(Part 2) Top products from r/WeAreTheMusicMakers

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We found 144 product mentions on r/WeAreTheMusicMakers. We ranked the 1,447 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the products ranked 21-40. You can also go back to the previous section.

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Top comments that mention products on r/WeAreTheMusicMakers:

u/RedRedRoad · 24 pointsr/WeAreTheMusicMakers


Comprehensive List of Books Relating to Music Production and Creative Growth

<br />


***


On Composition:

<br />


Making Music: 74 Creative Strategies - Dennis DeSantis
Amazon Link
This is a fantastic book. Each page has a general idea on boosting creativity, workflow, and designing sounds and tracks.


Music Theory for Computer Musicians - Michael Hewitt
Amazon Link
Really easy to digest book on music theory, as it applies to your DAW. Each DAW is used in the examples, so it is not limited to a specific program. Highly recommend this for someone starting out with theory to improve their productions.


Secrets of Dance Music Production - David Felton
Amazon Link
This book I recently picked up and so far it's been quite good. It goes over all the different elements of what make's dance music, and get's quite detailed. More geared towards the beginner, but it was engaging nonetheless. It is the best 'EDM specific' production book I have read.


Ocean of Sound - David Troop
Amazon Link

Very well written and interesting book on ambient music. Not only does David go over the technical side and history of ambiance and musical atmospheres, he speaks very poetically about creating these soundscapes and how they relate to our interpersonal emotions.


***


On Audio Engineering:

<br />


Mixing Secrets for the Small Studio - Mike Senior
Amazon Link
In my opinion, this is the best mixing reference book for both beginners and intermediate producers. Very in-depth book that covers everything from how to set-up for accurate listening to the purpose of each mixing and mastering plug-in. Highly recommended.


Zen and the Art of Mixing - Mixerman
Amazon Link
Very interesting read in that it deals with the why's more than the how's. Mixerman, a professional audio engineer, goes in detail to talk about the mix engineer's mindset, how to approach projects, and how to make critical mixing decisions. Really fun read.


The Mixing Engineer's Handbook - Bobby Owinski
Amazon Link
This is a fantastic companion book to keep around. Not only does Owinski go into great technical detail, he includes interviews from various audio engineers that I personally found very helpful and inspiring.


***


On the Industry:

<br />


All You Need to Know About the Music Business - Donald S. Passman
Amazon Link
This book is simply a must read for anyone hoping to make a professional career out of music, anyone wanting to start their own record label, or anyone interested in how the industry works. It's a very informative book for any level of producer, and is kept up-to-date with the frequent revisions. Buy it.


Rick Rubin: In the Studio - Jake Brown
Amazon Link
Very interesting read that is a semi-biographical book on Rick Rubin. It is not so personal as it is talking about his life, experiences, and processes. It does get quite technical when referring to the recording process, but there are better books for technical info. This is a fun read on one of the most successful producers in history.


Behind the Glass - Howard Massey
Amazon Link
A collection of interviews from a diverse range of musicians who speak about creativity, workflows, and experiences in the music industry. Really light, easy to digest book.


***


On Creativity:

<br />


The War of Art - Steven Pressfield
Amazon Link
This is a must-read, in my opinion, for any creative individual. It is a very philosophical book on dealing with our own mental battles as an artist, and how to overcome them. Definitely pick this one up, all of you.


This is Your Brain on Music - Daniel S. Levitin
Amazon Link
A book written by a neurologist on the psychology of music and what makes us attached to it. It's a fairly scientific book but it is a very rewarding read with some great ideas.


***


On Personal Growth and Development:

<br />


How to Win Friends and Influence People - Dale Carnegie
Amazon Link
Although this seems like an odd book for a music producer, personally I think this is one of the most influential books I've ever read. Knowing how to be personable, effectively network, and form relationships is extremely important in our industry. Whether it be meeting and talking to labels, meeting other artists, or getting through to A&amp;R, this book helps with all these areas and I suggest this book to all of you.


7 Habits of Highly Effective People - Stephen R. Covey
Amazon Link
Similar to the recommendation above, although not directly linked to music, I assure you reading this book will change your views on life. It is a very engaging and practical book, and gets you in the right mindset to be successful in your life and music career. Trust me on this one and give it a read.


Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience - Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
Amazon Link
You know the feeling when you're really in the groove of jamming out and all worries tend to slip away for those moments? That is the 'Optimal Experience' according to the author. This book will teach you about that experience, and how to encourage and find it in your work. This is a very challenging, immersive, and enlightening read, which deals with the bigger picture and finding happiness in your work and life. Very inspiring book that puts you in a good mindset when you're doing creative work.


The Art of Work - Jeff Goins
Amazon Link
A very fascinating book that looks at taking your passion (music in our case) and making the most of it. It guides you on how to be successful and turn your passion into your career. Some very interesting sections touching on dealing with failure, disappointment, and criticism, yet listening to your intuition and following your passion. Inspiring and uplifting book to say the least.


***


Happy reading!

<br />



u/AFX_Has_No_Meme · 1 pointr/WeAreTheMusicMakers

&gt; best mix i ever did though, was on 2$ headphones (i was in vietnam 2 years ago.) listened to it the other day and i was blown away by the big boomy bass.

It's definitely possible to put together a great mix on a "bad" pair of headphones or speakers, especially if you actually know the strengths and (more importantly) the weaknesses of those headphones or speakers, although usually more work is required.

&gt; any tips in relation to that?

I would suggest you read this article. It's written from the point-of-view of drum &amp; bass production, but the underlying principles apply to every form of music. Don't be fooled by the title, Thinking Inside the Box. While "in the box" is often used to describe working with a computer or DAW that's not what the title is referring to, but rather a basic concept for visualizing mixing.

I would also recommend you take care in that your perception of stereo separation is more pronounced when using headphones, as each channel is effectively isolated to a different ear, and as such stereo effects and mixing can sometimes seem less pronounced on a home stereo as a result. Depending on your intentions this could be a good thing, or a bad thing.

&gt; course, when im listening in headphones and lower the bass, it sounds more sucky lol.

This might be because your headphones aren't considered very good. The high expense of professional studio monitors isn't because they sound good, but because they playback a recording imparting very little of their own character on the playback sound. Lower quality studio monitors, and consumer grade equipment, are typically made with cheaper components and manufacturing techniques that do impart their own character on the playback sound. Sometimes manufacturers "cover up" the imperfections in playback caused by their devices by increasing the bass response, as it can drown out minor problems. This issue doesn't really matter to consumers, but for the purposes of mixing or mastering it's better to make adjustments to a recording based on the most accurate playback of that recording. Unfortunately the most ideal monitors in this regards are obscenely expensive.

Of course, people just simply like bass too.

&gt; ah thanks alot, do you use this mono technique yourself?

Yes, often. It's so much easier to get instruments or sounds to sit well in a stereo mix if they themselves are in mono. When I do use stereo instruments or samples, or stereo effects such as chorus, I use them sparingly to create a specific feel, usually isolated to a specific passage in a song rather than through-out the entire song.

&gt; and what do you do for a living (curious now, very well written and thoughtful answers.)

I actually work for Hewlett Packard, but I've had a lot of jobs over the years, including working as a studio assistant. I learned a great deal from the two audio engineers in that studio, but a lot of it came from experimenting and trying to emulate the work of others. I also borrowed an earlier edition of this book from one of the studio engineers, and although I never sat down and read it from front to back, but rather used it for reference for the most part, I found the book incredibly helpful. I strongly recommend it to anyone interested in audio production and engineering. I'm an amateur musician as well, but these days a great deal of my free time is spent working on a business plan, as I'd like to secure a business loan (for a type of record label no less, although my proposed business process is radically unique).

&gt; oh and have an excellent weekend if i dont see you before its over. :)

Cheers! You as well :)

u/brabdnon · 1 pointr/WeAreTheMusicMakers

Hey cool. It’s vocal thread day. My time to shine! Kidding. I’m an amateur like most folks here. I’ve only been making tunes for about a year and half or so. But I see myself as a singer, primarily, a bad one, but still a singer. I answered something similar in a different thread but in general you can do vocals/melody/lyrics a couple of ways. The first way is to write some poetry then attempt to come up with a melody that fits it. If you’re good at keeping a melody in your head or written down, you could write lyrics, make a vocal melody and then flesh out the rest of the song. It’s like making skin for a person then making the muscle and skeleton afterward.

The second and most common way, as prescribed by Maynard from Tool, is to make your tune first. Build the skeleton and muscle first, then custom fit the skin over top. Maynard on the Joe Rogan Experience podcast talks about how he needs a finished, done track before he can do melody and then lyrics. He says he needs a stable foundation before building a room (the melody) and decorating it (the lyrics). He mentions that every time he has tried to cram some of his poetry into a track it has failed his standards.

After a little experience at the craft, I can corroborate what he says. It’s so much easier to put everything together first. When you’re constructing music though, if you want to sing on it, pre-plan your sections. Here is verse. Here is chorus. Then a bridge. Then verse 2, and two more choruses. Any structure you like, really. That’s just an example. You have to change the song for these parts so your singer or you know when to start. If you’re exceptionally good at counting (I am not, since I’m rhythm deaf, I said I was bad) you could do those parts on top of an unchanging foundation, I.e, the track never changes. You can change the drum pattern, the chord progression, something to help block out parts and make your song interesting.

Once you have that skeleton and muscle mapped out you can put the skin on your song. My best tracks have all been from that place.

Good luck my friend. Welcome to music creation. It’s pretty great.

Bonus help:
This is a fantastic book I highly recommend. You can be a know nothing and this book will guide you well.

https://www.amazon.com/Theory-Computer-Musicians-Michael-Hewitt/dp/1598635034

u/Voice_Memos · 1 pointr/WeAreTheMusicMakers

Hi! I'm not a professional by any means, but on my days off I'll play guitar and do recordings here and there for at least a few hours. Let me try and answer all your questions here:

I was in the same spot as you were a few years ago. Definitely start recording in Garageband. People may hate on Garageband a bit, but it provided a solid foundation for me on learning how to use recording software. From the knowledge I've gained with playing around in that software for awhile, I've been able to jump to other recording software with a significant reduction in a learning curve. The best way to start is to just jump right into it.

Garageband has a pretty solid set of different amp effects for your guitar if you just want to plug it into the software and record. I'm not familiar with the thr10c amp and what it can do, but I picked up a Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01E6T56EA/ref=twister_B06WWQP2YN?_encoding=UTF8&amp;amp;psc=1) a few years back and it works great with Garageband (you just plug it into a USB on your computer and Garageband will recognize it). With the Focusrite pre-amp (or any pre-amp really) you plug your guitar/mic/whatever into it and it converts it into a digital format that plays right into your recording software. That's a pretty simple explanation on how it works, but once you get it running (Garageband &gt; Preferences &gt; Audio/MIDI) you can mess with your guitar sound and record it. I use the Focusrite not just for guitars, but for my condenser mic as well.

I would recommend going all in and just record in Garageband. You'll learn a lot just by going through the process and playing around with it, even if it is a bit intimidating at first. There are plenty of tutorials on YouTube detailing how to go through the Garageband recording process.

Garageband has a feature on it called a Smart Drummer (I think?) where you can choose the style of drumming you want and modulate various factors of it quite easily (Loud/Soft, Simple/Complex). I go back and forth on that feature a bit because it is convenient for getting some good sounding drums pretty fast, but it is tough if you're wanting to physically create your own drum beats (which you can do, it's just not as user friendly as other DAWs in my opinion). It will, in my opinion, sound better than just recording the drum beat on the Boss Loop Pedal.

As I've already said a few times, the best way to learn how to record is to just go through the process and play around with it -- you'll learn a lot each time you do that. I used Garageband for awhile to create basic recordings and I have nothing but good things to say about it if you're using it for that purpose. Once you become comfortable in Garageband with the recording process and begin to find yourself limited with what it can do, I would recommend either jumping to Logic, ProTools, Studio One 3 (which I currently use), or any other DAW that you prefer. Garageband holds your hand a bit, but it's a solid foundation for learning how to record on your own. Message me if you have any other questions, and I'll try to answer them for you!

u/NNXT · 2 pointsr/WeAreTheMusicMakers

Along the notes of what BlerpityBloop said: hire a legal rep, or at least if you have a friend/family that's a lawyer look over it (they can translate all the legal jargon no matter what their specialty). Management isn't necessary but it's helpful.

Yes, always remember that if someone is offering YOU a recording contract it's because they want something from you (whether it's % of ownership, publishing, etc etc). Not saying that's a bad thing- you inevitably have to give up something to gain something, unless you're one of those rare youtube stars that burgeon overnight. And even then, when the labels come running, they still end up giving away part of their creation to make even more $$$.

ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS read what people put in front of your face, especially the fine print.

READ BOOKS ABOUT THE MUSIC BUSINESS- mainly what 360 deals are, how advances work (this screws SO many artists), and copyright/publishing ownership. This book is great to start with if you don't already have it.

A basic understanding of how the industry operates and how royalty streams flow will help you out tremendously, and just a little bit of research can save you a lot of heartache in the future.

Hope that helps. If you have more specific questions, feel free to ask. That's what reddit is for, right? :)

Best of luck!
-NNXT
(qualifications: signed artist/songwriter)

(yes, sometimes "we" make ourselves known.)

u/oysterpirate · 1 pointr/WeAreTheMusicMakers

The quality of sounds that you're going to get out of built in keyboard samples aren't going to measure up to sample libraries. Buying NI's Komplete is a good place to start, but from there, you'll need to expand based on the type of work you're going to do.

For more orchestral stuff, I'd suggest looking into the following:

LA Scoring Strings/Hollywood Strings/Cinematic Strings for String Libraries

Cinesamples Hollywoodwinds/Vienna Symphonic Winds for your wind libraries

Project Sam True Strike 1 and 2, plus 8Dio, EastWest, and Vienna for Percussion

Hollywood Brass/Cinebrass/EastWest for Brass.

Symphobia 1 and 2 for FX and layering.

However, since it sounds like you're new to working with samples, you might want to look into starting off with East West Symphonic Orchestra Gold, or one of the other packages available at soundsonline.com.

For Synth stuff, Omnisphere is a good place to start, I'd also highly recommend u-he's Zebra as well.


Once you get a selection of libraries to start working with, you should start learning how to program them. The MIDI Guide to Orchestration is a good book to start with.

Also, join V-I Control and become an active member. There are quite a few people on there that are professionals, and most of the forum is quite good with sequencing/mixing/etc. They'll be able to help you get up to speed with your midi programming skills, which are necessary for making your mockups and cues sound realistic.


There are literally thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of options out there for sample libraries/synths/etc. out there. Google around for what you think you'll need based on what instruments you could see yourself composing with (on the computer), and have at it. To help make things simpler, visualize the composing template/palette you'd like to start off working with and purchase to meet that goal.


Best of luck!

u/allemande · 6 pointsr/WeAreTheMusicMakers

For anything that involves advanced music theory, or more technical elements of music, your best bet (IMHO) is to stay clear from jazz/rock books or anything "popular" and read from traditional academic/classical composers. That is, if you're looking to understand music from a more historic point of view of how is was used, and how it worked for hundreds of years and how it still works today.

There are tons of good books out there, but off the top of my head I reccomend:

Regarding the art of counterpoint:


Preliminary exercises in Counterpoint - Schoenberg

Also, you could check out the traditional Fux's Study of Counterpoint, but I think Schoenberg's book is far more complete and incentive.

Regarding the art of Harmony:


For a long time I've always thought that books could educate you in any way, until I met my harmony teacher. After studying with her for a couple years I find it hard to believe how much information, technique, and art is missing from almost every book on the subject, some are exceptions, obviously, but my recommendation is that there is no better way of learning this but with personal intruction. Also, the teacher needs to be someone who has had a strong education in music from well-known masters of the past, as was my teacher.

Anyways, regarding harmony in the more poetical and theoretical sense I reccomend :

Rameau's Treatise on Harmony

and of course, Schoenberg's Theory of Harmony

For a more technical approach to harmony I haven't found any books I'm really fond of, but I do think that Paul Hindemith's book is a very good option.

For something in the middle I recommend this

Regarding form and structure in music:


Once again, I have never seen information and instruction similar to that which I received with my professors, however here are a few good picks...

Schoenberg's Fundamentals of musical composition

and 2 books that I found very useful were...
(these I didn't find on amazon.com)

from German composer Clemens Kuhn: "Formenlehre der Musik" (this is only in German)

and from Spanish composer Joaquin Zamacois: "Curso de Formas Musicales" (this is only in Spanish I believe)

Well, surely there are more books, but I think these are good options for you to start. However, always with a grain of salt

u/squigglebelong · 5 pointsr/WeAreTheMusicMakers

Honestly, you could just be a freelancer, so you can have a lot of free time to work on music when you want to. I freelanced about 25-30 hours a week at peak "work" (still leaves a lot of free time for music) and these days I rarely take on clients now that the music side is paying off. :)

Also, if you're 17, and music is your first love, you should really consider a career in the industry. It's not a pipe dream like so many would have you believe. If you like pop music, especially. Get out to LA, learn to produce, write, or sing (ideally all 3) and, if you're good, you'll get hired. 6-7 digit salaries aren't uncommon in the music industry out here. Publishers will put a good composer/producer on salary, and royalties on a major hit pay very well (if you have a decent deal in place).

Also, outside of production &amp; writing, you can get a job in the industry doing a whole lot of other stuff: A&amp;R, management, publishing. Passman's book is a good starting place for learning about that stuff. Max Martin can be one inspiration on how to completely dominate the pop scene.

Also in the intersection of music + tech is Techstars Music Accelerator, a startup incubator for music industry ideas.

Seriously, don't discount how much money is in the music industry. Behind every rich artist is a huuuuge mass of songwriters, producers, managers, engineers, and publishers also getting pretty rich.

u/etherdesign · 1 pointr/WeAreTheMusicMakers

Linux MultiMedia Studio (LMMS) is another option, despite the name there's also Mac and Windows versions. It's more like Fruity Loops so there's support for audio tracks and loops but also sequencing for MIDI and virtual instruments, it comes with a bunch but then there's also hundreds of free plugins available on the net and hundreds more paid in VST format. It's a little more fun than Ardour I think and you can get a song started up pretty fast in it.

As far as a mic goes, Shure SM58 is pretty much the industry standard vocal mic but there are lots of clones too available for cheaper. With that you'll need an audio interface the Focusrite Scarlet Solo is pretty solid assuming he only needs to record one thing at a time. There's lots of bundles available though for cheaper if you look at the related products.

For a keyboard something like this Nektar 49 key controller should be good, there's of course more compact ones for cheaper or fuller sized ones for more. There's ones with more controllers like knobs, sliders and drum pads for a bit more, for controlling and automating plugins etc. If you have a second hand music store anywhere around you can probably score one for a lot cheaper.

u/anothersivil · 1 pointr/WeAreTheMusicMakers

If you're going to dump tens of thousands of dollars into a degree, it's usually a good idea to put it towards a degree that will help you pay it back. Unfortunately, music production is likely not going to be that for you. In electronic music production especially, nobody really "hires" you to produce music. You spend years honing your craft and, if you work really freakin' hard and are lucky, somebody will notice you, sign you.... and you still likely won't make any money off of it unless you explode into super stardom like Deadmau5, Tiesto, etc.

You're also not likely to find a public school that has anything like EDM production, so it'll be a private school... and that shit will be expensive.

Save your money and teach music production to yourself via YouTube and practice, practice, practice. Seriously, YouTube is a goldmine for music production knowledge. There's also a great subreddit, /r/edmproduction.

There are some programs that might be worth it, though. I've got a friend taking the 6-8 month (I can't remember exactly) Dubspot program for Logic, and his reports to me say that it's worth every penny... but only if you put more into it than just showing up to class and doing the assignments. There are also schools like SAE that do 6-8 week courses in different topics of music production. A friend of mine did their Intro EDM Production one (I don't remember the exact name), and it was totally worth it. What they have to teach you is nothing that can't be learned off of YouTube, but some people really benefit from having a structured learning environment like that to get them started... especially for things like music production that have such a steep learning curve. It's also much, much more affordable than a "degree" from a college. Pricey (around $2K, maybe?), but still way more doable.

Obviously the Dubspot and SAE stuff aren't available to you for the in-person classes unless you're willing to move from your hometown, but they also have online stuff that may be worth it. In the end, do a lot of research before spending your money.

EDIT: Also, check this book out: the Dance Music Manual. The specific technologies they mention are a bit outdated, but the techniques described are just as spot on now as they were 15 years ago. It's also not specific to any tool, technology, or digital audio workstation, which makes it ridiculously useful to you whichever route you end up taking software/hardware wise.

u/9rus · 1 pointr/WeAreTheMusicMakers

Well the first issue you talk about-- the assignment of notes in your chords to instruments of the orchestra-- is orchestration. Here are a couple of good textbooks that cover that:

u/Sleutelbos · 88 pointsr/WeAreTheMusicMakers

A counter-melody is a 'less important' melody played against the primary melody. Historically there was a period when playing multiple melodies against each other was the absolute essence of music, and folks like Bach dominated (called 'counterpoint' music). A very famous example, that is 'simple' so easy to follow is Bach's Invention #1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xzU7xQmmXGE

His 'inventions' were for two melodies. He also wrote 'sinfonias' which were for three voices, and are a bit more complex, for example his Sinfonia No.2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UoZwnXDjbV0

Listening to this with headphones while trying to consciously follow all melodies is quite a peculiar experience. :)

And if you want to feel depressed and talentless, check from 10:54: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9XCUcZ5KK7Q. Here he starts with the primary melody and then has the second melody join. This is exhausting to *really* listen to and my peanut brain is too small to ever hope to play something like this. Shredding? Sure, I can start slow, practice a ton and end up fast. But having both hands play *this* independently? Awe-inspiring. Sitting down and composing this on a piece of paper almost 400 years ago? Madness. :D

In baroque counterpoint the goal is to make every melody interesting in and of themselves, and make it sound 'effortless harmoniously together'. It should sound like these melodies were born together. In practice this aint easy at all and you'll be tempted to see one as the 'primary melody' and the others as 'subservient' where you can take shortcuts to make them fit the main melody. At that point it is no longer true counterpoint but you can still call it a counter-melody. Taken further you'll have things like arpeggios; parts that obviously fit the primary melody but are themselves so bland they are clearly accompaniment instead of a melody in their own right.

If you're interested, a very well-regarded (though rather pedantic) book that starts at the basic and offers exercises is the many century old https://www.amazon.com/Study-Counterpoint-Johann-Joseph-Parnassum/dp/0393002772. If you want to go *really* old-school you can go as close to the original here: http://hz.imslp.info/files/imglnks/usimg/3/31/IMSLP370587-PMLP187246-practicalrulesfo00fuxj.pdf

I think it'll help most songwriters/composers to know the basics, even if you dont care about classical counterpoint at all. :)

u/ILikeasianpeople · 5 pointsr/WeAreTheMusicMakers

Hey, I’m kind of a book junkie when it comes to common practice stuff, so I’m gonna throw a bunch of em at ya. The common practice era of composition can be broken down into 3 major fields of study: Form/Composition, Harmony and Orchestration. Form/composition is about how music develops over time harmonically and melodically. Harmony is about how vertical sonorities interact with one another, this is one of the most fleshed out aspects of music theory. Orchestration, usually the capstone discipline, dives into how groups of instruments interact with one another on a harmonic level and a melodic one. Harmony+composition can be studied simultaneously considering there is so much overlap, orchestration usually comes after you have a middling understanding of the other two subjects.

There are a bunch of free online materials on these subjects, but here is my personal favorite:
http://openmusictheory.com/contents.html

There are also a few free books on harmony, orchestration and composition, but most of them were published a very long time ago. As a consequence, you may run into outdated or poorly explained concepts.

Harmony:

Guide to the Practical Study of Harmony

Orchestration:

Principles of Orchestration

Composition:

Fundamentals of music Composition

Exercises in Melody Writing

Most of the stuff with comprehensive+up to date information on these subjects is going to be something you pay for. Here are my favorite textbooks. One thing I value in a textbook is an accompanying workbook and/or some sort of exercise based learning, so I’ll be listing the workbooks (if applicable) as well.

Melody in Songwriting

Craft of Musical Composition Parts One and Two

Models For Beginners in Composition

Harmonic Practice in Tonal Music

Workbook for Harm Practice

The Study of Orchestration

Workbook for The Study of Orchestration

This isn’t an exhaustive list but it’s pretty solid.


Recording orchestras is out of reach for most, so you’ll probably need some good VSTs to use and some knowledge of how to make them sound ‘real’. Building an orchestra template is key to making music quickly and efficiently. It’s a massive headache to have to wait for Kontakt to load and instrument every time you want to add a flute or violin to your score. Here are the basics of what you’ll need:


Woodwinds:

Flutes

Clarinets

Saxophones

Oboes

Bassoons



Brass:

French horns

Trumpets

Trombones

Tubas

“Low brass”


Strings:

1st Violins

2nd Violins

Violas

Cellos

Bass

First chairs of each


Others:

PIANOS

Harps

Choirs

Guitars

Vibraphones

Glockenspiels

Etc


Orchestral percussion

Concert Toms

Taikos

Snares

Concert bass drums


Here are some places to get all of that:

Audio Bro (the ARC system is awesome)

Spitfire

8Dio

Orchestral Tools (my favorite)

CineSamples

EastWest Sounds

Heres a resource to make all of that stuff sound ‘real’. It’s a lot more difficult then you may think.

The Guide to MIDI Orchestration 4e

u/BigRonnieRon · 1 pointr/WeAreTheMusicMakers

Not that I can think of. I just took mine out of the case, just the device and the USB cable. It draws power from the USB, so no power cord. Comes with some software too, but it's not a real DAW or anything really good tbh.

----

FYI-
The Akai MPK Mini pretty cheap (new) on amazon, btw ($100). Goes on sale sometimes (was @$80 at xmas IIRC). Same price on sweetwater.

https://www.amazon.com/Akai-Professional-MPK-Mini-Controller/dp/B00IJ6QAO2

White limited edition is back in stock too ($100). Only differs cosmetically, but some people like it.
https://www.amazon.com/Akai-Professional-Mini-MKII-White/dp/B01M13A6JT

Also, for the sake of diversity, the Launchkey Mini 25 at @$100. (New) Launchkey comes with Ableton Live Lite (a DAW). They make quality stuff, too but it's Ableton oriented. That's a plus because you basically get a free version of the introductory version of a great DAW. That's a minus though if you try Ableton and decide it's not for you (the major DAWs are all good, it's really preference at the high levels of stuff like Ableton, Logic, FL, etc).

https://www.amazon.com/Novation-Launchkey-Keyboard-Controller-LAUNCHKEY-MINI-MK2/dp/B00VVNOMGI

u/AperionProject · 3 pointsr/WeAreTheMusicMakers

A few key things will help you:

Practice everyday, at least 30 minutes. Most of us can't afford the time to practice hours and hours a day, but 30 minutes consistently is necessary.

Get a piano teacher to work on improvisation with. This is THE best way to develop yourself.

Although I'm a big proponent of improvisation NOT being exlcusive to jazz (I think a musican should be able to improvise regardless of instrument or genre) there is an excellent book for piano you should definitely have: The Jazz Piano Book by Mark Levine

Make sure you know all your scales very, very well. Every type of scale - major, minor, modes, diminshed scales, etc. And practice improvising around the circle of 4ths (or 5ths) with a metronome on beats 2 &amp; 4. This will help your rhythm and everything out a great deal.

u/holoholomusic · 1 pointr/WeAreTheMusicMakers

Why not both! The theory is the same, it's just the hand skills that are different. You'll probably find yourself gravitating to one or the other which is fine. Practice 30min - 1hour a day and you should pick it up pretty quickly. Tons of online tutorials for both instruments, just make sure you actually play along and do the exercises because just watching isn't good enough. Money wise you could get both a uke and mini keyboard for under $200 total.

&amp;#x200B;

Kala makes cheap ukuleles that sound pretty damn good. Their more expensive ones are good too, but no need to spend that much yet. Lohanu's are super popular and sound good as well.

Soprano is the more traditional size, Concert is a little bigger with a bit more fret spacing which is nice if you have big hands.

Ukes:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01F543PAW

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B015XD4YLY

Useful accessories:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01JI3XDDK

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001QL1EZC

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07MC5TMJB

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01D1N49MC

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00004RALL

&amp;#x200B;

Midi Keyboards (Note: these connect to your computer):

Komplete Kontrol M32 (best software bundle by far)

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07N2VQ1NH

Arturia MiniLab MkII 25

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MSNIVKE

Akai MPK Mini MKII

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00IJ6QAO2

Novation Launchkey Mini 25

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00VVNOMGI

&amp;#x200B;

Too lazy to do useful accessories for this at the moment.

u/berserkcucumber · 2 pointsr/WeAreTheMusicMakers

The Arturia Minilab Mk2 isn't bad, but I think the Launchkey Mini Mk2 is better. I've found I don't use the knobs as often as I'd thought, the extra pads are a more than welcome exchange for it. Plus, it has easy-to-install drivers, works with most DAWs, and great feel on the keys for the price, too.

Make sure you get what works for your workflow. If more knobs are better, then go for that. If having more pads readily available without having to press any buttons is better, go for the Launchkey.

Another option is the Akai MPK Mini Mk2 but I've heard it can be really wonky with certain software.

u/Edgar_Allan_Rich · 4 pointsr/WeAreTheMusicMakers

Mods, this shit should be on the sidebar. I've personally explained it here like 10 times over the years and I've read it explained by others in great detail dozens and dozens of other times and I'm not even on here that often.

If you give your own music away for free no one cares what you do.

If you sell your own music you are talking about two things: ownership of the recording and ownership of the composition. This is called publishing rights. You can be your own publisher (composition) and your own label (recording). It's smart to start thinking of it this way now to get your head around it. Start thinking like a business.

Labels sell the recordings they own. Publishers collect publishing royalties and they split them with the artists. The composition royalties get split between the publisher and the artist. The recording royalties get split between the publisher and the label, and then the label may further split that shit out to the artist if the artist is smart when they sign.

Back in the day there were publishers and there were labels and very rarely were they merged into the same company, but nowadays the idea of an indie label that acts as both, or a licensing company that does a little of both here and there, or an artist who does it all for his/herself is very common because lots of cool people and technology dudes and dudettes have made it so easy.

When you are in your situation, you can self-release to an aggrigator like CDbaby or TunrCore who distributes for you and collects a fee for offering this service. THIS IS WHAT I SUGGEST DOING. It's been a while since I've done this but back in the day you had to have a whole album to do it because it makes financial sense for them. That may be different now. There are other aggrigators that allow you to just release singles, but I don't know which ones are still around.

You can also self-release directly to iTunes but I think that's silly because using an aggrigator is so fucking amazing.

To bottom-line this, lets discuss business. In business, when you own something, you can do WHATEVER THE FUCK YOU WANT WITH SOMETHING YOU OWN. So it doesn't matter what you do as long as you aren't under contract with someone else. If you self-release and then somehow get picked up by a label (yes, labels have their own distribution who sometimes are just aggrigators like CDbaby) then they'll make you write up a contract with them and who cares? They certainly won't. You just pull your shit off iTunes and relist with them. Of course you'll want to read all the shit you sign with iTunes, etc. to make sure that that's possible to do before you self-release. I can't keep up with it.

Starting a label is easy. Getting attention is hard.

Read this like 5 times:

https://www.amazon.com/Need-Know-About-Music-Business/dp/1451682468





u/PaulMorel · 6 pointsr/WeAreTheMusicMakers

You should do some reading before buying anything. To be frank, most of the people on this subreddit know very little about microphones. Here's a book I've learned from, and a book I suggest to some of my students.

You will get lots of recommendations for SM57s here. SM57s are versatile and useful microphones. However, if you only own a small number of microphones, then they aren't the right choice for you.

SM57s are what are called dynamic microphones. These microphones are not very sensitive, and they change the recorded sound significantly. They also suffer from what is called the proximity effect. The advantage of dynamic mikes like SM57s is that they are indestructible, and they don't require phantom power. For these reasons, they are often used in live situations (because they can take a lot of dbs without distorting), and they are often used as snare mikes. They are terrific for those purposes.

As studio mikes, they should be one of your last options (in most cases). If they're all you have, then you can make them work ...

But in my opinion, if you only have two mikes, then you should have a pair of large diaphragm condenser mikes. The most popular, affordable, and common large diaphragm condenser is the AT2020, although if you have more money, my favorite versatile large diaphragm condenser is the KSM32.

Now, why a large diaphragm condenser rather than a dynamic mike like the SM57/58?

The main reason is frequency response. Condenser mikes exhibit much closer to a flat (natural) frequency response. This means that they capture sounds more accurately. Dynamic mikes, on the other hand, color the sound significantly, rolling off both high frequencies and low frequencies.

This means that condenser microphones are more versatile. They can be used in more situations, and in more pickup patterns. Ultimately, this is why, if you only have two microphones, they should be two of the same large diaphragm condensers (preferably a matched pair).

For example, say you are recording an album for a band. They want to mix live tracks and studio tracks. With only two microphones, how can you record a live show for any type of band?

The answer is, you use a coincident pair placed in the audience at the show. This technique will work great with two condensers, but won't work at all with two dynamic mikes.

Next, say you want to record vocals. To do this with an SM57/58, the vocalist has to be aware of the proximity effect (the sound gets too bassy when the singer gets close), and you will have to use EQ to fix the strange frequency response of those mikes (which is good enough in a live situation). This task is much simpler with a large diaphragm condenser.

I could go on, but I am getting tired of typing. You will get a lot of uninformed responses to this question. I urge you to consider what I have said, and buy two large diaphragm condensers like AT2020s.

tldr: Two AT2020s and an Onyx Blackjack would be my suggestion. Total = $200 for mikes + $150 for interface = $350

(I think one AT2020 and the interface might be good enough for you to start with)

u/DeletedAllMyAccounts · 6 pointsr/WeAreTheMusicMakers

He might be interested in Renoise. It is, in many ways, like a full-fledged-digital-audio-workstation (music software) version of LSDJ. It has some features that seem to be unique to itself and LSDJ, such as sequencable sub-patterns.

You might consider grabbing him a copy of the Korg DS-10 if he doesn't already have it. It's a nice piece of software, all things considered. This is distinctly different from the Korg DSN-12 or Korg M01D available for the 3DS. As far as I can tell, it's only available on cartridge. There's the original for the Nintendo DS classic and an upgraded version for the 3DS that I've never seen in the wild.

The QuNexus keyboard is awesome, (I've got a nice 49-key and still want one) and while it's similar to his Axiom, it's a bit more expressive, and it would serve as a nice supplement to his limited 25 keys, as he could set it to a different octave and use both keyboards in tandem as one 4-octave keyboard.

Also, if he doesn't have a pair, I'm sure he'd appreciate some decent headphones for the road. These and these are decent examples.

u/ninnabadda · 3 pointsr/WeAreTheMusicMakers

If circumaural headphones are ok, I can recommend the Sony MDR-V6's, I've been using one or another pair of them for the last 3 or 4 years I believe although recently I was looking at giving the KRK KNS-6400's a shot.

Headphones can be a really personal choice what with desired frequency response, how the ear pads feel on your head, what they're like to wear for 8 hours straight (if you need to), etc. For instance, while I've been using the MDR-V6's for between 4-12 hours a day for the last couple of years, I have a friend who can't stand the sound of them.

In general when looking at headphone stuff (which is not THAT often considering I haven't switched models in so long), I usually end up at head-fi.org. In particular this thread always sticks out in my memory:

http://www.head-fi.org/t/433318/shootout-113-portable-headphones-reviewed-alpha-design-labs-adl-h118-added-07-15-14

Which is a budget-separated list of reviews of about 113 different pairs of headphones from $10 Koss wrap-arounds to other pairs from Audio Technica or Denon costing $3-400.

Best of luck!

u/wc_helmets · 11 pointsr/WeAreTheMusicMakers

Scales. Particularly major. And practicing in all 12 keys. Even when not playing I'd work on memorizing the notes in each key. Once you have that branch to minor scales, modes, and maybe some pentatonic and altered scales for flavor. Again. All 12 keys.

ii-V-I progressions, again in all 12 keys. Start with simple voicings at first, like playing the bass in your left hand and playing just playing the 3rd and the 7th in the right hand. You can add more fingers once you get comfortable with that.

Honestly, that will keep you busy for years, if your anything like me. You can also just dive in and practice these concepts in your favorite DAW. If you got a section with a V-I in it, try substituting the V with a bII7 and see how it sounds. Like any art, you can learn as much as you want, but you gotta get your hands dirty.

Edit: I'd also get a good Jazz piano book. This one by Mark Levine is a great one. Been going through it for at least 3 years now. I can't play as well as I like, but from these concepts, I can take a lead sheet and work out an arrangement of a song in Ableton.

u/[deleted] · 2 pointsr/WeAreTheMusicMakers

My roommate has one and I've been messing with it for the past week or so.
You'll need a Midi to USB cable (I'm using this one), and after that it's super easy to set up. Plug it in, turn it on, select USB Midi in Live and you're good to go.

The tracking, however, isn't the best. Of course it doesn't register bends but I found (in Live at least) it is sometimes slow to pick up rapid note changes, and the pickup is sometimes finicky (the foam pad that mutes the strings is useful because it improves detection).

I'd say give it a try if you can before you buy it. It's definitely lots of fun to shred on a synth...with a guitar.

(Also, the RB midi keyboard is a decent although little bargain)

u/dossiers_upfront · 1 pointr/WeAreTheMusicMakers

This one is really good for visual learners: https://www.amazon.com/Art-Mixing-Recording-Engineering-Production/dp/1931140456

I've read that Mike Senior one, and it is good as an introduction to basics like what is eq, compression, arrangements, etc., but I feel like it is geared toward people who want to make what the author refers as 'commercial mixes', and this, in my view, limits creativity as a way to think about making music and mixing.

I recommend reading the manual for whichever DAW you use, especially the sections on the stock plugins which are included with that DAW.

I do not think that there is any number of things that can make a mix too crowded if you learn how to use eq and compression. You could literally have a thousand tracks eq'd differently and it can sound cohesive and uncluttered. That is an exaggeration, but there really is no limit if you learn the rules and then how to break them. I just started doing both and having that attitude has helped me get comfortable just creating and learning to mix, trying new things.

u/apennypacker · 1 pointr/WeAreTheMusicMakers

Thanks so much for the info! I noticed that I can get a used Focusrite 2i4 for about half the price on amazon, but it is listed as the "old version". Is there any significant difference in the old and new version?

This is the one:
https://www.amazon.com/Focusrite-Scarlett-2i4-USB-Interface/dp/B009B15N0Q/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&amp;amp;qid=1482653729&amp;amp;sr=8-2&amp;amp;keywords=Focusrite+2i4

Also, what is your thought on something like the Yeti mics that have a built in dac? I use one mostly for voice and it sounds great to me. But it a focusrite with rode mic going to just be world away better?

This is what I was considering: https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Yeti-USB-Microphone-Silver/dp/B002VA464S/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&amp;amp;qid=1482653965&amp;amp;sr=8-2&amp;amp;keywords=yeti+mic

u/Lodur · 1 pointr/WeAreTheMusicMakers

You can get the Akai MPK 61 for 377 here or a bit over 450 at amazon. This is USD, but that only means it's a bit cheaper in AUD (I think conversion is around 1 to 1)

Check out invisible hand, you can get a lot of these midi keyboards for a lot less if you're willing to look.

Also, for a super budget midi keyboard, the Akai mpk mini isn't bad at all.

Also, setting up a yamaha with a midi to usb cable would also be a good idea for a relatively cheap keyboard. You get less sliders and knobs, but you can get a relatively large (and possibly velocity sensitive) midi keyboard for about 100-200 bucks. If nothing else, it opens up options.

Edit: Crap just realized that I wasn't thinking about the audio interfaces you linked up top. Comes from working without an audio interface because I primarily use a laptop in limited space. Huzzah. Even still, more options are good! :D

u/calloustreble · 0 pointsr/WeAreTheMusicMakers

Shure SM57 and/or Audix i5. Those do vocals and drums pretty well (especially snare). Not USB based.

That being said, you can get the SM57 with the Shure X2U XLR-to-USB interface as a package.

http://www.amazon.com/Shure-SM57-X2U-Cardioid-Dynamic-Microphone/dp/B001PPPWI4/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&amp;amp;qid=1374254453&amp;amp;sr=8-3&amp;amp;keywords=shure+x2u

Or, a friend of mine uses: http://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-AT2020-USB-Condenser-Microphone/dp/B001AS6OYC/ref=sr_1_2?s=musical-instruments&amp;amp;ie=UTF8&amp;amp;qid=1374254491&amp;amp;sr=1-2&amp;amp;keywords=audio-technica+USB

He recorded a whole EP on it with decently good results, including drums. Works pretty well, since it's a condenser, for vocals.

The Shure x2u will allow you to plug in any other microphone into the computer as well, if you end up getting more.

u/ignats · 3 pointsr/WeAreTheMusicMakers

I love my H4n.
It has a built in pair of condenser mics that sound pretty good, so he can just turn it on and record whatever. It also has an onboard 4-track mixer, so he can record something (like a guitar riff), switch to the next track and record something else (like vocals), etc. etc. This makes it really easy to quickly record song ideas or live sessions and it is perfect for practice, because it also has two extra inputs for more mics or electric instruments. I use it to practice bass with my headphones.

Plus, he could use it as an interface if he wants to record onto software. It comes with a USB port so he just has to plug it into a computer, either use the H4n's mics or use its two extra inputs and hit record!

Its really versatile and can grow with him as he gathers his own equipment, and $260 bucks is really cheap considering what it is.

I've had mine for four years and I use it all the time!

u/kojef · 2 pointsr/WeAreTheMusicMakers

I would really suggest that you try using a keyboard without any built-in sounds and mess around with a program like Reason. With Reason, you can easily create individual sounds for your MIDI keyboard to control - anything from drum kits to pianos to synthesizers to full orchestral sounds.

This isn't a very exciting video, but it shows you some of the different sounds that just one of the built-in instruments in Reason can make: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kuT-QfFcIsQ

As far as the keyboard is concerned, I guess there are a few questions to answer - how big do you want it to be? How heavy or light do you want the keys to be? Do you want some knobs on it that you can use to control things in your software?

I guess I might go for something in the M-Audio Oxygen series as a beginning keyboard. Then again, maybe that's overkill - if you're in the states you can probably pick up a used keyboard from craigslist with MIDI functionality for real cheap. It's hard to go wrong with MIDI - it's pretty basic stuff, almost any keyboard can handle it.

Oh, so in order to connect it to your computer you probably need to get a MIDI to USB adapter of some sort. All this means is that you can plug something into the MIDI port in the back of your keyboard and plug the other end into the USB port of your computer. You can then use it to control your software.

If you get something new like one of the M-Audio devices i linked to above, they will already have a USB port built-in to the device, so you won't need a MIDI-USB converter, just a USB cable.

Either way though, you'll be fine. Good luck!

u/11235813213455away · 2 pointsr/WeAreTheMusicMakers

1-Definitely worth it with headphones.

2-No idea.

3-Never used one, but it seems like it'll be just fine. Is there a reason you went with it over others? Seems like it's ~$70 on Amazon while there are others for a bit less for more keys, and others with some more functions. I found one of these last year on craigslist for $50 and it's what I've been using ever since. If you've already bought it, I'm sure it'll be absolutely fine for whatever you want to do though, so no need to sweat it.

u/zaccus · 2 pointsr/WeAreTheMusicMakers

Any melody can be accompanied by an almost endless number of chord changes, so there's no one "correct" way to do it.

The oldest way to do this is a technique called counterpoint. Long story short, you first write a bass part under your main melody, favoring contrary or oblique motion over parallel motion, and avoiding parallel 5ths and octaves as much as possible. The bass part should make sense as its own melody, ideally.

Then fill in a middle voice, again its own melody, observing the rules of counterpoint with respect to the other 2 melodies already written. When you're done with the 3rd voice, you have a basic chord progression.

You might want to repeat with a 4th melody or more after that, but you'll find that subsequent melodies are less interesting because your options are pretty narrow at that point. That's why alto parts tend to suck.

If this seems interesting to you at all, I highly recommend the classic Study of Counterpoint. It's been out for almost 300 years but it has a unique narrative-style approach and is a lot of fun to work through. Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, et. al. would have been familiar with it.

OTOH, if this seems like overkill, then just sit down with a piano or guitar, pick a key, start with something structured around I-IV-V-I or I-vi-ii-V-I or something, and go from there. Again, there's no one correct chord progression. Just find something that tastes good in your ears.

u/GermanSeabass · 1 pointr/WeAreTheMusicMakers

Try it out. Dive in, see what works, what doesn't. Back it up with theory. I'm fond of these as resources:

u/2ndRatePianoPlayer · 3 pointsr/WeAreTheMusicMakers

Hello! I have a noob question for my setup that probably isn't relevant enough to warrant its own post but it might be simple enough that you could answer real quick.

I just bought these studio monitors:
https://www.amazon.com/Mackie-CR-CR3-Reference-Multimedia/dp/B00KVEIY4E and have the top left L and R inputs connected to my Scarlett 2i4 audio interface (https://www.amazon.com/Focusrite-Scarlett-2i4-USB-Interface/dp/B009B15N0Q) in the balanced inputs 1 and 2 on the back right with TRS cables, but now I don't know what to do to actually be able to get my computer to "recognize" them and use them in my DAW or otherwise be able to control them through my audio interface. The monitors themselves work fine because I can still use them with the auxiliary cable plugged directly into my laptop, but that is a temporary fix because then I can't use my audio interface to control them. No idea what to do and I feel so dumb!

Any help would be huge. I'm using a PC with Windows 10 and my DAW is Reason 10 if that helps at all. Thanks!

u/MetalVolnutt · 3 pointsr/WeAreTheMusicMakers

First of all, thank you so much for such a helpful and detailed answer! I wasn't expecting this kind of awesome comments from everyone!

About the virtual instruments, I was thinking that I would really get inspired if I bought the expensive ones, but you are absolutely right. I'm just starting and probably should try learning everything with the free tools that are available (which don't sound that bad actually). I'll check out everything you recommended, including the audio interface. I just have one question about that. I'm about to buy a new digital piano (This is one of the reasons I started to take interest in the computer compatibility), and since (as you said) those have MIDI ports, should I avoid this interface and buy this one instead, since the first one doesn't appear to be compatible with MIDI? Sorry if this is a very obvious question. I'm a real newbie to this fascinating world and I would really want to make the right decisions, especially since I'm about to spend on a piano already and have limited money for this project (at least for now).

u/Joellosaurus · 1 pointr/WeAreTheMusicMakers

Ableton is practically MADE for looping! I'd recommend checking out a some youtube videos in the first instance. As for books, you'd be surprised at how great the documentation for music software is, take a look at the Ableton Manual. For everything else I highly recommend Huber's "Modern Recording Techniques", it covers a wealth of topics in just enough detail.

u/amliebsten · 1 pointr/WeAreTheMusicMakers

I'm a composer by trade (now working toward a PhD in Composition) and I don't know one book that introduces composing well, or at all. I got started in high school, just writing little pieces for myself and friends to play. I just kept at it all these years, through college, grad school and now.

What I found helpful along the way was to learn and be the pro at music theory. After all, music theory is a bunch of rules formulated based on what other people people from long long before have written. One thing to work hard on is counterpoint. It's a step by step on how to write good lines, good secondary lines and basically gives you a very rough idea of what works and what doesn't work. Of course, this is based in the tonal tradition. This is my recommended book. It's written in the socratic style, so just beware. Otherwise, this is what people use in school today.

Again, orchestration is important if you want to write for acoustic instruments. See my comment below~

My advice would be to JUST START WRITING! If its bad, you will know it is and why it's bad. Sometimes, you need a little help. PM me if you want me to look at some things you've done.

u/shiveringking · 1 pointr/WeAreTheMusicMakers

I've gotten great results using the ZOOM H4N and blending it's built in mics with a board feed. If the room mix sounds good sometimes all you need are the built in stereo pair, but a good board feed will crispen it up, even if it's just vocals. At $250 it's a great deal. You'll want an RCA to 1/4" cable though...as most board feeds come out at line level but the XLR inputs on the H4N treats them as mic level, which renders it completely distorted and unusable.

Here are a few recordings I've made with it:

Phantom Glue

Avox Blue

Wandas (internal mics only)

u/Trigger757 · 2 pointsr/WeAreTheMusicMakers

I cant tell you what recording software is right for you, cheapguitars link is a good place to start off looking. Id also check out kvr.com for hosts and plugins, they have as comprehensive a list of audio software as any you will find online, and their forums are a great learning resource.

As for music theory, id recomend this book if you have any interest in doing more than just record electronically.

u/medicalsteve · 2 pointsr/WeAreTheMusicMakers

It's always tough to hear this, but there's really nothing better than listening to your favorite recordings and transcribing everything you hear.

But... if you're just getting started and looking for a book, I highly recommend "The Jazz Piano Book" by Mark Levine

I picked this up several years into playing, and wished I found it sooner. He gives transcribed examples of the topic at hand from classic recordings, instead of just dumping a bunch of theory and voicings on you. (the theory is there too, but it's much more accessible the way he goes about it.)

If you don't already have them, go find the classic recordings he references, and listen until your ears bleed.

If you're really serious about it, go ahead and transcribe the full piano parts (including the comps, not just the solos) and you'll be well on your way

u/djdementia · 2 pointsr/WeAreTheMusicMakers

Thank you for understanding my viewpoint.

Not just an audio interface either I mean it's the #1 best selling audio interface on Amazon and recommended as "Amazon's Choice"..

That's pretty much the definition of "most basic equipment possible for this task".

I mean perhaps if he linked to a picture of a RME Babyface or MOTU Microbook - you know something really interesting but come on, the top seller interface on Amazon?

u/72skylark · 1 pointr/WeAreTheMusicMakers

This was quoted on a gearslutz discussion, probably copypasta from Shure's website:

&gt;The Shure SM57 is identical to the SM58 internally but the SM58 has the round cage top to house an internal windscreen and because the ball forces the singer to be a greater distance from the mic's diaphragm, the proximity effect is lessened. The windscreen also dampens the hi frequency response as it cuts wind noise. but with its shorter grill design it allows the singer to get closer to the source and therefore can have a greater proximity effect

Someone also mentioned that the 57 head is not threaded and so would have to be shoved on there with no guarantee it would stay on. FWIW I have used both extensively and have never noticed a huge difference between them.

Also on a related note, don't limit yourself to traditional interfaces, if you're only going to be recording with one mic, check out the in-line mic-to-USB interfaces like the icicle. Record quality seems to be decent although people are complaining that it's not durable. Yeah, probably won't stand up to getting stepped on by an elephant like an SM-58 ;)

u/SiriusBeatz · 4 pointsr/WeAreTheMusicMakers

If you want to get into large ensemble stuff rather than chamber music, I strongly suggest you pick up a book on orchestration. Here is one that I've read and would recommend. It will teach you some of the typical textures that each section of the orchestra is known for and gradually work you into bringing them together, starting with solo strings, to ensemble strings, to the entire string section, and eventually the whole orchestra.

If you've written prog-rock before, then I trust you know your fair share of theory, or at the very least, some degree of harmony, so you're probably fine on that end. What's more, you likely have some experience writing outside of the typical, pop-oriented verse-chorus structure, though you might want to also study a bit of the traditional forms used in classical music.

Beyond that, as was mentioned before, listen to a lot of the big names in orchestral music and steal whatever you can get away with.

u/GreenDay987 · 1 pointr/WeAreTheMusicMakers

This answered my question perfectly, thanks so much!

Don't mean to be a bother, but could you recommend any decent pre-amps for someone on a budget? I found this one https://www.amazon.com/Focusrite-Scarlett-Audio-Interface-Tools/dp/B01E6T56CM/ref=sr_1_2?s=musical-instruments&amp;amp;ie=UTF8&amp;amp;qid=1485818609&amp;amp;sr=1-2&amp;amp;keywords=scarlett+2i2

But I'm not sure if it's good.

u/fragilemachinery · 9 pointsr/WeAreTheMusicMakers

Worth mentioning, the MDR-V6 is the same headphone without the gold plated plug, and usually a bit cheaper.

Either way though I agree, they're excellent studio cans, people tend to be split 50/50 on whether the sony's or the senn's are better.

Also, Amazon is cheaper than Sweetwater.

u/CHANALOG · 3 pointsr/WeAreTheMusicMakers

I own a FCB1010 as well and it's been really good to me.

If you don't have anything with midi to usb already you can get a cheap POS converter like this http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0017H4EBG and if you want it to look clean you could probably squeeze it into the case if your handy with a soldering iron.

Or just make what your looking for from scratch if your familiar with arduino etc

u/enhues · 1 pointr/WeAreTheMusicMakers

I recommend the Zoom H4n. It's a portable recorder with a stereo mic setup built in. The quality is phenomenal and the mics work very well at capturing a realistic stereo image. It's priced at about $260, but for a great mic/recorder combo, you can't beat it. I'm sure you could find one used, or possibly step down to a lower level, but I don't have any experience with the cheaper models.

http://www.amazon.com/Zoom-Handy-Portable-Digital-Recorder/dp/B001QWBM62

u/chickenempire · 8 pointsr/WeAreTheMusicMakers

http://www.amazon.com/Need-Know-About-Music-Business/dp/1451682468

Donald Passman's book is a great place to start. He details different types of producers. Also, it's a great read.

u/HerFavoriteFlavor · 3 pointsr/WeAreTheMusicMakers

Hey man, the starting point for my home studio was this little bad boy.http://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-AT2020-USB-Condenser-Microphone/dp/B001AS6OYC

Its a little monster and I love it. Still use it. My next level up was getting an Mbox and a SM58 which is awesome for acoustic guitar and vocals as well. Get some nice headphones for temporary monitors.http://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-ATH-M50-Professional-Monitor-Headphones/dp/B000ULAP4U
Which are what Dr. Dre actually uses to mix haha, not his shitty beats.
Then eventually you get some monitors like a Yamaha HS series.
Then its pretty much your own little recording studio.
But the standard mic you wanna start with is a solid Condenser mic, like the one i suggested. You may be tempted to check out blue mics to but they do something weird to my voice. Don't like em. Hope this helps brotha.

u/CptDoomsdayComfort · 1 pointr/WeAreTheMusicMakers

there are plenty. the leading thing on DAW connectivity is the midi. if it speaks midi, you can work with it.

Akai Professional APC Mini paired with ... say... akai midimix totals for 87+ 89 bucks. easy af to save up and you can perform with that rig straight up.

need a bit more keyboardy thing? switch APC with some tiny key keyboard like novation launch key ( https://www.amazon.com/Novation-Launchkey-25-Note-Keyboard-Controller/dp/B00VVNOMGI )

many options, all totals under 200 bucks in every scenario

u/Lzzvq · 1 pointr/WeAreTheMusicMakers

Okay, so you would recommend getting this one, the second generation, for $150, rather than the $125 version?

Additionally, would you recommend buying equipment used or new? Granted, the Gen 2 Scarlet hasn't been out long enough to have used sellers.

u/PoliticalBonobo · 2 pointsr/WeAreTheMusicMakers

Staccato is basically short notes (detached), so spiccato is a form of staccato. Where do you draw the line between heavy staccato playing and spiccato (where the bow bounces off the strings)? It's often recommended to use a couple layers of samples with different articulations to get believable-sounding orchestrations.

Here's a great reference book you might want to pick up: MIDI Orchestration

u/The_Fiddler1979 · 4 pointsr/WeAreTheMusicMakers

Art of Mixing by Dave Gibson has one of the best "layman" approaches to positional mixing I have read. Might be a good start

https://www.amazon.com/Art-Mixing-Recording-Engineering-Production/dp/1931140456

u/goddamnsam · 1 pointr/WeAreTheMusicMakers

I'm using a DTXplorer electric drum set, a yamaha. I bought this midi to USB cable.

What you've said is all Ive heard; plug it in, select a track, and it should work automatically. that isnt happening. no sound whatsoever. is it supposed to be a MIDI track, or is it supposed to be Software instrument? because there's tutorials that will say both. but either way, i've tried both, and neither works.

Is it the cable? is there a tutorial that can explain this to me like i'm in fucking kindergarten? im not computer illiterate, but i feel like with every tutorial I read, they're not giving me some major piece of information.

u/manorhouseband · 1 pointr/WeAreTheMusicMakers

Amazon has it with prime shipping as well http://www.amazon.com/Zoom-Handy-Portable-Digital-Recorder/dp/B001QWBM62

Had one through work and was great, thinking of picking one up now that i don't have access to it any more.

u/JamesTheHaxor · 3 pointsr/WeAreTheMusicMakers

&gt; BTW, that wiki song structure article is a mess

Agreed. I linked to that wiki article without even really looking. Personally, I like the following books that go into a lot more detail in regards to production and EDM:

u/stray_letters · 1 pointr/WeAreTheMusicMakers

I ended up with the Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 and it came with a bunch of plugins like reverb/eq/compression.
I caught it on sale at a store and it seems to fit what I am looking for so far. The main battle now is learning how to make the live clarinet recording sound like a natural part of the virtual instruments instead of a separate entity. This stuff is tricky, but it is an enjoyable learning process.

u/jdwmusic · 1 pointr/WeAreTheMusicMakers

You might be interested in this book: http://www.amazon.com/Dance-Music-Manual-Tools-Techniques/dp/0240521072

Really thorough and explains everything you need to know in order to get a solid grounding in producing dance music.

The same guys also have a series of video tutorials that you might find useful: http://www.dancemusicproduction.com/index.php/tutorials#fundamentals

u/themusicbiz · 1 pointr/WeAreTheMusicMakers

All You Need to Know About the Music Business, book by Donald Passman
http://www.amazon.com/Need-Know-About-Music-Business/dp/1451682468

Tickets to SXSW music conference
http://sxsw.com/music/conference/about

This Multi Track Looping Recorder
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0gKWfvd-chA

Good luck!

u/timidcorvid · 1 pointr/WeAreTheMusicMakers

Ableton. Some midi controllers (Novation Launchkey Novation Launchkey Mini) and audio interfaces(Focusrite 2i2 ) come with a free lite version.(there are more things that come with it, those are just the three I can think of right now) Or you can buy the "Intro" version for $99. A site that I like for Instruments is called VST 4 Free

u/motozero · 1 pointr/WeAreTheMusicMakers

2i4 just went on sale for $186 Amazon. I need an upgrade from my M-audio podcast factory :) Timely post! haha
Edit:
Here is one by Amazon, sorry, the other is third party.
I just bought it for $187, the price keeps going up and down,,,, I don't Amazon much, but is that normal?

u/jfaulkner8 · 2 pointsr/WeAreTheMusicMakers

This book is fantastic for learning to play jazz:

Jazz Piano Book

u/LiamGaughan · 6 pointsr/WeAreTheMusicMakers

Mark Levine Jazz Piano Book!

That, and a teacher (If you're not down with jazz harmony to begin with)

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Jazz-Piano-Book-Mark-Levine/dp/0961470151

And of course, Real Book :)

u/singlefrequency · 2 pointsr/WeAreTheMusicMakers

If she doesn't have it already, I highly recommend Samuel Adler's "Study of Orchestration" book - http://www.amazon.com/Study-Orchestration-Third-Samuel-Adler/dp/039397572X/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&amp;amp;qid=1323789264&amp;amp;sr=8-2 If she's going to school for music composition, she'll more than likely need this any way. Might be good to get her a head start!

u/zeroblitzt · 1 pointr/WeAreTheMusicMakers

Try looking on amazon for a USB to MIDI cable, something like this: https://www.amazon.com/SANOXY-Cable-Converter-Keyboard-Window/dp/B0017H4EBG

my best suggestion is to record everything you do, and then listen back frequently and learn from your mistakes.

u/slimuser98 · 1 pointr/WeAreTheMusicMakers

Hey I actually managed a rapper for a few months so I do have some experience. In terms of DIY and independence I highly recommend you buy this book before doing anything major.

All You Need To Know MBUS

I myself own a copy and was recommended by a mentor and it’s kind of like the Bible in terms of knowing the main ins and outs of the business side.

Tunecore vs CD Baby Publishing

Digital Distro Comparison Chart

I’m sure other people will have more info. But once again that book is golden.

u/Tommonen · 1 pointr/WeAreTheMusicMakers

Yes you can use it(maybe just the keyboard, pitch bend and mod wheel tho, usually synths like this that arent meant to be full blown midi controllers doesent send midi messages from sliders/pots or other buttons), but you will something to connect midi ports to your computer(as the synth doesent seem to have an usb port). Your options are audio interface with midi ports, midi interface or midi to usb converter like this https://www.amazon.com/SANOXY-Cable-Converter-Keyboard-Window/dp/B0017H4EBG

Then you need to enable the instrument on pro tools etc, you can find that stuff on pro tools manual, internets or youtube. Its simple, but this midi stuff might seem bit complex at first before you understand more how it works.

u/orionmusic · 2 pointsr/WeAreTheMusicMakers

Okay, in that case you should check out /r/Beatmatch and /r/edmproduction. I'd also recommend you look into this book, which covers everything you'll need to get started producing and then some.

Wait_What_Happened is right about electronic music being difficult to get into, since there are just so many different skills that you have to master, like how to program synths, EQ your sound, and compose music in the style you wish to produce. It's going to be incredibly frustrating at first, but the only way to get better is to keep practicing.

u/DivineJustice · 1 pointr/WeAreTheMusicMakers

Ultimately I might recommend this:

http://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-AT2020-USB-Condenser-Microphone/dp/B001AS6OYC/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&amp;amp;qid=1398718722&amp;amp;sr=8-2&amp;amp;keywords=at2020

It's pretty much the same AT2020 that you are thinking about getting, but since it's the USB version you won't have to spend any extra money on an audio interface in order to get the mic to hook up to your computer. If you already have the 2i2, (sounds like maybe you do but I'm not sure from your wording) then just get the regular version of the AT2020.

u/FritzVonTrapp · 1 pointr/WeAreTheMusicMakers

A lot of people use the Focusrite Scarlett solo for USB recording. It take a line input and an XLR input, so you'd have to get some different cables/adapters. The mixer only costs $110, though so you should have plenty of money in your budget left over for those. You could probably find something cheaper if you search around. It sounds great and it comes with Ableton and ProTools, so it's a lot of bang for your buck.
https://www.amazon.com/Focusrite-Scarlett-Audio-Interface-Tools/dp/B01E6T56CM/ref=sr_1_3?s=musical-instruments&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1550717517&amp;sr=1-3&amp;keywords=focusrite+scarlett+solo

u/_YR_ · 1 pointr/WeAreTheMusicMakers

Assuming you already have a DAW, you need an audio interface. Since you're not recording drums or big enslembles, a small interface with 1-2 inputs like this one is more than enough.

With the interface you can record your guitar, plug a mic and record vocals and basically anything that produces sound and has a jack/xlr exit.

For monitoring, you will need a pair of studio speakers or a pair of headphones.

That's basically it, hope this helps.

u/Ataraxiate · 3 pointsr/WeAreTheMusicMakers

Since cost is the concern here, why not get the USB version of the AT2020? The built-in preamp/ADC probably aren't going to be the same quality as one you'd find on a decent interface, but it's more than likely good enough for your purposes.

u/mesaone · 3 pointsr/WeAreTheMusicMakers

A bit expensive, but it has a large section on EQ that is very good. This book is indispensable. http://www.amazon.com/The-Art-Mixing-Engineering-Production/dp/1931140456

u/nephyxmusic · 2 pointsr/WeAreTheMusicMakers

If you're willing to invest some money in, I definitely recommend The Guide to MIDI Orchestration by Paul Gilreath.

Got it myself a few weeks ago and it covers a broad range of related topics.

u/dariusfunk · 1 pointr/WeAreTheMusicMakers

The 700's are great. I'm a big fan of Sony's headphones. The 900s are overbuilt with bigger enclosures and big bass response, hence my suggestion.

I used the MDR-v6s for years until I lost them... time to pick up a new pair.

u/gtani · 2 pointsr/WeAreTheMusicMakers

I like to scan reviews by SOS, gearslutz, Keyboard mag and some of the EDM oriented site s like createdigitalmusic.com, attackmagazine.com to get clues about synth features: http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/may02/articles/rolandsh32.asp (they say the manual's not the greatest)

Also, from the sidebars of /r/synthesizers, /r/edmProduction etc:

http://www.amazon.com/Refining-Sound-Practical-Synthesis-Synthesizers/dp/0199922969

and http://www.amazon.com/Dance-Music-Manual-Tools-Techniques/dp/0415825644/

u/ToTheHopelessMusic · 2 pointsr/WeAreTheMusicMakers

Here's the book I started going through when I was trying to learn electronic music. I didn't make it very far (I was only learning electronic because I didn't have a guitar... then I got a guitar again), but from what I did get through it was a nice introduction to music theory, compressors and EQs, etc.

I was scared of music theory before I started going through that book because it seemed scary, but the book made it pretty easy to pick up!

u/Kevman5 · 1 pointr/WeAreTheMusicMakers

If you plan on using it as a midi controller as well you'll need an audio interface that has a midi in/out, something like this.

u/fatcatholic · 1 pointr/WeAreTheMusicMakers

The Blue Icicle is simple and affordable, and I would trust it over anything from Behringer. It has everything you've asked for, and nothing else!

https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Icicle-XLR-Converter-Preamp/dp/B001EW5YQS

u/Laika027 · 1 pointr/WeAreTheMusicMakers

I was in a similar position and found a pretty good deal that has served me really well. These microphones come together and sound great; I usually use the skinny one for guitar and the thick one for vocals. One thing is that they require phantom power, so you'll need a preamp that can provide that, which is where things get a little pricier. I went cheap and bought this thing, which works fine but it does mean I can only use one mic at a time.

However, those two things plus a mic stand and XLR cable still came out to under $200, and I've never felt like I needed anything else. At the risk of this coming across as a plug, if you want to hear how my setup sounds even though it's cheap, you can listen here (though obviously the drums and bass are not played live).

u/cleverkid · 1 pointr/WeAreTheMusicMakers

Also, you might want to read---&gt; The Dance Music Manual and Last Night a Dj Saved My Life probably the two biggest jumps in knowledge in this genre you'll ever have.

u/thatwasawkward · 3 pointsr/WeAreTheMusicMakers

I second johninbigd's recommendation of "Live Sound Reinforcement".

I also suggest you get the Master Handbook of Acoustics and Modern Recording Techniques. Very helpful stuff.

u/ModulationLobbyist · 7 pointsr/WeAreTheMusicMakers

Sony MDR V6 Monitor Headphones

Well if you are posting in WATMM and do any sort of music making these headphones people are recommending will give you a warped frequency response. You might as well go for the industry standard and get the V6. Every studio has a couple of these.

And since you say you will be mixing, you really should think of getting proper headphones instead of boosted nonsense!

u/t__mhjr · 2 pointsr/WeAreTheMusicMakers

Modern mixing can all pretty much be loosely achieved by following this diagram from this book. Since you don't have vocals, the drums should be the focal point. The bass and atmospheric synths provide a bed for the drums and leads to do their thing upon.

u/byproxy · 1 pointr/WeAreTheMusicMakers

Try this. It's a funny little book. It's written as a dialogue between student and teacher.

u/SirHiccup · 2 pointsr/WeAreTheMusicMakers

The Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 is a standard pick for beginners, and comes with some nice software also.

u/by_default · 1 pointr/WeAreTheMusicMakers

I just started reading Dance Music Manual, Second Edition: Tools. toys and techniques I like it this far and he mentions in the beginning that most genres will be covered.

u/MistyMountainHop · 1 pointr/WeAreTheMusicMakers

Why don’t you just get a USB interface with XLR in? There are some very cheap ones that’ll work just fine for speech use (like this one).

u/ratava911 · 0 pointsr/WeAreTheMusicMakers

Check this model out:

http://www.amazon.com/Focusrite-Scarlett-2i4-USB-Interface/dp/B009B15N0Q

See the buttons next to each input that say "pad" That's what your model should have. When you clip, it lowers the input by around -10 -20 giving your more headroom.

u/BaintS · 2 pointsr/WeAreTheMusicMakers

give the dance music manual a read. it will teach you the fundamentals of what everything does regardless of what program you are using.

if you want to learn how to use ableton or FL studio, look up tutorials or read the manuals for the programs.

u/Slab_Heap_Pout · 7 pointsr/WeAreTheMusicMakers

Northern Sounds has an interactive version of the classic Rimsky-Korsakov Principles of Orchestration. I often find myself referring to it when I'm arranging and/or orchestrating along with my hardcover Adler text.

u/Nine_Cats · 1 pointr/WeAreTheMusicMakers

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B001QWBM62

Has 2 mics and 2 inputs.
You can plug it in to your computer with USB and record directly to GarageBand, or record to an SD card.

u/OnWingsOfWax · 1 pointr/WeAreTheMusicMakers

Mechanical royalties are set by Federal law, though most major label contracts pay 75% or so of the statutory rate which is 9.1 cents per song under 5 minutes in length. Performance royalties depend on the artists contribution to the song in question. You can see the percentage each writer gets for some songs in the BMI/ASCAP databases but you won't get actual payment information.You won't find a database of this because it's based on individual contracts.

This book will tell you as much as you need to know about the regulations and customs: https://www.amazon.com/Need-Know-About-Music-Business/dp/1451682468

But you're not going to get individual dollar amounts.

u/Chipotl69 · 1 pointr/WeAreTheMusicMakers

Oh okay, well I am taking it seriously. I actually was thinking about buying this but was unsure. I think I will buy one now, this one seems cheap do you know if I should get this one.

u/GruxKing · 3 pointsr/WeAreTheMusicMakers

Get a music lawyer and/or manager to overlook any contracts before you sign anything. If they ever demand an answer "Or no more deal" then run run away.

Anyway, there are some books you need to check out If you haven't already and read the relevant sections of.

All you need to know about the Music Business

The Savvy Musician

u/Bosscore · 1 pointr/WeAreTheMusicMakers

Yes, you're right. I mixed it up, this is the mic with the usb: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Audio-Technica-Cardioid-Condenser-USB-Microphone/dp/B001AS6OYC/ref=sr_1_2?s=musical-instruments&amp;amp;ie=UTF8&amp;amp;qid=1380923667&amp;amp;sr=1-2&amp;amp;keywords=at2020

They look very alike and I didn't realize the difference. Will you help me understand the pros and cons of both mics? Keeping this one and buying the spare parts will be a little more costy, but does it pay off? What can I do with this one that I can't do with the usb one?

Thank you for your help.

Edit: Just in case I upset you too, I'm sorry if I sounded cocky or arrogant, I was just mad at myself and it showed in the writting.