The digital age has made music production way more accessible and affordable than ever. In fact, nowadays, several music enthusiasts have set up their personal home recording studio, either as a hobby or professionally. How and where do they start?
Know that workflow continuity is key to being productive. You need to have the right equipment within your arm’s reach to keep it going. From crafting beats to giving your mix a final professional polish, you need five essentials as an aspiring producer.
Table of Contents
Computer Hardware
Your PC is practically the heart of your music production. It is where you do most work in the music production process. Since producing music is a hefty load of work, you certainly need a good pc with at least a newer generation Core i5 processor with 16GB of RAM or more.
Make sure you know your needs when choosing what computer to go for. For example, a laptop is a good choice if you do this as a hobby and do not plan to make significant and lush film scores. In addition, since it is portable, a laptop is good for recording and mixing on the go.
On the other hand, opt for a desktop if you want a stationed studio. It is preferable if you are really eyeing a music production career. It is also more affordable but with more CPU power, which is better for making larger scores. Plus, it is upgradeable, so you can enjoy more improvements in the future.
Music production does not really require supercomputers. However, remember that faster SSDs and larger RAM and CPU are preferable for recording and producing. Moreover, if you wish to go all-out into being a music producer, you are better off with a custom-made computer for music production.
Vocal Chain
A solid mic chain brings more life to a good vocal before doing all the magic in a mixing software. Of course, there’s no hard-and-fast rule on what should be in your vocal chain. However, the essential equipment for a chain are mics, mic cables, preamps, audio interfaces, EQs, compressions, and some effects.
If you are a super beginner and on a tight budget, be minimalist. Opt for all-in-one vocal chain solutions in the meantime. They can feasibly handle whatever comes your way in the recording department without breaking the bank.
DAWs
Digital Audio Workstations (DAW) are software applications that create, record, and edit audio tracks. In a DAW session, you will be mixing and mastering. Simply put, “mixing” happens when you blend and combine all the recorded tracks, while “mastering” gives your finished mix a sonic presentation for release. You will encounter “mixing and mastering plug-ins,” and they are all under DAW.
There are tons of free DAW you can take advantage of out there. The majority of them are beginner-friendly. However, expect that they are mediocre. You can record, edit, mix, and produce with them, but your options could be limited. Still and all, they are good platforms to practice the basics.
Once you know the fundamentals, slowly invest in high-end mixing and mastering plug-ins. Focusing on single yet killer software gets better results faster. Plus, it will speed up your workflow and brush your skills in the long run. Finally, you want a DAW with good support and updates, works on Windows, Mac, or Linux, and has industry standards.
MIDI Controllers
Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI) controllers are essentially the virtual instruments in today’s digital music production era. This technology allows you to virtually play thousands of instruments on your computer without learning the real ones.
MIDI controllers are usually in the form of a keyboard or pad. Keyboard controllers are the best for beginners, especially the 25-key or 37-key ones. However, if you know how to play any key instruments, 61-key controllers are great.
Pad MIDI controllers are recommended for those who want to input percussive elements like beats and rhythm to your music. However, if you want to program various instruments, including drums, virtually, a keyboard MIDI controller is your best option.
Musical Instruments
If you are learning how to play strings and now looking for electric guitars for sale, don’t stop practicing. Many wannabes are getting away from producing music the traditional way and have stopped learning how to play real instruments. They think it’s not very helpful because we have MIDIs now.
Once you engage a plug-in for any musical instrument, you still have to know at least how the instrument works and plays. You may not understand it now, but eventually, you will crave real instruments because relying too much on MIDIs can make music less real.
Takeaway
Producing music is no easy job. However, do not let equipment cost, overwhelming initial learning, and excessive workload get into you. Being able to create music and see people enjoying it is one of the most gratifying feelings in the world.
