7 Essential Pieces of A Home Recording Studio

Many music producers today have their own home recording studio.

They create outstanding compositions, beats, and full scale productions without having to leave the comfort of their home.

If that’s something that you want to pursue, you will need to make sure that you consider a few options that will help you get there.

With the right components, you can turn any home into a full-scale studio recording arena.

Whether you are making beats or you’re recording bands, vocals, podcasts, or scoring movies and television, the following pieces can help you get the right sound for just about any project.

A High End Computer For Home Recording Studio

You are going to need more than just your bargain basement model for music production.

You will need to spend a little, but make sure that you have an incredible amount of storage and processing power.

This is critical.

You cannot skimp on this section. Raw audio files can be very large, with multiple tracks, and lossless credentials.

Beyond that, you will need heavy processing power to dissect, cut, and run the latest music recording and composition software.

Do not fool yourself into spending less, get high end components for this, as they will pay off down the line.

Recommended Computer: Apple Imac 27 inch desktop

Digital Audio Software

There are several audio software options, but you’re going to want to focus on DAW solutions.

This stands for digital audio workstation, and there are several on the market.

You will need more than just the software, mind you.

You’ll need the hardware to go along with it.

For instance, you could find Fl Studio or Pro Tools online, but you will need to have the hardware that goes with it to truly get the best sound.

If you’re absolutely scrapped for cash, then you will need to figure out an alternative, but it’s tough to find options that are “cheap” and high quality at the same time.

Recommended Digital Audio Software: Fl Studio or Pro Tools

 

20 Ways To Send Rappers To Every Beat You Make

 

Audio Interface

Mixing, mastering, and working with audio requires a solid interface.

If you’re going to utilize more than one track, then you will definitely need a solid interface.

 

Look for solutions that can handle more than just one sound element, and could add on down the line.

You want to think of the future, not just what you will do “right” now, as it were.

When you look at connecting the dots of musical creation, you’ll need to ensure that your interface is on a professional level.

Recommended Audio Interface: UAD Apollo Interface

 

Sounds For Home Recording Studio

Where will you get your sounds?

Are you going to be creating them organically?

Will you be pulling them from digital files and importing them from hard drives?

Will you be working with only digital or will you be plugging in different components to run tracks?

You must consider where, and how you’re going to get sounds and resources to create, layer, and mix audio recordings the right way.

If you’re not sure about this, then take a moment to step back, and figure out how you’re going to progress with editing, adding, and distributing sounds within your studio space.

 

 

Midi Controller

As you progress in building your studio, you’re going to have to upgrade your midi controller.

Whether you get a hardware and software mix, or you just get a software solution, you will need to have one of these if you’re going to make any sort of music.

 

 

This is going to let you control several performance notes, and cues.

With this, you can program a variety of mixes, and elements that will let you introduce various points in a song with just one key press.

Without midi elements, you will have a hard time creating and mixing organic files, then adding layers to them on the fly.

Recommended Midi Controller: Akai Advanced 49 

 

Studio Monitors

You are going to need studio monitors to hear the sounds you’re creating.

Don’t get laptop speakers, don’t rely on just headphones, look for active monitors that can give you true lossless sound.

Remember, you’re working towards building a professional arena for sound recording, mixing, and creation.

That requires you to invest in some solid audio equipment, and monitors are going to be important.

 

You can find active monitors for as low as $150 or so, and you can spend a lot more if you’d like.

The key here is to make sure that you hear the sounds you’re putting in, leaving out, and working within.

Studio monitors are easy to work with, and can definitely give you sound balance that you cannot get with your traditional speaker.

Recommended Studio Monitors: Yamaha HS8 W Powered Studio Monitor

 

Microphones

You’ll want to invest in high quality microphones.

Purchase condenser options, as well as traditional options.

Also, buy pop filters for them and test each one out before each and every use.

Your microphones are going to pick up sounds that you will no doubt want to mix, edit, and elaborate on.

If you’re going to record people, live musicians, and more, you’ll want to make sure that you purchase several of these, and feed them into your mix in different areas.

You cannot go wrong with having many microphones. Look for quality over style at first, then upgrade over time.

Condenser microphones are great, but live performance solutions can also work for home recording studio settings.

Remember, your raw audio is going to get mixed, condensed, and edited so don’t think too hard on this element, but also, don’t get the cheapest in the lot.

There you have it, there are 7 major components that you are going to want to have in order to have a solid home recording studio.

Obviously, these pieces all make up a larger picture.

20 Ways To Send Rappers To Every Beat You Make

If you are going to go this route, make sure that you also invest in sound proofing. You want to record and isolate sounds without disturbing neighbors.

To do so, you’ll need sound proofing across various areas of your home recording studio, alongside all of these components.

If you can’t get them all at once, don’t panic. Buy them in pieces and build your studio to where you can start recording with relative ease.

Home recording studio equipment can be expensive, but you don’t have to buy it all at once.

The post 7 Essential Pieces of A Home Recording Studio appeared first on Traffic For Beats.

from Traffic For Beats http://ift.tt/2htPQWw
via IFTTT

How To Get Placements As A Music Producer

Many producers today are not getting their sound across to the widest audience and that’s why they have to learn how to get placements as a music producer.

If you are one of the many people that are trying to break through, but just aren’t sure how to get to the right people, don’t panic.

There are ways to get noticed in today’s crowded market place.

If your goal is to get placement as a music producer on shows, or perhaps license music, the following tips can help you out.

This of course is not the definitive guide, but there are a few things that you can do to stand out amidst others.

Create A Lot of Music First

Before you can get anywhere, you need to make sure that you have a lot of music to showcase.

Not just “one” style beat either.

If you’re working on beats, make sure that you can do more than just what’s hot right know.

You must be able to create mood, setting, and much more.

Remember, a lot of shows today are using organic instrumentals, and beats that set tone, mood, and more.

If you’re going to get anywhere, you have to be able to fit within their needs, and that means having a very diverse reach of musical elements.

Create a lot of music first, then get ready to segment it according to what production studios may need.

Invest In Web Properties

Set up a beat selling website, and don’t just go with a generic template.

It is best to hire a professional designer, and have them build a strong portfolio for you. Do not dismiss this.

You will need to have a site that is up to par with SEO (search engine optimization), streams of your audio, contact information, and any details that someone would need to have in order to contact, hire, and speak with you.

Do not shy away from this, as it will absolutely prove valuable down the line.

Learn how to set up a music producer website here

 

Go To Networking Events

If there’s an event going on in your area, go there, and just mingle.

If you do not have strong networking skills, you are going to be fighting an uphill battle.

Often times, in the music business as well as the television and film world, you need to know someone to break in.

Raw talent is not going to get you into the right places.

You’ll need to shake a lot of hands, pass out cards, and just speak to people that are in the business.

Don’t go for the hard sell either, you need to be friendly, but without pushing your agenda.

Do More

Go to classified sections of newspapers, go to classified ads online, and look at all the jobs and gigs.

Here’s where things are going to get tricky, however. You may need to work for a low amount if not free.

This may shock you. Don’t let this bring you down.

The goal here is not just to give free work for a production, instead, it’s to get your foot in the door.

When you are called in to do sound, edit some tracks, or help with production, make sure they remember you.

Make an impact, work hard, and make sure that they know your name and who you are. Hard work in this arena is not forgotten, and sometimes, that’s what it takes to break through.

 

Find Artists and Work With Them

There are a lot of up and coming artists in every city today.

If you’re making beats, or producing your own tracks alone, you need to find them.

Go to clubs, go to venues, use social media and seek out rappers that have a buzz.

Collaborate with them, and you may be surprised by how they remember you when they get signed.

Sometimes, the best thing about music is the journey of meeting new people and collaborating talents.

You will network here more and more, climbing the ladder, and eventually getting into a position to put your music into the right hands.

Create Press Kits

One of the tried and true options that you will need to follow to get known in music is the press kit.

This is a solution that you will need to pair with a 1-sheet biography, links, digital files, and perhaps compact disc.

Press kits can be sent to record labels, radio stations, and much more.

Even with the digital age upon us, there are a lot of music influencers that will open up your mail and contact you if you have some great music.

The thing is, many people don’t do this, opting instead to sending an email and hoping someone hears them.

The same tactics that worked for many before, work today, it’s just a matter of pushing through the clutter and doing the work.

The above tips are just some of the things that you can do to start getting heard.

If you want to learn how to get placements as a music producer, especially for beats, you have to make sure that you’re covering a lot of the bases.

It starts with creating a lot of music, and it grows into networking, and sending off music.

Sometimes, you just have to meet the right people, and work with them. You can’t do that if you don’t work on your music, and building relationships with others.

The harder you work on these elements, the better your odds are of getting an actual placement, that’s for sure.

The post How To Get Placements As A Music Producer appeared first on Traffic For Beats.

from Traffic For Beats http://ift.tt/2fHTldc
via IFTTT

6 Ways To Make Money As a Music Producer

There are several ways to make money as a music producer, especially if you’re up and coming.

Yes, there are some factions of the music industry that are not easy to break into, or make money within.

But that doesn’t mean that it’s an impossible task.

If you can make beats, and you want to pursue creative endeavors, you’ll need to know about the following 6 ways to make money as a music producer today.

Done right, these will pay off dividends, and you can continue to make money, and find great networking opportunities at the same time.

Just don’t give up on the idea if you’re not making six figures on day one.

Selling Beats

The first major thing that you can do is simple, sell your beats.

Now this may seem easier said than done, but you’d be surprised by how many people need beats.

You will find that there are a lot of up and coming rappers, musicians, and others that are looking for beats to rhyme over and create new ideas with.

You can sell your beats via email, your own beat selling website, and even websites like Soundcloud or Soundclick .

Just one beat sold could net you enough to live off of for a short span, or could very well fund the purchase of a new production piece for your home studio.

Music Publishing (TV, Film, Advertising)

Another way that you can make money as a producer is to cut a deal for your music through publishing rights.

The music that you hear in commercials, movies, and more are bought and paid for.

Now, the licensing part of this can be tricky, but you can easily find calls for submissions and more via online platforms.

You can sell directly, or you could license things through a second medium.

The thing with this is that you will often times get a lump sum for your work, and that’s it.

This is not a bad thing, as you will be able to get your work to the masses, a credit in the end of the film project, and possibly more opportunities.

 

Download Our 20 Ways To Sell Beats Free Guide

 

 Sell Sounds and Drums Samples

For those that are good at creating loops, sounds, and taking drum samples and creating constant flows, you can sell them.

Many musicians don’t have the equipment, nor do they know how to play certain instruments or sounds.

For instance, a guitar player may need a drum noise in the background of a track, and may want to repeat it.

You can easily create a loop to allow them to have their song sound full, even if it’s just them recording.

That’s just one example of how a simple drum sound and sample could help others, and of course could net you some money at the same time.

Mixing and Mastering Services

Do you know how to master? What about mix?

If you can do this, and do it well, you will have a lot of work that can keep you busy.

Right now, it’s not just musicians that need help with this.

There are podcasts, video producers, and many others that need sound and audio chopped, edited, mixed, and mastered.

You could very well have a full-time career just mixing and mastering, at a high rate an hour.

Whatever your goals are in the music world, this skill set can take you far.

All it takes is for you to mix one major record or podcast, and your credibility can sky rocket.

Do this a few more times, and you may very well get hooked up with a major record label to mix singles, and more.

Become a YouTube Partner

Many music producers do not realize the power that YouTube has right now.

You may see it as an avenue in which many others put up videos, but you can too.

You don’t have to be in front of the camera, you can do still images and throw music tracks up.

Here’s the thing, YouTube pays for content.

They do so through monetizing channels with ads before and even during video playback.

Here’s the kicker, you can sign up at any time and become a partner.

You will get paid a few cents per visitor, and upwards of six figures if you have millions of views.

This is so lucrative that many channels today fund full scale studios, and make their creators and producers upwards of millions of dollars.

While you may not get six figures, you may very well get a few hundred dollars per video you put up.

The more you put up, the more chances your sounds and videos have to make money through the monetization of uploads.

 

Download Our 20 Ways To Sell Beats Free Guide

 

Submit Your Beats To Music Libraries

There are several major music libraries online.

You can submit your music for free, and get a credential within them.

When you have credits amidst many libraries, people will want to hear more, and possibly contact you with more projects.

The goal here is to spread the word and make sure that you are getting noticed for sound.

The more you submit, the more chances you have to get found online.

Sound design is not just a matter of selling records any longer, you can easily make money through simply getting known for sound design, beats, and more on these libraries.

At the end of the day, you will find that there are several ways to make money as a music producer today.

If you’re just starting out, this may seem like a daunting task.

However, the above will help you navigate the internet’s options in regards to making money with beats, noise, sound, and music.

The big thing is to create as much beats as you can, then network into more and more work. If you continue to push in this arena, you will eventually get found, as many people are looking for music for their projects, small and large.

Just keep working at it.

 

The post 6 Ways To Make Money As a Music Producer appeared first on Traffic For Beats.

from Traffic For Beats http://ift.tt/2dKgrjE
via IFTTT

Beatmakers – Paid Traffic Vs Free Traffic

I have received hundreds of emails from beatmakers asking me about the difference between paid traffic and free traffic.

As a result, I’ve decided to write about this topic today and try to explain why music producers can use a mix of both paid and free traffic to sell more beats online.

Traffic is the most important part of running a successful music production business online.

Sending music artist to a beat selling website consistently is where 90% percent of beatmakers fail to succeed online today.

In other words, if you don’t have traffic heading to your website, you will fail at selling beats online.

It’s that simple. You don’t need to be a rocket scientist to sell beats.

Without further ado, let’s start with free traffic.

When it comes to free traffic, the methods that are popular today are social media and SEO.

SEO stands for search engine optimization and it’s one of the best ways to get free traffic to your website from Google, Bing, or Yahoo.

Driving free traffic to your website from the search engines takes creating content like blog post, videos, podcasts, etc.

If you’re not a writer and need articles written for you that are optimized for the search engines, then you can take a look at these writers here.

Make sure you create blog posts that help and enlighten your targeted audience.

Doing so will make them wait anxiously for your next piece of content.

If you’re using a WordPress website, you can use this free plugin to help you optimize all your blog posts with SEO.

 

Want More Beat Sales? Click Here to Learn How

 

Free Traffic For Beatmakers

As for social media, you have websites like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, and now Snapchat that you can use to promote and sell beats online.

My team has built a fan base of over 300,000 fans on Twitter for free using this strategy.

I generate 20 to 30 new leads every day on Twitter with no advertising cost.

Just choose a couple of social media websites and stick with them.

Don't try to be on every new platform because it can backfire.

Look at what happened to Periscope, they were the talk of the town until Facebook Live came out and destroyed them.

Free traffic does take time, so you have to be patient with SEO and with the growth on your social media accounts.

Pros and Cons of Free Traffic

Many people think free traffic wins because you don't have to spend money on advertising.

All you have to do is grind hard for free traffic, create great content on a consistent basis, and watch your traffic rise.

The only thing wrong with free traffic is that it takes so long until you see results.

Maybe 2 to 3 months until you see a consistent flow of visitors heading to your beat selling website every day.

Once you get that free traffic, though, the sky's the limit.

Paid Traffic For Beatmakers

There are many paid traffic sources online that beatmakers can use to send thousands of music artists to their beats within the next hour.

The difference with free traffic compared to paid traffic is that you don't have to wait long to see results with paid traffic.

Paid traffic works like a slot machine.

You put money in and watch your website visitors double or even triple depending on your budget.

This is the fastest way to check if your beats will convert into sales.

You can use paid sources like Google AdWords, Facebook Ads, YouTube Video Ads, Twitter Ads, and many more available online.

One thing I recommend beatmakers doing before getting into any advertising platform is to study the platform.

Don't go and create an advertising campaign without knowing how it works.

I guarantee you will lose money if you try to create a campaign of ads blindfolded.

Once you study the platforms, then you can start creating some ads to build your email list first.

Then you can promote your beats through email once you have them inside your sales funnel.

Facebook ads is one of the fastest ways to grow an email list in a hurry for beatmakers, but having patience is the key.

Don't be afraid to lose money in the testing phase with your ads.

Letting your ads run for a couple of days is vital to finding a successful marketing campaign.

Like the saying goes "It takes money to make money."

And this goes for any business!

Pros and Cons of Paid Traffic

When it comes to paid traffic, you will have traffic flowing to your website consistently every day until your budget dies out.

Traffic can be endless and this is the best way to know if your beats are ready for the big stage.

One of the best things about paid traffic is that you will be able to get really targeted to whom you’re trying to reach.

Perhaps you can target different fan pages on Facebook related to your niche or target keywords with Google AdWords and YouTube video ads.

The options with paid traffic are endless, but there are also some drawbacks.

First of all, you will have to learn how advertising works for each platform before you start running marketing campaigns.

You're going to need some cash to get started, too. There's no way around this – you must spend some money.

Be prepared to lose money in the testing phase of your campaigns.

I always recommend using both free traffic and paid traffic. That way if your paid traffic budget for the month is gone you can always fall back on free traffic.

 

 

The post Beatmakers – Paid Traffic Vs Free Traffic appeared first on .

from http://ift.tt/2bKeD9a
via IFTTT

Becoming A Top Beat Maker With These Steps

Everyone does it, you got the music production software and you’re dreaming of becoming the next top beat maker in the game. This happens a lot in the world of hip hop.

Many up coming online beat makers think it’s easy to be a top notch music producer, and while not everyone wants to rap, many think that they can produce tracks just as good as some of the best in the world.

Something as simple as a 2 second bass line or note could very well be the next big hit, right?

Well that’s what people think and it’s fascinating to see people try, and fail.

If you have tested the waters, and weren’t that good, then it’s time to change things up and look at some steps that can help you become the next big beat maker.

These steps are tried and tested, and could very well see you making serious beats for some of your favorite rappers, and more.

Beat Maker, Don’t Follow The Latest Trends

Here is the thing about the beat maker of 2016, they love to follow the latest trends.

The thing about creating beats is that they don’t always come from the familiar resources.

You cannot just sample James Brown all the time. You need to dig deep into the archives of music, and find out the root elements that make up the best songs.

The best beat makers today aren’t just organically making sounds.

That can help, but if you’re going to make it big, you need to learn how to create your own style.

 

 

Learn To Create Your Own Sounds

One of the major things that you will get wrong when trying to make beats, is relying only on samples.

It’s a dichotomy that you have to learn to live with.

You should know how to sample and use sounds that way, but you should also know how to produce your own sounds too.

That means guitar, keyboards, or bass guitar.

Learn how to play at least one instrument.

You don’t have to be the next Mozart, but you should have an understanding of rhythm, and timing, so that you can read music or at least create elements that allow others to float over with rhyme or singing.

If you don’t know this, then you will have a hard time going organic when the time comes.

 

A Good Computer

The next thing that you should look into is getting a good computer.

You may know how to play instruments, you may have a huge record collection or files on many hard drives, but you will need to store them and use software to manipulate tracks.

That’s where a good computer comes into play.

Many musicians swear by the MacBook Pro, but if you don’t have the money to get one of those, get a PC that is equivalent at a lower cost.




Software and a Maschine

You will need to pick up a Maschine, which is a device that lets you build beats, loop sounds and more.

You will also need to have software that can help you make, record, and manipulate audio.

The main software choices that you will find includes Reason, Pro Tools, Logic, Fruity Loops and even Audacity.  Spend some time learning how to use these platforms, and do NOT think that you can get away without these things.

You need to have software, and hardware in order to master beat making for any purpose.

In the rare case that you can’t get any of these things, then you will need to save some money and start building your home recording studio slowly.

 

Good Headphones

No, this is not a call to get “Beats by Dre”. You need studio headphones that have high fidelity, and isolate noise, as well as reduce static and more.

You may have to pay upwards of $200 for a good pair.

Some people swear by $1,000 studio gear.

You don’t have to spend that much, but you will need a good pair of headphones that are NOT necessarily sponsored by your favorite rapper, just saying.

 

Turntable or Record Player With Audio Outputs (In Case You Sample)

If you’re going to go the way of sampling to make beats, you will need a good turntable.

You will need a professional grade solution that ties into your computer’s software. You’re going to want to pull sounds, rip audio, mix, and more.

There’s a reason why DJ’s end up becoming great beat makers, and it’s because they are isolating noise and sounds with their computers and record players.

Now, on the low cost end, you can get away with a record player that has an audio out, but you’ll want to spend a little more to get a turntable that is of a professional grade.

The more you spend here, the better the quality of your audio.

 

A Microphone

The next thing that you are going to need is microphone. This will help you out not only to record vocals, but also to create unique sounds by the way of the microphone.

Good microphones are not cheap, but you don't have to break the bank on this purchase. Start with the beat making then purchase a microphone later on.

 

Time and Time and Time

At the end of the day, the best way to become a beat maker is simple, take your time.

You can go through a checklist of equipment, but at the end of the day, time is the biggest issue that you will need to deal with.

You cannot rush the creative or learning process.

Spend time getting to know your equipment, how the pros do it, and focus on sound design.

Listen for loops, and samples from your favorite records.

Track down the original artists, and make sure that you spend as much time as you can listening, and getting to know how the masters slice, dice, and create organic sounds from existing elements and new sounds.

The more you spend time learning, the better you will understand the composition of hip hop and other types of beats.

The post Becoming A Top Beat Maker With These Steps appeared first on .

from http://ift.tt/29biqLZ
via IFTTT

FL Studio – Is It Worth The Hype?

A Review of FL Studio – Is It Worth The Hype?

There are a lot of people that want to learn how to make beats, and get into the music business.

Unfortunately, not everyone can master all the elements that some of the masters used to create their blistering hits.

That is, until now.

There’s a lot of software that is getting pushed around the internet, and it all promises you the glory of creating music from scratch, taking samples and much more.

It’s easy to find these things, but which ones are worth the hype and which ones aren’t that grand?

That’s the hard part to decipher. It’s for that reason that this review of FL Studio was compiled.

With this, you will see whether or not FL Studio is in fact worth the hype it’s been getting around the music world.

If you haven’t heard of this software, then check out the following breakdown.

What Is FL Studio?

Simply put, this is a software choice that is often referred to as a DAW.

This stands for digital audio workstation.

Some people in the industry refer to this software was “Fruity Loops”, and it’s an audio software that can help you record, mix, master, and publish music.

It’s one of the crucial components that you need to have in place if you’re going to make hip hop or any type of electronic music.

Whether you want organic sounds or you want to loop samples, this converts your computer into a complete mixer overall.

The Feature List

When you decide whether or not purchase FL Studio, you’re no doubt going to want to know what features are in the mix.

Some platforms just give you bare bones options, which can work, but if you want something a bit more compelling, then you will definitely want to look at the list of features that are getting a lot of buzz today.

The following are just some of the most prominent features overall.

Easy To Use Interface – if you have ever used any sort of music studio software, then this one will come easy to you. It’s been designed to look like a large multi-channel mixer, only this is all digital.

Multi- Touch – want to mix several sounds at once? Well you can do so with ease. You can extend elements in a mix simultaneously, and use several sounds at once.

Channel Settings – the latest update features an all new robust channel settings and menu mixer. Whether you want to work with multiple channels, or one at a time, you can separate, edit, and mix everything with these options.

You don’t have to deal with pop ups, or anything that you may have in the past, the settings and menu have all be integrated into the main interface.

Playlist Editing – for those that are using several different audio files at once, you can easily now drag and drop them into the mixer.

You can create playlists for a party, or you can edit on the fly, it’s up to you.

Interchangeable Step Sequences – if you’re using piano rolls, you can easily interchange them with step sequences. This is an upgrade to the latest edition of Fruity Loops.

Plugins – perhaps one of the best features that you will find here is in regards to the plugins that abound.

This software has a lot of plugins that you can focus on, and utilize.

Whether you want to get a unique sound, or you have a mod in mind, there’s a lot to explore in this regards.

The above features are just some of the new updates that have come through with FL Studio today.

If you download and use this overall, you will find that compared to the other releases, this is definitely the most intuitive overall.

Support and Questions

One of the issues that people have with music mixing, and learning how to work with digital means it hat there usually isn’t any support.

If you spend a great deal of money on a program, you’re often times left on your own.

You’ll need to take classes or purchase a manual and figure out how to move every piece of the proverbial puzzle.

That’s not the case here, as you will find that there is full support, and manuals that you can get to help you pull through the latest aspects of this DAW.

Trial and Demo

Don’t want to buy the software? Don’t worry, you can get the trial and demo version to allow you to see what the hype is all about.

In fact, you could very well create your biggest hit within a few minutes if you just test the waters with the trial solution.

You’re going to find that this is a simple, intuitive solution for produces, and it can rival some of the more expensive options that are out there.

If you go ahead and purchase this option, you will get lifetime updates and so much more.

Is FL Studio Worth The Price?

Discussing the cost of software is always tough, because people usually run at the sound of pricing that may be a bit much.

In the case of producing beats, and making sure that your audio sounds amazing, you’ll need to spend a bit.

In this case, you can get an entry level of this software for as little as $99.

That’s right, under $100 gets you FL Studio, and you can get started.

Now, if you’re serious about music, and you want to get the professional grade option with all the bells and whistles, you’ll find that the cost rises upwards to $737.

This includes plugins, audio recording features, FL, VST elements, and of course lifetime updates.

To answer the question of whether or not it’s worthwhile, the short answer is in fact yes.

It’s a stellar program that has a lot of tools that you can use right away.

Whether you’re recording a track, mixing, or you want to test the waters as a DJ, this is something that helps anyone get into the game.

Furthermore, it’s cost effective.

You’ll find that FL Studio is far less than other comparable options, and better yet, you don’t need to have an expensive computer to run it.

Simply put, this is a simple software to get you moving forward in creating the best beats possible.

The post FL Studio – Is It Worth The Hype? appeared first on .

from http://ift.tt/25TNhDo
via IFTTT

How To Make Your Own Beats

There are a lot of different tools that music producers use to make beats.

You will find that the traditional hardware equipment from the past are still used, but with all the latest  software programs available dedicated to making beats you won’t have to spend thousands anymore.

For instance, if you are a new producer who wants to make beats, you can go online and find great music making software for as little as $100, or even build a home recording studio without blowing your cash on one keyboard.

That’s why producers today utilize a mix of affordable software programs and hardware equipment to make top notch beats.

Mixing the two can be the best, but if you’re going to get to a point where you’re making amazing beats, you’ll need to look at having the right equipment.

That’s where this quick and dirty checklist is going to come into play.

This is a list of items you’ll need to start making beats, even if you don’t have a big budget to get it done.

9 Things You Might Need To Make Beats

 

Computer – Mac or PC (Ok, maybe Linux)

If you’re going to get serious about making beats, you will need a strong computer.

Today, there’s very few studios that don’t have a solid computer system in place.

You will need to work with either Mac or PC, with few exceptions.

If you want an honest opinion on the matter, go with a MacBook Pro, and beef up the RAM and Hard Drive, and then invest in a second hard drive to boot.

If you’re going with budget, then get a PC that has a lot of hard drive space, and RAM.

Don’t settle for anything less than 4 GB of RAM and even that’s a bit low.

 

Digital Audio Workstation (DAW)

DAW is an acronym that you will find all over the place, and it stands for digital audio workstation.

It’s a solution that lets you turn your computer into a full blown recording studio.

The more expensive options can run you tens of thousands of dollars. However, there are some really good producers out there who use software like Fruity Loops, aka FL Studio to make beats with.

For around $99 you can get started there.

 

Audio Interface

This is where things get a bit more complex.

You’ll want to invest in a USB audio interface.

Don’t worry, this is not going to break the bank as there are some options that are lower than $100 out there. This can help with audio compression and relay to your computer’s DAW.

MIDI Controller

MIDI keyboards aren’t expensive, and they can help you get the right tone, sound, and even play a few little riffs.

Not sure about this?

Consider Dr. Dre’s classic “Nothing But A G Thing”, and you’ll hear a MIDI sample thrown into the mix. MIDI keyboards are great, easy to set up, and aren’t full keyboards for a reason. Get one of these.

 

 

Condenser Microphones

You need to get a dynamic, condenser microphone. Do not skimp on this.

You want to have clear audio if you’re going to do any type of vocals, and you need to make sure that you invest in pop filters, as well.

Good mics are going to save your audio profiles, especially if you are working with an MC.

 

Headphones

Don’t just throw on a pair of earbuds, you’re going to need studio level, monitor headphones.

Get ready to spend upwards of $100 to $500 on these things, and make sure that they are noise cancelling, and isolating.

Remember, you’re making beats, not just listening to music. This means that you will need to hear every sound, every pop, hiss, and more.

 

Drum Sampler Machine

Unless you’re going to play live drums for your beats, you’re going to need to purchase a drum sampler.

These are simple to use, and can let you move forward with all sorts of drum sounds.

Don’t go with the most expensive one you find, focus on an inexpensive model, and look around.

You’ll be surprised with how many of these are floating around auction websites and pawn shops.

 

Studio Monitors

Go high end with this one, and don’t skimp on the costs. Studio monitors are going to help you get those mixes to the next level.

You will want to get a high quality option that isn’t going to break your budget. We recommend listening to music through the monitors before you make a decision to purchase.

There are great studio monitors that sound great and are extremely affordable like the KRK Rokit 5 or the M-Audio BX5.

There are also high priced studio monitors like Yamaha HS 8 and Tannoy Reveal 802.

 

Sounds and Audio Files

You need to have a collection of sounds and samples to make beats sound more professional. The more sounds you have, the more beats you can create, and the more inspiration you will have.

Don’t just listen to one type of music, dig deep into the chronicles of music history and listen to soul, jazz, punk, hardcore, metal, and so much more.

Any music type that uses drums, bass and trumpets can be your new hit record.

You just have to listen, and get inspired.

The more storage space you fill up with recorded sounds, the higher the chances are that you are going to end up with the next great beat in your head.

These items are just some of the basic things that you need to start making beats. If you absolutely don’t have any money to pick these up, it’s ok.

You can go with simple options such as Audacity (Free), and royalty free sounds.

Mixing those together, you could start to make beats for free, and then work your way to getting all the equipment you need to push out professional level beats.

Simply put, this is not as complex as it may seem, but as you learn, make sure that you invest in better equipment.

Just keep pushing your creativity, and you will make your own beats just like the top selling music producers do.

 

The post How To Make Your Own Beats appeared first on .

from http://ift.tt/2129GaQ
via IFTTT

How To Create a Music Producer Website In 30 Minutes

Creating a music producer website is one of the most important parts of building a successful music production business online.

Not only will having your own music producer website help you build an online presence, but it will also make you’re brand look more professional.

Please don’t make the mistake most music producers make when promoting their beats online.

Sending a prospect customer to a free Soundcloud page to hear your beats won’t generate much sales.

Today, I will be showing you the exact tools I use to create a music producer website in 30 minutes without spending money for a custom website designer.

Are you’re worried about not having a perfectly constructed website? If so, then the video and resources below will show you exactly why you don’t have to be perfect to sell beats online consistently.

Music Producer Website in 30 minutes

Video Resources

BlueHost – The best place to purchase a domain name and hosting for your website.

Aweber – The email marketing service that I use to manage my subscribers.

Optimize Press – I use optimize press to build squeeze pages, sales pages and membership websites.

Mythemeshop – Do you want top notch website templates? Then My Theme Shop is the place to go.

Myflashstore – This is the top beat player on the market today and it’s really simple to add the beat players to your brand new website.

Justhost – Another top notch hosting service for your music producer website.

For more advance video tutorials on how to build a money generating beat selling machine click here 

 

The post How To Create a Music Producer Website In 30 Minutes appeared first on .

from http://ift.tt/1TxBUtz
via IFTTT

5 Things Music Producers Must Do Before Selling Beats

Many music producers coming up nowadays don’t have a clue about what they actually need to build a profitable music production business online.

Did you know that 98% of online businesses fail within the first year of launching?

Did you know that the #1 culprit of the failure rate is businesses not being prepared to launch?

What makes our music production businesses different from any other online businesses?

Actually, nothing, and that’s why most producers and beatmakers fail to generate consistent beat sales.

Many music producers think that they’re just going to upload beats to SoundClick, SoundCloud, or their own website, and thousands of music artists are going to come in out of nowhere and start buying beats.

NOPE!! Keep dreaming if you think it’s that easy.

Building an online music production business is just like any other business—it takes work, determination, and a business plan.

Today we are going to show you the five things all music producers must do before selling beats online.

1. Music Producers Need Quality Beats

Having well produced, high quality beats is the #1 factor in selling or not selling beats online.

If your beats are not on point, you will not sell any beats, period.

Make sure your beats are sellable before spending tons of cash advertising them.

Ultimately, it won’t matter if you send 1000s of music artists to your beat selling website if your beats suck.

I recommend uploading between 30 to 50 top notch beats when you’re first starting out. Give the visitors or prospective customers options to choose from.

You can check out the beat players below that will help you with uploading the beats and the sales process.

Myflashstore

Soundgine

Soundcloud (free option)

2. Sell Beats on Your Own Website

One of the mistakes I made when I started to sell my beats online was that I didn’t build my website from the beginning.

I just focused on selling beats on websites like SoundClick and SoundCloud, and didn’t build the assets that would help my business grow till later on down the road.

Promoting other websites instead of mine cost be between 5,000 to 10,000 bucks.

I spent most of my budget promoting websites that I didn’t have any control over.

I would send thousands of prospective customers to a website where there were hundreds or even thousands of other music producers doing the same thing I was doing.

Ask yourself: Where would be the best place to sell beats online?

Your website or somewhere like SoundClick where there are thousands of producers competing for the same customers?

Now that’s an easy answer, isn’t it?

Here are some great tools music producers can use to build a music production website.

WordPress – The best free website builder on the market today.

Mythemeshop – Need a theme for your website? Then mythemeshop is the place to go.

Bluehost – Great place to host your domain for a minimal cost.

 

 

3. Start Building a Tribe of Music Artists

Building a huge fan base of music artists is the best way to sell beats online at a consistent rate.

Imagine having a boatload of rappers, singers, and songwriters waiting for your next batch of beats.

Most music producers step up to the plate looking for the home run when it comes to selling beats online.

They will send most of their traffic to their home page/beat players, but that strategy is a hit or miss strategy and most of the time, if you’re not building those future assets along the way, you’re going to be shooting blanks.

That’s exactly why I always recommend that you start building an email list full of musicians from day one. Don’t wait until tomorrow, start today.

Here’s how you can start building your email list in a hurry using this tool 

4. Spend Money Advertising Your Product

If you’re scared to spend money advertising your product, then you are bound to fail online.

Remember, free traffic can only take you so far, and it takes at least three to six months to build up if you’re counting on websites like Google and social media sites.

A mix of free traffic and paid traffic is the way to grow a music production business in a hurry.

There are plenty of paid traffic sources you can use to get hundreds of music artists flooding to your beats starting today.

You have many platforms to choose from. My favorites are Facebook ads, Twitter ads, solo ads, banner ads, Google Adwords, and Youtube video ads.

Can You Sell Beats On Facebook? from sellbeats

Free traffic is good, but paid traffic will increase the chances of you selling beats much faster.

5. Have Patience

Patience is the key for online music producers.

Every beatmaker wants to make 1,000 per month right off the bat, but it just doesn’t work that way. I was impatient myself, and it hurt my beat selling website tremendously.

I was jumping from strategy to new strategy to the latest strategy and most of them failed.

I never focused on what was growing my business; all I was looking for was the fast cash and it never came until I was more patient.

Make sure you don’t fall into the trap of “information overload.” It’s one of the main reasons music producers struggle to sell beats online.

Creating a profitable music production business can be easy to do if you focus on the core principles of what’s working and leave what’s not working behind.

Be patient, work on your beats, get your business plan together, and success will come knocking at your door.

 

 

The post 5 Things Music Producers Must Do Before Selling Beats appeared first on .

from http://ift.tt/1OKfsG6
via IFTTT