![]() The Ultimate Guide To Beat Making Software and Equipment For Hip Hop Production. So you want to start making your own beats and you’re wondering what kind of music production equipment you should get as well as the best software to make beats? No problem. Not only does a professional studio setup take a fraction of what it used to cost, but our equipment can do much more and is actually a lot more flexible these days. When I first got into music, I had no means to pay thousands of dollars for a synthesizer and a sequencer. But now? You could produce songs with damn great quality for less than a thousand dollars, and if you only have a few hundred to spend you can have a bare bones setup that includes one of the best beat making programs out there, which comes bundled in with excellent sounds samples. Because choosing the right equipment and software for making beats is the first important decision you have to make when you want to make your own beats, I figured it’d be appropriate to list down the things you need (and might want) to invest in when you’re serious about making music. Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) — ESSENTIALThe digital audio workstation (or DAW) serves as your main beat making software and is the heart of your home studio. This is the program that you do everything in — sequence your instruments, mix and master your songs, and ideally, record vocals. FL Studio: FL Studio has come a long way from back when it was called Fruity Loops, and you’d be hard pressed to find anything you can’t do with this program. By far, the most popular DAW for producers these days is a nifty little program called FL Studio by Image Line(you can visit the official site here for more information). Learn More About FL Studio 1. This program only runs on Windows (so if you’re a Mac user, then you’ll have to run Windows by using either Parallels or Boot Camp). I have plenty of producer friends who swear by this program, and Imageline has made huge leaps towards improving the program since I last used it. Wonder is also widely known to use this program for his beats, so that’s a testament as to how powerful it actually is. And for newer heads who might not know who 9th Wonder is, here’s a couple of recent hits that were made with the program (with the Akai MPK Mini keyboard controller, which you’ll read more about a little later): The best part of it? When you purchase the software, it comes with unlimited lifetime updates. Which means when they do release version 1. There are several versions of the program available depending on your needs, with the Signature Bundle retailing for $2. Producer Bundle for $1. However, you can save yourself more than a hundred dollars by getting the Signature Academic Version here — it’s literally the same exact program as the $2. Propellerheads Reason: Propellerhead Reason 9 comes with devices called Players, which make it stupid simple to make music even if you know nothing about music theory. But if for whatever reason FL Studio isn’t your thing, that’s all right. My personal favorite DAW is hands- down Propellerhead Reason(visit the official site here). I’ve been a long time user of Reason, and love how it’s low on CPU resources and virtually crash- free. I still haven’t found any other program that makes it as easy to bang out a quick beat — the workflow is simply ah- may- zing! Here’s the deal: Reason normally retails for $3. John McFerrin offers interactive reviews of the great art-rock group Yes. Hip hop or hip-hop is a subculture and art movement developed in South Bronx in New York City during the late 1970s. While people unfamiliar with hip hop culture. FL Studio has come a long way from back when it was called Fruity Loops, and you’d be hard pressed to find anything you can’t do with this program. But just like FL Studio, you can save yourself a hundred dollars by getting the Student/Teacher version here — once again, it’s the same exact program as the regular version, just cheaper and there’s no need to show any credentials to purchase. Learn More About Propellerhead Reason. I can definitely recommend this for beginners since everything you need is in the box: the included sound bank is incredibly extensive, and you no longer need a separate program to record vocals since version 6 introduced audio recording. Meanwhile, 6. 5 also introduced Rack Extensions (the Propellerhead answer to third- party VSTs) and as of version 9. Reason can finally integrate VST plugins (this is HUGE). This means you can finally expand your sounds with VST instruments from third party developers that previously used to only be available on other DAWs. I use Propellerhead Reason as my main beat making program because not only is it a stable and flexible DAW that allows you to do whatever you want, but because it’s also bundled with great sound content. It’s not just for preset junkies though; it’s sound design capabilities is beyond incredible. It gives you plenty of flexibility and a great deal of instruments to make your beats with. For most people (including me), it’s really all you need to start making beats on your computer. Propellerheads also introduced a brand new device in version 9 called Players, which make it incredibly easy to create chords and melodies even if you don’t know anything about music theory. Although I know enough of the basics, these tools make it even easier to create something that sounds fundamentally great.(While you may not have the money to purchase the full program right away, beginners would be happy to see that Reason has a little brother called Reason Essentials. When you’re starting out to make beats, there’s no better way to spend a hundred dollars. Just don’t waste your money or time on Dubturbo or Sonic Producer, LOL.)Learn More About Propellerhead Reason Essentials. Alternatives: FL Studio or Reason will be more than plenty to make the music you want to create on your computer. While there are plenty of other options, but at the end of the day it’s more important that you learn the ins and outs of your DAW so you know how to do what you want to do. But just in case you’re looking for a few more alternatives, here’s a couple of other programs that I can recommend: Cockos Reaper – Reaper was the program that I switched out of, and I still use it for some activities today. I recommend this for the budget- conscious — for only $6. Unlike the previous two programs, it doesn’t come bundled with a bunch of content, but you wouldn’t need the content if you’re using a dedicated VSTi solution like Komplete 1. Presonus Studio One – I’ve tried this program, and was very impressed with how quick and easy the workflow is — not just for making beats, but for recording audio as well. I love how quick the software is and how it isn’t a CPU- hog. Studio One also comes with a huge bundle of instruments and content that all sound great as well. I’ve had a play with the instruments that come with it and they are top- notch — there’s certainly plenty of sounds that you can use to make professional sounding beats right away. The Producer version of Studio One is priced very competitively and is sold for $1. Artist version for $9. There’s also a Professional edition sold for $3. Melodyne integration plus a few other features. None of them are really necessary to make beats, which means for most producers the $1. Logic Pro X – Right from the bat, it’s easy to see why it’s the default DAW for many professional studios in the world. MIDI sequencing is probably one of the best I’ve ever used, and audio recording is powerful. Just how powerful is Logic? Ask Red One, producer for Lady Gaga’s “Just Dance” who made the beat using nothing but the stock sounds from Logic. In case you didn’t know, Apple recently dropped all boxed versions of their software and made it available exclusively on the App Store for $1. I couldn’t resist hopping on this bargain, especially since the entire bundle (along with the content) previously cost over $6. The downside? It’s Mac only (sorry, PC users). MIDI Keyboard Controller — ESSENTIALThe Akai MPK Mini MKII is an excellent entry- level MIDI controller for just $9. Now that you’ve got the program to make your beats in, you’re going to need something to make it with. Unless you want to be clicking in the MIDI patterns with your mouse, you’re going to need something to trigger the notes with. And that’s where a MIDI controller keyboard comes in. For most beginners, all you’ll really need is a 2. MIDI keyboard controller to get started. The important thing is to be able to play out your melodies with your hands and practice your scales with, and something small, compact, and affordable will be perfect for your needs at this time. Personally, it works for me because I travel a lot, and since it’s impractical to keep lugging around a 3- foot keyboard with me everywhere I go I also bought a M- Audio Axiom 2. Music Books That Could Change Your Life. What is the ultimate music producers reading list? Here’s my shot at it…To compile this list, I pulled out those few books I’ve encountered at various points over the last 1. Here I’ve brought together books on recording, mixing, mastering, orchestration, film scoring, sound design, EDM and House music production, Pro producer interviews and tutorials, musician and producer biographies, and academic/philosophical writing on the more abstract aspects of music and its construction. You may think the title of this post is a little over the top – but if you’ve ever been struggling for days, weeks or months with some aspect of your music- making, or come across a new album, artist or idea that just blew you away… You’ll know it doesn’t feel like an exaggeration at the time to say it was life- changing : )By the way, if you’d like to support Get That Pro Sound, you can always do so by clicking and purchasing through my affiliate ads and links to Amazon and elsewhere. I don’t get rich through the site, and I only ever link to things that I genuinely endorse, because I use them myself. Thanks a lot, and I hope you find this list super useful! Author: Bob Katz. Focal Press, 2. 00. The title of this book refers not just to the catch- all term for the final processing stages of a track or album, but perhaps also to the idea of becoming a ‘Master of Audio’. It provides pretty definitive information on working with digital audio, dithering, metering, levels and decibels, monitor calibration, album sequencing, and mixing as it relates to creating a complete record. I particularly like Katz’s explanation of dynamics on micro and macro levels (the music’s rhythmic feel and “bounce” vs. A book on the more technical aspects of this stuff could be fairly tedious to say the least, but Katz is a great guide and somehow never lets things appear more complicated than they need to be. He’s entertaining and philosophical, and always keeps the explanations of each topic straightforward and actually useful for others to follow. Clearly, his experience (he’s won three Grammys) and passion shine through. Which aspiring producer wouldn’t want a book with chapter titles like How To Make Better Recordings In The 2. Century? Buy it now on Amazon. Authors: Fred Karlin & Rayburn Wright, foreword by John Williams. Routledge, 2. 00. On the Track is another definitive guide, in this case to scoring for film and television. What I love about this book is that it really does cover everything: you get the expected chapters on using melody, harmony, rhythm, electronic vs. Hint: it ain’t always as glamorous as it seems…)The other aspect of this book that makes it so valuable is that it features hundreds of quotes, explanations and insights from the biggest names in the business: as well as the intro from John Williams, you get Howard Shore describing the torture involved in coming up with a great theme, for example, and James Newton Howard, John Powell, Jerry Goldsmith, Elliot Goldenthal, Thomas Newman, James Horner, Harry Gregson- Williams, and many others. Also, every chapter ends with a list of Scores For Study, which include timecode numbers for every cue referred to in the text, so that you can watch the DVD and pinpoint exactly the moments in the films being discussed. It’s that detailed. Buy it now on Amazon. Author: Roey Izhaki. Focal Press, 2. 01. There are lots of books and resources on mixing, but few seem to actually help you become a better mixer. Roey Izhaki’s book is one of the few, striking a pretty good balance between covering all the essential tools and processes you need to know about, and making sure that you’re approaching the whole thing in the right way, with a strong vision of what you’re trying to achieve, to begin with. It’s partly so useful because as well as the text, you also get a DVD with clips from each of the mixing case study examples (they’re arranged by genre: Rock, Hip Hop/Urban, D& B, Techno, Metal etc.), and access to a companion website with another 2. Buy it now on Amazon. Author: Mike Senior. Focal Press, 2. 01. Finally, a proper book on mixing dedicated to small/project/bedroom studio owners everywhere. The most significant aspects of Mike Seniors book for me are the emphasis on monitoring – you can have all the software to rival a professional studio, but if you can’t hear accurately what’s coming out of the speakers it’s still going to be a frustrating experience; and the idea of planning a mix strategically, learning not just what compression or EQ do, for example, but when and how it’s best to use them in context. Recommended for everyone! Buy it now on Amazon. Author: Howard Massey. Volume I: 2. 24 pages; Backbeat Books, 2. Volume II: 3. 30 pages; Backbeat Books, 2. A bit like On The Track for rock production, the two volumes of Behind The Glass are probably the most insightful and inspiring collections of first- hand interviews with top record producers to be found anywhere. It’s like sitting in a bar and eaves- dropping on conversations with George Martin (The Beatles), Eddie Kramer (Jimi Hendrix), Brian Wilson (The Beach Boys) and Alan Parsons (Pink Floyd). Favourite quote (from David Bowie producer Tony Visconti): “I want to work with people who have a vision. It’s boring to work with a person who lies back in bed and says, ‘Do me.'”It’s a brilliant mix of discussions and detailed advice on the technical and creative aspects of producing, all wrapped up in anecdotes that give you a privileged peek into the inner circles and creative processes of legendary bands and artists. And the way both books are organised, it’s also a disguised history lesson with the interviews arranged by the age groups and locations (US and UK) of the producers, so you get a real sense of how things have evolved over the decades. Volume II also features Daniel Lanois (producer of U2 and Bob Dylan), Mark Ronson (Amy Winehouse), Trevor Horn (Grace Jones) and Rodney Jerkins (Mary J. Blige). Get the first one here and Volume II here from Amazon. Author: Jake Brown. ECW Press, 2. 00. Rick Rubin is certainly one of the most influential producers of the past 2. Hip Hop, Rock and Metal. He’s produced so many of my favourite albums and artists it’s quite amazing: the Beastie Boys, Public Enemy, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Rage Against the Machine and Audioslave, Linkin Park, Metallica. What’s most fascinating is the way the book builds up a picture of Rubin’s production approach through all the different styles and genres he’s worked in. The main thing you take away is this: “When I started producing, minimalism was my thing. My first record actually says, instead of produced by Rick Rubin, ‘reduced by Rick Rubin’…” Less Is More! Buy it now on Amazon. Authors: Bill Brewster & Frank Broughton. Grove Press, 2. 00. I feel that anyone who wants to know how to make dance music absolutely must read this before reading any technical manuals or buying any equipment or software. Why? Because I guarantee that you will have a completely different impression of what electronic music is, where it came from, what it’s designed for and why it sounds the way it does, after you’ve read it. The book goes right back to the very beginnings of DJing and dance music with the Northern Soul scene in the North of England, and takes in the stories behind Reggae, Disco, Hip Hop, Garage, House and Techno. For me, the House and Techno chapters especially were a revelation, detailing how these styles were really local scenes that grew out of specific cities, clubs, producers and DJs, before they went on to global domination. There are plenty of interviews with the key people who were actually there, and of course you come away with a list of classic tracks and forgotten gems that you might otherwise never be aware of. Fill in the gaps in your EDM knowledge and understand the heritage of pretty much all modern music, buy it now on Amazon. Author: Rick Snoman. Focal Press, 2. 00. Ok, so you’ve now got Last Night A DJ Saved My Life…, right? Now, if you want to make electronic dance music of any style, this should probably be your next port of call. Most music production books and guides are written with rock or pop production firmly in mind, so it was refreshing to find a book that strictly cuts to the chase for EDM producers.
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