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.

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 very similar but slightly different in the way that they look and feel.

Third, you will need some sort of interface. An 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.

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.

One of the most important things 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.

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 items that you will need to start your Music Production Journey.

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!