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thread starter Hey guys,
I'm brand new to the electronic music scene, and it feels nice to finally be onboard. I've been doing some research and have a good idea of how things work with electronic music and such, but getting the right equipment is the tough part. Does anyone have any tips or any suggestions of what I should get equipment wise to start out? I have Reason 5, so I'd like hardware that would work with that, like types of midi controllers (keyboard/pad controllers), etc. And also, for computer wise, I have my school's laptop, which is an IBM thinkpad. I know it's not great whatsoever, but I have to work with it. Please reply back, I'd love to hear some answers. -Fishy- Replies
Thanks for that explanation! I'm still open to more tips and tricks that I can use. I have accquired a M-Audio Oxygen 25 MIDI Controller, and it has been working nice for me. I have been understanding the software in Reason better, but I could always use more knowledge. Reply back if you can give me anymore vital information.
Thanks! Definitely read through that manual while you're exploring synthesis. Seriously start out with Subtractor. It's kind of an ideal synth to learn on. The components that it is comprised of will come up again and again.. and the manual has good explanations of each.
here's another really big one: get in the habit of finishing everything. DO IT!!! Finishing songs is a skill all to its own, it doesn't matter how good you are at making beats, writing bass lines, lead lines etc.. if you can't create a song that flows there's really no point. Think of arranging tracks as a skill that you are learning right alongside synthesis and mixing and music writing. Can't stress this enough. my buddy came up with a good system. make a list of 3 tracks you are working on. You can switch between working on them as much as you want, but you can't start a new one until you finish one on the list. then you replace the finished track with the new one you started. Sometimes you may work on a track furiously for a while and get a little burnt out, at which point it might actually benefit you to take a break and look at something else for a while. However, it can be really easy to get sidetracked and not come back to the other, so that's why I recommend creating a list, it helps you stay a little more goal oriented. let's sseeee... i'm still thinking btw what type of stuff are you wanting to do? what are your influences? this will be a good thread to refer beginners to (i wish i had saw it when i was starting).. is the forum cache being emptied periodically these days?
Thanks for that tip! I'll use it and see if it works for me.
I am very interested in Trance music, and I like the sound and feel of it. Armin Van Buuren and deadmau5 are HUGE inspirations for me. if you're gonna make dance music.. I would strongly advise checking out Ableton Live... . link
I have heard of Ableton Live. What features does it have that set it aside from Reason?
ableton live is more like a traditional daw than reason allowing vst integration and audio tracks. The newest reason is integrated with propellerhead's other software "record" now so that at least solves the audio tracks deal but i think you're still limited to the built in instruments and effects.
ableton is also unlike any other daw because of it's "session view" which is more like a grid of loops. it would definitely be worth your while to take a video tour with live. (ableton's website will probably provide some of these for you). Reason is a GREAT tool for beginners. It limits your options, and that is a very good thing. As a beginner, especially, it's much more important to worry about writing songs rather than getting exactly the right sound. It's so easy to spend hours auditioning free VSTs, but this is not a good way to improve your music. Reason has pretty much everything you need as a beginner. After you're been using it for some time and have some music you're more less happy with, you may start to "bump your head against the ceiling" as it were - really feeling the downside of those limitations.
Not to say that Live is a bad tool for a beginner, just that fishing for tools is a distraction away from making music, and Reason helps steer you away from that path. I agree with flies.. I just think that the sequencer in Ableton works really well for dance music. Programming rhythms and stuff is much easier. It almost seems like with Reason they want you to record your midi and not program it. I dunno.
I'm not knocking Live, of course. IMO it's a better tool in the hands of an experience producer. I never had any trouble with the piano roll in Reason, but then I've already stated my preference for playing your melodies with a keyboard. (starting from there, then editing.)
you won't need a lot of equipment to make decent music. all you need is a vision and a tool to translate that vision from your head out of the speakers
try any program you come across until you find the one that suits you. start thinking in sounds, not programs or visuals or parameters. music is emotion, felt before understood i started making electronic music with merely a mouse, a fast pc, proper headphones and a copy of fl studio. also, every day i discovered new music from talented artist to listen to i was most productive at that time. it was exciting, and fun Thanks for all the tips guys! It really helps!
Your most important pieces of equipment sit on either side of your head. Use your ears and listen.
Listen to other people's music, listen to your own music and listen critically. You can have all the software and hardware you want - hell you can have hardware with flashing lights even - but if you're not listening intelligently then it'll show. And like Tylth said, music is emotion. Your ears are connected to the brain but also the heart and soul. Page 1 | 2
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