To create your masterpiece you have many choices!
Lets simplify things a lot!
Today’s choices are, DAW software will be Logic Pro 10.5, we will produce the whole project in the box, it will be a classical piece, the subject will be a chase theme.
As pleasant as it is to have extra equipment to control the creative process, all you need is a computer and the software.
To use Logic you will need a Mac of some description. The software doesn’t run on other operating systems ie windows. There are plenty that do, but I will cover that in a later blog. If you want to keep the cost to a minimum then you can use GarageBand which comes free with your Mac.
GarageBand is the ideal introduction to DAWs and in particular many of its features are the same as Logic Pro.
A second hand MacBook Pro is how I started this project. I started with a violin sample and created a motif, which is a short musical phrase on which I based the whole tune.
You can write the melody on screen straight into the software using a mouse, indeed many producers do exactly that! You do not need the peripherals shown above.
They are a nice to have but by no means are they essential. Apart from the cactus in the photo! If you haven’t got a cactus, well other plants may work for you! 😝
Like any craft, you start with small steps and build from there. This particular project was completed in a month to a deadline. I was also engaged in many other projects so I guess it could be completed in a few days. In the beginning though speed is not the focus but just absorbing the opportunities that a home audio can create for you. Many producers start here with a simple in the box mix to generate the enthusiasm to build on the foundations laid out during your first project.
Creating in the box means using just the software and computer without recourse to other hardware or instruments.
Music theory can help but is by no means essential. In fact some musicians will create shapes and drag notes around until they get something which sounds good. Also “in the box” doesn’t just mean electronic sounding music. All genres can be created with DAW so rich is the sound and the limitations are endless. All from just 12 notes!
FretsnReeds 