Digital Music Making
Making digital music requires a 'DAW' Digital Audio Workstation, 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 producers not mixers.
Software DAW's
Bitwig 8-track [Software Win, mac, Linux] (FREE+$) Resources
The second to newest DAW not tied to specific hardware, The 8-track version is free for a limited time.
The second to newest DAW not tied to specific hardware, The 8-track version is free for a limited time.
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 virtual instruments.
Studio One by Presonus [Software Win mac] [$$$]
This is a full featured recent DAW with a modern interface.
Suno.ai (AI) Text 2 Music [Web] (FREE+$)
Udio.com (AI) Text 2 Music [Web] (FREE+$)
wavtool.com browser based (AI) DAW [Software] (FREE+$)
UA LUNA the latest DAW [Software mac] (FREE+$) no MIDI yet. Virtual tape machine.
Software Audio Editors
Audacity (OSS) [Software Win mac Linuz] (FREE)WavePad Audio Editing [Software Win mac] (FREE non commercial use)
Learn
Ableton Learn [Web] (FREE) the fundamentals - start here.Lightnote [Web] (FREE+$) music theory fundamentals.
Music Theory for Electronic Music [Video] ($$$) Music Theory using the MIDI grid
Audible Genius [Web] ($$$)
Coursera Berklee College of Music [Web] (CHEAP) Songwriting: Writing, Arranging, and Producing Music Specialization
Producer Accelerator 2.0 [Web] ($$$) video course
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
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
Scaler [Plugin] ($$$) music theory in a box.Spitfire Audio Labs [Plugin] (FREE) Mainly Orchestral.
Native Instruments Komplete [Plugin] ($$$) 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 can't be used when 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 & PremiumMogami 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
Sweetwater Thunderbolt interfaces
Sweetwater USB interfaces
Bitwig Resources
Bitwig Stdio User Guide [Web] (FREE)XNB Bitwig Playlist [YouTube] (FREE) look through back catalogue.
Odo Sendaidokai [YouTube] (FREE)
Polarity [YouTube] (FREE)
TÂCHES TEACHES [YouTube] (FREE)
TÂCHES TEACHES Bitwig 'Grid' 101 Affiliate Link" (Video) ($$$)
Mattius, Bitwig Basics Playlist [YouTube] (FREE)
Mattius, Morningdew Media Bitwig Masterclass [Video] ($$$)
Audio Interfaces List |
| Neutrik |
| Topping |
| Heritage Audio |
| digitalaudio.dk |
| Mooer |
| LEWITT |
| Mooer |
| Neve |
| RCF |
| DAD - Digital Audio Denmark |
| Ferrofish.com |
| Leonberg, Germany |
| Fluid |
| Behringer |
| Metric Halo (OLD, DSP?) |
| Avid carbon, |
| MERGING+ANUBIS |
| iConnectivity |
| Motu UltraLite-mk5 |
| Black Lion Audio Interfaces |
| KURZWEIL |
| SubZero |
| Arturia AudioFuse Studio usb 3 C, |
| AXR4U steinburg |
| IK Multimedia |
| Apogee dsp pre amp impedance++ |
| Antelope Audio 4 T3? -impedance DSP -MIDI |
| SSL 2Ch USB 2.0, |
| AKAI EIE Pro |
| PreSonus Quantum 2626 26x26 Thunderbolt 3 Audio Interface US$600 |
| Nueman |
| RME Fireface UFX+ USB 3.0/Thunderbolt Audio Interface $2800 |
| Arturia Fuse no dsp, |
| Apollo |
| MOTO tb2 |
| Focusright |
| Zoom |
| Apogee |
| tascam usb dsp |
| Univesal Audio UA Apollo x4 T3 FX -MIDI |
| Apogee Desktop USB 2.0 |
| RME usb2.0 |
| MOTU USB2.0-C bus powered & thunderbolt 2 |
| Steinberg ARXR TB2 & USB 3.0 dsp also UR-C USB 3.1 MIDI bus powered -only peak light |
| m-audio air USB 2.0 C |
| presonus USB 2.0 C |
| Focus Right 3rd gen |
| Slate Digital |
| Lynx |