Music Producing Software Basics
When the music industry first started, the prospect of producing a record was shrouded by corporate bureaucracy. Thanks to advances in music producing software, hardware and support systems, the process has evolved tremendously.
Decades ago, the recording process was still in it's infancy requiring bulky, complex equipment, and the necessity of full four or five-piece bands. The recording process was also costly and depended on heavy financial investment. In the few years following, the next step of printing vinyl or compact disks was again another investment, usually being factored into the advance musicians were given upon signing.
Today, however, the availability of advanced music producing software and the seismic shift of the market to an online format has completely changed the game.
DAW (Digital Audio Workstation)
The Digital Audio Workstation is an electronic device or music producing software application for recording, editing, and producing audio files such as songs, musical pieces, human speech or sound effects. Choosing the best DAW for your studio space or type of music is an important decision that will help to give you the best opportunities for producing great music.
Best Rated Software:
Here's a quick list of the best tips to keep in mind when deciding on a DAW:
1. Your Budget
Though this might seem obvious, its an important factor to consider because investing in a good DAW is typically a 4-5 year process (like buying a car) so you’re going to want to get it right. You want to think long term, but before you do drop that money most companies will provide free trials of their music producing software to give you a test-drive. One the free side, one of the most popular free DAW Applications is Audacity from sourceforge.net.
2. Do You Perform Live?
Some DAWs are catered towards live performance, with built in integration for outside components such as MIDI controllers or VST Instruments. These music producing software options may also include additional features such as saved presets or interface matching with whatever set-up you are using.
3. What is Your Experience Level?
Whether you are a professional or a beginner, there are certainly DAW options for you, but depending on your experience you may choose an application with a lower initial investment.
On the other hand, you want to be able to grow with your understanding of the software, learning how to express your sound and capture it effectively. You have to think towards the future, but pick a software package which isn’t too advanced as to scare you away.
Pro Tools, for example, is an expert-level music producing software that has whole design schools centered on it. While it can be used to produce amazing music, it may not be the best choice out of the gate.
Music Streaming Services
Once you have chosen your preferred music producing software, and started producing killer music, the next step is figuring out how to get it to listeners. Physical record sales are becoming less viable, but you can get a bigger audience (and even get paid) by streaming music online.
Some of the biggest musicians today started with a SoundCloud account, Bandcamp, Youtube, or by getting their music on Spotify.
Whatever path you choose, success has been redefined in the music industry, so with hard work and determination anything is possible.
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