Music Producers Thread v 3.0

I use Cubase sx3 for mixing and sequencing but am at least vaguely familiar with most of the major daw’s except for Logic. Write hip hop, electronic(drum n bass mostly), jazz and film score type stuff.

I don’t really have a regular way of going about making a piece of music, I usually get inspired by some ideas I have kicking around in my dome and then I just sit at the keyboard and let it go. However one of my favorite topics is how to get inspired to begin with! I remember when I first started making music and just had a casio keyboard and a rudimentary recording program on my PC I would sit for hours just trying stuff out, didnt matter to me that it wasnt good sounding. The act of just messing with things was the fun, and like when I first messed with Reason and other drum machine style programs just pressing the buttons kept me entertained. But now as I have learned more about music I find myself ever constrained and more minded towards making what I hear in my head rather than what is wanting to come from my fingertips. Anyone feel me? ;[

I liked your stuff, Shatterstar. Im a fellow triton user too;]

Studio oppurtunity.

Anyone in driving distance of Baltimore? One of my old connects came into a TON of money and a serious connect, but they need studio personnel. They got equipment and don’t know how to use it sucks listening to him saying they got a triton laying there and they don’t know hwo to use it. Let me know ASAP if your interested, hell CALL ME 301.873.7748 - ask for Unreallystic or Dess so I know its from SRK. Unfortunatly for me, I’ve never been able to ‘grasp’ sequencing outside of a computer program - its why my MPC just sits there collecting dust, I’ve never done an entire beat on that thing because of my issues with sequencing and space/programming pads. I should tell them to cop a pro-tools setup.

But hit me up ASAP, seriously, I don’t care what time. they are also trying to get their hands on production, so let me know if your interested in producing for a slew of blatimore artist. I’ve worked with them in the past, they are REAL eager to do this music stuff, though they at least before didn’t quite understand studio logistics. I’m going to meet up with them sometime over the next two weeks. Apparently the dude backing them is the guy who broke Dru Hill and some other B-more acts. dunno how much of this is gas - but if they got money, its worth looking into even if just to sell a few beats.


When I finally get my internet on my computer, I’ll setup file access for my music software and samples if people are interested in chipping in. I’ve got tons of Reason Refills, drums out the ass, etc. Been collecting sounds since 96’.


As for how I produce, well I typically produce for myself or a small collective, so its a two step process typically. I never sample, the closest being a few times I’ve used Dr. Rex in Reason, but outside of that everything is original melodies - I was never good at takign something else and flipping it - all I do is changing up drums - can’t chop for shit. But basically, I start with snare, then I search thru my synths and instruments for something, and play around until I feel I’m finding something melody wise. Then I put that down. Drop in some kicks and ‘possibly’ some hi-hats - been avoidinng them lately. Then I start writing/pass it around as the starting break-beat. Once the topic has been picked, and things written at least preliminary - I start fleshing the beat out a bit to match with the vocals conceptually and frequency wise. I HATE when people don’t leave room on a track for vocals with too much layered shit - so I keep it simple until at least vocals are recorded first versions not final vocals.

http://www.unreal-music.com/unreallystic_-gone-call-_free.mp3

On that one for example - I fleshed each part out based on the verse, the second verse I added the ‘rain’ effect too match the mood, the third one I added the ‘wah-wah’ and dropped out otherr shit to emphasize it, etc.
I look at it this way - in a band, each person doesn’t come to the spot with their own piece. they build it all together - so why should I as a muscian make an entire beat without havinginput from the other contributors orthe other portions? How cna I make a beat and expect it to soundgood if I don’t know what else is going with it vocally?

And I’ve given up on the SRK Mixtape, though I’m still going to drop my songs since I basically wrote out and programmed one of them, just didn’t record yet trying to switch from Cool Edit Pro 2 to Sonar 5…ugh none of my tricks for building up tracks are working. I still think we ought to get some stuff going as a collective, but its kinda weird to me how we had more people come thru with production than with emceeing seeing as everyone always wants to rhyme…

  • :bluu:

i wish my brother and i lived near you :sad:

I got a new computer and have been making some music again will up some mixes later tonight

lol.

i dont use the triton at all. i cant fuck with it. my fingers are too fat to make anything worth listening to off that plus my timing is horrible on it. i’m probably the most unorthodox producer here, software wise, in this thread.

i’m diggin’ “after the game”. good shyt. oh yeah, “Becky Trip remix”…in my mind i was like, “i wanna play this game!”

my friend does beats
he needs opinions and connections

http://www.myspace.com/iheartfro

im in desperate need of some hi-hats

Get it while itzz hotzzz

http://www.sendspace.com/file/3dlbbb

not interested in making music, but what software can i use to mix like a dj?

ugh, tried putting reason refills on mega upload for eks but god DAMN those things are huge and mega upload is a bitch.

anyone got a better idea how to send huge 200mb plus files to each other?

srk upload site: peep http://forums.shoryuken.com/showthread.php?t=125015

I think most people would agree Traktor is the best.

I’ve never mixed before but I used it last week for a little bit and it was a blast, with a good controller I think it would be incredible.

You can even get real turntables and use special encoded vinyl that will send data to it and it gets pretty close to the real thing.

im gonna start using this http://youtube.com/watch?v=AYDF313Ae7A

as far as the latter is concerned, it’s called serrato live by rane and there’s final scratch by stanton as well

The Q’s I got is although I own reason 2.5, upgrade and 3.0, what do you guys recommend (if you own the programs yourself) as far as hardware is concerned besides the oxygen 02 midi keyboard? Thoughts/recommendations anyone? and yes traktor is also a good program hence it’s owned by propellerheads which in turn owns reason

I have a radium 61 keyboard for use with reason, thats really all I need.

Has anyone tried using the AKAI beat pad - the drum machine that acts like a USB plug-in device - ie doesn’t actualloy store any samples etc? I bought my MPC so that I can pull more organic sounding drums out my ass - doing drums in reason is fine for the most part, but I tend to ‘do it by the book’ a bit too much with it, while I tap mad shit out with my fingers. But referecning my issue with sequencing on the MPC - it hasn’t gotten any use. Hell I want to sell it to be real at this point

HArdly used MPC with a gig worth of extra drum sounds for 700 sound good to anyone? I’ll pack in other reason shit if you want too. Hit me up if interested - though I think this week I’ll give it one more try since I’ve been practing the guitar Still suck after 3 years on and off I’ll give this a spin too. But dammit the NXXT in reason beast even on the guitar sounds…

  • :bluu:

Traktor is owned by Native Instruments, actually. I had to correct you because I don’t like Reason much at all but feel that NI is the best software company in the music world. ;]

Hardware for a good Reason setup? Well if you actually want to input music with 2 hands I would upgrade the Oxygen to something with at least 61 keys, unfortunately the controller keyboard market is pretty complex and a decision is usually pretty personal so it’s hard to sum up in a forum post. I unfortunately like most of the big master keyboards from Yamaha/Korg, but none of them come without sounds so you pay a lot extra for shit you dont need. However for Reason something with unweighted action and a bunch of knobs to automate stuff would probably be more useful than having 88 keys.

Other than a keyboard, speaker monitors will probably be your biggest expense. Important to also find what you like when it comes to this, I wouldn’t recommend buying monitors that are below 400 for a pair as you might as well just use desktop speakers in that case. However how much you spend is entirely up to how seriously you take getting a good sound. Big 1k+ ones aren’t really necessary in a small room though. In the lower end range I like the Yamaha and KRK offerings.

After that you could look at treating your room, getting some good headphones. A good soundcard and then eventually using a DAW program that you can record with or something if it interests you.

There is also Numark Cue…They have a downloadable trail version of their software…really easy to use.

You’re right in regards about Native Instruments owning traktor as I forgot. and as far as the hardware is concerned, i just picked up the following: m-audio o2 keyboard (25 key. Although I think i should have purchased an akai rather but, I can’t complain as I’ll add more in a bit), m-audio fast track, m-audio trigger finger (16 pad) + 3 xbox360 games, a gigabit 8 port switch, gigabit nic card and power dongle tech part all for only —>>> 0.27Cents. :looney: anyhow, let me know what you think about the m-audio stuff otherwise I’ll try it out and if it sounds like shit, I’ll be selling it later.

btw, AcEtUrNeDjOkEr, M-audio also released their version as well. Hit up their website.

I can’t afford good monitors at all. I’m planning on buying cheap ones, my budget is around $300 or so. Should I save up for better monitors or should I buy those cheaper monitors and just test my songs out in various speakers when I’m close to finished?

And i’ll be updating the first post soon.

imo its worth saving up for better monitors for sure