Equipment for creating Electronic, Trance, House, etc., etc. music....?

Schredds · 08-08-2009, 03:51 PM

Oh nice, I wondering if you had a guide or a link of any sort to some good solid info. Thats great, I will definetly give that a read through. Thanks dude.

Dim Mak · 08-24-2009, 11:43 AM

If you want to buy some gear I recommend PSSL.com. I dont produce, but I mix and Ive never had a problem with them.

Nicktarist · 08-24-2009, 02:54 PM

Freebase has got you covered pretty well, but I'd thought I'd mention a couple of things to you also. Unlike some genres, there's not a single way to make electronica. Some people use oscillators (like Silver Apples) some people use keyboards. Either way, you want to make sure that your sound is completely customizable. That's normally where your footpedals and sample stations come in.

Footpedals are generally just filters, but a couple I'd recommend are:
The Lovepedal Kanji series--great pedals, I own one, and am about to buy the distortion. They sound great on almost any instrument whether it's guitar, bass, keyboard, or even drums.
Pigtronix Mothership--awesome pedal. This is recommended if you plan on having a musician play with you. It works best on guitar and Bass, but can easily punch up some good sounds on even the cheapest keyboard.

Vintage Synth--is a great website for gear whores like me. It'll give you ratings and reviews on the most popular and/or modern synth keyboards, drum machines etc.

You could also look into buying a MIDI controller and getting a laptop with Reason on it for sampling. Actually, I was looking into buying Kore 2 in stead of Reason as a replacement because of the physical interface option. Sample libraries are incredibly expensive though, so it might be recommended to stick with using a recording/sequencing program to make samples.

Also, if you ever feel ready to make some music, I'd recommend including a real drummer--not necessarily because I think it sounds better, but because drummers can add allot more energy to the music than a standard electronic drum kit. *But* that decision is all up to you.

I've honestly only scratched the surface here, but I thought I'd encourage you to try making the music live.

peace,
-nick

Freebase Dali · 08-24-2009, 06:58 PM

Oscillators are a component of any synth.
What Silver Apples did was basically just creating a synthesizer from individual equipment... eg.. oscillators, filters, pedals, etc.
Not that it's bad, because it's truly customizable, but there are plenty of fully customizable synths out there that perform the same function and eliminate the need for a ton of unnecessary gear.

I definitely encourage creative experimentation, but for the sake of simplicity in Schredd's case, I thought I'd point that out.

~~someonecompletelyrandom~~ · 08-25-2009, 11:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Schredds

I have been listening to electronica for many years now but I know absolutely nothing about the equipment used to create this type of music, please excuse my ignorance. I am interested in learning how to and eventually creating my own music. I would like to know what type of equipment is used, all of it, from the bottom to the top, and a ballpark price range of the different peices of equipment. Like I said before all of this is completely new to me and I know nothing about it so if any of you guys could provide me with some information would be awesome.
Cheers
Schredds

Hi,

I reccommend taking everybody elses advice about the programs and such. If you want to get into something a bit more original or experimental, I'd reccommend downloading the VST plug-ins Umbra-Free and Impulse. For drums, I'd reccommend Drumatic 3 or ezdrummer (can be modded for electronica). All but the latter are free plug-ins and are as easy to use with your Midi sequencer, piano roll, whatever.

Hope it helps, good luck

Schredds · 11-10-2009, 10:28 PM

Thanks for all the responces so far, Freebase, the Tweakheadz guide is money, Im still workin on it, work has been rediculous lately, so I havent spent much time on the computer, I still have a ways to go on it but cheers for the link bro.

EstaticVibes · 11-04-2012, 04:43 PM

Shredds,

Here are a few great starting books "The Desktop Studio "A Guide To Computer-Based Audio Production" By Emile D. Menasché.
Next would be "Music Theory For Computer Musicians" By Dr. Michael Hewitt.
I use Propellerhead's Reason 4 so I also purchased "Introducing Reason 4" By Cliff Truesdell. Check these out and one book will lead you to another and so forth.

EstaticVibes ~~♪~~d(^_^)b~~♪~~-E-^√1bez

JustJunMC · 11-05-2012, 10:14 PM

You can make professional music, especially electronic, with just a laptop, even a cellphone nowadays

Anyone who says FL studio is not professional simply does not know how to use it. It is a digital workstation like any other form of software. 9th Wonder is a professional producer working with big names and he uses it, so dont listen to people who down talk it because you can get professional results with it. Dougie Fresh made a song with Slick Rick with nothing but a microphone and a 4 track and its called Lodi Dodi. It just takes creativity and hard work and you can get nice results.

08-24-2009, 06:58 PM	#14 (permalink)
Freebase Dali Partying on the inside Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 5,584	Oscillators are a component of any synth. What Silver Apples did was basically just creating a synthesizer from individual equipment... eg.. oscillators, filters, pedals, etc. Not that it's bad, because it's truly customizable, but there are plenty of fully customizable synths out there that perform the same function and eliminate the need for a ton of unnecessary gear. I definitely encourage creative experimentation, but for the sake of simplicity in Schredd's case, I thought I'd point that out. __________________

08-08-2009, 03:51 PM	#11 (permalink)
Schredds Special K Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Vancouver, BC Posts: 198	Oh nice, I wondering if you had a guide or a link of any sort to some good solid info. Thats great, I will definetly give that a read through. Thanks dude.

08-24-2009, 11:43 AM	#12 (permalink)
Dim Mak Groupie Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Tokyo Posts: 20	If you want to buy some gear I recommend PSSL.com. I dont produce, but I mix and Ive never had a problem with them.

11-10-2009, 10:28 PM	#16 (permalink)
Schredds Special K Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Vancouver, BC Posts: 198	Thanks for all the responces so far, Freebase, the Tweakheadz guide is money, Im still workin on it, work has been rediculous lately, so I havent spent much time on the computer, I still have a ways to go on it but cheers for the link bro.

11-04-2012, 04:43 PM	#17 (permalink)
EstaticVibes Groupie Join Date: Nov 2012 Posts: 1	Shredds, Here are a few great starting books "The Desktop Studio "A Guide To Computer-Based Audio Production" By Emile D. Menasché. Next would be "Music Theory For Computer Musicians" By Dr. Michael Hewitt. I use Propellerhead's Reason 4 so I also purchased "Introducing Reason 4" By Cliff Truesdell. Check these out and one book will lead you to another and so forth. EstaticVibes ~~♪~~d(^_^)b~~♪~~-E-^√1bez

11-05-2012, 10:14 PM	#18 (permalink)
JustJunMC Music Addict Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Hongcouver & Global Posts: 125	You can make professional music, especially electronic, with just a laptop, even a cellphone nowadays Anyone who says FL studio is not professional simply does not know how to use it. It is a digital workstation like any other form of software. 9th Wonder is a professional producer working with big names and he uses it, so dont listen to people who down talk it because you can get professional results with it. Dougie Fresh made a song with Slick Rick with nothing but a microphone and a 4 track and its called Lodi Dodi. It just takes creativity and hard work and you can get nice results.