Home music production tips you need to know

Thanks to technological advances and a wide variety of software and apps currently available, music production is easier than ever. A lot of indie producers are actually making stunning music from home, using tools that can be acquired at affordable prices.

Before you jump right in and start creating your own music, however, there are a few important things you need to know. These next several tips we are about to cover in this article will help you avoid unnecessary mistakes and start producing great tunes right away.

Master the Basics

While a lot of artists don’t really have a formal music education background, taking the time to learn the basics is definitely worth it, especially if you’re planning on becoming a professional producer or writer. The ability to play a keyboard or a piano, read music and of course write tunes are all invaluable to a producer.

You don’t have to attend a music school and become a full-time student either. The best piano lessons NYC has to offer will help you master the necessary basics from the comfort of your home or studio.

Learn How to Use Dynamics

Music isn’t just about tunes and tempo. It is about dynamics; about creating a flow that takes the listener on a journey. Dynamics are always essential in music-making, which is why knowing how to create and use dynamics is also important.

For example, you can make a part of the song sound big and brash by contrasting it with something very quiet and intimate. Drops and builds can be used to create a nice flow and achieve effects like this.

Compression Is Your Friend

A lot of beginner music producers make the mistake of not considering the layers they add to create the final tune. While the sounds are perfect as an individual track, they will start to sound muddy and clipped once you add them into layers.

A suitable compression technique can help fill a box that focuses on volume, frequency and panning. With the right set of compressions, you can create a fuller sound and a song that people actually enjoy listening to.

Compression also gives you more room to play with volume without clipping the high or low end of the sound. Combined with other techniques such as EQ and stacking, it will be much easier to create a full sound using compressions.

Go Easy on the Reverb

Studio reverb always adds that nice touch of dreaminess that makes a sound sweeter and smoother, but that doesn’t mean adding too much reverb is the way to go. In fact, multiple reverbs added to different layers may end up making the whole song sound bad.

Reverb is another handy tool to master early in the game. As you get started with writing and producing your own music, learn to use reverb correctly. A good rule of thumb is to turn the reverb down until you can barely notice it.

There are still more things to master and other tips to keep in mind, but we’re going to save them for another discussion. Until then, start learning these basics and master the tools to be able to produce awesome sounds – and songs – from the comfort of your home.

Buddy Iahn
Buddy Iahn

Buddy Iahn founded The Music Universe when he decided to juxtapose his love of web design and music. As a lifelong drummer, he decided to take a hiatus from playing music to report it. The website began as a fun project in 2013 to one of the top independent news sites. Email: info@themusicuniverse.com