Like Music

This almost seems too obvious but you’d be surprise at how often this is overlooked. Most major streaming platforms offer a like button, simply click the heart and music is added to your collection. This is by far the simplest way to not forget about a release as all you have to do is remember to regular check your likes. I personally use this on SoundCloud a ton, not only to bookmark songs I love but also to remind myself to check something new that’s popped up in my feed if I’m out and don’t have headphones or the time to properly listen. Sometimes the easiest solution is the best solution. Smash that like button.

Create Playlists

Creating playlists is a fun way to organize your favourite music and keep it from being lost in the shuffle. I curate a weekly playlist that features the best releases of the week over the past few months. This is my go-to if I don’t know exactly what I want to listen to. Playlist curation can run as deep as you’d like. You can create general playlists or get super specific creating playlists by genre, mood, overall vibe or specific elements or sounds. The possibilities are endless and not only will you have a go-to location to bump your favourite tunes, but you can create the perfect soundtrack to all the varied facets of your life. As a bonus you can even share playlists with friends or publicly on social media, flexing your tastes and helping spread your favourite artists’ music.

Download It

For modern music fans, the concept of downloading music may seem as outdated as having a landline but the benefits are real. For DJs and producers, downloading music is likely second nature but for fans, the reliance on streaming has shifted the focus away from digital downloads. A ton of underground artists release their tracks as free downloads and for those that don’t, buying music is one of the best ways to directly support artists you love, especially during these tough times. For me personally, I love downloading music and throwing it on my phone. Sure you can access streaming services almost anywhere these days but there’s something special about spending the time and effort to download music and only having a select collection that makes those tracks that you went through the trouble for extra special. In a world of seemingly limitless music options, eliminating the endless choice might be just what you need to keep your favourite tracks in steady rotation.

Put It In A Mix

If you’re an avid producer or DJ this one is likely a no-brainer but even for fans, picking up DJing as hobby or messing around on mixing software can be a great way to keep music from ever being lost. As a DJ, every mix I put together is a time capsule of some of my favourite songs of that period or that fit the specific vibe I’m creating. I can go back to a mix from a few weeks, months, or years back and rediscover gems I would have otherwise forgotten. Also mixing tracks, mashing them up or reworking them can give them a new life.

Buy Physical Music

Vinyl and cassette sales have seen double digit growth in recent time. Not only is buying physical music an incredible way to directly support artists, there’s also something special about the feeling. Being able to hold the music, appreciate the artwork, and flip through a collection only deepens your connection to the music. Having physical copies also serves as real reminder of the music you own and love. In the digital era it’s easy for albums or songs you once enjoyed to get lost in your hard drive or in the cloud. Buying psychical copies literally puts the music right in front of you.

Music isn’t like fast food, something to be quickly consumed and discarded, it’s a work of art that’s meant to be marveled at and enjoyed over time like a fine painting. Each listen can uncover new sounds, meaning and emotions. There’s something majestic about knowing a piece of music from front to back, every facet, every word; it’s a truly intimate connection. Music isn’t meant to be forgotten. I hope these tips above help to keep your favourite music alive and with you. Music discovery is a never-ending quest, but it’s essential that you take the time to truly appreciate all the gems you uncover along the way.

The post How To Keep Music From Being Forgotten appeared first on FUXWITHIT.

However, approaching the process of creating visual themes that appropriately represent your direction can be a daunting task. So, to help simplify the confusion for emerging creatives, we’ve laid out some marketing basics so you can groom the early foundations of a successful career.

Be Authentic

While cultivating a memorable and defined image for your project, it’s important to remember that you are competing with every other artist around the globe. Creating a successful visual brand starts with pinpointing the aspects of your work that you value the most. The details of your identity ultimately need to reflect your personality and interests. Aside from sound itself, how can you emotionally connect with your listeners on a visual level? How can you be relatable?

Understand that you will never be the only artist these fans (and especially labels) listen to. Why should they remember your work above anyone else’s? Remaining relevant and memorable means you must be different. As creative individuals, we are more inclined to emulate the work of our idols. Rather than imitating, try building on the concepts you find inspiration in. You can present a lasting image that is unique and personal by first identifying the visual trends in your community. How can you avoid monotony? Additionally, how can you appeal to (and engage with) the fans of your sub-culture while remaining aesthetically attractive and fresh?

Larkless is an outstanding reference for this topic. Utilizing dark and haunting color themes, the artist also incorporates a cryptic website where listeners can ask questions regarding his project. Backed by a simple yet recognizable logo, Larkless manages to break repetition through his interesting and creative take on visual branding, as seen through his website.

“The top priority when it comes to branding for me is that it’s fun to create. It expresses what I want it to express (regardless of other people’s expectations) and it helps tell the story I want to tell. Everything I create has its own place within this story that surrounds it all. I wanted to create something that people could really dig into. Something that was satisfying to piece together,” Larkless explains.

Make It Cohesive

Constructing a project identity also means ensuring all aspects of your branding are cohesive with the work you create. Take your sound aesthetic into account. If you prefer to operate in the darker realms of experimental bass production, a neon yellow sunflower is not going to be an intelligent logo selection. All visual areas of the project need to mirror your sound’s direction

What do you want listeners to envision or experience when they consume your art? And perhaps more importantly, how do you want to be remembered? The visual aspects of your project act as the first impression to new listeners, labels, and A&Rs so make it count.

Approach each idea logically and try keeping it simple. Simplicity travels far when it comes to building the framework of an impeccable and recognizable visual brand. If your logo selection utilizes a white and black color scheme, incorporate that same design throughout all aspects of your project. This includes your Facebook cover, Twitter header, SoundCloud banner, any self-released track artwork, website, merchandise, visual loops, and Instagram feed. If these are wildly inconsistent, you run the risk of your work being visually unimpressive and or forgettable. Make it make sense.

San Francisco based artist Stripess is an amazing example of cohesive nature and simplicity. His branding is a direct reflection of his moniker and is consistent throughout his work. Although simple, his identity remains memorable and can be seen on track artwork, SoundCloud banner, and profile pictures.

Stripess elaborates on the creative inspiration behind his brand development saying, “I went to this museum called the Tate Modern, and there was a whole exhibit on ‘Op Art,’ or art based around optical illusions. It basically messes with space and simple structures (lots of stripes) to create the impression of 3D space on a 2D canvas.”

Avoid Rushing The Process

The creative community tends to be the most indecisive. Because your minds drip with a superabundance of contrasting ideas, determining the final visual identity of your project can be difficult. Accept that the first design concept may not always be the best and that’s okay. Much like perfecting the technical design of a track, the final visual brand needs to appear seamless and well-thought-out. Rushing the visual process can (and usually does) result in a painful rebrand later down the road. We see this happen with growing artists all the time.

If manifesting a successful career and reputation in music is your end goal, then you have to take all areas of your work seriously. Take time to fully conceptualize your brand’s visual blueprint and approach the process carefully. Does this idea fully encapsulate your artistic direction? Will you be confident in this design a year from now? What about five years from now?

Remember

Be authentic.
Be interesting.
Build on existing inspiration.
Remain consistent.
Keep it simple.
Take your time.

Ask Yourself These Questions

What makes me unique?
What sub-culture or community am I trying to contribute to?
What inspires me?
How can I mirror my sound aesthetic?
What design best represents my personality?
What sense of direction am I attempting to achieve?

It’s impossible to expect the finite details of your overall vision to appear overnight. Fine-tuning any single concept can and will evolve as you perfect your craft so be prepared to make changes and adjust ideas as new found inspiration hits. And remember, visual branding acts as an enhancement to your already-established sound character. Fall in love with your ideas before pushing them to the public. Take notes, outsource ideas from other artists, be patient, and weigh out your options. You want your first impression to be a lasting one and half-assing the end product will be beneficial to no one.

The post Tips For Artists On Establishing A Visual Brand appeared first on FUXWITHIT.

If you’re reading this article then you understand the gravity of the situation because more than likely, your favorite bar, club, restaurant, or local hotspot is temporarily or permanently shut down. These closures have massive impacts beyond just the venue being shut down; it impacts club owners, security personnel, waitresses, dancers, bar staff, cleaning staff, and your favorite local and touring artists.

Lucky for you and me, we have the power to continue to support artists in a multitude of ways and for some of these you won’t even have to pull out your wallet.

Stream music

Remember those days of Limewire, torrents, Megaupload, etc? It was so easy to download albums and songs from your favorite artists. With the inception of Spotify, Apple Music, Tidal, and other major streaming services; subscribers have millions upon millions of hours worth of music at their fingertips. In fact, Spotify and Apple Music boast a library of 50 million songs each.

Chances are your favorite small-time artist has some of their catalog on Spotify or Apple Music which you are most likely already subscribed to. It’s time to reshape listening habits, forget about listening to ads on YouTube or SoundCloud and look up these artists on your preferred premium streaming platform. The streaming payouts may be fractions of a penny but those streams add up and the more activity an artist’s profile gets on a streaming service, the higher they will rank in search. The numbers will also help artists to land shows and tours when things begin to return to normal. So get to streaming!

Buy music

I just mentioned the fractions of a penny that artists can earn when their music is streamed on a premium music service but what about helping artists earn a whole penny? According to an infographic by Information is Beautiful, unsigned artists can keep as much as 100% of a record sale to as little as 23% of a record sale on iTunes. If an album costs $10 then artists can keep as much as $10 or as little as $2.30 from the sale through major music marketplaces. The top platform that pays out most to artists is Bandcamp, which allows musicians to keep 85% of their record sale. Bandcamp has also recently held special promotional days where 100% of proceeds go to artists, so keep your eye out.

Buy merch

Have you ever walked up to a merch booth at a show and seen some pieces that you really want? I don’t know about you guys but I prefer to just buy my merch once I’m home so I don’t have to be carrying it around and worrying about a bag at a concert venue or a festival. Well you’re not going anywhere anytime soon, that merch is just waiting to be shown off during your next Zoom call.

Keep an eye on the socials of your favorite artists, labels, blogs, etc. They are regularly running sales on their merchandise and best of all, the margins for the artists are much higher than they are for music sales.

Donate during live streams

It’s impressive how quickly the electronic music scene has reacted to shifting the experience from your local venue to your own couch. Every weekend we’re seeing music streams from some of the biggest names in the scene to some of the smaller local promoters and artists. Many of these events are on a mission to raise money for various artist-tailored charitable organizations and artists who have been affected by COVID19.

Brownies and Lemonade teaming up with Proximity raised over $300,000 in one weekend during their Digital Mirage music festival. The online three-day event brought in over 180,000 people during peak streaming.

Chill Nation and Trap Nation just completed their Room Service Festival with donation proceeds going to the Sweet Relief foundation and Feed America.

Global Dance Festival will be putting on their next virtual music festival during the weekend of May 9th and 10th with 100% of money raised during the event going to Direct Relief.

Donate via Patreon, SoundCloud, Spotify, etc.

Here’s the beauty of the internet, you don’t need to wait until a virtual festival happens to donate money. Platforms like Spotify are making it easier now more than ever for artists big and small alike to accept donations via their artist profile on the platform. Artists can choose the organization they want the donation to go to or they can have the donation sent to them personally while they may be experiencing a downturn in revenue. Here are some other charitable organizations that support artists you may be interested in:

• Musicares
• Music Health Alliance

Sign-up for music lessons

If you’re bored in the house and you’re in the house bored, then now is the perfect time to learn something new. If you’ve ever been interested in music production then there are countless resources available to you online and the tools to get you started are easily available. Did you know that Ableton 10, a leading digital audio workstation, is currently being offered with a free 90-day trial?

YouTube is a great place to start watching tutorials and to familiarize yourself with the world you’re about to step into but nothing can replace the benefits of having a guiding hand to help you learn something as complex as music production.

“If you already have some vague beatmaking experience then linking with a teacher can be much like a mentorship, they can show you tricks and shortcuts to not only make music faster but to get better at making music faster.” – Gurf (Artist, Producer, Label Owner, Freelancer)

Start by checking your favorite underground artists’ social media and see what other services they’re offering, you might be surprised by how easy it is to get in contact with them for fairly priced music lessons.

Buy sample packs

Producers, this one’s for you. You’re probably tired of adding the same samples you’ve been using in your other projects. Chances are, that sample pack you got for free has been downloaded by many other producers and that sound has been beaten to death.

Refresh that library with some new packs from the many marketplaces out there for producers. Not only can you get these packs at fair prices with the regular sales happening but you’re also supporting the producers who posted their packs online for purchase. Loopmasters, one of the biggest marketplaces, cuts the producer 20% of the sale with the ability to receive regular bonuses. You can also check out Splice or artists’ socials for direct links.

Mastering services

No creative endeavor or product is done alone and it’s okay to seek help from others. The music industry has a long history of collaboration to bring a refined product to the market and EDM is no different. Mastering can take your tracks to the next level or bring out elements you previously overlooked.

“I think the biggest reason to have your stuff mastered is because by the time you actually write / mix your track, your ears are biased.” – Gurf (Artist, Producer, Label Owner, Freelancer)

Many of your favorite underground artists would probably be happy to assist you in bringing your tracks to life with their fairly priced discounted services. Simple Google searches will bring up countless websites and services for mastering your tracks, but you can more than likely get a better deal by reaching out to an artist directly. You’ll get more one-on-one time with them and you’ll be supporting them during a time where their income has been drastically reduced.

Commission graphic design work

One thing that aspiring producers may not have thought about at first is the way they want their brand to be perceived by others. It takes years to develop an image and a persona for your artistic self. Graphic designers are always working with artists to bring their vision to life and you’d be surprised how easy it is to find out who made their album artwork or designed that flyer. Just send them a tweet or a DM and artists will be happy to give credit where credit is due. Some artists even make their artwork themselves and would be happy to work with you to commission some pieces for yourself at fair prices.

Share music

You’re probably thinking to yourself, all the above methods cost me money. How do I support artists without it costing me anything? Arguably, the number one thing you can do for an artist to support them BC19 (Before COVID-19) and AC19 (After COVID-19) is to share their music with your friends and your network. Did you just stumble upon a fire track on SoundCloud or Spotify? Well then, send the link to your friends or post it on social media.

You could be the catalyst for helping that artist earn another subscriber, another record sale, or another guest spot on a virtual stream. Who knows, you may become that go to guy with the fire playlist, and that’s always a great feeling, right?

We live in a beautiful but scary time for people all around the world and no matter what social distancing guidelines are in place, there are still plenty of ways to connect with people online. We can use the internet to support one another and now more than ever it’s important for artists to get creative in how they’re making money. We can all do our part to support struggling musicians and it all starts with a click of a mouse.

Words by Samir Singhal

Samir Singhal is the co-founder and co-host of Beyond the Beats, a podcast about EDM news and culture. Beyond the Beats aims to breakdown what’s happening in the electronic music scene in a conversational and informative way. Tune in every week for new episodes on your favorite podcasting platform.

The post 10 Ways to Support Artists During The Pandemic appeared first on FUXWITHIT.

This guide will help jumpstart your music-making efforts and aid you in finding a path that suits you. I will try to keep everything in the simplest terms so even the most novice musician can understand. I would like to preface this by saying that this is all from my personal experience, and there really is no right or wrong way to create music, this is just to give you some insight.

So without any further ado, let’s dive right in.

Getting Started

Requirements:

• Working desktop or laptop computer (preferably something with 8 GB of RAM or higher)
• Headphones and/or studio monitors
• Audio Interface
• DAW of choice
• Caffeine (seriously though)

Now, if you don’t have some of these things, that’s okay. If you only have headphones, that’s perfectly fine. Contrary to popular belief, you CAN make amazing music only using headphones. However, I would suggest getting at least a cheap pair of studio monitors when you are able to. You can go to guitar center and check some out, or go to Sweetwater and type in ‘studio monitors pair’ and check out some of the cheaper options.

For headphones, I recommend the Sony MDR-7506’s.

Pro Tip: don’t ever let anyone tell you that you NEED something to produce music. Yes, you need a DAW, but you don’t NEED certain monitors, headphones, gear, or anything else except the drive to make music itself.

I am currently running on both Mac & PC. I am constantly switching back and forth between both because they both have advantages and disadvantages. Also, my Macbook is much better for when I am traveling and my PC is a powerhouse at home.

Here is my current setup to get some ideas:

Macbook Pro

• 15 inch 2015 model
• 2.8 GHz Intel Core i7
• 16 GB RAM
• 1TB HDD

PC

• AMD Ryzen 7 3700x 3.6G
• MSI GeoForce RTX 2060
• 1 TB SSD, 2 TB HDD

Other

• KRK Rokit 8’s studio monitors
• Sony MDR-7506 headphones
• Focusrite Scarlett 2i4
• CME xKey 25

That is essentially my entire setup! I have had some gear over the years, but over time I realized that I enjoyed working more in the box (meaning software only) rather than take up studio space with a lot of things I probably won’t use.

Now if you do have studio monitors, then you will need an audio interface as well. An audio interface is what gets the audio signal from your DAW to the monitors and then to your ears. I use the Focusrite Scarlett 2i4.

Here are some links to basic and affordable audio interfaces that have everything you need when starting out:

• Focusrite Scarlett Solo 3rd Gen USB Audio Interface
• Native Instruments Komplete Audio 2 USB Audio Interface
• Behringer U-Phoria UMC202HD USB Audio Interface

And here is a basic explanation of how interfaces work:

Once you’ve got your interface, download all the drivers that come with it, if any. Once you’ve downloaded all drivers and connected the monitors, it’s time to get started.

Choosing a DAW

A DAW is a Digital Audio Workstation. Your DAW is your lifeblood. Choosing one isn’t easy, but there really isn’t one right or wrong choice here. The most widely used DAWs today include Ableton, FL Studio, Pro Tools, Logic, Cubase, and Reason just to name a few. For electronic music, I would say Ableton and FL Studio are the most used.

All of these DAWs I mentioned are great in their own ways. I happen to have started on Garageband around 2006, then moved to Logic in 2008, then to Ableton in 2015. I haven’t switched to anything else ever since, and I find Ableton to just be the most convenient for my personal workflow.

Navigating Your DAW

Now that you’ve chosen your DAW and installed it, open it up and and start learning how to navigate. Navigation is IMPERATIVE to learning how to make music. If you can navigate through your DAW quickly, your workflow becomes so much smoother.

Most DAWs have similar structured layouts: a place where you can record audio, record MIDI, draw in MIDI, drop in plugins, access your samples, etc. But there’s more than just that. There are other functions such as automation, master tempo, settings and preferences, and much more. If you know where to find all of these things, then you’ll be in great shape.

Here are a few beginner tutorials on navigating through Ableton:

• Your First 15 Minutes in Ableton Live 10 for Beginners
• Ableton Live 10 Beginners Tutorial | Beat Academy

Key Commands

My most important tip for navigation, and I can’t stress this enough, is KEY COMMANDS.

Key commands (or ‘key shortcuts’) are your most valuable tool while working on beats. They can cut your processes in half. Each DAW has their own set of key commands, and they differ for each operating system as well.

Here is a list of some important key commands you should learn first:

• Ableton
• FL Studio
• Logic

Just for good measure, here is a list of my most used key commands for Ableton:

• ctrl + e / cmd + e = Split Clip
• ctrl + j / cmd + j = Consolidate Clips
• ctrl + z / cmd + z = Undo
• shift + ctrl + z / shift + cmd + z = Redo
• ctrl + l / cmd + l = Loop Mode
• ctrl + g / cmd + g = Group Tracks
• ctrl + i / cmd + i = Insert Time
• ctrl + t / cmd + t = Insert Audio Track
• ctrl + shift + t / cmd + shift + t = Insert MIDI Track
• 0 = Deactivate Clip

Plug-ins

Plug-ins are both native and third party pieces of software that you can find online. There is also a ton of free plug-ins available all over the internet. There include synthesizer plug-ins, sampler plug-ins, FX plug-ins, and much more.

As mentioned above, some plug-ins are native to your DAW (meaning that some come installed when you install your DAW). We call these “stock” plug-ins. Just like a “stock” car that has no mods to it, “stock” plug-ins are what comes built in with your DAW.

Some Ableton “stock” plug-ins include Operator, Simpler, Glue Compressor, Redux, Erosion, and more.

FL Studio “stock” plug-ins include 3xOSC, Harmor, Sytrus, etc.

Logic “stock” plug-ins include EXS24, ES2, Sculpture, etc.

LEARN YOUR STOCK PLUG-INS FIRST!

One thing I’ve noticed is that many people tend to buy or torrent a ton of third party plug-ins when they are first starting out. This is the quickest way to wanting to give up. When you have too many options and too many things to learn, you will quickly become overwhelmed. I think that is the reason I stuck with this was because I didn’t even know what a third party plug-in was until years after I started producing. I was using only “stock” plug-ins for a very long time, and because of that, I learned the ins and outs of my tools.

KNOW THE INS AND OUTS OF YOUR TOOLS BEFORE DOWNLOADING A BUNCH OF RANDOM STUFF.

If you’re in Ableton, learn everything you can about Operator, EQ Eight, Delay, and so on.

If you’re in FL Studio, learn everything you can about Sytrus, Harmor, and so on.

I know you want to download Serum right away, but consider how much else there is to know about your native plug-ins that could help you out tremendously down the line.

Once you’ve got a solid grasp of the capabilities of your DAW’s native plug-ins, start looking into downloading some 3rd party ones.

My favorite plug-ins

Dimension Expander

This one is a FREE effect plug-in. It’s a ‘stereo widener’. I use this thing more than I use any other effect in my productions.

Soundtoys Bundle

This is a ‘bundle’ of plug-ins which you can buy for a discounted price. Currently the bundle comes with 21 separate FX plug-ins. EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THESE ARE AMAZING. Crystalizer and Decapitator are my favorites. The bundle can get a bit pricey, but it’s worth looking into if you need some new things to mess around with and take your beats to the next level.

Kilohearts Phase Plant

I recently got this one and I can tell you it’s absolutely amazing. It’s very versatile and unique compared to everything else on the market these days. It’s basically an analog synth, wavetable synth, and sampler all in one. A bit hard to describe it but it’s worth diving into and making some cool sounds.

Kilohearts has a subscription service where you can pay just $10 a month and you will have access to every single Kilohearts plug-in – not just Phase Plant but all of their other plug-ins as well. This deal is absolutely a MUST.

Camel Crusher

A free distortion plug-in.

Valhalla Vintage Verb

The only reverb you’ll ever need! There is something about this reverb that just blows all other reverb plug-ins out of the water. I love the ‘Color’ section where you can choose between 1970’s, 1980’s, and now.

U-he Uhbik Bundle

This one is a secret weapon of mine. I don’t come across lot of other producers that use these but they are super powerful. Similar to the Soundtoys Bundle, there are a number of different FX plug-ins that come with the bundle. My favorite’s are the Uhbik-S (frequency shifter) and the Uhbik-T (tremolo).

Spectrasonics Omnisphere

The Holy Grail of all synthesizers. This thing has some of the best preset banks known to man kind. Insanely colorful and harmonically rich sounds. It’s expensive but worth every penny.

Types of Plug-ins

There are three basic types of plug-ins that you should know about:

1. Instruments
2. Audio Effects
3. MIDI Effects

Instruments are essentially the starting grounds of a sound. Ground zero, where the audio signal is created. Synthesizers are a classic instrument. When you load up a synth, usually there is a default “patch” or “preset” that is loaded simultaneously. Default presets are usually sine or saw waves.

Audio Effects are plug-ins that you can stack on top of MIDI or audio channels. For example, you have an audio channel with a kick drum sample. On that channel you can put an audio effect such as a compressor, a saturator or a distortion unit. Some examples of effects plug-ins include distortion, compression, EQ, pitch shifting, reverb, delay, etc.

MIDI Effects are plug-ins that only effect MIDI. Therefore, you cannot use a MIDI effect on an audio channel (see more on midi vs. audio below. MIDI effects include arpeggiators, chord generators, velocity manipulation, etc.

MIDI and Audio

MIDI and Audio are two completely different things. Here is a video explaining the differences between the two.

Audio looks like this:

MIDI looks like this:

In simplest terms, audio is a sound that has already been recorded, while MIDI is just information that tells an instrument what notes to play.

Session vs. Arrangement View

In Ableton, there are two main views you will be using: Session view and Arrangement view. I would suggest using arrangement view. From personal experience, I have only used Session view a handful of times. Session view could be useful for live performances, but when producing, you will mainly be using arrangement view.

Here is an example of what a typical Ableton project might look like, full of both audio channels and MIDI channels.

Samples

Samples are everything. A good sample library is like a well-trained army ready to be deployed. Samples are bits of audio that you can drag into your project to build your beats.

Loops vs One-Shots

A loop is a sample that can be repeated seamlessly while played back. The end point of a loop will blend with the start point and will continue to move forward in time while it stays on beat (assuming it is warped to the project’s tempo).

One-Shots are exactly what the name implies: a single hit of audio. These could be a kick drum, hi hat, snare, piano note, one chord, etc.

Over time you will build your sample library. There are tons of free sample libraries available online.

Here are three sample packs that I have made that you can have for free:

• Rome In Silver Sample Pack I
• Rome In Silver Sample Pack II
• Rome In Silver Sample Pack III

One thing to keep in mind though, is that downloading samples is the same as downloading plug-ins. Downloading too many at once will overwhelm you and could make your skills less effective. Instead, try downloading only a certain amount every now and then.

Over time you will build your library, but try to download some packs and then get your use out of those packs first before downloading a bunch more. Also, this way you will find which samples you go to most often and thus, your “sound” and “style” will start to form from this.

Other Sample Sources

Splice

Splice is a site where you can subscribe to get a certain number of samples each month. There are currently 4 price tiers, each one giving you a different number of sample downloads each month.

Looperman

Looperman is a place where you can download samples completely free, although some may not be royalty free so just check each time you are using the samples you find from there.

Loopmasters

Loopmasters was around long before Splice. It’s a place where you can browse and purchase sample packs. I actually still use Loopmasters quite a bit for the simple fact that way too many people use Splice. I hear Splice samples in so many songs these days. So, I find some amazing sample packs that are overlooked and super underrated on Loopmasters that a lot of people won’t have.

A bit pricier to buy full sample packs, but I still highly recommend this site.

Additional Resources

Here are some YouTube channels worth checking out. A lot of these users give valuable insight into technique, workflow, sound design, etc. You can follow along with a lot of them too.

When starting out with something such as sound design, I suggest to follow along with some of their sound design tutorials. This will help you learn synthesis much faster than just messing around with your plug-ins on your own.

SadowickProduction

Sadowick has been doing tutorials for as long as I can remember. I learned a lot of my techniques from him. Lots of valuable info.

Alckemy

This guy is somewhat new on my radar for tutorials but what I’ve seen so far is incredible. The way he presents everything is easy to digest and easy to follow along. This was one of the most helpful tutorials I’ve ever found. Use this if you want to make some drum & bass or weird aggressive bass music.

Frequent

Frequent makes some really cool bass music. His tutorials are insanely informative.

Ramzoid 

Ramzoid has been a favorite producer of mine for a while. A couple of years ago he started doing YouTube production videos and they’re nothing short of amazing. A bit less informative, more for viewing pleasure, yet you can get some really cool ideas from watching him.

Kermode

This kid really knows what he’s talking about. He knows Ableton down to a tee. Worth checking out all his production videos.

Mr. Bill

Mr. Bill is a beast. His knack for sound design and insanely informative tutorials is impeccable. Many of his videos can be quite advanced, but when you’re ready definitely check him out.

Letsynthesize

Letssynthesize is another really good channel for learning sound design. One of the best in my opinion.

Reading the Manual for your DAW

No one usually reads manuals for anything. But when it comes to using your DAW, it is a valuable resource. Everything you need to know about your DAW is in that manual. Sometimes I’ll just read it when I have down time and I’ll discover something about Ableton that I never knew.

Read it to solve a problem, or read it just to learn your DAW further.

• Ableton
• FL Studio

A Few Other Tips

Get an external SSD for your samples. Especially if you are on a laptop. I have a SanDisk 1 TB SSD. This will help keep your computer running smooth and free up valuable space on your internal hard drive to store your projects, plug-ins, etc. Only store your samples on this drive.

Writer’s block is inevitable for all musicians/producers/beatmakers. I go through it all the time and you will too. Just remember that even if you are in a creative rut for a long time, it will eventually pass if you just keep making music. Here are a couple guides to get through writer’s block:

• Chasing Inspiration
• Music Production: Stay Inspired and Conquer Writer’s Block w/ Daniel Salvaggio
• Ten Ways to Keep the Creative Juices Flowing

Wrapping Up

I hope this brief guide on getting started has inspired you to want to start your music making journey. Producing music isn’t a short journey, it’s something that you will be doing for the rest of your life. It should always be fun though. You should never feel forced to do it, and if you do then it probably isn’t for you. The first few years while you are still learning the basics should be just as fun as year 10 when you have a solid grasp on everything.

Get creative, think outside the box, and have fun.

If you’re looking to get started now Ableton is offering a free 90 trial and FL Studio has a trial edition as well.

If you have any other questions, you can always reach out to me personally and ask me anything!

Connect with me:
Twitter
Instagram
Soundcloud
Facebook

Written by Rome In Silver

The post How To Start Producing Music | A Guide By Rome In Silver appeared first on FUXWITHIT.

Make good music

This may sound pretty simple and overtly obvious but it’s the most important part of this article. Before you start contacting blogs or plugging yourself online, take the time to make something that’s truly good. Be confident in what you create and ask yourself, “is this truly something special?” The first time you contact a blog with your music is their first impression of you. If they take the time to listen to your work and it sucks they’ll remember it. And every time you resubmit a track it’ll go straight to the trash. Come correct the first time, impress us and you’ll have a feature on our site every time you drop (assuming the music is consistently good). Take the time, perfect your craft and it’ll pay dividends.

The first time you contact a blog with your music is their first impression of you.

Find Blogs that post similar content

Think of it like a a job interview. Before you go to an interview you’d do some company research right? Same thing goes for blog submissions. Comb through the site in detail to see what genres they post, what artists they feature and how you see yourself fitting in. By submitting to blog that doesn’t feature related music you’re wasting your time and theirs.

Find the preferred method of contact

As part of your research be sure to find what their preferred method of contact is. Most blogs will have a contact or submissions section dedicated to receiving new music. Generally it’s a form or email address. Some blogs use third party services. Blogs outline the way they want you to contact them for a reason. Don’t just spam them with Twitter mentions or emails to the wrong addresses. This approach only serves to annoy bloggers.

Blogs outline the way they want you to contact them for a reason.

Follow them on their social channels

This connects with the previous point.  While doing your research check their social platforms and be sure to follow them. Not only does this make it easy for you to keep up with the future content they post, but it shows you’re actually interested. Furthermore it helps to make you become familiar to the publications, especially with smaller ones. I’ve personally had artists follow us on Twitter and then see their email submission and think “hey this artist sounds familiar, I should check this out.”

Draft an irresistible pitch

The bigger the blog the more submissions they get. You need to be able to stand out from all the others. This doesn’t mean write your subject line in all caps (please don’t) or making outlandish claims (MOST LIT MIXTAPE OF ALL TIME FAM!”). Just be concise and cleverly articulate what your music is about. Are you a Flume influenced future bass producer with an emotional twist? An emcee with a 90’s style, commitment to lyricism with new age production? Perfect. Put that in your subject line. Once the subject line is done it’s time to move onto the copy. Like the subject line keep it concise and to the point. We don’t want to read your entire life story, just why you think your music should be on our site.  A few sentences or a single paragraph is all you need. Who are you? Why do you want your music featured on our site? Flattery never hurts, as long as it’s genuine. What makes you special? Then include a link to stream the track and the hi-res artwork. Chances are if they decide to feature the song they’ll need both so cut down on the back and forth and put everything in that first communication.

Just be concise and cleverly articulate what your music is about.

Another tip is to offer unreleased previews or premiere opportunities. Blogs are hungry to be the first one to break an artist or track and dangling that carrot can make their eyes and more importantly ears perk up. This needs to be done tactfully though. There’s nothing worse than promising a premiere to multiple publications and having to tell them you can’t deliver. It makes you look shady and disorganized.

Follow-up (but not too much)

It’s been two hours, 6 hours,  24 hours and you still haven’t heard back? It’s okay, just chill. It takes time for blogs to go through submissions and decide if they want to feature your content. Haven’t heard back in almost a week? Time to follow-up. A simple reply to your previous email will bring your submission back to the top of their inbox. Sure, sometimes no reply means no interest but often times things get lost and that follow-up email might be the reminder that they needed.

Build relationships

Throughout my life people have always told me “it’s not what you know but who you know.” I always passed it off as another hollow expression but over time I’ve realized how real this is, especially in the music industry. How does this relate to you? Well, if you follow the steps above and actually get a response it’s time to jump on it and build that into something bigger. If they like your music and are going to post it thank them and let them know how much it means to you. If they responded from a personal address ask if they would like to receive future submissions directly. Getting out of the general inbox and directly into their personal email can help increase your chances greatly. Once you’re there build a rapport and you’ll be amazed how far it can take you.

…it’s time to jump on it and build that into something bigger.

Keep grinding

Keep in mind that getting your music out takes time. Be persistent and keep grinding. If you’re truly talented and driven it’s only a matter of time before you get to where you want to be. Liked these tips? Be sure to share your friends on Facebook and Twitter. Think we missed the mark? Let us know in the comments below.

The post How to Get Your Music Featured On Blogs appeared first on FUXWITHIT.