What would I need to create a song like this?

[prat22]

I know basically nothing about digital music creation. What kind of hardware/software would I need to create/record a song like this? Periphery - Epoch

 

[loudboy]

1. A powerful PC/Mac.

2. A DAW program and lots of plug-ins.

3. A ton of soft synths.

4. Good monitors.

5. Either a great engineer, or many years of experience in composition/production of electronic music.

 

[prat22]

Lol. Guess I better get to it then. Thanks!

 

[Modulator]

Ableton would be the best DAW for electronic music in my opinion. You could get by using software synths and samplers, but programming synths with a mouse really really stinks. My hardware synth has over 100 knobs, and I use them all.

Samples are cool, but the problem with samples is that they sound like samples w/o doing some creative programming (using LFO's, S&H, noise, etc. to vary things).

Hardware is great, but analog synths can have their own set of problems. Especially cost. Synth addition is just as bad, if not worse than guitar/amp/pedal addiction.

Electronic Music: Systems, Techniques, and Controls by Allen Strange has the basics of most modern day synths. It's hard to find for cheap, but you can get an idea where you end up getting deep into synths. Get the 2nd edition, 1st edition lacks a lot of info.

Best way to get into it is just load up presets tinker around and see what knobs do what. Most synths work the same way, just different synthesis types, subtractive being the Moog way, additive being the FM synthesis way, and a few others that are more advanced.

In summary, it could take a copy of Ableton Live and sitting in front of the computer for a while, or it could take 10's of thousands of dollars for the hardware to do it w/o a computer.

 

[Sunbreak Music]

Reason would be worth looking into as a starting point. Always works, pretty easy to get up and running...relatively.

 

[Dana-L]

I know basically nothing about digital music creation. What kind of hardware/software would I need to create/record a song like this? Periphery - Epoch

Following is something I did a few days ago for kicks. It's my first experiment in ambient electronic music.

I'm pretty sure I could do something similar to what you linked to with the hardware and software I have.

Headphones highly recommended.



Basic equipment used:
Yamaha PSR-280 keyboard (bought at Costco 15+ years ago for ~$150)
M-Audio Fast Track Pro MIDI/Audio/USB interface ~$150
PC running Windows 7 ~$300
Ableton Live (free with Fender G-DEC 3 30 amp)
Softsynths from Arturia and SonicProjects ~$300

 

[prat22]

Basic equipment used:
...

Ableton Live (free with Fender G-DEC 3 30 amp)
...

They included a $500 program free with a $400 amp? If I could manage to find some kind of deal like that your list looks pretty reasonable.

 

[ChrisJ 2587]

They included a $500 program free with a $400 amp? If I could manage to find some kind of deal like that your list looks pretty reasonable.

I'm not sure which version it is they include with the Fender, but there's a couple versions of Ableton that come included with various products (the Novation Launchpad for example) that are a bit stripped back on the features from the full Live 8.

Then there's also Ableton Live Intro, which appears to have more features than say the Launchpad edition, but still not all of Live 8's features, that you can download for $100. I'm considering going this route myself.

I'm also just getting into electronic/digital music production. Picked up my first synth (a Novation Ultranova) over the weekend, and the amount of things it is capable of doing is just blowing my mind right now!!

 

[Dana-L]

They included a $500 program free with a $400 amp? If I could manage to find some kind of deal like that your list looks pretty reasonable.

The version of Ableton that's included is limited in the number of tracks and virtual instruments that you can use at any one time but it's still plenty powerful for me. The M-Audio interface also came with a limited version of ProTools which I've yet to install or experiment with.

The Fender G-DEC (delivered for less than $170) has an inbuilt ASIO interface and comes with a limited version of Amplitube Fender, which is awesome except for the fact that it inspired me to buy a full version of Amplitube (on sale for $99 at the time). They currently have a sale on a package that includes Amplitube (with the Hendrix and Metal versions, too) as well as several softsynths and mastering plugins for $249. I have their SampleTron softsynth (Mellotron-type, $25 on sale) and it's glorious.

It's addictive for me but still less expensive than all the guitars, amps, and effects I've accumulated. I'm constantly amazed by the computer-based musical technology that's available today on the cheap.



-Dana

 

[soulohio]

cool song Dana-L

 

[Dana-L]

cool song Dana-L

Thank you!

Synth stuff is fun and for me much easier than guitar-based projects - even though I'm really a guitar/bass guy.

-Dana

 

[Modulator]

I forgot about Reason. Probably perfect for getting into electronic music and learning to program synths. Sequencers are your best friend in electronic music.

I started learning synthesis in the computer. But I missed having knobs to turn and buttons to press instead of menus. Probably the biggest advantage of hardware. Software synths are getting pretty impressive now.

The ironic thing is that I try to make my synthesis sound like natural sounds and try to get away from sounding synthlike (like Tangerine Dream, ELP, prog rock synths) and like making organic sounds like sticks hitting things and industrial machinery.

Here's an example of what hardware synthesis can do. One take, no DAW or software except to record. Keep in mind this is a high end synth, and not typical of anything you could buy in GC or any other chain. Boutique cork sniffer synth.

[SOUNDCLOUD]http://soundcloud.com/ibdk/0215-buchla-beat-of-the-day[/SOUNDCLOUD]

@Dana I also find synth stuff far easier for me than guitar, even though I've been playing much much longer. I think it's because synth programming is more like composing than performing, at least when using sequencers and routing control signals. I love synths, and it's great to see other guitar players who also like using them. Best way to be a one man army of sound.

 

[Dana-L]

I forgot about Reason. Probably perfect for getting into electronic music and learning to program synths. Sequencers are your best friend in electronic music.

I started learning synthesis in the computer. But I missed having knobs to turn and buttons to press instead of menus. Probably the biggest advantage of hardware. Software synths are getting pretty impressive now.

The ironic thing is that I try to make my synthesis sound like natural sounds and try to get away from sounding synthlike (like Tangerine Dream, ELP, prog rock synths) and like making organic sounds like sticks hitting things and industrial machinery.

Here's an example of what hardware synthesis can do. One take, no DAW or software except to record. Keep in mind this is a high end synth, and not typical of anything you could buy in GC or any other chain. Boutique cork sniffer synth.

[SOUNDCLOUD]http://soundcloud.com/ibdk/0215-buchla-beat-of-the-day[/SOUNDCLOUD]

@Dana I also find synth stuff far easier for me than guitar, even though I've been playing much much longer. I think it's because synth programming is more like composing than performing, at least when using sequencers and routing control signals. I love synths, and it's great to see other guitar players who also like using them. Best way to be a one man army of sound.

Excellent!

Dare I ask, what are some cool synth forums?

-Dana

 

[Modulator]

Excellent!

Dare I ask, what are some cool synth forums?

-Dana

My favorite is muffwiggler.com

It's a modular synth forum mainly, but all synth talk is welcome. Much like TGP, it will empty out your wallet.