Overall Production Tip/How-To's

[OhGee]

My title may be a little misleading, as I don't know if I have any information to share, but rather was wondering if anyone had good advise for production?

I have spent weeks, if not months, reading and practicing (using REAPER), but I was wondering if there's something you tend to do (a beat or noise you like making), or a certain way you make your wobble, or perhaps what plugins you use.

For example, how would you transition your tempos (I tend to go from 140 to 90 a bit), any additional filters you put on your bass, or even how to sample music or videos off my computer using REAPER.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[VirtualMark]

Read the big thread at the top of the forum, there's tons of info there. Most of it just comes down to practice tho, as you have to develop your skills.

Personally i don't change tempo, i usually make dubstep at 140, dnb at 172 and house at about 130. Mainly because i'm learning, and its hard enough to make a good 140 tune without tempo changes.

With regard to filters, just experiment and see how it sounds. Try filtering filters, adding distortion in between, bouncing it to audio and loading it into a sampler. Just play around until you get something that sounds good. Then try to fit it into a tune, that's the hardest bit imo. Also assigning lfo's to other stuff sounds good, like volume automation, pitch, distortion amount etc. And using envelopes on filters is another good way to get some movement. I made a patch the other day that assigns velocity to the attack and release of the envelope, and also uses aftertouch to open up the filter a bit. The result is that every time you play the patch you get a different sound, its a bit more expressive than a sine wave lfo.

For sampling, i use total recorder. Whenever i watch a movie and hear something i'll quickly fire it up and record. Total recorder samples anything going through your soundcard, pretty handy. Also, point blank just put out a tutorial on this, there's a program called soundflower that can route audio to your daw. I'm subscribed to them on youtube, along with dozens of other music related channels.

[OhGee]

I wish there was more reading.
I have read all threads in the Production Bible multiple times each, spent countless days scanning Google for new reading, and spent many hours reading production guides inside many Barnes and Nobles.

I don't get as much practice as I like, but when I do - I'm glued. Today I messed around for a few minutes, trying to make a good wobble. Does anyone have a step-by-step on how they start their wobble bass? I'm talking your basic wobble, before you add any filters to it.

I also find I like the put a kick right before my 3rd beat, and the snare/clap, to give my song a happier beat. I suppose you have to try for yourself, but does anyone have any drum patterns they use a lot, or enjoy?

Once again, any and all help appreciated. I know this got some views - now if we can just get people to contribute! I know ya'll got ideas!

[nowaysj]

Stop reading and start producing.

Free advice.

[dubesteppe]

Stop reading and start producing.

Free advice.

you cant be self taught in everything

[Turnipish_Thoughts]

Years of practice. It sounds horrible and probably annoys you but sadly it's true...

Computer Music Production is an incredibly complex subject. I imagine it's similar to learning each branch of Science to a professional level, Quantum/Astro/theoretical Physics, Biology, Psychology, sociology, Anthropology e.t.c. Each subject having an incredible amount of depth and inter-relating subject matter.

This is how the world of sound creation works, every aspect of it has an insane amount of depth, from the purely technical; The frequency domain, the psychoacoustics of sound as vibration and how mathematical relationships between frequency ratios translate into an emotional response; The science of synthesis, from subtractive to additive to granular and more, the incredible complexity that each of these hold, on to the application of audio processing; Amplitude, Panorama and frequency, use of effects and how each of these work.

That's before we even broach onto the right brained creative aspect of it all; the use of theory in a creative manner, the soulful application of composition, melody, harmony, counterpoint, different scales keys and modes, modal interchange, rhythm, textural and timbrel cohesion/contrast, consonance and dissonance, the use of silence.

And here I am just scratching the surface of the true ocean beneath while simply naming the subjects. you can imagine for yourself the truly vast amount of stuff there is to learn about this.

The only advice anyone can give you to keep on doing what it is you are doing right now. Keep learning, keep searching and finding new information to learn. Accept that you're not going to make a tune any where near as good as what you hear released for a very long time. You may get frustrated and give up, you may not, and you may one day, like a lot of us here, find yourself in a position where music has become a truly deep part of your life, because that is the only place mentally and emotionally and spiritually you can aim for if you truly wish to get what you hear in your head out into reality.

I'll leave you with a quote:

"I often think that people who are not trying to be creative are so much poorer than those who do attempt to make things of beauty. whether it is music or painting or poetry or what not, i think what matters is trying to make the universe a more beautiful place than it would be had we not been here."

Good luck

[Attila]

I give the same advice to everyone when it comes to composition regardless of genre, start playing piano.And don't read too much into theory, learn the basics of scales/chords and move on. Shouldn't take more than a week or two. With all the resources available these days its a waste of time and energy to dig that deeply into it. Rhythms by far the more important aspect anyway. Also in my experience, if you feel like you've read everything and watched every YouTube tutorial and still aren't making the tracks you want, its time to spend some time producing instead.
Don't over complicate it, its not rocket sciene its music. Its all a series of simple formulas glued together with techniques that most people try to make out as impossible. Just have a well-rounded, fundamental knowledge and then WORK YOUR ASS OFF.

[Sexual_Chocolate]

Stop reading and start producing.

Free advice.

you cant be self taught in everything

dunkno

"He that teaches himself hath a fool for his master."

[Sonika]

For sampling, i use total recorder. Whenever i watch a movie and hear something i'll quickly fire it up and record. Total recorder samples anything going through your soundcard, pretty handy. Also, point blank just put out a tutorial on this, there's a program called soundflower that can route audio to your daw. I'm subscribed to them on youtube, along with dozens of other music related channels.

Haha yeah I see your YouTube comment. Thanks for that tut, audacity can do the same thing

[Pulp]

For sampling, i use total recorder. Whenever i watch a movie and hear something i'll quickly fire it up and record. Total recorder samples anything going through your soundcard, pretty handy. Also, point blank just put out a tutorial on this, there's a program called soundflower that can route audio to your daw. I'm subscribed to them on youtube, along with dozens of other music related channels.

Would you not say you are losing audio quality recording samples like this? I would have thought using a program to convert video to wav and then finding the section you want to be better quality? Your solution, is of course quicker.

[didi]

Stop reading and start producing.

Free advice.

you cant be self taught in everything

dunkno

"He that teaches himself hath a fool for his master."

[OhGee]

I'm very enthusiastic that the replies multiplied over night!
Thanks for you input, guys.

Let me say that I've got some formal training. I played trumpet for my middle school band back in the day, and took piano lessons during high school.
I also, actively, play with my keyboard (I love playing Heart and Soul with different variations).

I fully, well, understand I probably won't get amazing within my first few years, I mean even the big names that got us in to dubstep are more than likely still learning new things - no doubt.

I suppose my original question should have been the following: Is there any beat, melody, etc. that you use a lot?
I'm not really trying to make a greatest hits song by compiling all your guys' sounds together, but seeing how different people do different things would surely help.

I need a laptop.
No more browsing Internet on my space phone.
Just production all day like 'ol boy said.
That'd be nice....

[VirtualMark]

For sampling, i use total recorder. Whenever i watch a movie and hear something i'll quickly fire it up and record. Total recorder samples anything going through your soundcard, pretty handy. Also, point blank just put out a tutorial on this, there's a program called soundflower that can route audio to your daw. I'm subscribed to them on youtube, along with dozens of other music related channels.

Would you not say you are losing audio quality recording samples like this? I would have thought using a program to convert video to wav and then finding the section you want to be better quality? Your solution, is of course quicker.

Its possible, i always save the files as wave but i don't know if windows messes with them at all. I use it mainly for convenience, just press record and grab a clip quickly. Anything off youtube has been compressed anyhow so its not the best place if you're concerned about quality. I've stopped worrying about it so much, by the time i've got drums, effects, instrument etc playing with the sample i wouldn't notice a difference.

[cheshirebeats]

I wish there was more reading.
I have read all threads in the Production Bible multiple times each, spent countless days scanning Google for new reading, and spent many hours reading production guides inside many Barnes and Nobles.

I don't get as much practice as I like, but when I do - I'm glued. Today I messed around for a few minutes, trying to make a good wobble. Does anyone have a step-by-step on how they start their wobble bass? I'm talking your basic wobble, before you add any filters to it.

I also find I like the put a kick right before my 3rd beat, and the snare/clap, to give my song a happier beat. I suppose you have to try for yourself, but does anyone have any drum patterns they use a lot, or enjoy?

Once again, any and all help appreciated. I know this got some views - now if we can just get people to contribute! I know ya'll got ideas!

One does not simply wobble without a filter. Whats making these wobbles is filtering the sound.

You should learn how an EQ and Compressor work before anything else.
These tutorials really helped me:
http://www.dnbscene.com/article/88-thin ... tutorial/1
http://www.dnbscene.com/article/1474-co ... n-tutorial

Also going to second whoever said stop reading and start producing. Every moment you waste on DSF is time you could spend on sound design or whatever

[pesky]

Stop reading and start producing.

Free advice.

this is the advice i need to start taking on board!
i spend every spare hour of the day readin about music producion but by the time ive read everything, im just arsed doing whats important and that is making music.

[howiegroove]

Don't stop practicing. Music production doesn't come to you within months or even years in some cases. Make it your passion. I'm friends with a well known producer, and he told me he started making music in 1982 and got is first break in 2001 or 2002. Thats 20 years man!

Basically keep making music and express yourself and make stuff you love.

[Climax]

my #1 tip would be to FINISH TRACKS

So many people I think get caught up in focusing on one thing: be it drums, bass programming, etc. but they never develop the actual process of writing a tune start to finish

[Comfi]

I listen to some people who have albums and EP's.

Ikonika (is that how her name is spelt? [is it even a she?]) uses reasonably simple sounds, but her mix is tight. That's my tip.

The difference between professional sounding tracks and amateur ones is the mixdown IMO. If you can get a good mix, you music will sound good - or at least creative.

I know what I am trying to say, but it's brainfart day.

[Professer]

I'm new too and just found mr.bills tunes website. He has a bunch of great tutorials there if you haven't already checked them out. His skrillex bass reproduction tutorials are stickied at the top of the forum...

http://mrbillstunes.com/tuition/video-tutorials/

it's really been helping me out