Old thread >>62939543
Bedroom production station edition
>Production Resources:
>Pastebin - Links, books, videos, articles, tutorials and stuff
http://pastebin.com/pYGCLu6q
>/prod/ wiki - still looking for contributors (wink, wink, WINK)
http://mu-sic-production.wikia.com
There's a severe lack of DAW descriptions in the wiki. If you're good with your tool of choice, consider writing a paragraph about it.
Remember to use clyp.it to post your tracks/WIP : posting a clyp.it is just providing sound for a question, posting a soundcloud link is making self-advertisement and the thread doesn't need that.
Remember to check other peoples' clyp.it links to keep the thread healthy.
Reposting from old thread due to no replies
https://clyp.it/2fcp50vd
Man, voice clips are fucking hard to do right, so I fucked them all up.
https://clyp.it/dle2pwow
Installed FL 2 days ago.
I have no previous experience in music aside from listening to it.
Any suggestions would be welcome.
>>65005315
My only suggestions so far would be tinker with FL more. Right now it's, uh... Beyond criticism. The bell thing is off-key mostly, too. Get some music theory going and watch that video they gave you in the last thread.
>>65005315
hahahaha wtf
>>65005315
this goes fucking hard !!!!!!!!!!
Banging my head of senpai
>>65005315
Slow the tempo down and you have a horrorcore banger. Not bad for just starting in FL, desu.
periscope.tv/loudsunog
trying to play with fx busses, is this cool?
https://clyp.it/gle4bvt1
>>65007655
Yes.
Hey friends, im working with a $500 budget to set up a make-shift studio in my bedroom. I have decent headphones (sennheiser hd598s) and a copy of FL Studio 12. What would you recommend in terms of midi controllers, speakers, and other peripherals?
>>65007845
get a scarlet 2i2 and some 25 key midi controller and you're set. save the rest for when you realize what you need/want next.
>>65007987
some people will disagree but if you mix/master your own stuff in the beginning you will need studio speakers
>>65007845
I'd go with steinberg ur22 (or scarlett 2i2, difference isn't big), a used cheap 25 key midi keyboard and a pair of speakers (I use eris e5s, they are bretty good for their price imo)
took some advice from anon in last thread
progressive ambient
https://clyp.it/irurtvgw
>>65007987
>>65008066
Yeah I'm thinking I want to buy speakers right off the bat.
The stuff you suggested looks quite good. I'm honestly really new to production (music is another story). What's the purpose of the Scarlett thing?
>>65008152
This is really nice anon.
>>65008066
>>65008175
if you really want to get some, KRK rokit's are pretty cheap and seem like a good starter.
The scarlet/steinberg is an audio interface/converter that allows you to record instruments and connect your monitors/headphones to your computer without losing as much quality out of your computers sound card.
Accidentally made a brass sound today.
https://clyp.it/cnwmotfa
I should figure this thing out, actually.
Is mixing on headphones really such a bad move? I've got a set of really nice AKG240's and I can't really be blasting music with my living situation. I've heard a lot of different things about this...
>>65008901
It's not soo horrible. Of course 99% of the pros will only mix on monitors, but if you're just a hobbyist, who cares?
>>65008901
poorfag here. ive been mixing and listening on only m50's for about 5 years. i can't say it doesnt suck, but they get the job done. monitors are great but they are a meme here.
i am >>65008152 for reference
>>65008901
Expect to hear more different things desu.
In my case, I prefer to mix on my speakers, but I do it better on my headphones. Probably mostly because my headphones are nicer.
The ideal of course is to reference your mix on different setups, but some people say they've developed a feel for how shit will translate.
Hope that works cause I'll be moving out of the basement myself soon.
>>65007987
>>65007845
the korg nanokey2 is a decent 25 key midi controller. i have it and it works pretty well
>>65009150
>>65007987
>>65008066
Isn't it easier to just pencil the notes in?
I've got an Axiom 49, but I never really use it.
>>65009079
most situations you'll want to use headphones at some point while mixing, just to get a reference on how it will sound
>>65005315
It's good for just starting FL studio I guess, just keep at it, watch tutorial videos, learn theory, etc etc etc
>>65009262
not if you can actually play the keys
>>65008152
Sounds good. If it had a bit more reverb and a wider sound, it would be like Jon Hopkins' first two albums.
>>65007987
>scarlet 2i2
can you connect a midi controller with that though?
>>65010400
>a bit more reverb
im worried about it becoming just another reverb-core track b/c i already have so much at this point. honestly i think reverb is a bit of a cheap way to make an ambient track more ambient.
then again im an obsessive OPN fan so this is just relaying his own sentiments lol
>>65007987
>>65008066
>>65009150
why does everybody recommend 25 key controllers? that's only half an octave more than playing a qwerty keyboard
>>65010824
I rec cheap stuff because of situations like
>I wanna be a producer!
>Looks like all these guys on youtube have thousand dollar home studios!
>spends 3000 buckaroos on 81 key midi, rompler, launchpad, DAW, monitors, interface headphones
>3 months later
>wow this is hard, i wish i had 3000 dollars right now to pay my rent
not saying i like 25 keys more or anything. I use a 49 myself. Just looking out for the best interest of the rookie. I guess there is maybe <100 dollar difference in a 25 or 49 key though, but it depends on the person
https://clyp.it/2e4puaam
is my music pretentious?
>>65011179
even 37 keys makes me feel like i've got that much more to work with, and a used 37 or 49 key without any extra bells and whistles should be no sweat financially
>>65011181
Nah, this is pretty cool
This isn't necessarily a production question but I figured it'd be appropriate to ask here.
Whenever I try to record music, it sounds like shit. Like there's something missing. I'm also a shitty songwriter, but here's an example. In James Blake's song "Give Me My Month", there's very little happening. It's just piano and him singing. But it doesn't sound like anythings missing, it sounds very "full".
How is this achieved? I assume through post production fx like reverb and etc, but any specific help?
>>65011451
well it starts with good mic quality
and then good reverb
and a touch of phasing or chorus (maybe)
it's mostly good reverb
>>65011506
What defines "good" reverb? I'm trying to kind of figure out audio effects. I have fl studio from a long time ago, but I've really just been using audacity for my recordings.
https://clyp.it/n30zglyk
only thing ive ever made thus far
What record producers inspire you guys the most to create?
>>65012125
hot sugar is probably the most inspiring to me, not only because his music sounds really unique in terms of product but because of how unbelievably good he is at morphing recorded sounds into instruments
>>65012406
>in terms of product
in terms of production and composition*
>>65011598
just something that sounds nice
you gotta learn to trust your ear
pic related is what i have my reverb on by default and then i manipulate the filter, attack, decay, dry/wet and sometimes the stereo width depending on the sound i want
>>65012434
Pic please? Thanks for the help.
>>65012434
>pic related
>>65012451
What does the "Stereo" knob do?
>>65012125
Ariel Pink, for what he managed to achieve by himself with an 8 track and no musical/technical education :)
You can't really imitate his sound though
https://clyp.it/mgzd3djm
>experimental jazz
>>65012125
Pye Corner Audio for me.
I like analogue warmth in my techno and this guy brings downright stupid amounts sometimes.
>>65012520
that's not horrible but that's not really jazz. there is literally nothing in there that makes it jazz
>>65012501
Ariel Pink was basically doing Phil Spector on his House Arrest album
>>65012498
it's basically how wide you perceive the sound
>>65012563
You ever recorded with a 4/8 track? It's pretty tough to get a halfway interesting sound, still have no idea how he really got that sound
I wanna make an 80s ballad esque song, is C Major the way to go here?
I don't have much, just a drum machine and some amps and midi controllers. I mostly make noise but I thought I'd share my setup
Anybody used mulab before?
It's my first time ever using a DAW and I feel like it's the biggest piece of shit ever and that I'm fighting it every step of the way.
I have a rocksmith realtone cable that I'm using to record my bass and guitar, and I'm in an apartment so I can never use my drums.
Wouldn't matter anyway cause I don't have a mic to record any of it.
Is there a better free alternative to mulab?
I just want to burp out melodies and beats in my head and mix them together and edit their tones and shit so I can make some cool proggy music :/
Recently installed FL studio pls comment whatever you are thinking https://clyp.it/43bhcybp
>>65012644
Im new to the whole equipment thing what is that pad you have with 8 buttons called and how much did it cost?
>>65012125
Alan Parsons and George Martin when it comes to band stuff
Quincy Jones for scoring and arrangement
Electronic, I don't fucking know, I'm all over the place
>>65012975
it's an akai lpd8, and they're knobs, not buttons
>>65012946
Not bad m8
Anyone here know how to sufficiently change up your chord progression from verse to chorus. ive got a pre-chorus too but i keep on wanting to just repeat the verse chord progression for the chorus
>>65013048
How much did it help you in producing, is it worth it for me to get one or just work with what i have untill i get better
>>65013048
the pads are buttons anon
>>65013083
for me personally, not all that much (i'm not the guy who posted the picture btw). drum pads and knob automating just ended up being 2 things i hardly ever made use of
>>65013069
Can you explain that in simpler terms im new to the whole producing thing
>>65013106
i know, was just telling the guy that what he was looking at was not buttons
>>65013111
Is there a piece of equipment that would be worth my money as a beginner
>>65012605
I'll give you that, but the end-result is basically what Phil Spector was doing in the 60s, the whole "Wall of Sound" thing.
>>65013192
what do you have right now? anything? i'd grab a midi keyboard at the very least
>>65013192
not really, not until you find out how you like to work
>>65013261
I only have FL studio man, nothing but a keyboard and mouse
>>65013130
The question is really more about basic songwriting that production but here goes:
pick a major key lets say D
The key of D has D-E-F# - G - A - B - C#
Your chords come from notes in that key
D-G-A is a progression
They are all chords in D
pre-chorus ive used Eminor and bminor which are also in the key of D
Now, you need a third progression or pattern for the chorus. Problem is i dont want to repeat any ive already used AND it has to stay in the same key (and sound good, obviously)
Any ideas guys?
>>65005372
>>65005522
>>65006304
>>65006436
>>65009840
Thank you for your input everyone. I have a lot to learn about music theory, I'm aware.
>>65005098
Hey I only have a soundcloud and I have been listening to a ton of people in this thread
I just wanna show my stuff and get feedback
Don't hate me
https://soundcloud.com/ronniescholarship/every-girl-too
>>65013364
>soundcloud link
>Don't hate me
too late
>>65013295
All I can say is that if you stay inside the rules too much it will sound boring, you probably want at least some "outside" chords or notes to keep it interesting. The most catchy pop music hooks are based on subverting theory in some way rather than following it, in my opinion.
>>65013295
Lol, how did I never realize that chord progressions come from the key the song is in?
I have been making music for 15+ years and never realized. I always just played what sounded good, but was always limited.
Thanks, anon. You have opened my retarded eyes.
>>65013364
Bring the beat in sooner. Why you tryin to rap without a beat
>>65012498
if you set stereo to 0, the dry sound will remain the same in terms of it's stereo image, but the reverb will be totally mono, if you set it to max, the dry sound will still remain the same, but now the reverb will have a very "wide" sound to it, with a lot of different nuances on both the left and right channels.
>>65013492
Nigga it's creating the song listen to the words and feel it
Also check out drug shit, gotti, and gwaup-tyle style
Can someone tell me what someone tell me sounds good in mono and what sounds good in stereo?
>>65013854
Let try that again:
What sounds good in mono/sounds good in stereo?
>>65013364
>I'm a lyrical spiritual individual
heyo so i want to share a track but its only on my soundcloud
how to get to clyp.it
>>65007845
>midi controller
Just get a pawn shop keyboard or one off craigslist.
>>65013878
obviously low frequencies will work the best in mono environments, but it's really all up to what you want to make/sound. I've found that mono-oriented reverb sounds more "old" and "retro", if that helps.
ableton masterrace
>>65014395
Reaper here.
Whats great about ableton?
>>65014428
autosave
but really, it's just what feels best to me in regards to what type of music I make, which is mostly beat instrumentals and experimental shit. once you get the hang the workflow is nasty fast
but most anyone'll say these things about their preferred daw
>>65014428
i tried reaper before ableton but found it lacking. but if jai paul an AK use it, it must be good once you master it.
i need help figuring how what subfolders of tracks are/do
and whats the advantage of putting each drum instrument on a separate track?
>>65013927
Download from soundcloud and upload to clyp.it
>>65009262
No. Theres no way to experiment and just put inspiration down as quickly as with a keyboard. Penciling midi notes is fucking tedioua
>>65015078
Depends on what DAW you're mixing with.
Typically speaking, you're able to process your drums differently. Most DAW's now will allow you to apply plugins/fx over each drum. Placing drum hits on different channels is more traditional and allows you to edit midi on your timeline more freely during arrangement.
what's the best way to get fat bass ableton
hey /prod/, i have a problem that somebody here can hopefully help with
i have an 88 key electric piano that i use as my main keyboard, but it takes up a shitload of desk space. i want to put some controllers and shit on top of it but there's a bunch of buttons for the actual keyboard functions that will send patch change messages through the midi out and fuck up whatever instrument is armed (the patch change doesn't register in the undo history either, for some reason)
is there a way i could get my interface or ableton to only receive note on/off messages and none of the patch change messages and other crap i dont need?
>>65015455
Go into options in ableton and disable you keyboard as a controller.
>>65015495
it's going into the midi in of my interface, wouldn't that just stop all the midi data coming in?
>>65015521
no I just use mine as a keyboard, nothing else.
>>65015557
did you mean disable it as a control surface? because your midi in is enabled in this picture.
even when i do it this way i still get the midi light flashing when i hit the various buttons
>>65015588
Disable it as a remote on your input. it should only use raw CC note data. Also what keyboard do you have?
>>65013878
> how long is a piece of string
>>65015609
it's a roland ep 85, tried what you were talking about but still no luck
>>65015609
also, while we're at it, do you know if ableton can use multiple midi interfaces at once? i know it can't do multiple audio interfaces, but what about just using the midi in/out from one interface and having another one hooked up for audio... would you be able to use the midi in/out of both interfaces or would i have to grab a midisport or something like that?
>>65015696
As far as I know, you can use multiple interfaces to play MIDI even if the said interface isn't selected as the primary audio driver. The MIDI protocol is separate from your ASIO/AU driver.
As for your other problem, you can try mapping the CC values to other things (blank MIDI track for example) by using ctrl+m/apple+m, or simply disarm whatever channel you're trying to work on. It sounds more like a logistical issue so you should find better space for your controllers. If you're really out of options, you can open up the piano and desolder the contacts for the buttons if you don't really need them.
>>65013364
nice flow, good beat choice
>>65015819
>It sounds more like a logistical issue so you should find better space for your controllers
unfortunately not an option at this point, i'm cramped into a dorm room with all my stuff. if it really comes down to it i'll just rig up some kind of thing to sit on top of the piano and put the controllers on top of that so they aren't hitting any buttons, it would just be easier if there was an option to filter out the messages.
mapping the CCs is a no-go too, all the buttons show up as CC64 but mapping them doesn't stop the program change for whatever is armed...this really seems like it should be less complicated, i'm about ready to just say fuck it and figure out something to put on top of the piano to put the controllers on
>>65016046
... well i may have just solved my problem entirely by putting a pen (triangular so it won't roll) under the controller
i feel dumb now lol
>>65008152
I like this. definitely hearing the OPN influence - what did you use to get that synth sound at around 1:13? sounds like a string and clav sound from an M1 maybe? also you got a soundcloud?
https://clyp.it/xyhglkiz what do you guys think of this early demo I'm working on so far? it's inspired by old pc game osts. just in the composition stage right now, haven't done any sound design (though I plan on keeping some of the cornier rompler preset sounds) and definitely haven't done any mixing or mastering. also sorry for the bad audio quality, I work with reverb, a bitcrusher/DAC emulator, and a steep lowpass filter on the master when I'm composing because it's easier for me to get in the mood that way, not sure why.
looking at an e-mu midi to usb cable, is usb 1.1 fine for midi?
>>65013364
>rap
>after the mid 90s
>>65016684
>only listening to dadrap
>>65013492
i disagree. i like the buildup. very childish-gambino ish.
https://clyp.it/t54rvhb3
thoughts?
is this gay?
>>65011181
I dig it bro
>>65016926
i like it. good work anon. i'd maybe tone down the percussion and focus a little more on the melodies developed by the slide-guitar-or-whatever-it-is. just my $0.02
>>65016926
Anon my man walk me through that sub bass
>>65017074
not that anon but the trick to getting that sound is just a filter envelope and shit tons of compression
>>65016263
>what did you use to get that synth sound at around 1:13
it's 2 soundfonts -- Strings from banjo-kazooie and marimba from ff8 layered on each other. i think video game soundfonts are a goldmine. since im not huge on synthesis, most of my sounds are sampled or soundfonts (which is basically a roundabout way of sampling)
>>65011181
i recognize the sample anon, what's it from? reminds me of this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7TlZIQ7zs58
>>65017105
Noted thanks bro
>>65017155
ahhhh ok, I actually have both of those soundfonts lying around on my computer somewhere. I use soundfonts sometimes too but I've yet to find a vst I really like for them so mainly I use a korg m1, a wavestation, and some kontakt libraries from old romplers and digisynths. I'm also obsessed with LuSH-101, TAL-U-NO-LX, Omnisphere, and everything Plogue makes.
>>65017330
cool. FL has a decent barebones soundfont player, and directwave which is REALLY good but i almost never need its functionality.
oh and also, my soundcloud is https://soundcloud.com/bxxf
for a basic set up that just uses a turntable and drum machine, what else would I need?
>>65017155
i sampled it from here
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wWustzfixb0
but you might recognize it from any number of places i first heard it in a pretty lights song
>>65017044
i would love to but i already bounced it to audio :/
i'll see what i can do for some variation tho it does get pretty repetitive
>>65017463
mixer
sequencer+synth
bigass speakers
>>65017470
FUCK now i know where i heard it lmao
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iC3PpJMlb4M
spare my plebness
>>65017463
a daw/interface or a sampler... possibly a mixer too if you're going the sampler route. some effects if you want them (but once again, this could also be covered in the software, all depends on what kind of setup you're trying to build)
>>65017489
any recs on a cheap mixer that can do the job?
>>65017508
preferably no DAW or any computerized set up, I'm kind of new to all of this
>>65017539
so then yeah... a sampler and probably a cheap mixer with a couple of channels. might not be necessary though, some drum machines like the xr20 have inputs on them (was never too happy with the sound quality of the xr20's mic port though, i never really run anything through it)
>>65017582
thanks man I appreciate it, definitely will look into it more
>>65017512
mackie mix5 is as cheap as the cheap behringers are and probably of slightly higher quality
>>65005137
>>65005137
>tfw it's the second thread and still 0 replies
>>65017512
>turntables
not this >>65017625
I recommend getting a DJ mixer first, if you haven't. Then something like the Peavy PV6 for synths and drum machines. The mackie is way too small to be useful as a mixer.
>>65005137
>>65017628
too much reverb
>>65010511
You can connect 99% of MIDI controllers with a USB cord. The 2i2 has no MIDI capability but the 2i4 has MIDI in and out.
>>65017762
>you can connect 99% of MIDI controllers with a USB cord
statistically false
>>65017809
A MIDI controller has no onboard sounds. It has no need to transmit any kind of actual audio signal. The Maschine line, the Akai MPKs, the M-Audio Oxygen etc. all use USB to interface with DAWs. MIDI predates USB by more than a decade, but the majority of MIDI controllers produced in 2016 are going to have USB ports and MIDI I/O/T.
If you're talking about something that actually is audio-capable you're talking about a sampler or a drum machine.
>>65017917
>or a synthesizer
>>65017936
Sure. I wasn't trying to list every single audio capable device that offered MIDI compatibility, just providing two examples.
>>65017917
I bet you feel smart. You're still statistically wrong.
>>65016926
This shit fucks. Keep working on it, I'd like to see where it goes
>>65017628
ok long post you asked for it anon:
I like the overall sound but the track needs some variation really badly. The groove you have isn't interesting enough to justify repeating over and over again. A lot of older dance music is really repetitive by nature but there are subtle variations or the part that's being repeated is rewarding enough to be enjoyable to listen to over and over again. I used to have the same issue and what fixed it for me was trying to think of music in terms of tension, release, and momentum. On a basic level music is enjoyable because our brains like hearing patterns being completed, but if your pattern isn't interesting you're just walking it in circles. When building a song think about what is going to give off a sense of anticipation and then just deliver on that anticipation, kinda like a rollercoaster. Dance music is just this concept in its rawest form, that's WHY it's dance music. I really wish someone explained this concept to me a long time ago so hopefully it helps you a bit too. Learning music theory also might help but honestly I got bored and found that I learned more just by listening to songs critically and analyzing what they're doing, sometimes going as far as to charting out all the notes in MIDI by ear just so I could dissect it. Also, don't get antsy to finish a track. It sounds like you had a loop and went "yeah this is ok" and duplicated it a bunch of times, thought throwing in a few variations on the theme and a couple samples would make up for it and called it a day. It's cool, everyone does it but it's bad for you. As a songwriting exercise, try writing a song from left to right with absolutely no copy pasting or duplicating; I mean every single note. It'll take fucking ages and be tedious as hell especially if you pencil in MIDI with a mouse and keyboard like I do but it'll make you think more critically about whether your music is interesting on a compositional level and not just on an aesthetic level.
>>65018098
I'm 99% sure you're statistically an asshole
>>65018172
>said the guy posting this condescending asshole shit >>65017917
roast my stupid lame shit if you want.
still working on it.
https://clyp.it/rafj0hte
if i can't use ableton and know nothing about music theory should i just make my nightcore in fl
>>65018256
Why can't you use Ableton? Tbh if all you wanna do is make nightcore Ableton is probably the best piece of software for it. All you gotta do is drop a song in, set the warp to repitch, and up the tempo to what you like.
>>65018272
i can do that. I guess i should have mentioned i kinda want to learn how to restructure the song a bit and add in some drums or something
>>65018296
Ableton is also easy to do that in. Just warp the song and make sure it's in time with Ableton's metronome (look up a youtube tutorial for this, it's crazy easy. usually as simple as finding the first beat, dropping a warp marker in, right clicking, and telling it to warp from there); then use ctrl+e and copy paste to chop up the song however you want, use subtle crossfades and a little bit of reverb to cover up your cuts, eq to chisel bits you don't need out, layer from there, etc etc. This is all stuff you can learn how to do in one sitting.
>>65017673
>The mackie is way too small to be useful as a mixer
how? did you actually read what he's trying to hook up? and the mixer you recommended has one more input and an fx send/return, other than that they're the same
>>65018159
Huh. Thanks, anon, I'll meditate on it.
>>65018388
how much work would i have to put in to create my own drum beats that sound alright? considering i don't even know how i would get the daw to let me work on them rn
>>65018441
>did you actually read what he's trying to hook up?
Yes. Which is why I said DJ mixer first.
You do know it's better to get a mixer with more channels than you immediately need, right? It's always a bad idea to plan only for the immediate future. Plus the mix5 is really only a 3 channel guised as a 5 channel. It would really only give him two stereos for the turntables and mono for drums. Not all drum machines are mono only. Honestly I should have recommended something with 8+ actual channels, and not 2+2 stereo channels.
You don't need to be completely hostile if somebody points that a recommendation is bad.
>>65018584
lol your post is way more hostile than mine, i got the impression from "turntable and a drum machine" that he just wants to sample records and make beats without a daw. turntables dont automatically mean a dj setup. especially not a singular turntable
>>65018756
>lol your post is way more hostile than mine
I'm glad you feel that way. That's very upstanding of you.
>>65018450
No problem, sorry if I sounded a bit harsh by the way, I know exactly what it's like to get stuck duplicating loops and honestly the only way out is to just work through it and change how you think about music. Here's a few repetitive tracks that I really like, pay attention to the little details and how they modify/compliment the part that is repeating:
https://youtu.be/jY0LDHgbh3o
https://youtu.be/DD9nHRuZ1Pg
https://youtu.be/pG-jos0G7s4
Also one last really helpful tip I forgot about, remember that bass notes will pretty much augment any repeating pattern you have. For a fun exercise make a measure long loop that's just one arpeggiated chord. Now just hold some bass notes down, listening to how each note you press gives the arp a completely different mood. Apply this concept to a whole song and you're already a step closer to making better stuff!
>>65018778
oh jesus lol climb down out of your own ass
also you didnt count the tape ins on the mackie so you're presumptuous, hypocritical, AND retarded. a winning combo
>>65018814
Like I said. You don't need to be so hostile.
>>65018839
>do what i say not what i do
maybe i would if you weren't so stupid
>>65018814
Are you by chance the soundcloud kid? Because you seem to get angry at basically anything like he does, and spazz out at people.
fuck it. i'll post my stuff. sorry in advance for soundcloud.
https://soundcloud.com/null-213
should i even bother getting back into music again?
>>65018547
Honestly depends how fast you pick it up. Ableton has a really nice drum rack instrument where you can just drop your samples in and it comes with an 808 and 909 kit anyways so you've already got all you need. The big reason I'm pushing Ableton is because if you're going to be doing sample based stuff or remixes Ableton has a ton of flexibility with samples that other DAWs really can't compare to mostly because it's geared towards live performance/DJing as well as production. Fruity Loops certainly has an easier initial learning curve but once you're past it you'll find it's harder to get a lot of stuff done than other DAWs. Still, a DAW is a DAW so if Fruity Loops already works for you go for it!
>>65018860
are you by chance one of the people that lives for arguing with the soundcloud kid? because you're imagining that somebody is entering some kind of cartoonish rage spiral just because they said some means wowds on youw fouwchan :*(
>>65018857
Jesus dude. Settle down. So you disagree with what I said. Is it really necessary to throw around insults and act all high and mighty? Shit like this is killing /prod/ like that dude from the other threads.
>>65018908
why is it always mad that you people default to? why do you never assume that somebody is laughing at you for being an idiot? i promise it's that every time lol
>>65018926
Why is it that when I said that you don't need to be hostile, you just ramp it up?
>>65012125
Less producers, more composers.
Palestrina, Bach, Webern, Schnittke, Martinů, Pärt, etc.
>>65018967
... how is saying that i'm not mad "ramping it up"?
>>65018892
If you're bothering to post your stuff and ask that question you already know the answer, man. Shit might be tedious and you might not be happy with your stuff but if you didn't care and didn't want to get better you wouldn't be in this thread right now.
>>65018902
i haven't even installed fl desu. I'm gonna stick it out with ableton, thanks, man
>>65018967
>>65018908
also if you want to see high and mighty >>65018584 this is a pretty good example lol. pick a lane lol
>>65018988
what sort of stuff do you write? Do you have a soundcloud?
>>65019022
cry
more
bitch
nigga
even you know you're the worst one here
and you cant help but reply every time
>>65019049
cant help but be replied to every time*
know the difference, it could save your life
>>65019049
>>65019022
>>65018997
are yall gonna fuck or not
>>65019049
>cry
>more
>bitch
>nigga
also this was decidedly the wrong lane to pick if you're still gonna try to highroad me about shitposting lol
>>65019084
I don't even need to do shit now. The living shitpost is self sustaining at this point.
>>65019099
>waaaah i just want to tell everyone how dumm they are and how smart i am not have them take it any kind of negative way or say anything back or else they're shitposting and not me
CRASHING THIS THRED WITH NO SURVIVORS
WEW LAD
THERE GOES DAT BOI
SUH DUDE
I WONDER WHO COULD BE BEHIND THIS
LONG CAT IS LOOOOONG
>>65013364
>https://soundcloud.com/ronniescholarship/every-girl-too
I liked that. I would recommend recording the vocals with more enthusiasm.
>>65019001
you're...you're right man. i've been neglecting this part of me for a real long time now. i'm drunk as shit tonight, but i'll get started tomorrow morning, i promise. thank you anon.
dude, stop replying to my posts if you can actually help it
>it's a let's reply to soundcloud kid episode
also before this really goes to hell i just wanna remind you that this all started because you balked at the idea of buying something affordable that suits your needs instead of something twice as expensive that is more than what you need. this probably speaks volumes about the amount of your parents'
money you've spent
>>65019193
>see i've stopped replying to HIS posts because i didnt actually quote him, so that means i win!
>>65019227
>the amount of your parents' money you've spent
what are you even talking about? mixers are cheap as chips
get a job
>>65019223
ratings never lie
>he can't stop replying
hey look i did it too
JUST
>/prod/ is still the same as it ever was
>shit
>>65019190
You better, but keep in mind there's a reason people say "write drunk, edit sober." Besides, if you're up on 4chan there's no reason why you can't open up your DAW and goof off for a bit. Who cares if you make anything good or not? I get where you're coming from, though. I gave up producing for a long time too but came back to it and wish I never left. Always remember this: the reason you do not want to work, don't feel like working, and haven't been working is because you are anxious about the idea of working. That anxiety is ALWAYS harsher on you than any tedium you might encounter on the way to doing what you want, and if you let it control you all you're doing is taking the harder path and keeping yourself from satisfaction. It feels easier in the short term but really it isn't; trust me, I know from experience.
>>65019319
>JUST
go to bed?
>>65019033
Mostly classical. I've been obsessed with fugues so I just write fugues.
Only posting this because you asked
https://soundcloud.com/psllbof
Good to see /prod/ is still going strong! I made the original pastebin waaaay back in the day and Its cool to see how it has evolved over the years.
>>65019458
>Good to see /prod/ is still going strong!
You guys ever just sit with your shit and think about how someone with talent could do something meaningful with it?
>>65019498
Having talent, that does not concern me.
>>65018798
Oh anon, I know my share of music theory, it's just that implementing it is a pain and this track really was a hackjob now that I think of it.
>>65019498
every day
Yo guys my song is getting in a podcast made by a record label that is connected with RDJ and has ex-rephlex artists on it :D
thanks for the help
>>65019511
>>65019578
I guess what I'm asking is it worth it to get on my keyboard senpaitachi. Like can I actually make anything out of this? Eventually?
>>65019846
You're not looking at making music in a healthy manner I'd say man. Instead of asking "Can I actually make anything out of this?" you should ask: "Do I actually GET anything out of this?" Do you have fun anon? Do you enjoy improving, and maybe even groove to one of your own tunes on occasion? Once you get to the point where you can create what is happening in your head, it is immensely rewarding on a personal level. If you want to "make it" or whatever, that's a great goal, but if that's a driving factor in WHY you make tunes then you might wanna change your state of mind.
>>65019846
You just need to constantly push out work. Keep practicing scales. Keep making songs that suck. Keep making half-assed recordings. It's all just experience, and you need to suck a lot before you actually sound good. It is disheartening. It's horrible. There's a good reason many scores (lol) of musicians give up by their 30s.
The real question is that is this your passion? Is this what you want to do with your life? Or is it just a side hobby that you don't want to take too seriously?
>>65019902
>>65019929
I meant like philosophically. Like is any art worth making.
how long do you guys spend mixing a song?
>>65019973
I mix as I go. There is never a separate "mixing" phase
But a 4 minute song done properly with lyrics, live instruments, orchestration etc. will take about 12 hours from start to finish.
>>65019458
>>65019033
did you just ask yourself to post your own soundcloud?
>>65019957
Oh. Then no. Don't bother. Some guy already made music a long time ago. Better not bother with it.
>>65020014
shit man I was just thinking how much I liked sounds
a bunch of links in the sticky are dead
How do I make music like autechre? I know they use max/msp for almost everything now, anyone have experience with that software? I heard it's super hard to learn
>>65019957
Oh, I mean I guess my question still stands. Do you get anything out of it? Do you have fun anon? I think everyone needs an outlet/coping method/escape. It's healthy. If making music fills up a hole in your soul then I'd say it's worth it. The product of that has as much value as you want to give it really. And if other people enjoy it then that's a nice lil' bonus.
>>65020026
well Luigi Russolo already covered that too
so you don't need to worry about it
>>65020072
I feel like it fulfills me fundamentally. I just get really anxious when I'm trying to create and think about how much more I need to know.
>>65020282
You don't really "need" to know anything. Get good with what you do know. If you're anxious about what you don't know, just relax man. You're your harshest critique, or at least you should be, that's normal. Just be patient, and you'll get better if you keep on trying, I promise.
>>65019458
looks like you forgot to put your trip back on after asking yourself for your soundcloud.
>>65020435
boy there sure is a lot of helpful people in this general
>>65020502
This is production general
Not general philosophy of art and being a bitch about other people's view general
Get over yourself.
>>65020502
No, there isn't really.
(see: >>65020549)
I can just relate so I'm trying to be a decent human being and show empathy. Just relax man and have fun. And spend less time on 4chan and more time making music, haha.
>>65020502
stop trying to stir shit up, kid
>>65020615
does that post really constitute stirring shit up
>>65020643
I know this is a trick question. All kid posts are stirring shit up
post your clouds. I wanna listen to full albums not snipits
>>65020670
no im being sincere im just also on acid
>>65020687
oh, I thought that post (>>65020502) was riddled with sarcasm
don't mind >>65020604
he's just pessimistic and self righteous
>>65019458
I guess fugues aren't that impressive.
EZDrummer vs Superior Drummer vs Addictive Drums vs MIDI
which one and why?
>>65020743
I wish there was a dislike button on soundcloud
for future reference, please stop shilling your soundcloud here, it's not welcome, and we see through your self-advertising
amateur beats producer here
I'm currently trying to do the "produce one beat per day" routine as practice, but I'm frequently finding myself with unfinished tracks. they're either songs that are just okay left alone but could benefit from some new melodies, or are just plain unfinished.
my question is, how important is it to actually finish each of these tracks? i've read online from countless producers that they have way more unfinished ideas than finished ones. does the worth of the practice derive from working these ideas out or finishing them all the way?
>>65011179
This is the reason I hardly put any input into these threads. There is no way I'm about to recommend wasting your money on some shitty £60 midi keyboard, same goes for monitors and everything else production related. You get what you pay for and if you pay decent money it might well last you a lifetime.
When I started production I'd just use normal (decent) hifi speakers, then I saved for some beyerdynamic headphones and some half decent monitors. I still have the headphones today nearly 20 years later and the monitors too. £200 monitors will sound like £200 monitors and within a few years you'll be buying some more.
>>65020979
I think the one beat per day thing is only really useful for people just starting out. It's good to learn the basics, experiment, get familiar with your setup, and build a routine, but once you get to the point where you want to start finishing things and releasing music it doesn't do you much good. It's okay to mix things up every once in a while or run that routine in a period where you have writer's block, but I wouldn't live by it. My recommendation is to keep doing the one beat a day thing, but when you run into an idea that you really want to flesh out into a full track just work on that each day until it's done instead of starting something new. Set goals for yourself in lieu of completing a beat such as "I'll finish this lead tomorrow. I'll figure out what to put in these 16 bars the day after." For most people, good music takes time; training yourself to make things in one sitting is training yourself for failure imo. Only the very lucky, very talented, or very experienced can churn out great stuff in such short spans of time.
gonna be uploading some stuff
https://clyp.it/s4e2rjl1#
would love to hear opinions
>>65021431
>>65020979
Though I will mention the one beat a day thing IS good for creating a stockpile of pieces you can drop into tracks later. Say for instance you're working on a track and you hit a brick wall with the percussion. Maybe one of those countless beats you made has just the pattern you need. It's happened to me on multiple occasions and it's nice to have your own mini-library for placeholders and moments like that.
>>65012520
sounds like a young thug beat with a drum break instead of trap drums
kid cudi remix attempt at trapstep type stuff for fun
https://clyp.it/asun3gob
>>65021501
Cozy, the distortion on that synth at 1:50 is way too hot though; sounds like clipping and not warm fuzzies. I'd also add a whistling lead, like a theremin with a lot of reverb at some points. Would give the song a sweeter color, complement the slightly goofy sweeps you use, and make the track even cozier.
>>65021591
Oh I like my distortion hot and clipping like
Those sweeps are quite goofy lol. Tbh Id like to flesh that one out a bit more
thx though man
>>65008152
>https://clyp.it/irurtvgw
that opening crushed a blood vessel in my right eye, your taste in image is better than your musical prowess, 5/10
>>65021616
I like the sound of clipping too, in this case it just sounds at odds with the rest of the track imo. Also I don't mean goofy in a bad way, the sweeps are actually one of my favorite parts of the track. They're nostalgic in a way. No prob though!
>>65021628
I was going for a cozy shoegazey progression
>>65008152
>https://clyp.it/irurtvgw
would love a download
>>65021431
>>65021517
thanks! any other beginner tips? i have a basic grasp of theory, watch tutorials from time to time, and generally try to make as much as possible. lately i've been favoring the four tet/burial style untuned samples shit but that's probably just me being lazy (as opposed to creative).
>>65019993
of course not... who would do such a thing?
>>65020495
I don see the point in tripping all the time
>>65020743
They're not really supposed to be impressive. Just quaint little pieces I enjoy writing. There's some songs and more busy orchestral / electronic /sludge /etc pieces further down.
>>65021431
no offense but you sound like me 2 years ago. how long have you been producing?
>>65021859
Little over five years; tried the beat a day thing multiple times along the way and I'd always just end up with piles of unfinished stuff as opposed to just sitting down and committing to a track. YMMV obviously but for me it just wasn't productive. That isn't to say never open up your DAW and mess around for a bit, though. You should be doing that every day anyways. I just don't see any reason not to prioritize tracks you actually want to complete.
>>65021626
would love some feedback
>>65021922
ah it's just i had a very similar mindset composition-wise the first few years i started and the result was i would finish like 1 track a month tops.
when i started to take shit seriously and actually force myself to sit down and do it i found that i can easily get the arrangement of a track done in one sitting / within a day and they turn out higher quality and more coherent. if you're in the "this part tomorrow, that part the day after" mindset, it's very easy to overthink it and end up with a pile of convoluted, overproduced shite that took you a month to make (imo)
i agree, the 'force yourself to do a beat a day' shit is retarded though, that time is far, far better spent making synth patches, sorting / finding samples, drums, all that other stuff you don't want to have to stop and do when you're writing. it's also tiring as fuck and you will start to hate producing very quickly. i find that even now that i can sit down and have a track done in a day i have a kind of refractory period where i have to do something else (good time for sound design etc.) or i produce rubbish
I don't have an example right now, but I sometimes struggle with high pitched pads distracting me from the lead, especially if the lead has some LP on it. Any ideas?
And generally, how do you make pads pleasant and interesting, but not distracting?
>>65022164
See I'm almost the opposite; that extra time is what keeps me from making said garbage. I have a tendency to write absurdly busy stuff that I chisel away at over time. Sure, it isn't unreasonable to write (or even finish) a track in a day and sometimes it happens and it's great, but on a personal level I really don't see that as a goal or something I even care about. Past that, I think it's just silly to tell a beginner they should strive to be making tracks in a day. If they get to that point they'll get there without needing to be told to. Realistically, most people who touch a DAW never reach that point, and even fewer that do are actually making quality music; to worry about it is just unnecessary anxiety that'll make working on music more stressful than fun. I speak from experience, for about two of those years making music was absolute hell and I thought about giving up every time I opened Ableton, but I realized later on that I only felt that way because I was forcing myself to.
>>65022358
Use EQ to subdue or remove any part of the pad that doesn't contribute to the overall mood of the sound. Drag a point on your EQ to the very top, set the Q to maximum and sweep for unpleasant frequencies, then turn the gain down to cut out some bandwidth. Play with reverb/stereo imaging/etc to "spread out" the pad and put it in a space rather than just lowering it in the mix. If you're stacking everything on top of each other not just frequency but space wise it'll sound messy. You could also experiment with subtle sidechaining to make the pad (or just certain frequencies of the pad if you set it up right) duck out of the way of the lead just a little bit. Also, mixing in a compressed signal of frequencies you want to emphasize helps too. Say I want a pad to sound glassier or nice and airy, I'd probably set up a chain where I have the highs feeding into a compressor and mix just a little of that in with the original signal. Also, I like to add a little bit of saturation to pads to warm them up a bit.
>>65021724
>>65021517
I really like some of the ideas Mike Huckaby has in this video. He basically made one of his most successful tracks by dropping previously made beats into the track until he heard something good to work from.
http://youtu.be/IL9Tm_VoW1c
>>65022368
I'd agree I think the anon you're replying to or who asker of the question was talking about making a beat a day rather than a whole track, but yeah making a beat a day will get you learning a lot about percussion and drum programming.
I'd suggest just getting in the studio for as long as possible every day or just maximising your time doing things /prod/ related. Managing your spare time so instead of watching tv, playing games or browsing 4chan you could be being creative and learning stuff in the studio.
I'll quite often just load up a couple of sounds in my sampler and send them through delays and reverbs or EQ's and compressors and just play about with the settings for hours learning and experimenting with different settings. There is so much to learn ou can literally just use one effect for days/weeks/months learning it inside out
>>65023718
>tfw no qt synth gf
anybody know about using a kaoss pad with ableton? i'm planning to hook it up to the midi in and out on my interface and my plan is to be able to use it as an external effect and have ableton be able to recall what patch i had it set to and save the shit i do on the touchpad as automation curves that can then be replayed
anybody do anything like this or know of anyone who does? i dont see any reason why it shouldnt work
https://clyp.it/vkdb1yss
I posted this like yesterday but I want a little more feedback. I already changed some stuff (timbre of bass and the kick drums a little less in you face). What else?
Can i get some feedback/advice please? I'm new to this. I'm not great at drumming, I do know a nice amount of music theory but it's hard to make it something from a daw. Any feedback is much appreciated
https://clyp.it/khwnlynm
