Digital Music Making
Making digital music requires a 'DAW' Digital Audio Workstation software, some headphones, a MIDI piano keyboard,
microphones and an audio interface to record. Some learning materials and endless practice.
When starting out most people are musician, songwriters & producers not mixers
What is MIDI? MIDI stands for Musical Interface Digital Instrument. Take a audio cable that doesn't transport an audio waveform but instead transports digitally which piano keyboard key is pressed, pitch, how hard the key was hit, pressure and how long it was held down for, after touch, and you can map that keyboard to piano instrument sounds, bass guitar, organ, drums or any virtual instrument.
What is MIDI? MIDI stands for Musical Interface Digital Instrument. Take a audio cable that doesn't transport an audio waveform but instead transports digitally which piano keyboard key is pressed, pitch, how hard the key was hit, pressure and how long it was held down for, after touch, and you can map that keyboard to piano instrument sounds, bass guitar, organ, drums or any virtual instrument.
Software DAW's
8 Best iPad and Android DAWS [Web]Bitwig [Software Win, mac, Linux] ($$$) Resources
Bitwig is the second to newest DAW. They have promised collaboration, first via local network then over internet. V5.0+ & still none.
Computer Music magazine in their August 2024 issue are giving Bitwig 8-track away free via an easy questionnaire.
How: LibbyApp FREE emagazines - Libby CM August (Bitwig) 2024 issue
CM emagazine bundled via Apple News+ subscription
[pdf] ZINIO CM mag 3.92 Pounds
Computer Music Magazine Subscription
[pdf] Beat Magazine April 2024 US$6
UA LUNA the latest DAW [Software mac Windows] (FREE+$) from a market leader. No VST3 on mac.
LUNA FREE? [YouTube] The awsome Mike discusses simplifies the complexities of the FREE taste of LUNA.
Apple Logic Pro [Software mac] ($200) One off payment. No upgrade fees.
Reaper [Software Win mac Linux] ($60)
This full DAW although cheap to buy and upgrade is preffered by a lot of pros. Limited set of built in virtual instruments built in.
Studio One by Presonus [Software Win mac] [$$$]
This is a full featured recent DAW with a modern interface.
Suno.ai (AI) Text 2 Music [Web] (FREE+$)
Udio.com (AI) Text 2 Music [Web] (FREE+$)
wavtool.com browser based (AI) DAW [Software] (FREE+$)
Software Audio Editors
Audacity (OSS) [Software Win mac Linuz] (FREE)WavePad Audio Editing [Software Win mac] (FREE non commercial use)
Learn
Ableton Learn [Web] (FREE) the fundamentals - start here.Lightnote [Web] (FREE+$) music theory fundamentals.
Music Theory for Electronic Music [Video] ($$$) Music Theory using the MIDI grid
Audible Genius [Web] ($$$)
Coursera Berklee College of Music [Web] (CHEAP) Songwriting: Writing, Arranging, and Producing Music Specialization
Andrea Stolpe of Berklee Songwriting Email Newsletter [Email] (FREE)
Alex Rome Electronic Music Production [YouTube] (FREE) also a paid course Alex Rome Sound.
Jason Allen PhD [Web] ($$$) many video courses on aspects of music production.
Fabfilter Learn FX [Web] (FREE)
The Elements of Song Craft, BILLY SEIDMAN [Book] ($$$)
Easy Piano for Songwriters and Producers, Eric J Campbell [Book] ($$$)
Music Theory For Music Producers: Keys, Scales & Chords Made Simple, Jason Timothy [Book] ($$$)
MIDI Piano Keyboard
Some DAW's allow you to use the PC's built in QWERTY keyboard as a MIDI keyboard when 'Caps Lock' is on. This allows note input with a timing element. Alternatively draw in notes on the MIDI piano roll with the mouse.Keyboards should be compatible in a generic way but make sure that your required keyboard special features are compatible with your chosen DAW.
M-Audio Oxygen Pro Mini – 32 Key USB Keyboard Controller with Beat Pads, MIDI assignable Knobs, Buttons & Faders [Hardware] ($$$)
No aftertouch, Uses Mackie Protocol. Knob on keyboard to select a DAW.
Native Instruments Komplete Kontrol M32 Controller Keyboard [Hardware] ($$$)
NKS NativeKontrolSystem compatible with some DAWs and plug-ins. Gets you into the Native Instruments instruments library.
Plugins
Bedroom Producers Blog.com [Web] FREE Plugin announcements.Scaler [Plugin] ($$$) Chord theory in a box.
Spitfire Audio Labs [Plugin] (FREE) Mainly Orchestral.
Native Instruments Komplete [Plugin] ($$$) Large Collection of Instruments. Some GUIs dated.
Headphones
There are two main types of headphones, closed back and open back. Open back have better sound quality but may pick up sounds when recording/tracking in the same space. Listening on quality headphones is one of the best gear investments. Learn to hear.Recording
When recording set gain as high as possible while maintaining between -6 to -12db headroom and never clip at 0db on the meters.
Microphones
Room acoustic treatment and sound proofing are two separate issues.
Shure SM58, Dynamic (CHEAP) - supercardiod good when no sound proofing. Pro studios use this mic.
Lauten Audio LS-208, large diaphragm condenser - noise reduction for when no sound proofing.
Cable
Warm Audio WA, latest company doing cables. Pro & Premium(best)Mogami were considered best with lifetime back to base guarantee.
Audio Interfaces
Historically onboard DSP DigitalSignalProcessor was required due to a lack of CPU performance. That requirement is no longer an issue for most.Interfaces are mostly either USB or Thunderbolt. USB 2 is plenty fast enough but Thunderbolt has DMA DirectMemoryAccess
32bit float audio ADC recording is the latest spec
Sweetwater Thunderbolt interfaces
Sweetwater USB interfaces
Bitwig Resources
Bitwig Stdio User Guide [Web] (FREE)Quanta Bitwig 5.2 Beginner Guide [YouTube] (FREE)
XNB Bitwig Playlist [YouTube] (FREE) look through back catalogue.
Odo Sendaidokai [YouTube] (FREE)
Polarity [YouTube] (FREE)
TÂCHES TEACHES [YouTube] (FREE)
Alex Reid [YouTube] (FREE)
Mattius, Bitwig Basics Playlist [YouTube] (FREE)
Mattius, Morningdew Media Bitwig Masterclass [Video] ($$$)
Audio Interfaces Manufacturers List |
| MUTEC |
| Harrison |
| Neutrik |
| Topping |
| Heritage Audio |
| digitalaudio.dk |
| Mooer |
| LEWITT |
| Mooer |
| Neve |
| RCF |
| DAD - Digital Audio Denmark |
| Ferrofish.com |
| Leonberg, Germany |
| Fluid |
| Behringer |
| Metric Halo |
| Avid |
| MERGING+ANUBIS |
| iConnectivity |
| Black Lion Audio Interfaces |
| KURZWEIL |
| SubZero |
| Arturia |
| Steinburg |
| IK Multimedia |
| Apogee |
| Antelope Audio |
| SSL |
| AKAI |
| Nueman |
| Arturia |
| Apollo |
| Focusright |
| Zoom |
| Tascam |
| Univesal Audio |
| RME |
| MOTU |
| Steinberg |
| M-Audio |
| Presonus |
| Focus Right |
| Slate Digital |
| Lynx |