Any music producers out there on ATS?

Hey everyone, i just got the best present ever:

Ableton Live 7

It is the mother of all music production software and is going to take me forever to learn how to make my own music but as you can probably tell i am happy as larry about it

Any other music producers out there? What software do you use? And have you got any tips? because i haven't got a clue where to begin.

Up until a month ago I used steinberg cubase. But after my computer crashed and I was forced to Windows Vista, that software didnt work anymore. So I had to get Ableton. There are many features in Ableton that are better than other music production software...but there are some that are worse too.

In any case, its a LOT of fun and doesnt take that long to learn. Since I dont understand the "Session" Method, I always use the "Arrangement" method as learned with other programs.

Good luck to your production and all.

Up until a month ago I used steinberg cubase. But after my computer crashed and I was forced to Windows Vista, that software didnt work anymore. So I had to get Ableton. There are many features in Ableton that are better than other music production software...but there are some that are worse too.

In any case, its a LOT of fun and doesnt take that long to learn. Since I dont understand the "Session" Method, I always use the "Arrangement" method as learned with other programs.

Good luck to your production and all.

Cool i just uploaded my first ever tunes

www.isound.com...">Nu Mix

Have you got any tunes online anywhere?

If "Midnight Turntable" is the FIRST song you ever uploaded then you do have an ear for producing music. One can tell if someone "has it" from the very first tune.

Yeah, I have music uploaded here and there, but I keep a low profile about it at ATS. Uploaded two tracks of mine as BTS-Podcasts though.

Hey cheers buddy appreciate the compliment. Its about the 7th tune i've ever made but its the only one that even resembles a song. I'm like :bnghd: all the time at the moment.

Why keep the low profile on ATS?

low profile on music cuz its like two different departments: one is all about ats-talk & conspiracy, and the other all about music. I just seperate the two.


anyway...if you have any questions on using ableton or anything, just ask.
you know how to get free vst-instruments and all, right?

reply to post by Skyfloating


Ahhh i see what you mean about ATS and music. Oh well i do poetry, debate, discuss conspiracy and now i talk about music production as well lol.

I have not got the faintest how to get a VST or even what it is? I've played a drum sample with my pc keyboard and saved it as a clip. And i did that with something from the instrument folder. Is that what a VST is?

I'd like to think of myself as a music producer.

I work to understand the theories of music and then I pudtz around the computer and make uniform associated noises.

However, I've not yet, not sure I'll ever, personally be "happy" with my productions, so that I'd want to pass it around.

I've passed some bits before and well, everyone's a Fn Crique.

Right now I use Adobe Aduiton. I also have some basic looping "Fruit loops 3" software for building basic uniform beats.

As through Adobe you have to cut each sound to a mathmatical length to then create a looping sound.

I like to explore sounds rather then used other peoples sound books.

I find tapping on a crystal glass, bell sounds, and other less used sounds can make for an intresting arangement.

Say if you want to write a song about cooking or food, you can then use kitchen sounds, knife hitting cutting block, pans, all kinds of sounds to provide major componet pieces of the song.

I'd like to say I'm a music producer, but it is more a mental hobbie.

I believe lyrics are the major part of any song, and that songs should be built upon the lyrics. I've not yet mastered, to my joy, the ability to putforth lyrics.

You can't disagree, the very origin of modern music comes from traveling minstrals whom use to repeat news across the lands in form of songs.

Well,

you´re gonna have so much more fun if you know what VST is. VST is short for "Virtual Instrument". Another name for Virtual Instrument is "Plug-In". If you use abtleton live, then on the left side, below the instruments folder you have a "plug" symbol. Thats where "VST-plug-ins" belong. Most VSTs are somewhat expensive, but you can also get a lot of them for free by going to www.kvraudio.com. Look up the "plug-in-member-ratings" and sort by "free plug-ins". Download a few, put them into the appropriate folder. You can only open them with a HOST, such as ableton.

This way you can get guitars, pianos, percussion, tons of synthesizers, virtual drum machines and whatever else your heart desires.

If you need more help, let me know.

reply to post by Skyfloating


Fantastic thanks, do you know any good ones for making a vocal trance loop. I don't mean for the vocals themselves but the harmonic trance beats and melody.

reply to post by Incarnated


I've had ableton for a week now and im already putting my tunes out there. The music i have created isn't my preferred type of genre neither but i like them because there mine and thats all i can make at the moment using abletons built in library.

I like the alternative idea though do you have any examples i could hear?

That goes for you to skyfloating?

www.kvraudio.com...


For trance type stuff, go to that page and Download 1,3,4,13 (as the ranking is TODAY).

That will let you get to know what VST is and what it can do.

There´s two types of ways to make music: With VST or with sampled loops. Samples are good for beginners, but sooner or later you´ll want to get more creative and sound different from others. So its good to start early in making your own stuff. Later on then you´ll have a good mix of sampled stuff and self-made stuff.

Should you ever be able to pay money for VSTs, go right here www.kvraudio.com... and buy 14, 12, 28, 39 if you like doing trance stuff.

But first, get to know what vst is.

Every VST has a collection of "Presets" that are pre-created sounds that were made with the instrument. As a beginner, you will probably be using several of the pre-created sounds, the "pre-sets".

[edit on 16-12-2007 by Skyfloating]

oh yeah....I sure hope you have an external MIDI-USB-Keyboard or something. Otherwise it´ll be tiresome trying to play all those instruments.

Keyboards like that are usually available for 99 dollars or so.

Originally posted by Argos
reply to post by Incarnated

 

I like the alternative idea though do you have any examples i could hear?

I wish! I often end up scrapping mostly everything, and what doesn't get trashed gets stuck somewhere in the deep dark file backup disk system.

My problem is I'm a perpetual perfectionist. I couldn't put anything out before I think it's perfect, and nothing is perfect.

I'm working on that however. lol

I have a higher quality stero multitrack digital recorder.

When ever I hear a "sound/noise" I find particualrly intresting I'll take it and record it with a shotgun mic.

When you have understanding that "music" is just a set of sounds in a set of sound frequencies, you can put the sounds together in some muiscal way.

It's also good to always have a real or synth instrument.

I used Music Sculptor and Windows 3.11 ...and only the pc-keyboard and mouse. I used Cakewalk-something as well for some editing/mixing, but I don't remember which version.

Thread here:

www.belowtopsecret.com...


I've even uploaded some of it to YouTube. Like this one:

reply to post by Skyfloating


Yeah i should think about that but i dont know how to play any instruments lol.

At the moment i turn on draw using a VST [ha ha now i know what one is] and just draw my notes in while looping that section. When i get a beat i like, i make a couple of variations. Then i just use some of Abletons built in library of riffs and leads then hey presto arrange it and you have a tune.

If i tried to be anymore technical than that i'd probably have no chance. Takes me about 5-6 hours to make a tune at the moment. When i get to 10 tunes i'm gonna stop making and go back and do remixes with all ten.

BTW that audio rv site is brilliant as soon as i make a tune with their sounds i'll put it up so you can listen.

reply to post by Hellmutt


lol that was quality i loved it. had a real dark but comical feel to it.

You dont have to be able to play an instrument. Thats not what this is all about. A USB-MIDI-Keyboard is for being able to operate VST-Instruments more flexibly. Once you really want to get serious about this and take 2 hours instead of 6 hours to make a tune, consider it. The Forum at the website I referred to will get you going.

Well i've downloaded ugo rez and crystal vst's based on your advice just about to get started. I have the feeling my head is going to be hurting over the next few hours trying to figure these out but here goes.