Electronic Music Production Explained
Electronic music is a popular music genre that involves using synthesizers and recording sounds from electronic oscillators, among other sources. These are later edited and reproduced.
While there is no exact date as to when this type of music was born, some believe that substantial experimentation using electronic and electrical devices produced music during the pre-World War II era and developed into an entire genre from 1948 onwards.
After decades have passed, electronic music, which is now more commonly known as electronic dance music (EDM), has reached its pinnacle of fame and become a widely-sought type of music for today’s younger generation.
The Fundamentals Of Electronic Music Production
Unlike other forms of music, EDM is unique in a sense that it provides every other genre a creative twist by mixing or editing them together using a production software. This ultimately resulted to countless sub-genres and, eventually, a heap of aspiring musicians.
Unlike before, becoming popular for music is relatively simple with the help of social media and the worldwide web. In fact, a lot of people have gotten their time in the limelight after videos of their performances went viral online.
However, becoming an electronic music producer is a different thing entirely as it requires skills in editing, mixing, and mastering one’s music. That’s not to mention a keen ear for exhilarating drops. To master the fundamentals of electronic music production, be sure to follow these tips.
- Study Up
Like any other job, becoming an electronic music producer requires the right kind of education. While you may not need to enroll in music school, you should consider reading books and articles about the theories involved in the art. This is also where you discover the basics of the genre to prepare yourself for the space you are attempting to enter. Listening to popular electronic music will also help you get a handle on what people want, as well as what you are inclined to produce.
- Practice Makes Perfect
After learning what the books say, it is time to put it into practice. During this part of your journey, you should be able to prepare your own studio and select the right equipment. Some of the most basic things you would need include a dependable computer, an audio interface, at least one dynamic microphone, studio monitors or speakers, MIDI controllers, and a digital audio workstation (DAW) software.
At this point, you should practice mixing beats, adding colors, and editing music using the software of your choice. To get the most out of it, you should try everything your equipment allows you to do, which ranges from recording simple audio to using virtual instruments.
- Be Ready To Face the Hurdles
While it may not sound very good at first, you shouldn’t be disheartened as even the most skilled and famous music producers today have undergone a trial-and-error period. Struggles in any trade or profession are to be expected. Mastering electronic music production is no exception.
During this time, it may feel like you’re going nowhere; but you should keep in mind the very thing that motivated you to enter the industry in the first place. If you’re having a hard time, don’t be afraid to seek help from someone who is more experienced.
- Become Proficient
Becoming proficient in electronic music production means being able to produce a professional-sounding output. You should also come up with high-quality work and have a deep understanding of how your tools operate.
Proficiency may be difficult to measure on your own, so be sure to collaborate with someone else. Also, you should consider listening to your past recordings and compare them to your most recent ones to determine how far you’ve come in mastering electronic music production.
