Originally, electronic music was made with a variety of instruments, synthesizers, and tape decks putting disparate tracks together into one cohesive piece of sound. But these days the prospect of making your own electronica has become a lot easier thanks to the expansive abilities afforded by computer technology, not to mention the advent of non-linear editing software. With digital audio software galore at your fingertips, both of the free and the paid variety, there’s no reason you can’t turn your love of music into a creative outlet and perhaps even a money-earning enterprise when you opt to make your own electronic music. And using your laptop means you can take your projects with you wherever you go. Here are just a few tips for making electronic music on your portable computer.
Having some musical background is, of course, preferable to begin with. But in this day and age it isn’t absolutely essential. There are plenty of musical masters that are self-taught or that learn as they go, so don’t let a relative lack of musical education hold you back when it comes to creating digital music. That said, the more you immerse yourself in music, the more likely you are to want to absorb all of the related information you can, and this could mean going so far as to sign up for music lessons or take a music theory course. The more input you have, the better your output is likely to be. So at least consider what you stand to gain through instruction in a variety of musical disciplines.
From there, you will naturally need suitable hardware and software with which to create and edit your music. If you’re on the lookout for an appropriate laptop, simply ask for what you want at retail locations. Qualified sales personnel should be able to direct you towards a product that features the speed and memory you’ll need when using recording and editing software. Other equipment could include a mic, digital adapters, a mixing board, and other audio equipment, depending on your particular music creation process, but you may not necessarily need these things if you plan to make completely synthesized (i.e. computer generated) music. Once you’ve got your hardware in hand, the next step is to seek out digital editing software that is designed for music creation.
There is no shortage of programs to choose from. The best known and most widely used amongst industry insiders is probably Pro Tools, but products like Sonar, Cubase, and even Garage Band are also viable options, and you can continue looking for other software possibilities if none of these appeal to you. What you’re bound to discover, though, is that audio editing software is all more or less the same – different programs simply offer different, specific features and some are more user friendly than others.
Next you should utilize software tutorials to learn your way around your program of choice so that you can begin to make digital music like a pro. And then you can record music, import samples from online vendors like Scottie Jax Beats, and lay down and layer tracks for editing. It will take some time to get into a rhythm, so to speak, when it comes to creating and editing electronic music on your laptop, but taking your projects with you means you can work whenever and wherever inspiration strikes. And with practice you could just become the next Deadmau5 or Trent Reznor – you just never know.
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