Hey dudes, dudettes.

I have a question, and I don’t really have anywhere or anyone to ask so I signed up here on the forums of some of my favourite artists to ask. I hope you don’t mind my noob question and the fact that I have 1 post. I am still a person~

Anyway, strange and unnecessary assurances that I’m a person aside, I’ve been listening to so much psybient music and as I’ve been happily drifting in the astral planes I sometimes wonder if I could weave these sonic tapestries (stole this imagery from somewhere, can’t remember where..) myself. But I wonder:

1) Am I disadvantaged without a musical background? I spent the vast majority of my youth doing lots of drugs and getting tinnitus (I’m serious). Unsurprisingly I didn’t pick up many skills during that time. I’m 22 now.

2) How do I start? There are a million different music production suites and their instruction manuals are labyrinthine. Is there a ‘go-to’ piece of software for artists in psybient/downtempo music?

I have a bad laptop and a lot of free time. What’s next?

Peace,

Hector

Before you start out getting software VSTi’s etc etc. Have you friends or do you know people who make music? If so hang out and watch them. Watch how they put tracks together and how they edit samples.

If you don’t know anyone then it could be a good idea to subscribe or just get some copies of Computer Music magazine. With it comes alot of freeware plugins and also DAW’s. That is the thing you are going to make your tracks in. The programs are basic and limited but it will give you an idea and a start into music production. Plus you say you have a bad laptop so getting a good program like Ableton Live, Cubase or FL Studio to name a few won’t be benefiical for you. Start basic. Learn how to build tracks. Learn basic editing skills and understand what effects do to music. It’s not always the instrument/instrument plugin that makes a cool sound. The magazine also comes with video tutorials so that may help you.

When you have got to grips with that and you want to continue then look around for a program to suit you. The are lots of demos on offer. The programs mentioned above have demos.

Ott uses Reason to get his ideas down. I’m not into this program myself, haven’t really sussed it out but apparently it is really stable. Simon P and Benji use Logic Pro as they have Macs.

Myself I use Ableton Live Intro. It’s the lite version of Ableton Live 8. It has some limitations but when you get to know a program you always find a work around. It’s all i could really afford. So yeah before splashing the cash find a DAW that suits you. You can make all types of music in all DAW’s. Though there are some which were designed to be more for a certain style. For instance when FL Studio or Fruity Loops as it was called, started it was designed mainly for making beats and loops. It developed into what it is today. Ableton Live started out as an audio sequencer to be played like an instrument in live performances.

Hope this helps in some way

Good reply DiMu!! :-D .... just thoungt I`d add that youtube tutorials is also a good source!! Good luck!!! :-D

Dimutech

Thanks so much for taking the time to respond man, I really appreciate it. I’ll go to the shops and pick up an issue or two of that magazine and see what information I can glean. I don’t really have anyone I can go hang out with and watch make music as I am spending some time in Scotland at the moment before I leave for India in March. I have a good computer but it’s back in London.

I think what you are trying to say is that before jumping in with best software and all that, I should learn the mechanics, nuts and bolts of creation. You’re right, I don’t really understand it. I have plenty of time so I’ll start by checking out this mag.

Thanks again.

Balananda

I will check out some youtube tutorials once I have an idea of what’s going on and what I wanna know. Don’t think I am there yet

Peace

I`m a Reason user myself with Fl studio (Fruity loops) and Ableton ,but my main workhorse is Reason, and the nice thing with this program is, that it is based on how synths, effects and mixers is working in real life,with cables being connected to the instruments and to effects. You get the point here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FVVOmm0lz9Q&feature=related ,

It`s a easy to use and nice to look at and i would recomend it highly!! there is no limitations once you get the hang of it! And those magazines DiMu talked about is a great resource also!!

http://www.musictechmag.co.uk/mtm/focus  - Here one can get all the info one needs!!

I started off on Reason - definitely the most fun/accessible in my opinion, it comes with lots of intstruments and effects so you don’t need much to start off - just some drum samples.

Guys, once again I am very appreciative to receive your responses. I’m gonna look into Reason. I downloaded a trial of Ableton Live 8 and it was extremely confusing, so I’m happy enough to give another program a go. The factors that you guys have mentioned (accessible/fun/easy to use, etc) seem perfect for me as I try to get to grips with it all. Hopefully our ideas of what is ‘easy to use’ do not diverge too much

Peace

Solar.

I have always heard good things about Reason. Plus if it is good enough for Ott well then…...

This text is from the homepage of Reason.

“Reason is a virtual studio rack with all the tools and instruments you need to turn your ideas into music. With its generous sound bank and intuitive flow, Reason helps you along in the creative process and is the music software that never gets in your way”

So basically you have a hardware studio in your computer. It can be daunting at first to look at. It was for me. So video tutorials will definitely be a must if you have no idea about a studio, racks and how the process works etc. I’m sure it will come with a manual but i often find these confuse more than help to a new beginner.

Here’s a link to a youtube clip.Reason for the absolute Nub

Here is the link to their download page Reason 6 download

With Ableton I usually get ideas down in the session view then record it and edit and add stuff in the arrangement view.

I started out using FL Studio then went over to Ableton. FL at the time was very straight forward to use but it required a lot of work arounds which at the time were more simple to accomplish in Ableton. Now FL have addressed a lot of those problems and the program has developed. It certainly is more complicated for a new user than version 4 which i first used.

I hope you find something to suit you. It is so hard. Shame you don’t know people who produce. I was lucky i watched my mates for 3-4 months before i started to try something myself. By then i had grasped the ideas of how to do the basics.

Just been trying out reason. Love that copy pattern to track with the redrum. Is there similar in Ableton that i’m not aware of?

www.reddit.com/r/WeAreTheMusicMakers/ <—Lots of good info and lots of similar questions