Want to produce, where to start?

[verbal]

I'm just curious how some of you guys started producing and how you evolved to where you are now.

I've been reading a Reason v3.0 book. I have this feeling that I want to make music but when I sit down I just get so overwhelmed I don't know what to do with myself. Just wondering how you guys started and if you have any tips on how to start out. Thanks.

[adam]

Buy some blow.

[Ally]

If you have a PlayStation pick up one of the Music games.

[Leon]

Well I got Reason 2.5.

It will take you quite some time to learn everything and to actually make a complete song.

I just jammed and jammed for like 2 years, and then slowly I started to make actual songs/tracks. Even now I jam more than I make songs... Just to try out stuff and learn tricks by myself. I haven't read any Reason books. I have no money for that heh.

[bxsci]

Verbal, my advice is to concentrate on mastering one aspect of producing at a time. For example, I do most of my sampling and sequencing on an MPC 2000 (Midi Production Center), and then I record the instrumental and vocal tracks into Digital Performer, however I usually devote a fair amount of time to just gathering sounds and sampling them, and then just sequencing, etc. I find that if you are able to devote enough time to these individual tasks you become pretty good at putting the pieces together later as opposed to trying to do everything at once.do you play an instrument? While not necessary it can help you get oriented.

I peronally believe that a HUGE part of production is finding the right SOUNDS/SAMPLES. If you're not starting with good sounds the basic foundation of your tracks will be weak.

[viddy]

I just messed around for a long time until I got a handle of everything. That's the key I think, is to just play around and experiment and eventualy you'll get it. I started out with something more simple than Reason, which is just intimidating to look at for a newcomer. I just used music loops in Acid Pro, and with that learn how things work little by little. Then once you're pretty good at that, I think it would be good to move up to something like Reason, which works quite differently than loops in Acid. The same principles apply to both, only it's easier to learn with something like music loops in Acid.

[Professor]

buy a keyboard, and a half ounce of the best pot you can find. and a good pair of headphones. don't try to be a "serious" producer from the start. have some fun, learn your machinery, or software. use some caution however, those all in one software programs are dangerous to beginners....just remember, anyone who buys it gets ALL that same stuff too. i'd say go with what's natural, build on the musical knowledge you already have and explore. don't get a groove box and think you can go out and do a techno set in three weeks. and prepare to dissapear from public view, and lose your girlfriend, and your friends for that matter. save money for coffee, food and weed and gear. mostly gear. good monitors will eventually be an issue, as will a computer. give up thinking about being original, you either are or aren't. if you aren't, try not to worry about it, but just do what you do the best you can. you might suck. be ready for this realization. you might not....be ready for this too.

that's all i got.

oh, and listen to dirty radio today from noon-2

[adam]

Prof's advice is good.

Most important thing: try and focus on having fun (the process) instead of the end result (the product). If you're not having fun, you won't like the product, and the more fun you have, the better your stuff will get anyway.

I would also advise against Reason. I don't like it. There are lots of people who disagree with me. Reason might be good to start with, but eventually you'll probably want to get away from it, and you need to decide if the investment is worth it if you know it's temporary. It will, however, help you sort out what else you need.

Spend money slowly. It's easy to decide that you would be so much better if you just bought such-and-such. It's easy to allow that mentality to trick you into buying stuff you don't actually need. For example, I have three synths. I use one. The first two I didn't know what I needed. I don't know how to prevent you from falling in the same trap, because the shortcomings of those two synths helped me figure out what I actually needed from the third, but if you're aware of that, it might help.

[Emmet]

get yourself a 'quick guide to' book or somesuch on whatever program you fancy using. A lot of software apps seem complicated however the trick is to take it step by step, star with the easy stuff and do a little bit at a time.

Reason is a good place to start.

[Future Proof]

I would as well advise against using only Reason. While it is decent software, it is very unfriendly to improvisation, which is IMO where the best music comes from. I would instead Get Ableton Live, then do a search for a free soft synth, such as Crystal. And if you have money left over get a keyboard as well.