Creating your own pieces of music is very rewarding, and could lead to a career in music. Before you begin, make sure you have these 5 things ready to ensure the process goes smoothly.
- Music software:
Your music software is what you’re running all your gear and sounds into. It’s how you can record live instruments and vocals, as well as mix and master your music. Some honorable mentions are:
- FL Studio
- Ableton Live
- Pro Tools
- Logic Pro X
- Cubase
If you’re looking for something free, try:
- Audacity
- Garageband
- Studio One
If you are looking for a longer breakdown of music softwares, with their pros and cons, check out this free guide.
- An audio interface
Your audio interface connects your computer to your instruments and speakers. You can use it to record vocals and instruments and feed it directly into your music software. You can also use it to output high-quality audio through your speakers or headphones.
Some honorable mentions are:
- Focusrite Scarlett
- Apollo Twin
- Solid State Logic SSL
With your music software and audio interface ready, you’ll be able to record and listen to your music.
Note: you don’t always need an audio interface to produce music. Lots of computer have dedicated sound cards and drivers that can be used to input and output audio. If you’re on a budget, you may be able to skip this step.
- Sample packs
Sample packs are perfect if you want to add live vocals, live guitar or live drums into your music. They can also contain melodies, chord progressions, and drum samples depending on which packs you have. These overpowered sound libraries can transform your music and productivity.
Some of our favourites are the royalty free sample packs from WavGrind which have been used by over 100,000 producers!
The best part is, they’re royalty free. So you don’t need to credit anyone or pay any royalties.
- Instruments
If you want to record live elements to include in your music, you’re going to need some instruments. Here are some of our favourites:
- Fender Squire Guitar
- Epiphone Grabber Bass Guitar
- Pearl Fusion Plus Drum Kit
- Rode NT1 Studio Mic
We recommend going to a music shop and trialing these instruments to make sure they’re right for you.
- An engineer or engineering software:
When you’ve recorded your music, you’re going to want to mix and master it. This is where an engineer or your music software comes in handy.
Some of the most popular softwares for mixing music include:
- Pro Tools
- Antares Autotune
- Izotope Ozone
Read this full mixing and mastering guide if you want to learn more.
With these 5 key elements, you should be ready to record your next or first piece of music. All the best!
