>/prod/ wiki - still looking for contributors mu-sic-production.wikia.com There's a severe lack of DAW descriptions in the wiki. If you're good with your tool of choice, consider writing a paragraph about it.
Remember to use clyp.it to post your tracks/WIP: posting a clyp.it is just providing sound for a question, posting a Soundcloud link is making self-advertisement and the thread doesn't need that.
Remember to check other peoples' clyp.it links to keep the thread healthy.
/prod/ discord (non expiring link, re use this in every OP): discord.gg/AR3Uqrq
need help though: anyone here use massive? if so how do you record automation while using a massive synth? I have some cutoff filters and envelope rates i can freely control on my midi keyboard but i cant figure out how to re-record that automation. Any help?
It sounds pretty aight. Nothing too much to complain about for a house track. Although i don't use massive, i think automation is DAW side. What DAW do you use?
Hudson Butler
That's the problem, it sounds "alright" like that. When I playback the track and am automating the chords they add such dynamic to the track as its adjusted throughout the song. I use ableton, so when I have another plugin like EQ for example, I can automate that around by assigning "midi learn" or what have you to some knobs and mess around with that, but when it's within massive, I don't know how to record the automation and changes im doing to the synth. It just starts to record over the midi already laid down and deletes it all in the process. I know it's probably something simple I'm missing, but it's got me stumped right now.
Benjamin Ross
well, maybe you should just explore your options user and look up a tutorial. Also another question, where did you get your synth and samples from? I'd really like to know?
Alexander Lee
I made the synth myself from scratch, I make pretty much all my synths myself. I am open to trade massive patches if you like, the vocals I got from a friend singing in my garage, and the drums are a combination of battery 4 samples, parts of drum tracks I've recorded from recording my friends band, and field recordings I've made into drums. I know there's a video out there somewhere that will teach me and I should look into that. Sometimes I like to ask Sup Forums instead because then maybe Someone lurking can learn something as well.
David Murphy
Fug, my synths suck. Do you mean you literally start with a default synth and build from there? How long does this take you?
William Howard
>started three new projects over the holidays, almost finished with two
Feels good, man
Isaiah Smith
I bought a sample pack a few weeks ago with some massive patches, just join the discord in the OP and we can trade.
Noah Morales
>not having at least 40 tracks
you're a shit producer
Oliver Carter
This.
Chase Thomas
second this
Carter Price
this?
Colton Myers
I agree with this guy.
Luke Robinson
Yeah Just open up massive and go from there. Once you learn the synth and the signal flow of things and how to manipulate your oscillators it get's pretty easy to play around with. I'm glad you like the sounds of this one in the clpy i posted but honestly thats with everything turned off and it's not even doing anything. If i can solve my problem i am having with recording automation ill post another.
The time it takes varies, just like making a song. Sometimes you spend hours and come out with nothing, sometimes you can rip out something decent in half an hour.
When I first started making music I just spend all my time making "sounds" rather than songs, because I was nowhere near a musician. So now I am pretty okay at synth design, and it helps when you're wanting to make a track.
okay I might look into that!
Nicholas Wilson
That's awesome, man! Keep up the good work flow!
Don't listen to these guys and the "40 track meme" It honestly all depends on what you're making. Sometimes less is more.
Jack Peterson
Man, the vocal chops are really nice. I feel like the snare could cut through a bit more, it has a very wet sound right now (disregard if you were going for that)
Thank you!
Eh, I'm only beginning to flesh out the track
btw, how does this sound for a start (warning: dynamics): clyp.it/30eil3pu
Gabriel Walker
this
Nolan Bailey
...
Connor Cook
At first I thought it wasn't really going anywhere but it does come together near the middle. Maybe progress it a bit faster or change up main loop[ a little bit. >dat mouth breathing though
An user told me I needed percussion so I fleshed it out and now it kinda sounds like a train wreck. Any ideas on how to improve, or do I just need to >git gud on my melodies?
Yeah i never noticed how wet the overall track was until I played it through laptop speakers so I'll dial it down a bit when it comes to mixing, but was just going for that early house vibe. The whole track is about 3:35 seconds long but I didnt wanna share the whole thing yet.
Ryder Anderson
Thanks. I like the richness of the sounds. They just sound like a chiptune because I was playing them in higher registers, but I'm not really going for that.
Is Serum good for synths that are not exclusively for edm? I want some versatile synth for experimental, classical and indie genres. Not that edgy dubstep-y shit. Something smooth, possibly a bit retro, but still fresh. (Yeah, I probably have no idea what I'm talking about).
Nathan Harris
Thank you. I agree that it need some more variation, and now that I listened on my headphones, the breathing is a bit loud.
I really enjoyed how the composition swells up, sounds very post-rock-ish. I'd push the snare a bit more, maybe add some velocity variation to the percussion. I also feel like the drums would sound great if they were hitting a bit early, like a real drummer (negative track delay in Ableton?)
Andrew Long
I'm not 100% sure I've picked this up right as far as what you're wanting to do but this is how I do my automation for synths:
I'm using the Wavestation synth here but the logic is the same throughout for any other device - in image-related you need to click the arrow next to the device name to expand the panel showing the most recently-used parameters for the synth (move a knob or slider in your VSTi to see its corresponding parameter slider appear in this panel), then use the MIDI map function to map a knob or fader on your MIDI controller to that slider.
This will allow you to record Ableton automation in the same manner as you do for other devices. As I said I'm not totally sure this is what you need so if it isn't let me know and I'll try to help.
Ethan Gutierrez
>these guys It was all one dude.
Joshua Campbell
It wasn't. I admit 2 of those posts are mine, though.
Landon Reed
if I want to put a redux over my entire track so it'll play even if there's nothing going going on, how would i do that?
like i tried putting a white noise operator on and attaching the redux to it and it didn't really me the effect i wanted.
Carter Sanchez
>move a knob or slider in your VSTi to see its corresponding parameter slider appear in this panel
Damn, left out a part - to add or delete parameter sliders from the panel you need to have the "Configure" button selected.
Angel Hughes
nvm i just downloaded a tape hiss sample pack desu
Justin Reyes
Mixing wise this is pure trash, I'm not done yet, but I'd love to get some feedback on sound design and composition.
Hope this isn't a stupid question, but what software is that?
Ryder Ross
Ableton Live, Arrangement View.
Robert Gomez
SMACKOS TAPE STATION
Ethan Rivera
Anyone want to help a brother out and help me find the echo farm plug in from Line 6? pls respond
Brayden Ross
Isn't Focusrite giving away some shit? Where do I get that shit?
Carter Turner
I bet you guys know what you're talking about I can't spend more than $60 bucks on a Microphone It will be used for Acoustic Instruments/Vocals Which would be the best in that range or even cheaper?
Aaron Davis
A second-hand SM57 maybe? You might find an AT2020 (condenser) mic for that price but you'll need to power it too and if your budget is already tight you might not already have the gear available to do that, in that case the dynamic 57 would be a better buy, since it needs no power.
Cooper Perez
What would be the ideal cpu usage when performing live on ableton? Right now I'm at 45% and I plan to perform live during 1 hour.
Mason Edwards
>You might find an AT2020 (condenser) mic for that price
*also second-hand
Matthew Allen
From past experience I didn't see any issues if average usage stayed below 65% - anything higher than that had no wiggle room to cope with sudden spikes.
Leo Perez
Go on craigslist and look. Not too much you can grab for $60 or less. Especially if you're wanting something brand new.
I just got a USB AT2020 for christmas, it's really useful and the audio quality is well worth spending a few extra bucks for, especially if you're looking to skip buying an interface to power/use the mic.
Lucas Edwards
Already have a mixer to power phantom powered MIc's Would a Shure SM48 be fine? or is that just too much of a quality drop from say a second hand SM57
Lucas Roberts
I'm going to be performing live for the first time in the upcoming year. Please tell me more about your gig?
>What music do you do? >what's your set up >where is you show (house, club, bar, venue?) >about how many people in the audience?
Matthew Collins
I'd look for a 2020 then, as mentioned they are really good for the price - the SM57 has an advantage in that it can cope with very high SPL levels but if you're not close-miking snare drums or guitar amps the 2020 will give you a smoother top end.
SM48 looks ok for vocals but might be tuned that way to the disadvantage of acoustic instruments - you might get a little harsh recordings with acoustic guitars.
is it ever ok to produce things entirely on headphones
Julian Davis
What is the best tutorial for drum programming?
I fully understand Ableton's drum racks, and sample layering. But I just don't like the workflow and my drums are lifeless and shitty.
Should I try drumazon or something? Drum programming is my least favorite part of production and they slow me down up considerably.
I just want to make breakbeats like squarepusher effortlessly :(
Robert Butler
you need to have a registered focusrite product to download them
Julian Bennett
I've tried, it's a waste of time. Things just sound completely different. It doesn't even make sense. You mix things to sound as good as possible on the headphones, then listen to it on monitors, it sounds bad, so you fix it (if you don't have to do so much work as to re-tool and find new sounds for the entire track. sometimes it's that bad) then listen to it on headphones again and it sounds even better than before when you thought it sounded good.
I had the DT-770 Pro which are decent headphones, and they're awful compared to monitors. It's just a different perception of sound, especially dance music. Even though it sounds good on headphones.
Although if you're composing (choosing the notes, chord progression and such) and not mixing it's fine or if you're just doing for practice and have nothing else to work on, it's better than nothing. You can learn your DAW better and stuff like that.
Lincoln White
>clyp.it/g5vzzxdy It sounds pretty cool. I guess it'd be synth-pop.
I feel like it could use another sound around 2:00, like some kind of atmospheric sound.
Jace Kelly
Thanks for the info, and good luck on your show!
That's very inspiring for me to heap
Tyler Green
damn alright then, the thing is i have a habit of putting in and mixing effects on the fly with each mapped track, guess i'll have to do it raw for now lol
Gabriel Ramirez
Notice me senpai pls
Liam Morgan
>serum better download zebra2 it does so many things for a modular soft synth its really easy to use
Sebastian Barnes
...
Bentley Howard
10/10 would fuck horse
Jaxon Butler
...
Matthew Peterson
/prod/ I have a question? Judging by this track, would you say I am capable of using emotions through music?
>tfw you critique yourself too hard I feel like my music has no soul it's just a bunch of samples and loops.
i don't hear a cohesive intent behind the music. it sounds like, to be blunt, you just found things that you thought sounded cool and made a track out of them. understand what you want first, then go make it. in the words of chick corea, if you don't hear anything, don't play anything. it sounds to me like you didn't hear anything before beginning production
but i'm a jazz musician not a producer so wtf do i know take my word with a grain of salt
Benjamin Gray
Hey I'm back and I had my friend do some rapping on this track.. anyone have any feedback? esp theres probably a better way I can be ending it
your male friend is bad at singing. extremely. your female friend is also bad at singing, but more importantly she can't keep time with a fucking metronome, pathetic musicians need to practice for a goddamn hour in their life before trying to record
jfc they may be ironically doing the piece but they are unironically terrible musicians
Nathaniel Clark
no legit, they're fucking terrible, cheesy as fuck and even the beat behind it is boring.
Thomas Adams
Female verse gave me a boner. So thanks "4' the boner friend.
another WIP. Shoegaze, Dream-pop. any thoughts in general? how to make drums sound organic at all because right now they kinda blow.
Adam Peterson
oh hey I remember you. When are you going to release that electric chair song, that was sick
Nicholas Clark
Man i've been trying to find a download for the Phonec 2 vst which COSTS 60 BUCKS and im totally fucking broke lads does anyone have a free link or something beacuse im going to die ;~;
Ayden Evans
shit man, thank you! to be honest, no idea. my artist name is Andrew Younker so if you want to follow me on soundcloud and whatever the fuck youll be the first to know when it comes out.
Jeremiah Bailey
The foundry, good luck finding a working torrent
Parker Jones
this guy once told me people will more likely like your music if it sounds good sonically even when it's not that good musically, how true is this?
Noah Fisher
Need help finding the shittiest General MIDI/GS Soundfont out there. Something that'd feel like in some Early-Mid 2000s GameMaker (or to be more clear, something close to this level of shittyness: dweedes.bandcamp.com/track/squares) game
Thomas Jones
just use Dexed or ZynAddSubFX man better than paying fucking $190 jesus christ who decides what to price these softsynths
Gabriel Rogers
How to make /fuzz/ pedal sound in Max MSP/Pure Data
Ryan Green
Advice is always appreciated, no matter how harsh, long as it helps me improve.
>clyp.it/jqohjiua Overall I like it, but it feels like the music is holding back, like it starts to rev up, but then doesn't actually crescendo. It feels like potential energy.
I know that description is hella artsy, but I don't really have the technical vocabulary I need to be clearer.
Aiden Myers
yo that's pretty cool mane gg
Aiden Taylor
Amen brother
Zachary Diaz
new track, kind of excited because i'm probably going to be playing it live soon :DDDDDDD
>clyp.it/njexy1ju where the actual fuck are you going to be playing that live? Do you dj at a mental asylum?
Adrian Bennett
pissed me off a little. good job.
Isaiah Price
i feel like the opposite is true...there are a ton of famous albums that are notorious for having bad mixing.
good songwriting always trumps good production
Matthew Lewis
What I got from these threads is that the sound is pretty much everything.
Benjamin Campbell
well...the songwriting in these threads is probably below average so it all comes down to how good it sounds.
that or everyone just makes EDM and they take a shit all over songwriting.
Asher Hughes
i've gotten away with spinning remixes of whitehouse but whatever, i appreciate your upfrontness so i'd like to know if you think the song sounds shit or if it's just a bizzare choice for a set, in any case thanks for listening to my beep boop noises m8s
Aiden Hughes
Yeah, I think it's both, but even more that second one.
