Hi everyone, welcome to PLUG4SUCCESS - The home of broadened knowledge.
There's lots of people out there who are craving to kick off a career or hubby in music production but a lot of them don't know how, when and where to begin. If you fall among this set of people, believe me I know how it feels. I was once in that exact situation before I got to this level as a pro music producer.
My major aim on this article is to educate and enlighten my readers and aspiring music producers with the information needed to kick start a career/hobby as a music producer without any experience.
Before I proceed with dropping the main contents of this article, I want to say this - Music production is a skill that builds up over time with continuous practice. It's not a skill you can learn and become a pro overnight, in a month or even a year. Yes if you're a fast learner who has good experience in music, your competence in music production may build up quicker than that of a person who lacks such background knowledge in music.
Down to the main deal.
WHAT TO KNOW/HAVE BEFORE KICKING OFF YOUR CAREER AS A MUSIC PRODUCER
There are lots of things an aspiring music producer needs to know/have before kicking of a career/hobby in music production, which can not be completely covered in a single post. Thus, in this post, I'll write on the most important requirements.
The following are the essential things every starting music producer need to know/have to kick start their music production career/hobby:
Make up your mind
I want you to know that the day you make up your mind to start implementing the things you learn about Music Production is the day you get the title of been called music producer. Learning Music Production requires a lot of practice. Merely reading music production articles won't make you a real producer. You've got to practicalise every single article you read if you want to become a real and good music producer more quickly.
Understand Music theory
Another knowledge that is going to put you at advantage is over other starting up music producers is the knowledge of music theory. You don't need to become a music theory pro to be ahead. Knowing and understanding even just the basics of music theory will put you a long step ahead of other starting up producers.
Learn to play a musical instrument
Knowing how to play a musical instrument is more than necessary if you want to be a good music producer. The main musical instruments I recommend every new music producer to have competency in is the piano and the drums. You don't have to be an expert in playing this two instruments before you start music production. The basics is what you need to start making music. You improve in your instrumental skills overtime through continues practice.
Drum set
Digital Piano (Keyboard)
GET A COMPUTER (DESKTOP/LAPTOP)
The computer is where all the work of digital music production happens. It brings together all the hardwares, softwares and sounds used in making music. It is where all the music production happens. Every other external hardware just sends (signals) to the computer for manipulation. Music production requires a computer with good specifications, though you don't need to get a high end computer before you start music production. You can kick off with a mid-range computer with average specs, and upgrade over time as you improve in the art of music production. A laptop or Desktop will get the job done. Mac or PC, its all your choice.
BUY/DOWNLOAD A DIGITAL AUDIO WORK STATION
A digital audio workstation is an electronic device or application software used for recording, editing and producing audio files. - Wikipedia
A digital audio workstation, simply abbreviated as DAW, is a hardware or software interface music producers use to program, organise, create or edit music. Audio manipulation happens in a digital audio workstation. The term "Digital Audio Workstation" may sound somewhat bewildering for upcoming producers who haven't heard of it before, but when I state some examples of DAWs, the concept will be clearer and easier to understand as lots of upcoming producers already know some DAW softwares by name. Examples of DAWs include FL STUDIO, REASON, CUBASE, PRO TOOLS. LOGIC, STUDIO ONE etc.
FL STUDIO graphical user interface
PURCHASE/DOWNLOAD SAMPLES, DRUM KITS AND VIRTUAL INSTRUMENTS
I'll drop individual definitions of the above terms below. In general, these are external sounds or sound generators that are used in music production. They come incorporated into lots of DAWs but more can be added to your sound library by purchase or free downloads. A simple google search will bring up lots of sites where they can be downloaded for free or bought at considerable prices.
Definitions
Samples
In music production, Samples are sounds cut from a portion of another sound project or a short sample of a sound recording in another recording. Samples may comprise rhythm, melody, speech, or other sounds. They are can be created or modified via hardwares called Samplers. Samplers also come in software forms.
Drum kits
Just as the name states, they are sounds or samples of drums. Drum kits contain sounds of different kind of drums. The sound of drums like snares, kicks, percussions, crashes and cymbals come incorporated in drum kit packs. Drum kit samples can be programmed to keys on your computer keyboard of external MIDI controller so that when the keys are pressed, it triggers the sound of the samples to be played. More like digital drums.
Virtual instruments
A virtual instrument, abbreviated as VST, is a simply a musical instrument in a digital form. There are lots of virtual instruments out there. Some are made from their analog form while some are created straight in software form by programmers. A VST can be opened and played within a Digital Audio Workstation interface or within the computer interface without DAWs by running it's standalone version. Examples of VST softwares are Nexus, MASSIVE, SYLENTH, Hypersonic, Spectrasonics Omnisphere, Sytrus, Tone 2 Icarus, Gladiator, etc.
Hypersonic VST
Nexus VST
Conclusion:
The requirements of starting kicking off your career as a music production is quit lengthy and continues to increase as your knowledge and skill in music production increases.
This article is covers the essential requirements a new producer needs before proceeding to kick off a career or hobby in music production.
I'll go deeper in the aforementioned requirements in my coming posts.
Feel free to drop your opinions and questions in the comment box and I'll respond to you swiftly.
Thank you for reading.
Peace out!!!
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