Учебники по созданию музыки, руководства, статьи

Beginner's Glimpse into Ableton Live Lite   Ableton Live is one of the top-ranked digital audio workstations (DAWs) in the world, with a No.1 ranking in many listings. This mainly owes to its capability in fitting into both studio and live environments. The application has remained the most favored DAW among turntablists. It was one of the first mainstream DAWs that enabled automatic beatmatching of songs. S ome of the best DJs in the world prefer the Ableton Live to other DAWs even today, with dozens of imitations out there. The Ableton Live is available for both Windows and Mac platforms. The internal processing is 32-bit though the Ableton applies a 64-bit summing to every single mix point. The Ableton Live Lite , is a free offering from Ableton as a gestating platform for fledgling music producers before making the full version, Ableton Live Standard their permanent tool. It is exactly what GarageBand is to the Logic Pro X. This free version often comes along with many hardware and software packages. Just like GarageBand, the Ableton Live Lite provides you with almost all the major virtual instruments, effects and workflows present in the Standard version of the application. It also allows you to import third-party plug-ins . You can start composing, recording and producing music straightaway with the Lite version, with its only notable limitation being an 8-track limit for MIDI and audio.   T he default view on the Ableton Live interface is the session view . This is what gives the Ableton an edge over many of its competitors. The session view is a boon for life performers and is very quick and easy compared to your traditional arrangement timeline. Let us quickly go through the interface. The controls on the top-left hand side of the interface are for adjusting the tempo of your track. To adjust the BPM (Beats Per Minute) you may click here and manually type in the desired BPM value: Alternatively click and drag up or down to increase or decrease the BPM value. Again if BPM values confuse you as a beginner, you may just click on the TAP button continuously to the rhythm of your song. Ableton gives you the BPM value based on your frequency of TAPS per minute. Similarly, to make changes to the time-signature of your track, you may click and type in the desired value here. This button with here with two small circles, is the Ableton metronome .   You may click it to enable the click tracks while recording or playing. As with other DAWs, we suggest you always have the metronome enabled so that you get to accurately follow your rhythm and nail your performance in fewer takes.   T hese are your PLAY, STOP and RECORD buttons that require no explanation. Just as in Logic Pro X and several other mainstream DAWs, the library can be found on the extreme left corner of the interface. For starters, this is where you can find all the built-in samples and virtual instruments you would want to use in your session. Additionally, it hosts all the third-party plug-ins you have downloaded, besides effects that can be applied to your tracks (like EQ, reverb etc.) Let us explore Ableton’s unique session view. This is one of the characteristics that has drawn thousands of live performers to this DAW over the years. This is the default view. However if you are on the arrangement view, you can go to the extreme right corner of your interface and click on the three parallel vertical lines to switch to the session view. This is how your interface would look in the session view: Please note that only the view is changing, while your session remains the same. You can work on a session with one view and press Tab to see how the same looks in the other view. A glimpse of the session view could be intimidating for those of you who have been working on other DAWs. Worry not! The session view is in fact much simpler and more fun, especially if you are jamming with fellow musicians. In the above snapshot of the session view, there are four tracks by default, two MIDI tracks and two a udio tracks, with the former enabling you to work with virtual instruments and the latter, with external audio input from microphones or guitars. You can work with several layers on a track and also add more tracks if you want. However the maximum number of tracks you can have (MIDI and Audio combined) is limited to 8 in this Lite edition of Ableton live. You can drag and drop samples and virtual instruments from the library to each individual track which hosts a number of layers in rectangular cells . Ableton calls each cell a scene . For the audio tracks, you can select from the sound effects in the library. Again, Ableton has limited the number of scenes to 8, in the Lite edition. The volume control for each track can be found on the bottom of the scenes as opposed to a traditional timeline view of DAWs where you would find the tracks arranged horizontally with controls on the left. To load the Piano roll, double-click on one of the scenes (rectangular boxes) of a MIDI track. Click on the pencil button on the top-right corner. Using the you may draw your notes on the piano roll.       I f you have migrat ed from another DAW, you can switch to the arrangement view, giving you a traditional DAW workspace. For some of you beginners who haven’t worked on other DAWs, let us see how to record a track with the arrangement view. Knowing this is highly recommended as this is the traditional pattern across mainstream DAWs, to record and produce your tracks. To switch to the arrangement view, click on the three horizontal parallel lines on the right hand side of the interface. T hose familiar with other DAWs may be quite relieved to see this traditional timeline view. However, the track details are on the right as opposed to DAWs like Logic Pro X or GarageBand, though it doesn’t make a significant difference. If you want to add more tracks, you can go to the create menu and select the type of track you want to load ( insert MIDI track or insert audio track ). Remember that you can have only up to 8 tracks in this edition. Now before you record on a track in Ableton live, you should arm that particular track. To do this, click on the circular dot on the extreme right of the selected track. Suppose you want to record on the MIDI track. Select a virtual instrument of your choice from the library and drag it onto your track.   Click on the metronome symbol to enable the click-track while recording.   Setting the metronome to a 1-bar count-in is recommended.   Click on the record symbol and the click-track plays for a bar before the recording starts. Provide your MIDI input which would be recorded on to your timeline.   Disarm the track by clicking on the same dot that you had used for arming it.   Repeat the process for your audio track. The only difference is that you don’t have to go to the library to pick an instrument as you are providing external input, like a guitar. However after recording, you can go to the library and browse through the audio effects to select your favorite amps for the guitar track. Drag it to the audio track.   To EXPORT the audio, go to the file menu and select Export Audio . In the next window, you may select your output audio format.   So, that was just a glimpse into the interface of the free version of Ableton Live 10 , one of the world’s most favored DAWs. Get your copy and start exploring!            

If you have come across this article it means either you are new to FL Studios or you are into music production. That’s true, right?  Maybe you are puzzled while loading the FL Studio interface, it may seem difficult to you, but don’t worry this article will guide you.   According to statistics, most of the music producers don’t want to learn more about DAW. Their excuses will be like this: But the good thing is that you are not like them, you are willing to make an effort to learn more about it. In this guide, we are going to help you by breaking down the important features of FL Studios so that you can start making music in no time. Note: FL Studio 20 Producer Edition will be used for this guide . Introduction of FL Studio As you can see in the picture below, FL studio will look like this when you open its interface, if you are using the same version. When you load the interface of FL Studio, it will turn up like this: FL Studio is famous for having a user-friendly interface; you will be thrilled to know that you can move around all of its windows. One of the best features of this DAW is that it’s completely customizable, unlike its competitor “Ableton Live”. The toolbar is the only thing on the screen that is fixed, other than that you can move anything you want. On the top left you will find File, edit, add and, many other options, most of them are simple and straightforward and some of them are just the detailed version of several icons that are already available on the interface, so don’t think about it too much.   Transport You can find the transport section right in the center: this section is quite self-explanatory and it contains icons for playback like Play, Stop, and Record. There are two more options in this section, Pat and Song. These two options allow you to arrange your song in FL studio, by using the Pat and Song option you can switch between playlists of both, Channel Racks and Arrangement. This will allow you to easily switch between generating ideas to producing the full soundtrack. Here you can find multiple icons and the time counter feature along with some visual effects, these features allow you to play and time your music simultaneously. Snap As shown in the above image, the line is called universal Snap Control. This function controls the snapping of the grids through the Arrangements and Piano roll. In laymen term, it will retain everything to a specific time interval throughout your music. This function “Snap Control” can also be categorized individually too, for example, Piano Roll. Now let’s talk about some most important features of FL studio, you can find these icons on the right side of its interface. 1.         Arrangement 2.         Piano Roll 3.         Channel Rack 4.         Mixer 5.         Browser   Browser This feature has a vital function in FL Studio, all the material you need for the creation of music comes from “Browser”, and it could be samples, instruments, soundtracks, etc. Let’s assume that you are a craftsman, and you have all the resources like wood, metal, and a toolbox that consists of all the tools for making goods. In FL studio Browser does the same function for music producers. There are many folders in Browser by default but we are going to discuss only important ones. Packs You can find all FL Studios defaults soundtracks in the Pack Folder. If you know how to use them then you will find these sounds quite useful. There is a wide variety of sounds available like FX, drum, loops, etc. We will discuss this more in the Channel Rack section. Current Project This folder will display all automation clips, sounds, or anything related to the current project. You can open this folder by clicking on the paper icon on the top of the bar. You can find your required material without any hassle of going through different windows. Plugin Database This is quite similar to current projects. You can open the plugin database window by clicking the Plug icon. This plug icon is located at the top right side of the browsers window. In this folder, you can find all effects and instrumental plugins.         Add Your Own Let’s face it, today people want to personalize everything, they might also want to add some of their samples in the Browser. The good news is that FL Studio has this feature available. You just have to go to Options via File Settings as shown in the above GIF. After opening it, click on the spare folder icon, that will open up a window then you can choose a folder, select the folder that contains your samples; these samples will be visible in the Browser Section. Channel Rack This is an interesting feature of FL studio; it basically holds instruments that generate sound. Moreover, it serves the purpose of holding internal generators that regulate automation. Channel Rack is the place where you can create patterns; this is exactly like giving life to your ideas.  Perhaps, Channel Rack is considered to be the most significant function of FL studio because it makes it different from all the competitors. Basics  It has four stock sound options by default. You can either use the available sounds or you can find some other good sounds as well. To create a new sample you just have to drag it above the top of current sounds and shift it into a new slot beneath. At the top left, there is a menu with multiple options in it. There is no need to discuss all of them, but they are available if you need them for your project. There is definitely no need to get confused as a lot of these options are self-explanatory. Step Sequencer This is the most important part of the Channel Rack; it enables you to swiftly draft new ideas. The following points will guide you about the functionality of this feature. 1.         To add a step you just can left-click on the box, another efficient way is that you can drag and drop so you can add multiple steps. 2.         If you want to delete a step, just right click on the box, by drag and drop you can delete multiple steps. 3.         On the left side of the sequencer, you can see the label of every single channel within a box. 4.         There is a thin LED next to each channel, to select the existing channel you just have to left-click on the LED. 5.         You can also select the channel by clicking its name in the box. 6.         By using the dropdown menu option, you can have a look at several applicable menu settings. Other Controls On the left side, you can find some knobs and icons. The green LED indicates that the channel is on; you can turn on the channel by left-clicking on it. If you want to solo a channel you can just right-click on it. For panning and volume control there are two icons available right next to the LED. Moreover, this is an efficient function when you are in a flow state and you like to do the mixing of sounds without opening the mixer every time. You can find some numbers next to the icons that indicate the mixer routing. We will discuss the Mixer outing in more detail in the mixer section of this guide. There are few icons at the top right corner; you can change all notes on the piano roll by clicking the mini step sequence that will take you into the subsequent segment. If you want to open the graph editor you just need to click on the bars, this will enable you to escalate the pace, pitch, and some other factors of every note. The figures on the left side will decide the length of the pattern. The length of the pattern is sixteen by default. There is a button on the right that will decide the swing amount. The swing amount is a timing effect that pleasantly changes musical notes. If you have a slight knowledge about music theory then by this time you already know the restraints of a Step Sequencer. But don’t worry we will cover this in the next section. Piano Roll FL Studio is famous for its incredible Piano Roll, by using this feature you can write complex rhythms, melodies, chords, and patterns. An effective Piano Roll is a developing part of the Channel Rack. FL studio piano roll is the best in the market and it functions smoothly.  Basics The function of the Piano Roll is quite similar to the Step Sequencer, but in the Piano Roll you can change time and pitch and it has a feature that allows you to move it in all directions. If you want to change the duration of the note, you can simply just move the cursor and change its time interval. Overall, you can control the pace of each note. You can adjust these values by one left click and you can go to Control dropdown Menu and undo the changes. Tools These are some main tools on the toolbar:   There are some advanced MIDI editing options on the left, its purpose is to control the snapping of the grid and change its notes into a specific grid. By using the tool section you can entirely change the notes you have, and you can add completely new rhythms and new chords by using the stamp section. For a good understanding of this guide, you must have sufficient knowledge about music otherwise this guide won’t be beneficial for you. For a good understanding of music theory, you can go through these courses Songwriting for Producers course Music Theory: The TL;DR Version eBook Arrangement This is one of the best features of FL studio. This feature allows you to convert the patterns (you made in the Channel Rack section) into a full track. You will be able to select and drag any pattern you created in the channel rack section and you can turn these patterns into any track. There is so much more to this feature rather than just patterns. With the help of this feature you can structure audio samples as per your requirement. Moreover, all the automation clips you have created in the past will appear in this section. You can drag clips into a variety of soundtracks like Channel Rack . You can change the length of these clips by just doing left-click on them and you can turn them on and off simultaneously. Furthermore, by clicking right you can solo a track. Tools No Paint (Sequencer) control (not applicable) It’s quite similar to the piano roll. There is no paint control It has an option called slip, which allows you to drag the content of the clips without disturbing the start and endpoints.   Mixer In the end when you have fully arranged your tracks, then it’s time to use the Mixer. It is used to process the final track. This feature is famous for its creative sound design, routing, and processing abilities. Let’s discuss this feature in more detail, from the channel rack every channel will be allocated to a Mixer , you can see all the channel of the Mixer on the main interface, and on the left, you can find the master channel. The level of the full soundtrack will be shown at the meter (on the left). This is the most interesting part, FX are inserted to process soundtrack in the mixer by using the insert option. The slots above the EQ option are used to add FL studios built-in plugins. You can open up a menu by simply clicking left; from the menu, you can select your desired plugins. The following are some plugins.   Fruity Limiter (Limiter/Compressor Effect) Fruity Delay 3 (Delay Effect) Fruity Parametric EQ2 (EQ Effect) Fruity Reverb 2 (Reverb Effect) To use these plugins you need to take a lesson on how it works, you can tap on these links and start learning! Settings and Other Features Apart from those main 5 sections, some other features will assist you in creating music. Plugins Customers prefer FL Studio because it comes with a variety of plugins. If you are planning to add plugins then you should follow these next steps By following these steps you will be able to see a menu with a variety of options. To find more plugins just click on the Find Plugin icon on the left. If you have various plugins in your system then it will take some time to process it, it will show you all the plugins that you have downloaded. If you want customization, then at the top right of the Plugin Search Path area you can find the Plus Folder . Just select your desired folder, after that leave plugin manager and go to Browser > Plugin database and you can find more plugins there. Automation For producing electronic music, Automation is one of the most important features of FL studio. This feature enables you to   Add movement to sounds Influence the energy tension Fix up any mix issues and much more.   An FL studio Automation purpose is simply to move or automate lined controls. You just have to click right and choose “ Create Automation clip ” then you can see a new clip with a line that outlines the controls that are automated. To add automation point just click right anywhere and if you want to move the clip around then just click left on the line. If you want to change the curve point you can do that just by clicking right. Edison Let’s say you are habitual of using some other DAW, at that point, you might wonder where are the functions of audio processing and bouncing. Otherwise, it won’t bother you. Now let’s discuss the functions of Edison, it can be used as an audio recorder and audio editor, it will play or record audio when it loads into in effects slot in the mixer. For opening this further you just need to press Ctrl+E in the sample channel or one can open it from the menu. Export Last but not least we are going to learn how to export your track once it’s ready. That is the main goal of this whole exercise right?  Just go to the top toolbar and click on the save button then select the location where you want to export it and the following window will appear on your screen. There are some important points you need to memorize The mode should be set on full song, that how you can export the full soundtrack. You must choose the preferred format for your track like .mp3 or .wav etc. You may want to turn on dithering. Finally, you soundtrack is ready, now you can listen to your masterpiece by hitting the start button.   Conclusion: Now you have basic information about FL studios, you can create your music without any difficulty. You might find FL Studio a bit challenging at the start, but it gets easier with time. This is a great DAW, you just need some practice then you can produce your music.        

Are you a beginner to music-making or FL Studio? Then you are in the right place. Have these thoughts ever come to your mind after seeing the FL Studio’s interface?

Ways to Find & Use Samples for Your Beats A-lot of beat creators still choose to use samples. This happens despite the availability of widespread digital audio workstations. These digital audio workstations are well equipped. They have the MIDI instrument galore, for example, Ableton , Logic Pro , and Pro Tools . The sample catches high quality and classic recordings. Whereas, despite the MIDI instruments holding their place,  they at times feel too digital and computerized. Initially, collecting and altering samples will appear to be a complex process. It will become fun, explorative, and worthwhile once you get used to it. Below are some of the ways of finding and using samples in your music. Sample Packs Beat creators consider them a candy sack. These packs are full of the solo sensations of snare drums, bass drums, hi-hats, claps, and others. Often noise samples like rain, fire crackle, or street noise are also present in these packs. There are also sample packs that contain  synth notes,  cords,  keyboard harmonies, & other pleasant-sounding content.  By mixing distinctive elements, these single-hit samples let you design your drum kit and melody. A lot of sample packs come with preloaded drum loops. They are helpful for the beginners but limits your creativity. A nominal beat can get created by a looping instrument like a shaker at 120 bpm. Free samples are available online at websites like  musicradar.com  freesound.org  bedroomproducersblog.com   Usually, free samples are of low quality. Cheap high-quality sample packs are available on websites like hiphopdrumsamples.com . The music will sound more professional and clear even when it converts to a compressed .mp3 file. Hence, it is worth paying a few bucks to access high-quality audio samples. Vinyl Though it seems old-fashioned as per the internet, it is still popular among the producers around the world. Producers use it. DJ Shadow has a library size record collection created through the vinyl. It is a classic way of sampling and is unbelievably fun and low cost. All you have to do is visit a nearby record store and buy several old jazz, house, etc records after checking. Copy these records to your computer and cut the good samples and keep them in your library. This classic approach is worthwhile and exposes you to the treasure of music. But, it is more time consuming than getting a sample pack with pre-cut samples from the internet. A lot of record players are built in a way that will copy the music onto your computer. Collecting samples through the search of a collection of records would bring you close to your music community. It will also teach new ways to listen to music. This will help you in finding the desired samples of  drum beats string sections vocal melodies The samples of Nina Simone 's " Strange Fruit ," and of TNGHT 's song "R U Ready" got used in the "Blood on the Leaves" by Kayne West. It is a common practice by artists to make music by taking samples from existing music. They just add a unique spin to it. Going through the records will help you find the right music for you. Youtube The search for samples becomes a lot scarier as compared to searching through a record store. This happens due to the unlimited number of videos available on youtube.  With the search option available on youtube, it has made finding songs easier. You can find your desired samples by searching for the tracks, dialogues, or artists. There are some websites available that convert youtube videos into audio files. By using any of these you can convert and download the audio file into your computer. Make sure you have permission from the music and video owner first. In the song, “Untrue” by Burial (a renowned producer of London) a sample of Beyonce's "Resentment" was used. However, he did not take the sample from the original track. One of the fans has uploaded the Cappella cover version of the song on youtube. The Burial took the sample and made his song with her permission. Youtube is full of music despite being a video platform. There is a chance if you wish to find a good sample of a ride cymbal, you might come across a video of someone having that particular ride cymbal. If they permit you to use the audio, you can have several samples of the cymbal. File Recording The best direct way of capturing the distinctive sounds for your music is by using a field recorder. The perfect tool to carry either in a crowded city or an empty river stream is Apogee One. It can record into an iPhone. It is near pocket size along with the microphones. This makes it an amazing audio interface. The album “Foley Room” by well-known Brazilian producer Amon Tobin has out of field recordings almost entirely. The recordings can get twisted into new different sounds or can get used as they are. For example, a droning bass sound can be made by pitching down a driving car sound. A clap like sound can be produced through applying effects on a sound of falling pile cones onto the concrete. This allows normal sounds to turn into exclusive, creative instruments through digital guidance. This process requires devotion but is exceptionally worthwhile than shifting through the records.

Are DJ's really doing anything on stage? Is it all an act? You're likely to have seen a DJ adjusting knobs, hitting, and twisting things, seemingly mixing the record live - but is that really what's going on? You may have asked yourself this question: What in the world is going on up there. To the normal person the DJ's actions are an enigma. It begs the question could it all be an act?

Mixxx V.S. PCDJ Dex (DJ Live Performance Comparison) Find out what software is best for live dj performing! When it all boils down to it, it comes down to preference. Both Mixxx and PCDJ DEX are powerful software and both have specific pro's and con's dependent on your needs. Here we will briefly cover explain each. Since we are no experts in this software we can only summarize, we ask for your feedback in which one you prefer and why. Please let us know in the comments.

Atomic DJ V.S. Mixvibes Cross (Best DJ Live Performance Software) Find out what software is best for live DJ shows! When it boils down to it, preference is what counts. Both Mixxx and PCDJ DEX are powerful software and both have specific pro's and con's dependent on your needs. Here we will briefly explain each and leave the deciding what's best part to you. Since we're no experts in this software we can only summarize, we ask for your feedback in which you prefer and why. Please let us know in the comments.

Adgoriddim V.S. DJ Player Pro (Dj Live Performance Comparison) Discover the best software for live performance DJ shows! When it comes to it, preference is all that matters. Both Adgoriddim and DJ Player Pro are incredibly powerful software and both have specific pro's and con's dependent on your needs. Here we will briefly explain each and leave the deciding what's best part to you. Since we're no experts in this software we can only summarize, we ask for your feedback in which you prefer and why. Please let us know in the comments.

Take a moment and think what the music world would look like if loops and samples never took hold. What would rap, or techno sound like? Modern music is almost soley composed nowadays from other peoples loops or samples from other peoples music. 

Traktor Pro Vs. Ableton Live (Best DJ Software) Native Instruments Traktor Pro Since it's release back in early 2011, Traktor Pro 2 has remained relevant in the industry and boasts a lot of die hard fans. A big selling point of Traktor Pro is the efficient design, allowing users to navigate and learn the software with relative ease. This takes nothing away from the powerful capability of this software. To the trained technician Traktor Pro 2 is extremely effective and among the industries best.