Making Music, how do you do it? Options

[tacoboy]

There seems to be a lot of o topics about the technical side of music production. I'd like to know more about the methods.

What effects has it had on your life and way of thinking?

How did you start out?

How have you progressed and where you would like to see yourself in the future?

[Loreman]

There seems to be a lot of o topics about the technical side of music production. I'd like to know more about the methods.

What effects has it had on your life and way of thinking?

How did you start out?

How have you progressed and where you would like to see yourself in the future?

Hello Tacoboy

Well in terms of an effect on my life it has been minimal really. I'm no pro' just doing this for fun after work and at weekends. I started my project /album in august and I have two more tracks to complete and then I'll be done. Hopefully by June.

I started with a single macG3, Logic and a Roland JV 30. I was at the stage of saving up to buy new synths for various sounds etc, but became aware of soft synths and plug-ins and I have found them to be just perfect to the way I like to work. Then I focused in on a notion, in this case circus music and have been developing the idea since.

In terms of proggression, I've focussed on sound quality. I was using mostly midi for my first couple of tracks, which are fine to a point but ultimately less expreesive so I now just look out for useful softsynths and the latest plug-ins, but not too much as they can just impede your progress, I realise that much can be achieved with little, however my arsenal of equipment has increased since I began I now have a mixer a soundcard a microphone Logic 5, and I started a website to host all the tunes. My understanding of eq-ing and mono/ stereo has grown and is growing.

Where would I like to see myself in the future.... Well I'd like this current project to be considered for library music, and if that happens perhaps develop that further so that I compose primarily for library music concern. I don't really have any notion of releaseing anythig as such, it's not really my style.

Thats about it. Hope its what you wanted.

Cheers

Loreman

[add9]

My story

I started singing as a young girl and got more and more work as a vocalist. I spent years on the road with different bands singing coversongs.
A friend gave me a piano 10 years ago and I felt this urge for writing songs. I didn't know anything about charts or how to write music but I wanted to learn more....and more... I had so much music in my head.
I had a few producers that helped me to get a few of my songs in shape but I was never really satisfied. Then I got together with a musician(guitarist) who also was a producer. I guess he got tired of me asking him to help me with my songs, so he gave me a Tascam 8 track Portastudio and showed me how to get started in Logic. That is when I really started to find out what I really wanted in life. I sat day in and day out learning about this great tool called Logic. I had EMU proteus 1000 with just "straight" sounds in it and I soon got tired of them and started making "ugly" sounds using filters etc. That is 6 years ago. My boyfriend and I left eachother two years ago and I guess it was not healthy for the realationship that I was stepping over towards his area. We also fought about who was to use the studio
I had to start all over again. I was used to ProTools and all the best equipment you can think of...
Music means everything to me. Every dime I get now goes to music-equipment.

I am out walking and get an idea in my head, I rush home and work with it on the piano. When I have the arrangment ready....in my head, when I am playing and singing, I go over to my G4 and start making it in Logic.

Unfortunatly....my intense interest in music is not just positive. I hardly ever go out anymore....I can't listen to music like I used to either. I kind of analyze it. Picking it apart....listening to the chords, the mix, the producing....I can't just put on a CD any more just enjoying it, well, ....there are a few that are perfect in my ears...I am very critical to all kinds of music ....and mostly my own

I have gone from being just another singing-girl to a songwriter and a producer.
I hope that one day I will be one of the few good female producers.

"Working haaaaard for the money...."

[StrangeCat]

hahaha you sound like me music is everything to me, I can't stop writing music and there just so many songs and styles to write. I don't go out to clubs anymore and I can't even have a relationship really write now because of music. I am working on getting a job writing music for Japan because my dream is to write anime scores. I compose jpop as one of my styles for songs, but I compose in all styles. all I need a is pen, paper, and piano and I am good ;)From there it is all arrangement no matter what gear is used or Orchestration or added effects.
and yes i tear all music apart now, I really analyze it I see what's missing for all of it, but it sells so I can't say to much.
But when you feel and know music so deeply, you want do so much more. I wish the classical music world would wake up someday too but that is also all about money.
a lot of it has to do with Record companies, and what is hot , for selling...Underground hip hop is still underground because a lot of there techniques and sounds are not popular. I Love Japan so that is where i want to write music. Hey you keep at it. Always broaden your musical ideas. Taxi.com might be a big help someday for you too I am sure you will be big!
As a freelance composer I have to be everything LOL! But that is the freelance composer. Still though I like to go to my friends studio and master....Just a guy looking to write music for another culture called japan...

[Monsquaz]

My father is a music teacher, so you can tell he's a big aficionado. Thing is, he never really pushed me to get into music. So I never learned theory or how to play instruments.

4-5 years ago I started listening to music... mostly pop on the radio. But that all changed two years ago when I heard Motörhead- their killer, classic-style hard rock sound blew me away. I threw away my interests in the ever-parasitic and vile pop music that infects radio stations worldwide. I started listening to the kind of music my parents liked, as well: classical, jazz, classic rock, and bluegrass & traditional country (not contemporary, most of that is just real country that has been diseased with horrible pop influences). I kept getting deeper, and I found that the underground music scene goes farther than aspiring pop musicians.

I really liked the concepts that people like John Cage, Masami Akita, and Edgard Varése had (or in Akita's case, have, as he is not deceased). To actually appreciate the output, you'd have to listen long and hard through headphones or put it on during a road trip. But I'd always like the concepts. They'd sound silly, yet so intriguing.

Almost an entire year ago, I decided I wanted in on it, too. Thing is, I don't have expensive equipment and software like everyone else. My only available "equipment" besides my computer consists of a Casio SK-1 keyboard (with no cables to hook it up with anything else) and the recording function of my Nomad IIc MP3 player. I just can't afford anything else. I tried ProTools Free, but apparently you still need equipment for that- which, like I said, I am at a loss for. Fortunately, MacMusic's software section had lots of neat little programs (like MIDI Builder and Mac Audio Toolbox) that were easy enough for me to figure out, but no one else ever bothered with them, because they're too busy with their expensive and complicated high-end software like Cubase, Logic, and what have you (nothing against the people or their software, but I know stuff like Mac Audio Toolbox get neglected because they don't hold a candle to the professional stuff). Their trash was my treasure.

So I took my new toys, put them to work, and came out with two full-length albums. But I liked them. Earlier this year, I went to DMusic and put some songs up. To my delight, they were well-recieved.

Recently I've been working with an old copy of Cakewalk Overture that I found. Being absolutely clueless, I mashed notes on the sheets randomly. I was surprised how good it actually sounded ! I kept working, and finished up Opus #1, my first major classical composition.

I want to keep working with composition and music theory in general. Overture has helped me understand a bit more about it, so I think I'm on the right track.

[3Head]

What effects has it had on your life and way of thinking?

How did you start out?

How have you progressed and where you would like to see yourself in the future?

Hi there !

For me personally , one of the most important things that happened in my life , was seeing Mark Knopfler on a concert . That was an impulse , that made me wanna be a musiacian . Beginning with guitar , goin' through bass , drums , piano and stuff like that . I wanted to be really good , and still want to - I spend about 10 hours on playing every day . Some say it's sick , but it's the only way.. Some time ago I started to be interested in another "instrument" - mixing consoles

The effects..? I'm the effect of that
My life never would be like this , if it weren't for music.

I progressed in playing instruments , composing , singing , etc , but also I think thanks to music , I'm a different person .
I'd like to see myself on a big stage.. and I'm heading for it

See ya

[mortalengines]

Sony Acid has a free version and so does Pro Tools....both are download-able from their respective web sites. Almost any sound interface you buy comes bundled with some software for making music as well....you probably want to do just a little better than whatever sound card came with the computer you own.

[ironhead]

My story

I started singing as a young girl and got more and more work as a vocalist. I spent years on the road with different bands singing coversongs.
A friend gave me a piano 10 years ago and I felt this urge for writing songs. I didn't know anything about charts or how to write music but I wanted to learn more....and more... I had so much music in my head.
I had a few producers that helped me to get a few of my songs in shape but I was never really satisfied. Then I got together with a musician(guitarist) who also was a producer. I guess he got tired of me asking him to help me with my songs, so he gave me a Tascam 8 track Portastudio and showed me how to get started in Logic. That is when I really started to find out what I really wanted in life. I sat day in and day out learning about this great tool called Logic. I had EMU proteus 1000 with just "straight" sounds in it and I soon got tired of them and started making "ugly" sounds using filters etc. That is 6 years ago. My boyfriend and I left eachother two years ago and I guess it was not healthy for the realationship that I was stepping over towards his area. We also fought about who was to use the studio
I had to start all over again. I was used to ProTools and all the best equipment you can think of...
Music means everything to me. Every dime I get now goes to music-equipment.

I am out walking and get an idea in my head, I rush home and work with it on the piano. When I have the arrangment ready....in my head, when I am playing and singing, I go over to my G4 and start making it in Logic.

Unfortunatly....my intense interest in music is not just positive. I hardly ever go out anymore....I can't listen to music like I used to either. I kind of analyze it. Picking it apart....listening to the chords, the mix, the producing....I can't just put on a CD any more just enjoying it, well, ....there are a few that are perfect in my ears...I am very critical to all kinds of music ....and mostly my own

I have gone from being just another singing-girl to a songwriter and a producer.
I hope that one day I will be one of the few good female producers.

"Working haaaaard for the money...."

Great i love your vibes and positiveness as a woman running your own show wow i am a full time musician drummer, singer, producer , writer play genre form reggae to pop some latin was living working in mexico, florida now i am back home in jamaica and i am about to launch my album always into logic it's my program for inspiration but now i am using mixbus along with logic to that fat warm sound in the box .
it took me awhile to learn the ins and the out of mixing but watch lot of tutorial video and read and practice night and day my life is nothing without music making and creating music is inspiring it's a wonderful feeling.
we should link up and do a collaboration video by skype or ichat with logic i did it with a friend and it came out excellent i also record the video session
we could get great result

[ironhead]

Anyone know of any software for making music thats free?? I need to make some background music for a video game im making.As long as it can be saved in .wav format im good.
Advanced Acai
Super White Teeth

ardour is one audicity or check this link http://www.pcmus.com/Free-Software.htm there are many out there just google
i hope this helps

[fishboisfo]

As with any guitarist, or even some vocalist(s), you bribe them with cookies. That should be on the first page of "How to be a successful music producer".

Can't believe you missed that . . .