Music production is a wonderful way to express yourself and boost your creativity. However, there are some reasons why people are afraid to begin producing music. One of the main reasons is that they think they can’t afford all the necessary equipment and the lack of music education and the knowledge they have is another reason.

However, the good thing is that at the beginning you don’t have to invest too much money and your knowledge will increase as you work. The most important thing at the beginning is to have a positive and optimistic attitude and just start doing it.

This article will guide you through the necessary equipment you need to have in order to start producing music. The good thing is that at the beginning the only things you really need are a DAW (digital audio workstation) and a computer.

Necessary Equipment and DAW

Before you dive into producing your own music it is important to think about the necessary equipment carefully. After all, without it you won’t be able to make any music. So, considering that you probably don’t have access to a recording studio, one of the most important pieces of equipment is a computer.

The second most important thing is a DAW or a digital audio workstation. FL Studio, Cubase, Ableton Live, Logic Pro are just some of the popular DAWs to start working with. However, before you invest your money in a DAW it is important to have an idea about the type of music you are going to produce. For example, Cubase will work better if you are recording live instruments. However, if you create your music using MIDI input then a better option would be Logic Pro.

The essential equipment for a simple home studio is a laptop or a computer, speakers, a MIDI keyboard, a microphone and a DAW. And it is pretty possible to get all of these and not to spend a little fortune on them.

Let’s Start Composing!

Once you set up your equipment it is time to start creating your music. Launch your DAW and check the virtual instruments and the presets it already has.

Generally speaking, the most difficult part is to start your song and each composer has its own way of doing it. Try to be consistent and write your music every day. By doing this you will learn a lot and your composing portfolio will become larger.

However, writing every single day can be difficult and, in most cases, there will be days where you simply have no inspiration at all. When these days come it is recommended to listen to the songs you have written. Maybe something you have written a year ago will inspire you to write a new song later.

Also, when you decide to start producing music it is important to be ready for lots of work and constant learning. Luckily, the Internet is flooded with tips and tricks and tutorials for any audio interface so feel free to watch them and apply the tips you find interesting.

And remember – you need to practice songwriting. You can’t expect to create a hit the first time you write a song. It takes years and years of hard work and dedication but it is important not to give up! After all, even if you don’t create a hit, you are doing something beautiful and creative which is much better than spending endless hours on platforms like Facebook and Instagram reading about other people’s successes.

Production time

When you listen to the song you create all over again in one moment you will stop hearing things clearly. Because of that it is important to take a break from that specific song and listen to it later. This will make you hear the song more clearly the next time you start working on it.

When the time comes to add the finishing touches to your song, it is a good idea to compare it to another song of the same genre. If you do this, you will be able to notice whether your song is loud enough whether you have to increase some details or make them less noticeable. Once you are happy with what you have written it is time to start mastering the song. If you can afford it, it is recommended to pay someone to master the track for you. However, if budget is a problem then you can do that on your own.

And finally, when you finish the mastering process it is highly recommended to listen to your creation on many different speakers. The reason for this is that your song may sound amazing on your studio monitors but you need to be aware that your audience doesn’t have the same set of studio monitors. Instead they will listen to your song on their in-ear or over-ear headphones and earbuds, Bluetooth or car speakers, desktop speakers, soundbars and home theater systems. And we assure you’re your song won’t sound the same on all these speakers.