Music production involves managing and supervising the performance, recording, and production of music tracks in their entirety. While you can aim to be a generalist, it is more common for people desiring to make their careers in music production to specialize in one of the various stages like songwriting, music arrangement, tracking, editing, mixing, and mastering. However, regardless of the domain, you want to focus on; you will need to master music production equipment commonly used in recording studios. Some essential hardware and software used in modern music production:
Computer
The Digital Audio Workstation or the DAW is the heart of music production technology. However, to use it, you must host it on a computer. While the latest model of MacBook Pro is outstanding, you can easily substitute with any laptop or desktop armed with an Intel Core i5 processor and 16 GB RAM. If you can afford more, get more processing power and RAM.
Digital Audio Workstation
The DAW allows you to write and produce music as well as record, mix, and master it. There is a large choice of DAWs in the market with various features and at multiple price points. Ask your mentors or people in the industry which DAW you should opt for. It is largely a matter of industry acceptance and personal preference. However, even the best of DAWs will not make you a better music producer, says the coordinator of a leading music production institute offering multiple music production courses in Mumbai. Only by mastering the entire process of music production, will you achieve success.
Audio Interface
With an audio interface, you can record music using microphones and also listen to the music you are creating using headphones or monitor speakers. Typically, audio interfaces connections rely on USB for Windows, while for a Mac; popular options are Thunderbolt and FireWire. It can be a good idea to use a 2 input interface when recording music and vocals with microphones and use the inputs to record other electronic instruments with a direct connection.
Headphones and Speakers
Studio-quality monitor speakers or headphones are vital if you want to get good results from your music production. Speakers or headphones of lower quality tend to boost some frequencies while subduing the rest, so using them will not give an accurate idea of the quality of your music. According to Artist PR, a pair of good-quality headphones will allow you to isolate the sound. However, you do not necessarily have to break your bank by buying ultra-expensive speakers or headphones. To ensure good quality music or vocal recording, you will also need to invest in a high-quality microphone.
Plugins
To up your game on the DAW, you can think of using high-quality plugins. All DAWs come with several plugins for adding special effects to your production, mixing, and mastering of the music. If you are confident of your abilities, you can start experimenting with an equalizer, compressor, reverb, and a mastering limiter.
Conclusion
Now that you know what it takes to produce music, you can start assembling your home studio and composing your first track.
