Music Production 101: How To Start Producing Music

Today, with affordable (or even free) software-based tools for music production widely available, it’s increasingly normal for a “producer” to be solely responsible for an entire track – from writing, to performing, arranging, recording, mixing, and even mastering. Sometimes known as a “bedroom” producer, these lone-wolves have, in a few short years, made an indelible mark on music culture as a whole; “In the box” production (i.e. entirely made within a computer) has become standard across many genres, the hip-hop world has been turned upside down by undiscovered young producers selling incredible beats online, and platinum-selling pop albums have been made in literal bedrooms.

And that’s the kind of producer we’re talking about here. Could that be you? Read on for a Music Production 101 – less of a step-by-step guide and more of a roadmap to this expansive subject. Without digging too far into any one area, we’ll lay out everything you need to know and provide all the links you need to follow your chosen rabbit holes and begin mastering your craft (or simply refreshing your knowledge!) We’ll start from the basics of how to start producing music, move on to recording basics, then finding and shaping your sound, and finally mixing and mastering your track. And read to the end for some further suggestions on how to continue evolving your craft.

Before you start, however, be sure to check out KOMPLETE START – a free set of studio-quality synths, sampled instruments, effects, loops, and samples to get you started (don’t worry – we’ll explain exactly what all of these are later on!).

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Contents

• Step 1: How to get started in music production
  • Choose a DAW
  • Select your sounds and samples
  • Think about audio output

• Step 2: Set up for recording your (real or virtual) instruments and sounds
  • Recording live sounds
  • Using a MIDI controller
  • Add audio effects

• Step 3: Express yourself
  • How to find your sound
  • The elements of a track
  • Sound design

• Step 4: Mix and master your track
  • Mixing
  • Mastering

• Step 5: Take it further – resources for learning music production

Step 1: How to get started in music production

Modern music production takes full advantage of digital tools, allowing you to build a powerful, custom recording studio inside your computer. Music production software isn’t just for electronic music – traditional live instruments and orchestral scores are increasingly composed, recorded, and processed digitally.

Choose a DAW

A Digital Audio Workstation, or DAW, is the central command center for your whole production—a platform for recording tracks, laying out arrangements, applying effects, and mixing levels. This is your primary piece of software. There are different ‘industry standard’ DAWs on the market, each with a unique approach to the same base workflow—arrange tracks in a grid window, apply effects to individual channels, and adjust levels using the mixer.

Whether you record live sounds or virtual instruments, everything runs through the DAW interface.