Want to produce, where to start?

[Cadevil]

Reason 3.0 is heads and tails above 2.5...The Combinator adds 100 times more creativity to the equation.

It can be a limiting program, and I find that I like to add other instrumentation like real guitars...so a recording program like Audition (or something better) is good to have as well...

[vacant]

I'd recommend finding an old version of Logic on PC. I use logic 5 and it does more than enough for me. I also have a MicroKorg which I use primarily as a controller for some soft synths.
Also, consider an evening course in Music Technology, you can learn sooo much from it.

[verbal]

I've played drums since I was 12, but I didn't stick with it like I should have. I can keep a beat though and have the curse of the drummer where I constantly have a beat in my head and drum on things with my hands. I also have tables and spin techno/techhouse. So I have a music background and understand how it all works.

I chose to learn Reason to start with just because I thought it would be a good place to learn the basics of producing, then obviously expanding from there. I have been reading up on Live and it seems like a great program.

Like I said, my main problem is when I sit down for a session in Reason, I just freeze up and don't know what to do with myself. I usually start by laying some drums down but when I listen to it, it feels so robotic. There's no feeling to it. I know it'll be this way since I'm just beginning, but it's discouraging. Not sure how to get around it.

Another issue I have is I don't know notes or how to read music. I have no music theory training at all, I just know what I've learned on my own-- structure, time, feeling, etc. So I feel if I do get a melody or whatever, that it's "wrong" because I don't know music theory. I mainly want to produce techno or techhouse, which it probably doesn't matter at all, but I can't help but think about it. For example, say I'm making a track and want to put some atmospheric synth in, like a continuous "ahhhh" tone in the background (Reason calls them "pads", not sure if that's a Reason term or universal term). I wonder if I can just go by ear with what sounds good or if I should match a key that's somewhere else in the track.

As you can probably tell, I overthink. It's a curse. I think part of my issue is I have a very systematic way of thinking. My brain always thinks in right way or wrong way. It's hard to break.

[Leon]

Originally Posted by verbal

I've played drums since I was 12, but I didn't stick with it like I should have. I can keep a beat though and have the curse of the drummer where I constantly have a beat in my head and drum on things with my hands. I also have tables and spin techno/techhouse. So I have a music background and understand how it all works.

I chose to learn Reason to start with just because I thought it would be a good place to learn the basics of producing, then obviously expanding from there. I have been reading up on Live and it seems like a great program.

Like I said, my main problem is when I sit down for a session in Reason, I just freeze up and don't know what to do with myself. I usually start by laying some drums down but when I listen to it, it feels so robotic. There's no feeling to it. I know it'll be this way since I'm just beginning, but it's discouraging. Not sure how to get around it.

Another issue I have is I don't know notes or how to read music. I have no music theory training at all, I just know what I've learned on my own-- structure, time, feeling, etc. So I feel if I do get a melody or whatever, that it's "wrong" because I don't know music theory. I mainly want to produce techno or techhouse, which it probably doesn't matter at all, but I can't help but think about it. For example, say I'm making a track and want to put some atmospheric synth in, like a continuous "ahhhh" tone in the background (Reason calls them "pads", not sure if that's a Reason term or universal term). I wonder if I can just go by ear with what sounds good or if I should match a key that's somewhere else in the track.

As you can probably tell, I overthink. It's a curse. I think part of my issue is I have a very systematic way of thinking. My brain always thinks in right way or wrong way. It's hard to break.

Pads is the universal name yes.

And just trust on your ears, man. If it sounds good, then it sounds good. I mostly make music for an hour and then stop for 5 minutes and listen to it again. Sometimes it sounds really sucky then. That might help too. sort of a "reality check" I call it.

Just do what feels right, that's what I do. I don't know music theory either, and some of my music is "liked" by others here on the forum. So if I can do it, you can do it.



Edit: I sometimes even like the fact that I don't know music theory or stuff like that. I like to think that if I did, I would be making my music the same way and using the same tricks over and over.

[King of Snake]

if you have a musical hearing you can get away with doing stuff by ear rather than by theory. Knowing a bit of theory never hurt anyone though.
Start by learning the theory behind scales and chords and playing them on the keyboard. Just by playing around with scales and chords you will get ideas for melodies.
Also, listen to records in the style you'd like to produce in and analyse how they work. What sounds do they use? Where are the sounds placed? (both in time and in the stereo field). How many sounds are playing at once? How do certain sounds work together? You could also try recreating bits of songs you like just to find out how they work.

[Leon]

Originally Posted by King of Snake

if you have a musical hearing you can get away with doing stuff by ear rather than by theory. Knowing a bit of theory never hurt anyone though.
Start by learning the theory behind scales and chords and playing them on the keyboard. Just by playing around with scales and chords you will get idea's for melodies.
Also, listen to records in the style you'd like to produce in and analyse how they work. What sounds do they use? Where are the sounds placed? (both in time and in the stereo field). How many sounds are playing at once? How do certain sounds work together? You could also try recreating bits of songs you like just to find out how they work.

Yeah when I first started I was heavily influenced by bigbeat (chemical brothers stuff) and just tried to create the same sorta beats. As you try to imitate the sound you'll end up learning quite some stuff.

[Renze]

If you buy any kind of gear or software, read the manual carefully and thoroughly, cos everything that machine you just bought can do, is in the manual. Then just start playing around with it, using the knowledge you learned by studying the manual. The manual of my Korg Poly 800 taught me a lot about subtractive synthesis.

Try out software sequencers like Ableton Live or Cubase..If you don't like them, try hardware sequencers. Buy a second hand Yamaha RM1x for € 200. If you don't like it, you probably won't have a hard time selling it again for the same price.