Where to start?

[kosovo]

Hey guys
I obviously want to start producing dubstep. I have got a copy of Fruity Loops studio 10 and was wondering what else I need? Also my headphones are logitech g35 and was wondering if they are ok to use?
http://www.logitech.com/en-us/webcam-co ... vices/5095
I don't have a MIDI controller but I was considering geting an akai midi mini controller?
Is that good?
Sorry for the noob questions its just I'm new and I want to get it right.
Thanks

[Sine69]

In theory, you have everything you need to start off. Learn everything you can about synthesis, FL, etc before you buy anything else.

[kosovo]

How are the headphones? Will they make my music sound good when it is really shit? lol

[Sine69]

How are the headphones? Will they make my music sound good when it is really shit? lol

They look like pretty decent headphones, so they'll do for now.
If you stick with producing you'll want to invest either in a pair of monitors, or monitoring headphones though

[Turnipish_Thoughts]

headphones won't make things sound good if they are shit. Nothing will. You need to ideally make sure the headphones are flat response, that is that they don't alter any frequency range post amp (there is nothing within the headphones that boosts the low end or high end, or his bad mid range response e.t.c.) They aren't going to be perfect, but in all honesty right now it doesn't matter as much as it will in about a year if you're still producing. Yes i said a year, if you want to produce, don't expect anything decent to come out of you for a very long time and not until a heap of effort has been put into learning a lot of things.

Things like basic Music theory http://www.ravenspiral.com/ravenspiralguide.pdf

Sound Synthesis http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/allsynthsecrets.htm

Learn FL Studio (if that is your chosen DAW, I've personally noticed quite bad sound quality in FL, I use Reason/Cubase myself) Google "FL Studio Bible" It'll be invaluable if you want to learn about FL studio.

Don't try and make fully polished dubstep tracks, yet. Realize you are learning and aim to make things that are equivalent to your production ability while using them as a means for experimentation and development.

Do all manner of things musically you wouldn't normally to broaden your musical knowledge and horizons and take time to think about the importance of making this a pretty big part of your life, because if you ever want to get to the point of making music that pleases you, it will have to be a lot more than a hobby.

Good luck!

[kosovo]

Do I have to learn music theory?
And what is that sound synthesis?

[Turnipish_Thoughts]

Do I have to learn music theory?
And what is that sound synthesis?

you don't have to learn music theory but it will sure help you and stop you having lots of very annoying moments where you're having allot of difficulty actually making anything that sounds remotely nice to listen to.

Sound Synthesis is Synthesizing sound. You know Synthesizers, those machines that make sound, the basic corner stone of all music production on computers (bar that a decent recording studio, many high quality microphones and talented instrumentalists you can record to sample). If you haven't got any of that then you should really learn synthesis because its how you will be making your sounds to go in your music.

Are you genuine? or have i just been trolled?

[kosovo]

No you haven't been trolled lol
I am really new and I genuinely need help.
I just realized how noob I sound...

[benjam]

@Turnipish thoughts ?!?
What do you mean by bad sound quality in FL?

[Basic A]

I've personally noticed quite bad sound quality in FL, I use Reason/Cubase myself

you know FL and Cubase use the same audio engines right?

@Turnipish thoughts ?!?
What do you mean by bad sound quality in FL?

He means he has no idea wtf he's talking about.

[kosovo]

Is the rest of what he said true or should I take no notice of him? LOL

[flatfaced]

Don't try and make fully polished dubstep tracks, yet. Realize you are learning and aim to make things that are equivalent to your production ability while using them as a means for experimentation and development.

are you sure mang
how would you achieve the polished sound if youre not tryin to

[benjam]

Don't try and make fully polished dubstep tracks, yet. Realize you are learning and aim to make things that are equivalent to your production ability while using them as a means for experimentation and development.

are you sure mang
how would you achieve the polished sound if youre not tryin to

Hes saying dont expect to run before you can walk which is good advice to a novice imo.

[ToxicBass]

Here's the order I'd learn if I was to start the process again and wanted a basic foundation in production.

1.Basic music theory.
2.Synthesis.
3.Writing drum loops.
4.Using effects like distortion, chorus, reverb...to process drums and synths.
5.Proper use of EQ.
6.Compression.
7.Mixing.
8.Song structure.
9.Creativity, patience and perseverance.

I'd work at creating 30 second loops until I was good enough at the skills above to progress onto making full songs.
Youtube, DSF's production bible and DOA are gold mines of information. Use them.

I can pretty much guarantee the answers to many of your production related questions can be found via the DSF Google search below so try it if you get stuck:
http://www.google.com/cse/home?cx=00220 ... wxoicg4myg

Production is a long term commitment that requires a lot of work and patience but is also immensely rewarding, hence the amount of us on here. Good luck

[kosovo]

Should I use Ableton Live or Fruity Loops?

[benjam]

Try them both and see which feels more natural

[Basic A]

Try them both and see which feels more natural

This. Almost all DAW's run on the same or very similar audio engines, its been this way forever. The sound quality is only limited by the talent of the producer.

Is the rest of what he said true or should I take no notice of him? LOL

everything else he said is true or opinon...

[Phase Down]

If you're not sure what kind of DAW you need I advise you to read my article on the best music production software, telling you that actually.. that doesn't exist.

It's up to you, it is just a tool.. and will do everything you throw at it, there is no limit and if your sounds in fruityloops sound shit, then you just arent able to make your sounds sound good.

where to start? you have already started.. I started a long long time ago asking pretty much the same question, just take the advise of what to you seems right and go with it, you will learn and don't worry you also learn a hell of a lot of your mistake's, not everything has to go right, we all did a thousand things wrong when we we're noobs but if you're serious you will get through that so just start learning.

I would start with what ToxicBass made, the little schedule it seems alright and will get you through some basics of what music production actually is.

Good luck.

[Hellz]

Should I use Ableton Live or Fruity Loops?

I think you should use with whatever you feel most comfortable working with

[Turnipish_Thoughts]

@Turnipish thoughts ?!?
What do you mean by bad sound quality in FL?

I might just be being a total mop face but i got hold of FL studio demo after all the scene kids seem to be raving on about it so much. I've always used Cubase and reason since back in the day. I set up Absynth ( <3 !!! ) in FL and loaded a patch I've been working on and the sound was really off compared to it running through Cubase or standalone. It sounded much more mono and the quality was just so much more shitty, the exact same patch played anywhere else sounds the same, in FL it sounded shit, go figure.

Might have been some other reasons behind why it was like that but i fucked about quite thoroughly to try and track down what it might be, couldn't find a specific reason so i put it down to FL itself. I've also noticed samples playing really scewif being up/down sampled if the sampled BPM is different from the one set in FL, its make the sample really bitty and distorted e.t.c. so yeh, i was just having lots of fiddly pointless issues with FL, and i didn't like it very much to be honest. It seems to me like a big bag of gimmicky stuff and the devs have focused too much on the visuals and 'glitz' of the program which in itself feels quite limited in terms of functionality compared to Cubase/Reason rewire slave.

IMO of course. Feel free to flame, i know all you FL fanboys are gonna.