Dance Music Production

What you need to get started....


Producing your own music can be done without a computer, but it is very rare these days and also a lot more time consuming and labour intensive. So we will assume that you have a computer and that you want to use it to produce your music.

So with the computer ticked off the list, we are going to want a piece of music production software, some speakers to hear the god awful noises that you will make in the beginning and a good quality soundcard that is made especially for the job at hand (this is not essential but if you want it to sound good, I suggest investing in one). Once you have all this you can begin to make your own tunes.

There is a lot of other 'optional' gear that can also be used, such as mixers, midi control surfaces, synthesizers, outboard EQ's, compressors, reverb units, delay units. The list could go on and on, therefore we won't try to cover every little piece of gear that could possibly be used, instead we will give you an idea of the basic requirements to get started.

Audio vs MIDI

There are basically two ways to make and utelize sound within your PC; audio or MIDI. Below we will take a brief look at how each one works.


Midi is a protocol that enables your virtual instruments to be played. Midi itself does not make any noises, but instead it transmits 'event messages' such as pitch and volume of the note that is to be played. So if you had a midi keyboard connected to your pc and you pressed a key, the keyboard would send the required midi data to the virtual instrument, which would then play the appropriate note and with the same velocity as you pressed it on the keyboard.
You can also 'draw' midi data simply by using a mouse. Looking at the picture on the right, the green lines represent the particular midi note data that corresponds to particular notes on the keyboard. The length of the green lines represent the note and the length of time in which to hold it for, and the vertical green lines underneath the beginning of each note represent the velocity of the note.

Audio is a recorded sound that you could have recorded yourself, or that somebody else has recorded and you have imported into the program.
The recording could be a real world recording such as somebody singing, playing an instrument, smashing plates, literally anything that makes a noise could be recorded. You can also record your virtual instruments simply by pressing the record button. This will then record the midi note data as an audio file that can be used instead of the midi data . The advantage of this is that playing back an audio file is a lot less CPU intensive than playing back midi data. Above is what an audio file looks like.

Software for music production

This will be the single biggest decision you have to make and with a myriad of choices out there, it can get a little confusing. Some software packages are designed specifically to do one task while others are designed to do it all. It can be broken down into a few different sections:

All-in-one sequencers

This will be the heart of your system and the one that you will want to get right.
The sequencer, or digital audio workstation as they are also known, is where all of the music that you write and record is placed and arranged. You can think of it as a painters blank canvas, all you need to do is add your paint (music).

The sequencer allows you to 'host'

Cubase is one of the most powerful and most popular sequencers available....

virtual instruments within the program and most will come with a selection of instruments as part of the package. Quite often though the quality of these instruments are not very good, but thankfully we can purchase excellent quality instruments, or plugins as they are known, that will more often than not outperform the standard ones in the package.

The sequencer package will also contain various different effects such as reverbs, delays, flangers, phasers, compressors and EQ to name a few. As well as a mixer to adjust such things as volume & pan and to route the various instruments and effects to where they are needed.

Audio Editors

Some of the all-in-on sequencing packages mentioned above will have their own inbuilt audio editors but they will quite often have limited abilities when compared to a stand alone audio editor that is designed specifically just to do this. Therefore many people will purchase an audio editor seperately as these can give greater flexibility and features, but for basic use and when just starting out, the inbuilt audio editor will often be more than sufficient.

Plugins

A plugin can come in the way of an instrument, a sampler or an effect and is an add on component to the sequencer. There are many instrument plugins that specifically recreate the look and sound of famous synthesizers from years past, which are very popular and wont take up all of your desk space.

In order for plugins to properly integrate into your host application (sequencer) they must follow a certain protocol, of which there are several types. VST, RTAS, DXi and AU are the most popular and widely available types of plugins. There will be no difference between say a VST and a DXi plugin except in the way that the plugin communicates with the host program. Certain programs are compatible only with certain plugin types, so this is one thing to look out for.

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So, which sequencer is best?

There is no right or wrong answer to this question, but knowing the features and limitations of each one will help you decide which one is best for you. There are some notable exlusions from this list, namely Logic and Pro Tools. Logic is not on the list because it is solely for the Mac and I haven't been able to sample it and Pro Tools is aimed more at people just recording audio such as guitars, vocals etc. whereas we will be more focused on MIDI.


Ableton Live

Ableton Live was a relatively new comer to the sequencing world but it has become wildly popular, largely due to it's different way of approaching live performance and music production. All of the other 'big' pieces of software approach sequencing with a timeline based approach whereas Live has this option, called the Arrangement window, but it also has what it calls the Session View window. When using Live in this mode, it allows for a lot more improvisation and creativity and can also be used, as the name suggests, to play live.

Some reviews of Ableton Live 7:

"it can do a lot of what more conventional DAWs can do, but also has unique features that nothing else can touch."
Craig Anderton, Keyboard, March 2008

"the program responsible for turning the music-production world upside down with its unique approach to time manipulation and its instrument-like feel."
Jon Margulies, Music Tech, January 2008

Live 7 is compatible with VST plugins for PC and AU plugins for Mac.

Ableton Live 7 is a fantastic program that is extremely versatile but it is still young, and whilst it is the most complete piece of software in terms of performing live, it is lacking in some areas of the production side of things, such as some MIDI features and fully fledged automation.

The Good Stuff
- Unique way of doing things
- Time warping and looping is #1
- Great for live performance

The Not So Good Stuff
- Unique way of doing things
- Can be CPU hungry
- More geared toward live performance

Cubase

Steinberg's Cubase is considered as one of the major players in the sequencer game and have been around since 1989, so they must know what they are doing by now. Production wise there isn't much that this beast can't handle. It has a fantastic mixer that is extremely versatile, it has some great effects and instruments built in, and Steinberg invented the VST protocol so there is never a problem using plugins.

Some reviews of Cubase 4:

"Cubase has always been well designed and easy to learn with a visually pleasing work environment."
Gary Eskow , Remix Magazine, February 2007

"Cubase has always been a powerhouse, and it just keeps getting better...."
Jim Aiken, Mix Online, January 2007

Cubase will happily host VST plugins, they did invent them.

Cubase is a powerful beast that not only looks great, but performs great. Most of what it does is in a straightforward, easy to use fashion and with version 5 due for release soon, we can expect to see even more. The new tools for beat creation and working with loops looks very promising.

The Good Stuff
- Looks great, slick layout
- More features than you will ever need
- Excellent mixer
- Generally very stable

The Not So Good Stuff
- Expensive
- Steep learning curve
- Requires a dongle
- Might be confusing for newcomer

FL Studio

FL Studio is up to its eighth incarnation and this fun little package just keeps getting better. Going by the name of Fruity Loops when it first started out, many people had written it off as nothing more than a toy, but with constant improvements to its GUI and its sound engine, FL Studio is something to seriously consider. One of the major advantages this piece of software has over the competition is the life-time free updates that is offered when you purchase it online.

Some reviews of FL Studio 8:

"FL Studio 8 is one of the smoothest DAWs to use....it could kick up a bad-ass electronic theme in no time."
Ben McFarlane, Remix Magazine, July 2008

"FL's approach to sequencing is like nothing else. Rich MIDI sequencing tools meet up with a unusually-focused approach to patterns and loops."
Peter Kirn, Create Digital Music, March 2008

FL Studio 8 is only available on PC and uses VST and DXi plugins.

FL Studio is one of those things that once you start to use you won't be able to put down, it is very addictive. It is also very easy to use and is very suited to the beginner as much as it is suited to the expert. And the price of this package should also makes it very appealling to anybody starting out.

The Good Stuff
- Great for beginners, easy to learn
- Very cheap in comparison
- Lifetime free updates
- Can get ideas out very quickly

The Not So Good Stuff
- Only available for PC
- Can be CPU hungry
- May not look as 'slick' as its competitors
- Exporting individual tracks is not simple

Sonar

Cakewalk Sonar has a very similar look and feel as Cubase although doesn't quite have the same reputation as Cubase. Out of all the major sequencing packages, Sonar has the most extensive list of instruments and effects that come as standard. And thankfully it's not a big list full of useless crap that sounds horrible, but a big list full of quality instruments and effects that can outperform some of the big 3rd party plugins.

Some reviews of Sonar 8:

"Sonar remains the most complete Windows PC DAW on the market. This makes Producer Edition (and indeed, the cutdown Studio Edition) a no-brainer for first-time buyers."
Computer Music, October 2008

"Stability, usability, performance, and features: it's all there. Sonar Producer 8 is the best Sonar yet."
Rip Rowan, prorec.com, October 2008

Sonar uses VST's, but the standard plugins are great.

Sonar seems to have a smaller following than some of the other major sequencers but I can't really understand why. Sonar's biggest selling point is definately it's included instruments and effects. It's biggest reason not to buy it would be it's user interface which is a bit dreary and dark, which could be quite bad to look at for hours on end.

The Good Stuff
- Awesome instruments
- Amazing effects
- Great sound (64 bit)
- Can work on OMF files

The Not So Good Stuff
- Looks dull
- Occassional audio glitches

Reason

Propellerhead's Reason has long been famous for its Rack and the way it operably and visually represents a real-world rack full of synths and effects. And it has long been infamous for not allowing third party plugins or audio capabilities. This can make Reason very limiting but on the other hand, it is very resource friendly, very easy to learn and very easy to use. If you are at all familiar with patching hardware such as mixer's and eq's, then this will be a breeze to learn.

Some reviews of Reason 4:

"They have upped the ante of the sequencer and transport modules to compete with the big leagues."
Doug Eisengrein, Remix Magazine, January 2008

"they will get the fun of making music right away and it will take them a long way before they run out of rope, if they ever do."
Brent Hoover, audioMIDI.com, December 2007

Reason won't be able to host any plugins.

Reason is good little program that can really generate some amazing results with many now famous producers starting out and/or continuing to use it. It is somewhat limited in the fact that there is no plugin support or audio support therefore a lot of people will Re-wire into a program that does support this.

The Good Stuff
- Looks great
- Fun to use
- Has some excellent synths
- Low CPU usage

The Not So Good Stuff
- No support for plugins
- No support for audio
- Could be outgrown fairly quickly
- Did I mention no audio or plugins!

If you would like to read more in depth reviews of each of these sequencers plus a few more that aren't on the list please follow this link.

Get hands on!

A MIDI controller gives you hands on control of your software and they can come in many different styles, shapes and sizes. From a MIDI Keyboard that allows you to play your virtual instruments, to controllers with touch sensitive pads, knobs faders and more.
Here is a selection of some of the most popular controllers. Click on the links to read user reviews and get ratings.

M-Audio Axiom 25

This 25-key MIDI controller features a great semi-weighted action, eight rubberized trigger pads that put drum programming at your fingertips plus eight endless rotary knobs let you get your hands on synth parameters, virtual mixer controls and more. Six transport controls can also assign to control other MIDI parameters. Virtually everything is freely MIDI-assignable.

Novation Remote 25

The ReMOTE SL Compact MIDI controller is the first keyboard to provide an affordable route to automatic, instant and intelligent control of all major sequencers and all automatable plug-ins. It features 8 rotary encoders, 8 trigger pads, transport controls, assignable buttons and more.

Mackie Control 8

The Mackie Control Universal 8 will control all major sequencers including Logic Audio, Cubase, Digital Performer, SONAR, Ableton Live and other major audio software, all from a single, hands-on control surface with real knobs and automated faders.

Behringer BCR2000

The exciting new B-CONTROL Series combines the unlimited versatility of today's audio software with the feel of real controls. It lets you move real faders and turn real knobs to control all the virtual gear in Cubase, Cakewalk, Live and other major audio software

Korg Kaoss Pad

Korg's KAOSS technology has been embraced by DJs, musicians and producers alike. No other interface is as intuitive, immediate or just plain fun to use. By simply touching, tapping or sliding your finger over the touchpad, the all-new KP3 allows you to control multiple effects parameters and manipulate samples in real time.

Korg PadKontrol

The all-new padKONTROL joins Korg's expanding line-up of MIDI studio controllers. Adding another dimension beyond traditional keyboard control, the padKONTROL is the most expressive and versatile pad controller ever!

Plug me in....

There are literally hundreds of choices when it comes to choosing plugins, from freeware plugins that some random guy has made in his spare time right through to plugins that can cost more than your sequencer. Below are a few instrument plugins from various manufacturers who are considered by most to be the best of the best.


Native Instruments

Native Instruments have a huge catalog of virtual instruments and are renowned for their quality. They have everything from samplers, guitar studios, reproductions of famous synths and grand pianos. All of these are available individually or in the Native Instruments 'Komplete' package.

Native Instruments Absynth
Renowned for its organic, evolving sounds that range from the simple yet sublime to outlandish sonic textures. Absynth 4 is designed both for the studio as well as for the stage.

Native Instruments FM8
FM8's emphasis on ease-of-use brings a high degree of simplicity to the otherwise intricate process of FM synthesis. The powerful new audio engine delivers unsurpassed quality, generating a livelier, more energetic sound than ever before.

Native Instruments Battery
Battery 3 is the professional standard for drums and percussion. This acclaimed drum sampler fuses an extensive library with functionality and simplicity. Whether electronic or acoustic, Battery 3 will have your drums rolling in no time.




Arturia

Arturia make some of the best replicas of classic hardware synthesizers available today including replicas of the Yamaha CS-80, Roland Jupiter 8 and a couple of Bob Moog classics.

Arturia Arp2600 V
The ARP 2600 is one of the finest analog synthesizers ever made. Celebrated by the most respected musicians over the last thirty years, it is capable of creating amazing sounds, heard in numerous popular tunes from Herbie Hancock to Stevie Wonder.

Arturia Minimoog
Offering all the features of the original, the software version also brings polyphony, MIDI management, presets, plus a modulation matrix, an arpeggiator and an independent LFO as well as a stereo chorus and a delay.

Arturia Prophet 5/VS
Arturia has taken the first and last synthesizers created by Sequential Circuits and brought them to you in an easy to use software format. As with all other soft-synths created by Arturia, they bring you a replica of the Prophet 5 and VS both visually and sonically.




Cakewalk

Cakewalk don't make a hell of a lot of plugins but you can be sure that when they do make one, that it is going to be quality. Their plugins constantly get rave reviews on zzounds.com and other sites and shouldn't be overlooked.

Cakewalk Rapture
Combining power, elegance, control, and unbeatable sounds, Rapture is one of the most exciting synthesizers to hit the market in years. Capable of producing rich, hypnotic, and rhythmic basses, leads, and pads.

Cakewalk Z3ta+
Z3TA+, the award-winning Waveshaping Synthesizer, is the newest member of the Cakewalk family. Z3TA+ is a top-of-the line analog-style synthesizer with incredible sound shaping capabilities.



Cakewalk Dimension Pro
Dimension Pro is the critically acclaimed synthesizer that combines real instruments with advanced synthesis, giving you endless sound possibilities. Its deep editing and sound generation capabilities have a natural appeal to sound designers.