where to begin

[Zachariah]

im a newbie so bear with me please.
im into progressive trance/house and want to start making beats. ive been
using the music generator on the platstation for a while and have had some success, but im ready for the real thing. i need to know where i should start.
i only have a general idea of what some of the equipment is and dont even know if i should get any of it or just go with a pc set up like cubase. i just want to be
as proffesional as possible. any starting advice?

 

[Autist]

Start thinking about where you are going to do this. Bedroom? Basement? Garage? Attic? You will need to consider the acoustic qualities of the room and decide what type of treatment it may need. This brings me to my first suggestion:

BUDGET.

You need to figure out how much you are ready, willing and able to invest in this endeavor. If you want a pro sound, you will need good gear and you will have to pay more for that gear.

The budget should at least include:

Acoustic treatment for your room

Computer upgrades other than soundcard, if needed

Soundcard that is made for recording (I have used M-Audio cards and E-MU and prefer the E-MU, but many prefer the M-Audio, though most reviews speak very highly of the E-MU cards)

Monitors - the best you can afford

Cables - the best you can afford

Software - the best you can afford that is the most comfortable for you to work with

You may also want, or need to figure in the cost of:

Monitor stands
Headphones
A mixer
More cables


Try different demos of software out. Project 5 by Cakewalk, or Reason 3 may be all you need for what you want to do. You may also need, or want a DAW, like Cakewalk Sonar, or Home Studio, or Cubase, or even Ableton Live.

 

[blazingstrings]

So you wanna make some "PHAT BEATZ"!

First of all my sugestion is to listen alot to your favorite artists.
Second find out what they are using.
third If you cant aford any of that try out some stuff at a music shop or dowload the DEMO of a few programs(dont Pirate!).........

I always use to make beats for people or my work from scratch eather by playing it into a MIDI sequencer from a keyboard or into a drum machine or I would program the rythms into ACID by hand.

The reason? Because they sounded more original and I got exactly what I wanted.......

I sugest in your case to look at software such as Sonar 4 or Cubase, There are plenty of great free ware soft synths and software drum machines for free download and you can find some great freeware stuff for sequencing.

I would if I was just starting in what you are doing, I would just buy a good sound card(M-Audio AudioPhile 24/96) a midi controller(M-audio Radium) a set of Headphones(Sony) and a small headphone amp(Samson or other).

Then try a few program demos and find one you like. Then go for it!

-Blaze

 

[matt rascal]

If you are mostly into sequencing and creating 'phat beatz', i'd look into products like Project5, Fruity Loops, or reason rather than sonar or cubase. Project 5 is still capable of audio recording and editing, but its main focus is sequencing.

 

[blazingstrings]

I gotta agree and dis-agree with ya Matt.
Pj5 does audio now? I need to upgrade!
I mean in the end you will NEED a good sequencing program.
And I might add that SOnar 4 is a great way to create electronic music I use it everyday. The functionality of it has grown to a point that using other programs is less and less needed. My good friend is a Cakewalk employee, With out him I wouldnt know how powerfull Sonar is.

But I digress as I have been using Sonar for long long time too.

I do agree with you matt, Reason is a nice program for making beats and its soft synths are fantastic!

Peace all!
-Blaze

 

[Zachariah]

thanks for the responses...more questions

ok so you guys are suggesting to go wtih pc based stuff. cool. so do i stiil need other eqipment ie- sampler mixer drum machine? do all programs allow the use of a midi keyboard to make the melodies?......i think thats what they do...

 

[blazingstrings]

I assume that you have a PC?
What are its specs? (processor and its speed, How Much ram, one hard drive or two? ect ect.)

With the software becoming the popular choice you may or may not want the Hardware type of gear.
I use a drum machine still but only as a tone generator for Sonar.
I mosty use soft synths and some hardware controllers.

I have a M-Audio Radium 49 USB keyboard controller, a Evolution UC-33e(fader type control), I have a M-Audio AudioPhile 24/96, a M-Audio Triger finger for triggering notes(creating beats). M-audio BX5 monitors and Behringer Mixer for headphone mixes and for when we do vocals.....

I only realy use one drum machine type of thing, and thats not realy in much use.

Check out forums like the cakewalk one ( http://www.cakewalk.com/forum ) if you want to see what people are using and such.

-Blaze