getting to know the software you're using.

I had the same problem when i started: had these songs and sounds in my head, and would start on one, 5 minutes later i'd have a completely different song and sound than i intended..

Now, 2 years later i can finally manage to get the sound from my head out of my speakers, and that's just a matter of practice.
Celine Surico
31.10.2011		I find it mysterious that you didn't find anything about this using a search here and on similar community s like Gearslutz as it's most likely the most common asked question. And where the responses are so generic so they seldom help, either.

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