Comprehensive List of Books Relating to Music Production and Creative Growth

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On Composition:

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Making Music: 74 Creative Strategies - Dennis DeSantis
Amazon Link
This is a fantastic book. Each page has a general idea on boosting creativity, workflow, and designing sounds and tracks.


Music Theory for Computer Musicians - Michael Hewitt
Amazon Link
Really easy to digest book on music theory, as it applies to your DAW. Each DAW is used in the examples, so it is not limited to a specific program. Highly recommend this for someone starting out with theory to improve their productions.


Secrets of Dance Music Production - David Felton
Amazon Link
This book I recently picked up and so far it's been quite good. It goes over all the different elements of what make's dance music, and get's quite detailed. More geared towards the beginner, but it was engaging nonetheless. It is the best 'EDM specific' production book I have read.


Ocean of Sound - David Troop
Amazon Link

Very well written and interesting book on ambient music. Not only does David go over the technical side and history of ambiance and musical atmospheres, he speaks very poetically about creating these soundscapes and how they relate to our interpersonal emotions.


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On Audio Engineering:

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Mixing Secrets for the Small Studio - Mike Senior
Amazon Link
In my opinion, this is the best mixing reference book for both beginners and intermediate producers. Very in-depth book that covers everything from how to set-up for accurate listening to the purpose of each mixing and mastering plug-in. Highly recommended.


Zen and the Art of Mixing - Mixerman
Amazon Link
Very interesting read in that it deals with the why's more than the how's. Mixerman, a professional audio engineer, goes in detail to talk about the mix engineer's mindset, how to approach projects, and how to make critical mixing decisions. Really fun read.


The Mixing Engineer's Handbook - Bobby Owinski
Amazon Link
This is a fantastic companion book to keep around. Not only does Owinski go into great technical detail, he includes interviews from various audio engineers that I personally found very helpful and inspiring.


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On the Industry:

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All You Need to Know About the Music Business - Donald S. Passman
Amazon Link
This book is simply a must read for anyone hoping to make a professional career out of music, anyone wanting to start their own record label, or anyone interested in how the industry works. It's a very informative book for any level of producer, and is kept up-to-date with the frequent revisions. Buy it.


Rick Rubin: In the Studio - Jake Brown
Amazon Link
Very interesting read that is a semi-biographical book on Rick Rubin. It is not so personal as it is talking about his life, experiences, and processes. It does get quite technical when referring to the recording process, but there are better books for technical info. This is a fun read on one of the most successful producers in history.


Behind the Glass - Howard Massey
Amazon Link
A collection of interviews from a diverse range of musicians who speak about creativity, workflows, and experiences in the music industry. Really light, easy to digest book.


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On Creativity:

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The War of Art - Steven Pressfield
Amazon Link
This is a must-read, in my opinion, for any creative individual. It is a very philosophical book on dealing with our own mental battles as an artist, and how to overcome them. Definitely pick this one up, all of you.


This is Your Brain on Music - Daniel S. Levitin
Amazon Link
A book written by a neurologist on the psychology of music and what makes us attached to it. It's a fairly scientific book but it is a very rewarding read with some great ideas.


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On Personal Growth and Development:

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How to Win Friends and Influence People - Dale Carnegie
Amazon Link
Although this seems like an odd book for a music producer, personally I think this is one of the most influential books I've ever read. Knowing how to be personable, effectively network, and form relationships is extremely important in our industry. Whether it be meeting and talking to labels, meeting other artists, or getting through to A&R, this book helps with all these areas and I suggest this book to all of you.


7 Habits of Highly Effective People - Stephen R. Covey
Amazon Link
Similar to the recommendation above, although not directly linked to music, I assure you reading this book will change your views on life. It is a very engaging and practical book, and gets you in the right mindset to be successful in your life and music career. Trust me on this one and give it a read.


Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience - Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
Amazon Link
You know the feeling when you're really in the groove of jamming out and all worries tend to slip away for those moments? That is the 'Optimal Experience' according to the author. This book will teach you about that experience, and how to encourage and find it in your work. This is a very challenging, immersive, and enlightening read, which deals with the bigger picture and finding happiness in your work and life. Very inspiring book that puts you in a good mindset when you're doing creative work.


The Art of Work - Jeff Goins
Amazon Link
A very fascinating book that looks at taking your passion (music in our case) and making the most of it. It guides you on how to be successful and turn your passion into your career. Some very interesting sections touching on dealing with failure, disappointment, and criticism, yet listening to your intuition and following your passion. Inspiring and uplifting book to say the least.


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Happy reading!

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Hi! I'm not a professional by any means, but on my days off I'll play guitar and do recordings here and there for at least a few hours. Let me try and answer all your questions here:

I was in the same spot as you were a few years ago. Definitely start recording in Garageband. People may hate on Garageband a bit, but it provided a solid foundation for me on learning how to use recording software. From the knowledge I've gained with playing around in that software for awhile, I've been able to jump to other recording software with a significant reduction in a learning curve. The best way to start is to just jump right into it.

Garageband has a pretty solid set of different amp effects for your guitar if you just want to plug it into the software and record. I'm not familiar with the thr10c amp and what it can do, but I picked up a Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01E6T56EA/ref=twister_B06WWQP2YN?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1) a few years back and it works great with Garageband (you just plug it into a USB on your computer and Garageband will recognize it). With the Focusrite pre-amp (or any pre-amp really) you plug your guitar/mic/whatever into it and it converts it into a digital format that plays right into your recording software. That's a pretty simple explanation on how it works, but once you get it running (Garageband > Preferences > Audio/MIDI) you can mess with your guitar sound and record it. I use the Focusrite not just for guitars, but for my condenser mic as well.

I would recommend going all in and just record in Garageband. You'll learn a lot just by going through the process and playing around with it, even if it is a bit intimidating at first. There are plenty of tutorials on YouTube detailing how to go through the Garageband recording process.

Garageband has a feature on it called a Smart Drummer (I think?) where you can choose the style of drumming you want and modulate various factors of it quite easily (Loud/Soft, Simple/Complex). I go back and forth on that feature a bit because it is convenient for getting some good sounding drums pretty fast, but it is tough if you're wanting to physically create your own drum beats (which you can do, it's just not as user friendly as other DAWs in my opinion). It will, in my opinion, sound better than just recording the drum beat on the Boss Loop Pedal.

As I've already said a few times, the best way to learn how to record is to just go through the process and play around with it -- you'll learn a lot each time you do that. I used Garageband for awhile to create basic recordings and I have nothing but good things to say about it if you're using it for that purpose. Once you become comfortable in Garageband with the recording process and begin to find yourself limited with what it can do, I would recommend either jumping to Logic, ProTools, Studio One 3 (which I currently use), or any other DAW that you prefer. Garageband holds your hand a bit, but it's a solid foundation for learning how to record on your own. Message me if you have any other questions, and I'll try to answer them for you!

The quality of sounds that you're going to get out of built in keyboard samples aren't going to measure up to sample libraries. Buying NI's Komplete is a good place to start, but from there, you'll need to expand based on the type of work you're going to do.

For more orchestral stuff, I'd suggest looking into the following:

LA Scoring Strings/Hollywood Strings/Cinematic Strings for String Libraries

Cinesamples Hollywoodwinds/Vienna Symphonic Winds for your wind libraries

Project Sam True Strike 1 and 2, plus 8Dio, EastWest, and Vienna for Percussion

Hollywood Brass/Cinebrass/EastWest for Brass.

Symphobia 1 and 2 for FX and layering.

However, since it sounds like you're new to working with samples, you might want to look into starting off with East West Symphonic Orchestra Gold, or one of the other packages available at soundsonline.com.

For Synth stuff, Omnisphere is a good place to start, I'd also highly recommend u-he's Zebra as well.


Once you get a selection of libraries to start working with, you should start learning how to program them. The MIDI Guide to Orchestration is a good book to start with.

Also, join V-I Control and become an active member. There are quite a few people on there that are professionals, and most of the forum is quite good with sequencing/mixing/etc. They'll be able to help you get up to speed with your midi programming skills, which are necessary for making your mockups and cues sound realistic.


There are literally thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of options out there for sample libraries/synths/etc. out there. Google around for what you think you'll need based on what instruments you could see yourself composing with (on the computer), and have at it. To help make things simpler, visualize the composing template/palette you'd like to start off working with and purchase to meet that goal.


Best of luck!

For anything that involves advanced music theory, or more technical elements of music, your best bet (IMHO) is to stay clear from jazz/rock books or anything "popular" and read from traditional academic/classical composers. That is, if you're looking to understand music from a more historic point of view of how is was used, and how it worked for hundreds of years and how it still works today.

There are tons of good books out there, but off the top of my head I reccomend:

Regarding the art of counterpoint:


Preliminary exercises in Counterpoint - Schoenberg

Also, you could check out the traditional Fux's Study of Counterpoint, but I think Schoenberg's book is far more complete and incentive.

Regarding the art of Harmony:


For a long time I've always thought that books could educate you in any way, until I met my harmony teacher. After studying with her for a couple years I find it hard to believe how much information, technique, and art is missing from almost every book on the subject, some are exceptions, obviously, but my recommendation is that there is no better way of learning this but with personal intruction. Also, the teacher needs to be someone who has had a strong education in music from well-known masters of the past, as was my teacher.

Anyways, regarding harmony in the more poetical and theoretical sense I reccomend :

Rameau's Treatise on Harmony

and of course, Schoenberg's Theory of Harmony

For a more technical approach to harmony I haven't found any books I'm really fond of, but I do think that Paul Hindemith's book is a very good option.

For something in the middle I recommend this

Regarding form and structure in music:


Once again, I have never seen information and instruction similar to that which I received with my professors, however here are a few good picks...

Schoenberg's Fundamentals of musical composition

and 2 books that I found very useful were...
(these I didn't find on amazon.com)

from German composer Clemens Kuhn: "Formenlehre der Musik" (this is only in German)

and from Spanish composer Joaquin Zamacois: "Curso de Formas Musicales" (this is only in Spanish I believe)

Well, surely there are more books, but I think these are good options for you to start. However, always with a grain of salt

Agreed. You CAN us an SM57 for vocals. In fact, I know some musicians that use those for when they play live. But, just for bedroom recording, a condenser mic will be much more suited. What type of music are you guys making? If he's going to be yelling/screaming, the 57 will do (it'll be quiet on the Scarlett if he's just going to sing regularly is what I'm saying). As would any dynamic mic I would think. The condenser mic though utilizes the 48v phantom power on the Scarlett and they usually are better at picking up quieter sounds like singing, acoustic guitars, etc... SM57s are great for things like snare drums and stuff like that. But as far as condenser mics, I can vouch for the Rode NT1a. It's just a bit more expensive than what you're saying, but man... it really sounds incredible for vocals. Awesome mic. Anyway... That's my two cents. PM me if you want to talk more. That's an awesome present too btw. Oh! Good call on the Focusrite too. They make great shit. But yep, I hope he likes whatever you end up getting. :-)

USB sends midi information to the computer, hun!

https://www.plogue.com/products/sforzando/

this soundfont player has a nice standalone player!

https://www.plogue.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?t=7090

there are lots of free soundfonts, but the garritan jazz piano that comes with this is really, really nice and I highly recommend it.

Use the soundcard you have, friend! If you're not recording 1/4" or XLR in, you don't need an external soundcard.

http://www.reaper.fm/

here's a DAW I'd highly recommend! Record your piano in midi clips on there to a metronome (or simple drum loop), you can load sforzando in Reaper as a VST

https://www.amazon.com/Drum-Programming-Complete-Program-Drummer/dp/0931759544

here's a book on drum programming! You can easily find a pdf of it on the internet, download some drum samples, n get going with composition.

Youtube is a really good resource for you also!!! Find yourself piano, theory, and composition lessons n give em your all

Good luck friend

Honestly, you could just be a freelancer, so you can have a lot of free time to work on music when you want to. I freelanced about 25-30 hours a week at peak "work" (still leaves a lot of free time for music) and these days I rarely take on clients now that the music side is paying off. :)

Also, if you're 17, and music is your first love, you should really consider a career in the industry. It's not a pipe dream like so many would have you believe. If you like pop music, especially. Get out to LA, learn to produce, write, or sing (ideally all 3) and, if you're good, you'll get hired. 6-7 digit salaries aren't uncommon in the music industry out here. Publishers will put a good composer/producer on salary, and royalties on a major hit pay very well (if you have a decent deal in place).

Also, outside of production & writing, you can get a job in the industry doing a whole lot of other stuff: A&R, management, publishing. Passman's book is a good starting place for learning about that stuff. Max Martin can be one inspiration on how to completely dominate the pop scene.

Also in the intersection of music + tech is Techstars Music Accelerator, a startup incubator for music industry ideas.

Seriously, don't discount how much money is in the music industry. Behind every rich artist is a huuuuge mass of songwriters, producers, managers, engineers, and publishers also getting pretty rich.

Well the first issue you talk about-- the assignment of notes in your chords to instruments of the orchestra-- is orchestration. Here are a couple of good textbooks that cover that:

• http://www.amazon.com/Instrumentation-Orchestration-Alfred-Blatter/dp/0534251870
  
  
• http://www.amazon.com/Study-Orchestration-Third-Samuel-Adler/dp/039397572X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1411570334&sr=1-1&keywords=orchestration
  
  The other issues are covered by some of the topics in "voice leading." It sounds like you have an understanding of chord progression, but things like harmonic rhythm or how fast chords change is also covered in voice leading. Many of those decisions are yours to make and that's what makes it fun! Some composers will create a harmonic rhythm that they will use to create a structure throughout the piece. I am a professional composer and would be happy to answer any other questions. Good luck!

A counter-melody is a 'less important' melody played against the primary melody. Historically there was a period when playing multiple melodies against each other was the absolute essence of music, and folks like Bach dominated (called 'counterpoint' music). A very famous example, that is 'simple' so easy to follow is Bach's Invention #1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xzU7xQmmXGE

His 'inventions' were for two melodies. He also wrote 'sinfonias' which were for three voices, and are a bit more complex, for example his Sinfonia No.2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UoZwnXDjbV0

Listening to this with headphones while trying to consciously follow all melodies is quite a peculiar experience. :)

And if you want to feel depressed and talentless, check from 10:54: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9XCUcZ5KK7Q. Here he starts with the primary melody and then has the second melody join. This is exhausting to *really* listen to and my peanut brain is too small to ever hope to play something like this. Shredding? Sure, I can start slow, practice a ton and end up fast. But having both hands play *this* independently? Awe-inspiring. Sitting down and composing this on a piece of paper almost 400 years ago? Madness. :D

In baroque counterpoint the goal is to make every melody interesting in and of themselves, and make it sound 'effortless harmoniously together'. It should sound like these melodies were born together. In practice this aint easy at all and you'll be tempted to see one as the 'primary melody' and the others as 'subservient' where you can take shortcuts to make them fit the main melody. At that point it is no longer true counterpoint but you can still call it a counter-melody. Taken further you'll have things like arpeggios; parts that obviously fit the primary melody but are themselves so bland they are clearly accompaniment instead of a melody in their own right.

If you're interested, a very well-regarded (though rather pedantic) book that starts at the basic and offers exercises is the many century old https://www.amazon.com/Study-Counterpoint-Johann-Joseph-Parnassum/dp/0393002772. If you want to go *really* old-school you can go as close to the original here: http://hz.imslp.info/files/imglnks/usimg/3/31/IMSLP370587-PMLP187246-practicalrulesfo00fuxj.pdf

I think it'll help most songwriters/composers to know the basics, even if you dont care about classical counterpoint at all. :)

Hey, I’m kind of a book junkie when it comes to common practice stuff, so I’m gonna throw a bunch of em at ya. The common practice era of composition can be broken down into 3 major fields of study: Form/Composition, Harmony and Orchestration. Form/composition is about how music develops over time harmonically and melodically. Harmony is about how vertical sonorities interact with one another, this is one of the most fleshed out aspects of music theory. Orchestration, usually the capstone discipline, dives into how groups of instruments interact with one another on a harmonic level and a melodic one. Harmony+composition can be studied simultaneously considering there is so much overlap, orchestration usually comes after you have a middling understanding of the other two subjects.

There are a bunch of free online materials on these subjects, but here is my personal favorite:
http://openmusictheory.com/contents.html

There are also a few free books on harmony, orchestration and composition, but most of them were published a very long time ago. As a consequence, you may run into outdated or poorly explained concepts.

Harmony:

Guide to the Practical Study of Harmony

Orchestration:

Principles of Orchestration

Composition:

Fundamentals of music Composition

Exercises in Melody Writing

Most of the stuff with comprehensive+up to date information on these subjects is going to be something you pay for. Here are my favorite textbooks. One thing I value in a textbook is an accompanying workbook and/or some sort of exercise based learning, so I’ll be listing the workbooks (if applicable) as well.

Melody in Songwriting

Craft of Musical Composition Parts One and Two

Models For Beginners in Composition

Harmonic Practice in Tonal Music

Workbook for Harm Practice

The Study of Orchestration

Workbook for The Study of Orchestration

This isn’t an exhaustive list but it’s pretty solid.


Recording orchestras is out of reach for most, so you’ll probably need some good VSTs to use and some knowledge of how to make them sound ‘real’. Building an orchestra template is key to making music quickly and efficiently. It’s a massive headache to have to wait for Kontakt to load and instrument every time you want to add a flute or violin to your score. Here are the basics of what you’ll need:


Woodwinds:

Flutes

Clarinets

Saxophones

Oboes

Bassoons



Brass:

French horns

Trumpets

Trombones

Tubas

“Low brass”


Strings:

1st Violins

2nd Violins

Violas

Cellos

Bass

First chairs of each


Others:

PIANOS

Harps

Choirs

Guitars

Vibraphones

Glockenspiels

Etc


Orchestral percussion

Concert Toms

Taikos

Snares

Concert bass drums


Here are some places to get all of that:

Audio Bro (the ARC system is awesome)

Spitfire

8Dio

Orchestral Tools (my favorite)

CineSamples

EastWest Sounds

Heres a resource to make all of that stuff sound ‘real’. It’s a lot more difficult then you may think.

The Guide to MIDI Orchestration 4e

Not that I can think of. I just took mine out of the case, just the device and the USB cable. It draws power from the USB, so no power cord. Comes with some software too, but it's not a real DAW or anything really good tbh.

----

FYI-
The Akai MPK Mini pretty cheap (new) on amazon, btw ($100). Goes on sale sometimes (was @$80 at xmas IIRC). Same price on sweetwater.

https://www.amazon.com/Akai-Professional-MPK-Mini-Controller/dp/B00IJ6QAO2

White limited edition is back in stock too ($100). Only differs cosmetically, but some people like it.
https://www.amazon.com/Akai-Professional-Mini-MKII-White/dp/B01M13A6JT

Also, for the sake of diversity, the Launchkey Mini 25 at @$100. (New) Launchkey comes with Ableton Live Lite (a DAW). They make quality stuff, too but it's Ableton oriented. That's a plus because you basically get a free version of the introductory version of a great DAW. That's a minus though if you try Ableton and decide it's not for you (the major DAWs are all good, it's really preference at the high levels of stuff like Ableton, Logic, FL, etc).

https://www.amazon.com/Novation-Launchkey-Keyboard-Controller-LAUNCHKEY-MINI-MK2/dp/B00VVNOMGI

Why not both! The theory is the same, it's just the hand skills that are different. You'll probably find yourself gravitating to one or the other which is fine. Practice 30min - 1hour a day and you should pick it up pretty quickly. Tons of online tutorials for both instruments, just make sure you actually play along and do the exercises because just watching isn't good enough. Money wise you could get both a uke and mini keyboard for under $200 total.

​

Kala makes cheap ukuleles that sound pretty damn good. Their more expensive ones are good too, but no need to spend that much yet. Lohanu's are super popular and sound good as well.

Soprano is the more traditional size, Concert is a little bigger with a bit more fret spacing which is nice if you have big hands.

Ukes:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01F543PAW

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B015XD4YLY

Useful accessories:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01JI3XDDK

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001QL1EZC

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07MC5TMJB

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01D1N49MC

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00004RALL

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Midi Keyboards (Note: these connect to your computer):

Komplete Kontrol M32 (best software bundle by far)

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07N2VQ1NH

Arturia MiniLab MkII 25

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MSNIVKE

Akai MPK Mini MKII

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00IJ6QAO2

Novation Launchkey Mini 25

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00VVNOMGI

​

Too lazy to do useful accessories for this at the moment.

The Arturia Minilab Mk2 isn't bad, but I think the Launchkey Mini Mk2 is better. I've found I don't use the knobs as often as I'd thought, the extra pads are a more than welcome exchange for it. Plus, it has easy-to-install drivers, works with most DAWs, and great feel on the keys for the price, too.

Make sure you get what works for your workflow. If more knobs are better, then go for that. If having more pads readily available without having to press any buttons is better, go for the Launchkey.

Another option is the Akai MPK Mini Mk2 but I've heard it can be really wonky with certain software.

It's tough and I'm still there often.

One thing that has helped is looking at the arrangement of a reference track. Import a good reference track in the style you want to produce in your DAW as audio. Then go through every ~16 bar section or so and write down notes on what is happening. Not specifics but more like: "White noise intro" or "start of kicks" or "bridge", "chorus", "drop", etc.

If your DAW supports it try to write the notes directly on the timeline, many DAWs now a days support that by tagging tracks or sections and applying a label.

Then remove the reference track. You now have a 'template' with notes. Try to fill it in as best as possible from those notes.

I also recommend this book, it's pretty good: https://smile.amazon.com/Making-Music-Strategies-Electronic-Producers-ebook/dp/B00WHXYZG8/

Mods, this shit should be on the sidebar. I've personally explained it here like 10 times over the years and I've read it explained by others in great detail dozens and dozens of other times and I'm not even on here that often.

If you give your own music away for free no one cares what you do.

If you sell your own music you are talking about two things: ownership of the recording and ownership of the composition. This is called publishing rights. You can be your own publisher (composition) and your own label (recording). It's smart to start thinking of it this way now to get your head around it. Start thinking like a business.

Labels sell the recordings they own. Publishers collect publishing royalties and they split them with the artists. The composition royalties get split between the publisher and the artist. The recording royalties get split between the publisher and the label, and then the label may further split that shit out to the artist if the artist is smart when they sign.

Back in the day there were publishers and there were labels and very rarely were they merged into the same company, but nowadays the idea of an indie label that acts as both, or a licensing company that does a little of both here and there, or an artist who does it all for his/herself is very common because lots of cool people and technology dudes and dudettes have made it so easy.

When you are in your situation, you can self-release to an aggrigator like CDbaby or TunrCore who distributes for you and collects a fee for offering this service. THIS IS WHAT I SUGGEST DOING. It's been a while since I've done this but back in the day you had to have a whole album to do it because it makes financial sense for them. That may be different now. There are other aggrigators that allow you to just release singles, but I don't know which ones are still around.

You can also self-release directly to iTunes but I think that's silly because using an aggrigator is so fucking amazing.

To bottom-line this, lets discuss business. In business, when you own something, you can do WHATEVER THE FUCK YOU WANT WITH SOMETHING YOU OWN. So it doesn't matter what you do as long as you aren't under contract with someone else. If you self-release and then somehow get picked up by a label (yes, labels have their own distribution who sometimes are just aggrigators like CDbaby) then they'll make you write up a contract with them and who cares? They certainly won't. You just pull your shit off iTunes and relist with them. Of course you'll want to read all the shit you sign with iTunes, etc. to make sure that that's possible to do before you self-release. I can't keep up with it.

Starting a label is easy. Getting attention is hard.

Read this like 5 times:

https://www.amazon.com/Need-Know-About-Music-Business/dp/1451682468

AKG-K240. They're $67 right now!

What I love about them:

• Been using my pair for +3 years, they still work! (albeit with replacement cushions/cable)
  
• open back, but still covers the ears. You can have a conversation with these on.
  
• the cable disconnects at both ends! meaning if it frays, you can replace it without replacing the whole thing. It also means you can get longer cables, coiled cables, etc. if your habits change. This may seem like a small thing, but trust me - buying an extra cable is a helluva lot cheaper than shelling out dough for a whole other pair of headphones with longer reach.
  
• I find it gives more mid/low range than most other monitoring headphones. Which makes for a more pleasant listening experience, but it isn't so much that you can't tell what's going on or anything. Just means you can kinda listen to regular music in them and still have a good time (which by the way, is highly recommended for learning to mix in headphones anyway)
  
  The one potential disadvantage to open-ear headphones would be that if someone's recording vocals on them, you might get some bleed from the backing track into the recording. But I haven't found that to be a huge issue.
  
  Personally I've tried the MDR-7506, but I gotta say I'm not a huge fan of the general fit or sound. Completely a subjective thing though. At the end of the day you'll have to learn to listen through them, like with any pair of headphones.

He might be interested in Renoise. It is, in many ways, like a full-fledged-digital-audio-workstation (music software) version of LSDJ. It has some features that seem to be unique to itself and LSDJ, such as sequencable sub-patterns.

You might consider grabbing him a copy of the Korg DS-10 if he doesn't already have it. It's a nice piece of software, all things considered. This is distinctly different from the Korg DSN-12 or Korg M01D available for the 3DS. As far as I can tell, it's only available on cartridge. There's the original for the Nintendo DS classic and an upgraded version for the 3DS that I've never seen in the wild.

The QuNexus keyboard is awesome, (I've got a nice 49-key and still want one) and while it's similar to his Axiom, it's a bit more expressive, and it would serve as a nice supplement to his limited 25 keys, as he could set it to a different octave and use both keyboards in tandem as one 4-octave keyboard.

Also, if he doesn't have a pair, I'm sure he'd appreciate some decent headphones for the road. These and these are decent examples.

If circumaural headphones are ok, I can recommend the Sony MDR-V6's, I've been using one or another pair of them for the last 3 or 4 years I believe although recently I was looking at giving the KRK KNS-6400's a shot.

Headphones can be a really personal choice what with desired frequency response, how the ear pads feel on your head, what they're like to wear for 8 hours straight (if you need to), etc. For instance, while I've been using the MDR-V6's for between 4-12 hours a day for the last couple of years, I have a friend who can't stand the sound of them.

In general when looking at headphone stuff (which is not THAT often considering I haven't switched models in so long), I usually end up at head-fi.org. In particular this thread always sticks out in my memory:

http://www.head-fi.org/t/433318/shootout-113-portable-headphones-reviewed-alpha-design-labs-adl-h118-added-07-15-14

Which is a budget-separated list of reviews of about 113 different pairs of headphones from $10 Koss wrap-arounds to other pairs from Audio Technica or Denon costing $3-400.

Best of luck!

Two things I'm finding extremely useful:

LinkedIn Learning course with Julian Vengard: https://www.linkedin.com/learning/music-theory-for-songwriters-the-fundamentals


Writing Better Lyrics by Pat Pattinson: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1582975779


Some people will say "write from your heart" but I'm learning that great songs have SO much more technique and theoretical wizardry applied throughout the process.

These two resources are just excellent. I've been a musician for 20 years and I forced myself to watch all the videos on the LinkedIn course - I learned useful things I wish I'd known years ago.

Ableton and FL Studio especially have a large following, and YouTube tutorials are plentiful (and often very specific to the style of music you're trying to make), so take advantage of those if you end up going with either of those software packages. Also, it seems a lot of USB midi controllers come with lite versions of Ableton, so it might be a good entry point.

You said below you were a drummer, so I'm not sure if this will be as beneficial to you as it was to me, but there's an excellent book on drum programming that I learned several techniques from which apply to pretty much any DAW or hard/soft drum machine you may choose:

http://www.amazon.com/Drum-Programming-Complete-Program-Drummer/dp/0931759544/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1324166524&sr=8-1

It's dated but it's still very applicable to most software you'll end up working with for techno, dubstep, or hip-hop.

If you're into Linux at all, I'd also like to plug one of my favorite compositional tools, the Hydrogen drum machine:
http://www.hydrogen-music.org/hcms/

Personally, every time i've tried to make music on an iOS device I've given up in frustration. It might be fun for fooling around, but the interface drives me crazy and makes me want to do just about anything else. This is just my opinion maaaan.

In terms of software, I'd start out with REAPER as a DAW because you can get started right away on your gaming rig for free. It has a 60 day evaluation period, which can be extended until you are overcome by guilt. You're going to have to dig around the net for free VST virtual instruments and sounds, but they're out there. Buy a cheap USB audio interface, and a cheap mic and start working on your own music. You can record acoustic instruments, vocals, and random sounds with one of those mics. I'd find a cheap pair of open back headphones for mixing, and use whatever closed back sound isolating headphones you have lying around for monitoring while you're recording.

I think the best way to learn music production is to force yourself to produce music on the regular. To that end I'd suggest learning about songfight.org, which is an online songwriting and production contest that happens roughly every two weeks. There is nothing like a firm deadline to inspire you to create. You're given a title, and you write, record, and produce a song with that title. People on the Internet vote, and there's a winner. Folks on message boards will often give you feedback on your song so you can improve. Also there is a podcast that reviews the current batch of songs, so at the very least you're gonna get some feedback from those jerks. Disclaimer: I am one of those jerks.

I'd be remiss if I didn't mention Reddit's very own r/Gameofbands which does something similar, and might hook you up with folks to collaborate with.

I've been loving the Alesis V49. The keys are very satisfying to play, I've spent hours at a time playing around on it. It's also got some knobs you can map to a plugin so you can adjust cutoff, res, etc while you play and a drum pad if you're interested in that. I would recommend checking eBay if you're interested; I was able to get mine new for $115 from this seller.

This one is really good for visual learners: https://www.amazon.com/Art-Mixing-Recording-Engineering-Production/dp/1931140456

I've read that Mike Senior one, and it is good as an introduction to basics like what is eq, compression, arrangements, etc., but I feel like it is geared toward people who want to make what the author refers as 'commercial mixes', and this, in my view, limits creativity as a way to think about making music and mixing.

I recommend reading the manual for whichever DAW you use, especially the sections on the stock plugins which are included with that DAW.

I do not think that there is any number of things that can make a mix too crowded if you learn how to use eq and compression. You could literally have a thousand tracks eq'd differently and it can sound cohesive and uncluttered. That is an exaggeration, but there really is no limit if you learn the rules and then how to break them. I just started doing both and having that attitude has helped me get comfortable just creating and learning to mix, trying new things.

Thanks so much for the info! I noticed that I can get a used Focusrite 2i4 for about half the price on amazon, but it is listed as the "old version". Is there any significant difference in the old and new version?

This is the one:
https://www.amazon.com/Focusrite-Scarlett-2i4-USB-Interface/dp/B009B15N0Q/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1482653729&sr=8-2&keywords=Focusrite+2i4

Also, what is your thought on something like the Yeti mics that have a built in dac? I use one mostly for voice and it sounds great to me. But it a focusrite with rode mic going to just be world away better?

This is what I was considering: https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Yeti-USB-Microphone-Silver/dp/B002VA464S/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1482653965&sr=8-2&keywords=yeti+mic

I love my H4n.
It has a built in pair of condenser mics that sound pretty good, so he can just turn it on and record whatever. It also has an onboard 4-track mixer, so he can record something (like a guitar riff), switch to the next track and record something else (like vocals), etc. etc. This makes it really easy to quickly record song ideas or live sessions and it is perfect for practice, because it also has two extra inputs for more mics or electric instruments. I use it to practice bass with my headphones.

Plus, he could use it as an interface if he wants to record onto software. It comes with a USB port so he just has to plug it into a computer, either use the H4n's mics or use its two extra inputs and hit record!

Its really versatile and can grow with him as he gathers his own equipment, and $260 bucks is really cheap considering what it is.

I've had mine for four years and I use it all the time!

1-Definitely worth it with headphones.

2-No idea.

3-Never used one, but it seems like it'll be just fine. Is there a reason you went with it over others? Seems like it's ~$70 on Amazon while there are others for a bit less for more keys, and others with some more functions. I found one of these last year on craigslist for $50 and it's what I've been using ever since. If you've already bought it, I'm sure it'll be absolutely fine for whatever you want to do though, so no need to sweat it.

This is correct. Note though, that there are quite a few very, very good free software instruments available on the internet, while the software that comes with these controllers usually are more of a demo version. Therefore, don't weight that argument too much.

Personally, I'm just a fan of full sized keys. And there definitely are some in your price range. Like this Alesis V49 or [this M-Audio one without pads, but at $99] (https://www.amazon.com/M-Audio-Keystation-49-II-Controller/dp/B00IWWZAM6/ref=sr_1_2?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1479493057&sr=1-2&keywords=midi%2Bcontroller%2B49&th=1).

Anyways, I'm sure she'll be happy no matter what :)

Any melody can be accompanied by an almost endless number of chord changes, so there's no one "correct" way to do it.

The oldest way to do this is a technique called counterpoint. Long story short, you first write a bass part under your main melody, favoring contrary or oblique motion over parallel motion, and avoiding parallel 5ths and octaves as much as possible. The bass part should make sense as its own melody, ideally.

Then fill in a middle voice, again its own melody, observing the rules of counterpoint with respect to the other 2 melodies already written. When you're done with the 3rd voice, you have a basic chord progression.

You might want to repeat with a 4th melody or more after that, but you'll find that subsequent melodies are less interesting because your options are pretty narrow at that point. That's why alto parts tend to suck.

If this seems interesting to you at all, I highly recommend the classic Study of Counterpoint. It's been out for almost 300 years but it has a unique narrative-style approach and is a lot of fun to work through. Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, et. al. would have been familiar with it.

OTOH, if this seems like overkill, then just sit down with a piano or guitar, pick a key, start with something structured around I-IV-V-I or I-vi-ii-V-I or something, and go from there. Again, there's no one correct chord progression. Just find something that tastes good in your ears.

Try it out. Dive in, see what works, what doesn't. Back it up with theory. I'm fond of these as resources:

• Principles of Orchestration: http://www.amazon.com/Principles-Orchestration-Dover-Books-Music/dp/0486212661
  
• The Study of Orchestration: http://www.amazon.com/Study-Orchestration-Third-Samuel-Adler/dp/039397572X
  
• Essential Dictionary: http://www.amazon.com/Essential-Dictionary-Orchestration/dp/0739000217
  
• MIDI Orchestration: http://www.amazon.com/Guide-MIDI-Orchestration-4e/dp/0240814134
  
  Find scores you enjoy, and study those. Harmonics, counter-point, instrumentation, melodic structure, and so on. I'm particularly fond of James Newton Howard scores, and Jeff Atmajian's orchestration work on his projects. Like Ravel? Start there and become really intimate with Ravel and his scores and techniques.
  
  That said, I'm also happy to orchestrate something for you. PM'd you.

AKG K-240 $98 right now, little more than you were looking for, but they are simply fantastic. Designed to be very "flat" across all frequencies, so great for production work. (Though that's always debatable...) Detachable cord - one of the nicest things about them. Bass is tight and very clean - I've never heard bass less muddy than from these - lows don't blend together. And mids and highs are nicely balanced.

Hello! I have a noob question for my setup that probably isn't relevant enough to warrant its own post but it might be simple enough that you could answer real quick.

I just bought these studio monitors:
https://www.amazon.com/Mackie-CR-CR3-Reference-Multimedia/dp/B00KVEIY4E and have the top left L and R inputs connected to my Scarlett 2i4 audio interface (https://www.amazon.com/Focusrite-Scarlett-2i4-USB-Interface/dp/B009B15N0Q) in the balanced inputs 1 and 2 on the back right with TRS cables, but now I don't know what to do to actually be able to get my computer to "recognize" them and use them in my DAW or otherwise be able to control them through my audio interface. The monitors themselves work fine because I can still use them with the auxiliary cable plugged directly into my laptop, but that is a temporary fix because then I can't use my audio interface to control them. No idea what to do and I feel so dumb!

Any help would be huge. I'm using a PC with Windows 10 and my DAW is Reason 10 if that helps at all. Thanks!

I was looking for an interface a few months ago as well and eventually bought the Focusrite Scarlett 2i2. I have been REALLY satisfied with it and do recommend it highly. Its preamps have been praised highly and I also think they are very good and I am convinced that you get very good bang for your buck value! The sound quality is excellent, it's easy to install and a joy to work with.

However you should be aware of the two following points that get mentioned often:

• A lot of people have complained that it is virtually impossible to record an electric guitar directly because the input gain is always too high no matter how low they try to set the gain. If you are thinking about recording electric instruments directly (without micing up an amp) you should probably get something else. I haven't done this myself but evidence of the problem is overwhelming.
  
  
• The headphone out could be a bit louder. I record only acoustic music and volumes are generally fairly low so it isn't a problem for me, but you should be aware that this can be an issue for some people.
  
  As for the microphones, I have not heard good things about Blue mics at all from any reputable source. From what I have read they are overhyped and overpriced marketing fads with an emphasis on style and not on sound, similar to the beats by Dre headphones. I have no first-hand experience with these, so take this with a grain of salt but again: evidence seems pretty overwhelming. I can't say anything about MXL mics at all.
  
  One mic that gets recommended often as a general-purpose entry-level mic is the Audio Technica AT2020 which you can get for around 100$: http://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-AT2020-Cardioid-Condenser-Microphone/dp/B0006H92QK/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1426165287&sr=8-2&keywords=audio+technica+at2020
  
  If you want a mic that is generally in very high regard as a versatile and built-to-last mic, have a look at the Rode NT1A: http://www.amazon.com/Rode-NT1A-Anniversary-Condenser-Microphone/dp/B002QAUOKS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1426165396&sr=8-1&keywords=rode+nt1a
  
  There is even a bundle with the Scarlett 2i2 interface available: http://www.amazon.com/Rode-NT1--Focusrite-Scarlett-stand/dp/B00JOOQPJS/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1426165396&sr=8-3&keywords=rode+nt1a

akg 240 cost 99 on amazon (I think I bought mine for 130 or so). My dad has a few other headphones in that price bracket and I still think the 240's sound better. I got mine about 4 years ago and they still work great. Super long chord and comfortable in my opinion.


http://www.amazon.com/AKG-Acoustics-K-240-Studio-Headphones/dp/B0001ARCFA/ref=pd_sim_MI_1

You could check out some autobiographies such as Timbalands, Zaytovens, Jay-Z's & the Beastie Boys book. Those are good for specific artists and producers experiences. But there are plenty of music production books that can inspire you as well. Check out Making Music: 74 Creative Strategies. The ebook is a good value:

https://www.amazon.com/Making-Music-Strategies-Electronic-Producers-ebook/dp/B00WHXYZG8

If you want to continue to use FL Studio, I strongly recommend you switch over to using a PC - you will always have problems with the FL Alpha/Beta/whatever for OSX until they actually make a fully native version (which is a day that may never come.)

If you want to stick with OSX, then yes, learning Logic or Ableton is the way to go. Both are great, and really won't take you that long to get the hang of. There are also some pretty awesome deals to be had for MIDI controllers out there.

That's not an audio interface you got there, it's a MIDI interface.

[this is a dirt cheap audio interface](BEHRINGER U-PHORIA UM2 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EK1OTZC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_Jj8.ybTGSP7KQ)

So if you spent 50 on that and 50 on a mic (or 40+10 for cables or whatever else you need) then you'd come in right around 100.

The argument you run into here is very similar to most places where you have the option to buy a single item vs all its components. The single item will work well for its advertised purpose but if you want to upgrade, you start over again. Maybe you sell the old one to help buy a new one. Skateboarders, cyclists, guitarists, automotive hobbyists - pretty much everyone that cares deeply about the performance of their gear will prefer modularity.

These USB mics are mostly made for voice - podcasting, web chats, video gaming - that sort of thing. It will sound a hell of a lot better than say a built in laptop mic or something like that. If that's basically what you're going for then the modularity of a "proper" solution may not benefit you; in fact the complexity would likely just get in the way.

I'm a composer by trade (now working toward a PhD in Composition) and I don't know one book that introduces composing well, or at all. I got started in high school, just writing little pieces for myself and friends to play. I just kept at it all these years, through college, grad school and now.

What I found helpful along the way was to learn and be the pro at music theory. After all, music theory is a bunch of rules formulated based on what other people people from long long before have written. One thing to work hard on is counterpoint. It's a step by step on how to write good lines, good secondary lines and basically gives you a very rough idea of what works and what doesn't work. Of course, this is based in the tonal tradition. This is my recommended book. It's written in the socratic style, so just beware. Otherwise, this is what people use in school today.

Again, orchestration is important if you want to write for acoustic instruments. See my comment below~

My advice would be to JUST START WRITING! If its bad, you will know it is and why it's bad. Sometimes, you need a little help. PM me if you want me to look at some things you've done.

Here are some links for the product in the above comment for different countries:

Amazon Smile Link: Try something like this


|Country|Link|Charity Links|
|:-----------|:------------|:------------|
|USA|smile.amazon.com|EFF|
|UK|www.amazon.co.uk|Macmillan|
|Canada|www.amazon.ca||




To help add charity links, please have a look at this thread.

This bot is currently in testing so let me know what you think by voting (or commenting). The thread for feature requests can be found here.

You won't do much cheaper than the Alesis, but if you want to really scrimp, you could try something like this Behringer. I haven't tried it, and a lot of people talk trash about Behringer, but I've had good luck with their mixers, amps, and rack effects.

Can you make a recommendation on a beginner keyboard?

I played guitar for a few years in high school, and also took a piano class that I learned very little from. I’m familiar with making music, but never really learned theory or got into anything advanced.

I’m now 10 years removed from that and looking to jump back in. I recently got an acoustic, but I’d really like to learn piano and music theory, so that I can make electronic music sometime down the road.

Do you see any obvious issues with this? https://www.amazon.com/midiplus-AKM320-MIDI-Keyboard-Controller/dp/B00VHKMK64/ref=mp_s_a_1_4?keywords=midi+keyboard&qid=1562161755&s=gateway&sprefix=midi+ke&sr=8-4

I figure it’s cheap enough that I won’t get upset if I can’t dedicate enough time to it, but cheap enough to buy it right now while the motivation is there!

Thanks in advance.

There's a pretty ancient book about programming drum machines by one Ray F. Badness called "Drum Programming: A Complete Guide to Program and Think Like a Drummer" http://www.amazon.com/Drum-Programming-Complete-Program-Drummer/dp/0931759544/

While it obviously doesn't go into the specifics of modern EDM genres (it's a little dated), it is a pretty solid grounding on the basics of beat programming which should leave you in a better position to analyze the kinds of beats you're looking to replicate.

Hey man - you may want to look at is the Alesis V line of MIDI controllers. This one is $130. I've got a VI49, which is from the slightly more advanced line they make. I'm no piano player, but I personally really like it and think it provides really good value for what you get.

They have two problems though, one minor and one major. The minor problem is that they often have squeaky keys - but this is really not a big deal at all and doesn't affect playability. The major problem with them is that their velocity sensors are kinda wonky. You can play two notes with pretty much the same amount of applied pressure and the volume will swing around more than it should. It is possible to squash the velocity curve a bit though, which imo makes it passable. But just beware if you think you may have a problem with that down the line. They make a 25-key version too if you really really want the smaller size, at which point you could upgrade to the VI version and only be a bit over budget.

They have pitch and mod wheels, as well as a set of pretty decent pads that can be linked to drum samples. It also has a few extra buttons and knobs that can be linked to other samples and settings. So it should meet your basic criteria, plus a little extra.

I've gotten great results using the ZOOM H4N and blending it's built in mics with a board feed. If the room mix sounds good sometimes all you need are the built in stereo pair, but a good board feed will crispen it up, even if it's just vocals. At $250 it's a great deal. You'll want an RCA to 1/4" cable though...as most board feeds come out at line level but the XLR inputs on the H4N treats them as mic level, which renders it completely distorted and unusable.

Here are a few recordings I've made with it:

Phantom Glue

Avox Blue

Wandas (internal mics only)

I mean, what you're describing is essentially an audio interface, the $60 one I listed is probably the best bang-for-your-buck you can get in that department.

I did run a quick google search and fine this interface by Behringer which definitely seems WAY simplified and should meet your needs, but if you want to ever do much more with it than record one microphone, you might be shit out of luck. However, yes, it is definitely a way cheaper option

This was quoted on a gearslutz discussion, probably copypasta from Shure's website:

>The Shure SM57 is identical to the SM58 internally but the SM58 has the round cage top to house an internal windscreen and because the ball forces the singer to be a greater distance from the mic's diaphragm, the proximity effect is lessened. The windscreen also dampens the hi frequency response as it cuts wind noise. but with its shorter grill design it allows the singer to get closer to the source and therefore can have a greater proximity effect

Someone also mentioned that the 57 head is not threaded and so would have to be shoved on there with no guarantee it would stay on. FWIW I have used both extensively and have never noticed a huge difference between them.

Also on a related note, don't limit yourself to traditional interfaces, if you're only going to be recording with one mic, check out the in-line mic-to-USB interfaces like the icicle. Record quality seems to be decent although people are complaining that it's not durable. Yeah, probably won't stand up to getting stepped on by an elephant like an SM-58 ;)

If you want to get into large ensemble stuff rather than chamber music, I strongly suggest you pick up a book on orchestration. Here is one that I've read and would recommend. It will teach you some of the typical textures that each section of the orchestra is known for and gradually work you into bringing them together, starting with solo strings, to ensemble strings, to the entire string section, and eventually the whole orchestra.

If you've written prog-rock before, then I trust you know your fair share of theory, or at the very least, some degree of harmony, so you're probably fine on that end. What's more, you likely have some experience writing outside of the typical, pop-oriented verse-chorus structure, though you might want to also study a bit of the traditional forms used in classical music.

Beyond that, as was mentioned before, listen to a lot of the big names in orchestral music and steal whatever you can get away with.

Worth mentioning, the MDR-V6 is the same headphone without the gold plated plug, and usually a bit cheaper.

Either way though I agree, they're excellent studio cans, people tend to be split 50/50 on whether the sony's or the senn's are better.

Also, Amazon is cheaper than Sweetwater.

Hey, thanks for the reply!

I'm getting this MIDI: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00VHKMK64/ref=ox_sc_act_title_5?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1 Therefore, it will not be coming with a DAW.

I've looked at Reaper previously, but I'm not sure how the sound selections are. VSTs? Is that what they are called? Also, not sure by what you mean by "software synthesizer." My goal is to be able to play my MIDI with access to dark, ambient, drone-type sounds as my bass.

I'm willing to invest in a DAW, as long as it suits my needs, I guess. I've researched online and there are just so many . . . I just want one that will be good for making these types of music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXLi8pqbH7Y&t=328s

Awesome! I genuinely look forward to hearing it come together! I appreciate you being so receptive to the feedback. I had a feeling you were mixing in headphones (and most likely closed shell too). This can really screw with you, and is generally considered a no no. However, with a good pair of open shell, you can improve significantly. Eventually, I'd recommend investing in a pair of good monitors down the road (6" should be fine for you to start).

Until then, these are all solid choices, without making too much of an initial investment. I would recommend the Bayerdynamic, as they're just really solid altogether, but sometimes the drivers pop and you'll get crackle and hiss. I have two pair in my studio (close back for recording) but I've heard nothing but good things about the open shell (for mixing):

Beyerdynamic

Other options:

AKG

Samson

So when you say "write out" a small horn section, did you mean actual sheet music?

If so, I'd actually recommend skipping the keyboard entirely and getting Notation software instead. If you already have an understanding of how to write sheet music you will be faster writing it, compared to trying to play it on a keyboard.

I would recommend looking at Sibelius First (Trial edition) or Finale Notepad (Free Edition).

If you still think you need a keyboard - yes, a MIDI Controller is what you'd probably want. (as /u/Lt_Pineapple has recommended) This M-Audio 32 key controller might work or a small Korg Nano controller.

You may find this book to be helpful. There is a free PDF of it on the internet as well, I believe.

You may also want to have a look at Renoise, which is what Venetian Snares uses to program his music. Aphex Twin has also used tracker programs for years, and I'm certain that is one of the many secrets to his complex drum patterns.

In the other comment they also mentioned the cheap quality of the novation keyboard. I don’t think I’m gonna get it since most people have been saying that as well (in other subreddits).

I think I at least want a 49 key keyboard, do you have any suggestions for a beginner?

Would any of these be good:

https://www.amazon.ca/Alesis-V49-Keyboard-Controller-Buttons/dp/B00IWWEW20/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1543271425&sr=8-2&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=akai+mpd218&dpPl=1&dpID=41SI3fyI30L&ref=plSrch

https://www.amazon.ca/M-Audio-Keystation-49-II-Controller/dp/B00IWWZAM6/ref=mp_s_a_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1543272011&sr=8-7&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=midi+keyboard&dpPl=1&dpID=41t4DtVzofL&ref=plSrch

https://www.amazon.ca/M-Audio-Oxygen-49-Keyboard-Controller/dp/B00IWU2CBA/ref=mp_s_a_1_14?ie=UTF8&qid=1543272061&sr=8-14&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=midi+keyboard


Or should I save up for something down the road such as the Akai MPK49?

I recommend the Zoom H4n. It's a portable recorder with a stereo mic setup built in. The quality is phenomenal and the mics work very well at capturing a realistic stereo image. It's priced at about $260, but for a great mic/recorder combo, you can't beat it. I'm sure you could find one used, or possibly step down to a lower level, but I don't have any experience with the cheaper models.

http://www.amazon.com/Zoom-Handy-Portable-Digital-Recorder/dp/B001QWBM62

http://www.amazon.com/Need-Know-About-Music-Business/dp/1451682468

Donald Passman's book is a great place to start. He details different types of producers. Also, it's a great read.

This question is kinda too vague to answer. What kind of music are you making? How experienced are you with keyboards? What do you want/need, and how much are you willing to spend?

Assuming you're completely a beginner, I'd recommend this:

https://www.amazon.com/midiplus-AKM320-MIDI-Keyboard-Controller/dp/B00VHKMK64/ref=sr_1_4?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1526281198&sr=1-4&keywords=midi+keyboard

As cheap and as good as it gets for the price. If you decide to invest in music more down the road, I recommend an Alesis v25/v49, or an Akai Professional MPK Mini.

there are plenty. the leading thing on DAW connectivity is the midi. if it speaks midi, you can work with it.

Akai Professional APC Mini paired with ... say... akai midimix totals for 87+ 89 bucks. easy af to save up and you can perform with that rig straight up.

need a bit more keyboardy thing? switch APC with some tiny key keyboard like novation launch key ( https://www.amazon.com/Novation-Launchkey-25-Note-Keyboard-Controller/dp/B00VVNOMGI )

many options, all totals under 200 bucks in every scenario

Okay, so you would recommend getting this one, the second generation, for $150, rather than the $125 version?

Additionally, would you recommend buying equipment used or new? Granted, the Gen 2 Scarlet hasn't been out long enough to have used sellers.

I'm not endorsing a product or brand, but what would be easier is something like this Behringer U-Phoria UM2, which has the nifty XLR/1/4" combo jack that lets you plug instrument cables right into the input with no need to fuss over converters.

I've had this for a couple of months and I'm super happy with it.

http://www.amazon.com/Zoom-Handy-Portable-Digital-Recorder/dp/B001QWBM62

Staccato is basically short notes (detached), so spiccato is a form of staccato. Where do you draw the line between heavy staccato playing and spiccato (where the bow bounces off the strings)? It's often recommended to use a couple layers of samples with different articulations to get believable-sounding orchestrations.

Here's a great reference book you might want to pick up: MIDI Orchestration

Art of Mixing by Dave Gibson has one of the best "layman" approaches to positional mixing I have read. Might be a good start

https://www.amazon.com/Art-Mixing-Recording-Engineering-Production/dp/1931140456

Here's the one I use. They're great if you can spare the cash.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/FOCUSRITE-SCARLETT-Audio-interfaces-USB-Red/dp/B009B15N0Q/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1415059684&sr=8-2&keywords=focusrite

Pair that up with some good headphones/monitors and you're all set.

Amazon has it with prime shipping as well http://www.amazon.com/Zoom-Handy-Portable-Digital-Recorder/dp/B001QWBM62

Had one through work and was great, thinking of picking one up now that i don't have access to it any more.

> BTW, that wiki song structure article is a mess

Agreed. I linked to that wiki article without even really looking. Personally, I like the following books that go into a lot more detail in regards to production and EDM:

• Music Theory for Computer Musicians
  
• Composition for Computer Musicians
  
• Harmony for Computer Musicians
  
• Dance Music Manual
  
• The Drummers Bible
  
• Mixing Audio: Concepts, Practices, and Tools
  
• Making Music: 74 Creative Strategies for Electronic Music Producers
  
  All the above are solid books.

I ended up with the Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 and it came with a bunch of plugins like reverb/eq/compression.
I caught it on sale at a store and it seems to fit what I am looking for so far. The main battle now is learning how to make the live clarinet recording sound like a natural part of the virtual instruments instead of a separate entity. This stuff is tricky, but it is an enjoyable learning process.

Dude check out the free courses on coursera:

https://www.coursera.org/learn/songwriting-lyrics
https://www.coursera.org/courses?languages=en&query=music

The guy who teaches the songwriting course has a few books with lots of good exercises in. I'm currently reading https://www.amazon.co.uk/Writing-Better-Lyrics-Pat-Pattison/dp/1582975779/ and doing the daily "object writing" exercise. It's opening a lot of stuff up for me.

All You Need to Know About the Music Business, book by Donald Passman
http://www.amazon.com/Need-Know-About-Music-Business/dp/1451682468

Tickets to SXSW music conference
http://sxsw.com/music/conference/about

This Multi Track Looping Recorder
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0gKWfvd-chA

Good luck!

Ableton. Some midi controllers (Novation Launchkey Novation Launchkey Mini) and audio interfaces(Focusrite 2i2 ) come with a free lite version.(there are more things that come with it, those are just the three I can think of right now) Or you can buy the "Intro" version for $99. A site that I like for Instruments is called VST 4 Free

2i4 just went on sale for $186 Amazon. I need an upgrade from my M-audio podcast factory :) Timely post! haha
Edit:
Here is one by Amazon, sorry, the other is third party.
I just bought it for $187, the price keeps going up and down,,,, I don't Amazon much, but is that normal?

Behringer also has a line of affordable entry level interfaces like this https://smile.amazon.com/Behringer-U-PHORIA-UM2-BEHRINGER/dp/B00EK1OTZC/ref=sr_1_sc_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1479734610&sr=8-1-spell&keywords=behringe+rinterface

I have one a step up from this and for a novice who doesn't know any better I have to say it's been great for me.

If she doesn't have it already, I highly recommend Samuel Adler's "Study of Orchestration" book - http://www.amazon.com/Study-Orchestration-Third-Samuel-Adler/dp/039397572X/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1323789264&sr=8-2 If she's going to school for music composition, she'll more than likely need this any way. Might be good to get her a head start!

Hey I actually managed a rapper for a few months so I do have some experience. In terms of DIY and independence I highly recommend you buy this book before doing anything major.

All You Need To Know MBUS

I myself own a copy and was recommended by a mentor and it’s kind of like the Bible in terms of knowing the main ins and outs of the business side.

Tunecore vs CD Baby Publishing

Digital Distro Comparison Chart

I’m sure other people will have more info. But once again that book is golden.

AKG K240 (studio) phones. They are not fully noise cancelling so you can get a 'monitor' type feel with a bit of air on your natural surroundings. Great price too.

https://www.amazon.com/midiplus-AKM320-MIDI-Keyboard-Controller/dp/B00VHKMK64/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1473045965&sr=8-2&keywords=midi+keyboard

Been loving this... buy two?

A bit expensive, but it has a large section on EQ that is very good. This book is indispensable. http://www.amazon.com/The-Art-Mixing-Engineering-Production/dp/1931140456

If you're willing to invest some money in, I definitely recommend The Guide to MIDI Orchestration by Paul Gilreath.

Got it myself a few weeks ago and it covers a broad range of related topics.

In the book "Writing Better Lyrics" (link below) it addresses how fundamental it is for a pleasant scheme. Overtly over-using "hard rhymes" is annoying to our ears and akin to listening to Dr. Seuss.

Soft rhymes (mouse/ground, note/hose, life/dice etc.) are much less obtrusive to the flow.

That said, a hard rhyme is sometimes necessary.

All goes back to preferences. I knew a drummer who felt that the end of every line should rhyme. And I know a bassist who (for a period) felt that any rhyme of any shape or form was detrimental, and that other literary devices like alliteration would be preferable. Ultimately, neither of them sang their words. The bassist has since begun singing, and thus rewriting on the spot.

http://www.amazon.ca/Writing-Better-Lyrics-Pat-Pattison/dp/1582975779

The 700's are great. I'm a big fan of Sony's headphones. The 900s are overbuilt with bigger enclosures and big bass response, hence my suggestion.

I used the MDR-v6s for years until I lost them... time to pick up a new pair.

For music I like: http://www.amazon.com/Melody-Songwriting-Techniques-Writing-Berklee/dp/063400638X

For lyrics I like: http://www.amazon.com/Writing-Better-Lyrics-Pat-Pattison/dp/1582975779/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1397613676&sr=1-1&keywords=writing+better+lyrics

Buy the book Writing Better Lyrics by Pat Pattison off Amazon. Do everything he says. I just finished it, and I found it thoroughly insightful.

https://www.amazon.com/Writing-Better-Lyrics-Pat-Pattison/dp/1582975779

If you plan on using it as a midi controller as well you'll need an audio interface that has a midi in/out, something like this.

The Blue Icicle is simple and affordable, and I would trust it over anything from Behringer. It has everything you've asked for, and nothing else!

https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Icicle-XLR-Converter-Preamp/dp/B001EW5YQS

I was in a similar position and found a pretty good deal that has served me really well. These microphones come together and sound great; I usually use the skinny one for guitar and the thick one for vocals. One thing is that they require phantom power, so you'll need a preamp that can provide that, which is where things get a little pricier. I went cheap and bought this thing, which works fine but it does mean I can only use one mic at a time.

However, those two things plus a mic stand and XLR cable still came out to under $200, and I've never felt like I needed anything else. At the risk of this coming across as a plug, if you want to hear how my setup sounds even though it's cheap, you can listen here (though obviously the drums and bass are not played live).

This baby is terrific:
https://www.amazon.com/Art-Mixing-Recording-Engineering-Production/dp/1931140456

Might want to check it before purchasing:

http://exellon.net/book/The%20Art%20Of%20Mixing%20A%20Visual%20Guide%20To%20Recording%20Engineering%20And%20Production%20(1997)%20-%20David%20Gibson%20Mix%20Books.pdf

There can be A LOT of thought behind the inner structures. Pat Pattison's book may give you a lot of insight:

http://www.amazon.com/Writing-Better-Lyrics-Pat-Pattison/dp/1582975779/

There's a free online course with him somewhere, too.

Sony MDR V6 Monitor Headphones

Well if you are posting in WATMM and do any sort of music making these headphones people are recommending will give you a warped frequency response. You might as well go for the industry standard and get the V6. Every studio has a couple of these.

And since you say you will be mixing, you really should think of getting proper headphones instead of boosted nonsense!

Modern mixing can all pretty much be loosely achieved by following this diagram from this book. Since you don't have vocals, the drums should be the focal point. The bass and atmospheric synths provide a bed for the drums and leads to do their thing upon.

Try this. It's a funny little book. It's written as a dialogue between student and teacher.

The Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 is a standard pick for beginners, and comes with some nice software also.

If the product can generate phantom power, then yes. Example here.

The highest quality mixing headphones I can find near that range are AKG K240's.

https://www.amazon.com/AKG-240-Semi-Open-Studio-Headphones/dp/B0001ARCFA

​

If you can get the scratch together, I'd personally recommend Beyerdynamic's (either the DT 990 or DT 770's). Haven't let me down.

You might as well go with something even cheaper https://www.amazon.com/midiplus-AKM320-MIDI-Keyboard-Controller/dp/B00VHKMK64/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8

Why don’t you just get a USB interface with XLR in? There are some very cheap ones that’ll work just fine for speech use (like this one).

Maybe the AKG 420 or the AKG 240 MK II. AKG is a solid brand for mixing and mastering. Check out /r/headphones for quality headphones within your price range. Also this is very useful

Check this model out:

http://www.amazon.com/Focusrite-Scarlett-2i4-USB-Interface/dp/B009B15N0Q

See the buttons next to each input that say "pad" That's what your model should have. When you clip, it lowers the input by around -10 -20 giving your more headroom.

this guy is fine for starting out. $40 ultra portable. Upgrade when you can justify the expense to yourself. At least that's how I roll.

I get most of my VSTs from vst4free.com and vstwarehouse.blogspot.com.

The Guide to Midi Orchestration

Acoustic and MIDI Orchestration for the Contemporary Composer

Books, books and more books
http://www.amazon.com/Musicians-Way-Practice-Performance-Wellness/dp/0195343131/ref=sr_1_7?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1418943223&sr=1-7&keywords=music+theory

http://www.amazon.com/Chord-Wheel-Ultimate-Tool-Musicians/dp/0634021427/ref=sr_1_14?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1418943269&sr=1-14&keywords=music+theory

http://www.amazon.com/Study-Counterpoint-Johann-Joseph-Parnassum/dp/0393002772/ref=sr_1_15?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1418943285&sr=1-15&keywords=music+theory

Northern Sounds has an interactive version of the classic Rimsky-Korsakov Principles of Orchestration. I often find myself referring to it when I'm arranging and/or orchestrating along with my hardcover Adler text.

https://www.amazon.com/Need-Know-About-Music-Business/dp/1451682468

The Art of Mixing: A Visual Guide to Recording, Engineering, and Production

http://www.amazon.com/Sony-MDR-V6-Monitor-Series-Headphones/dp/B00001WRSJ/

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B001QWBM62

Has 2 mics and 2 inputs.
You can plug it in to your computer with USB and record directly to GarageBand, or record to an SD card.

http://www.amazon.com/Focusrite-Scarlett-6i6-Interface-Preamps/dp/B00CP4IIJY
http://www.amazon.com/Focusrite-Scarlett-2i4-USB-Interface/dp/B009B15N0Q

Try this behringer um2 at 30$. If you wanna splurge the um22 is 40$ and the umc404hd is 100.

I have this...sounds great.. cheap..Does what it supposed to do..

http://www.amazon.com/Behringer-UM2-Audio-Interface/dp/B00EK1OTZC

better?

https://reverb.com/item/24254495-focusrite-scarlett-2i2-2nd-gen

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/Scarlet2i2G2--focusrite-scarlett-2i2-usb-audio-interface

https://www.amazon.com/Focusrite-Scarlett-Audio-Interface-Tools/dp/B01E6T56EA

Mechanical royalties are set by Federal law, though most major label contracts pay 75% or so of the statutory rate which is 9.1 cents per song under 5 minutes in length. Performance royalties depend on the artists contribution to the song in question. You can see the percentage each writer gets for some songs in the BMI/ASCAP databases but you won't get actual payment information.You won't find a database of this because it's based on individual contracts.

This book will tell you as much as you need to know about the regulations and customs: https://www.amazon.com/Need-Know-About-Music-Business/dp/1451682468

But you're not going to get individual dollar amounts.

I know a few folks who swear by this particular book by Pattison: https://www.amazon.com/Writing-Better-Lyrics-Pat-Pattison/dp/1582975779

It's a design with less sound isolation due to the speakers not being completely encased. The difference is visually noticeable in most cases:

http://blog.mobilemars.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/closed-vs-open-back-headphones.jpg

EDIT: Yeah the 271s are pricey. You can get a pair of 240s for around that price. http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B0001ARCFA/ref=dp_olp_new?ie=UTF8&condition=new

Oh okay, well I am taking it seriously. I actually was thinking about buying this but was unsure. I think I will buy one now, this one seems cheap do you know if I should get this one.

Thank you so much! I was looking at a similar bundle on amazon that retails for only $99, but includes the mini version of the keyboard and the Ableton Bundle.

I would also need to pick up an audio hub for the mic and headphones, and I have no clue how much those go for. A quick search brought up this device, would that do the trick?