How To Make Beats

How To Make Beats: A Comprehensive Guide

If you’re reading this, then you’re probably interested in making your own beats. And there’s no better place to start than with this guide. This guide will teach you everything you need to know about making beats, from the basics of beat-making software to more advanced concepts like sound design and composition. By the time you’re finished reading this guide, you’ll be able to make your own professional-sounding beats with ease.

We will be covering the following topics: :

• preparation / what to expect

• WARNING

• Being realistic

• What are your options?

• The bare minimum you will need to get started

• Hardware

• Software

• Nice to have

• Overview of the tools/software you will need to learn

• Common vocabulary

• Universal tools

• What is MIDI?

• Finding Your DAW of choice

• Plugins

• Different beat-making techniques

• Sample VS Synth

Also because we have so much to cover, this guide will be broken up into 4 parts with this being part one.

Let's jump right in.

How To Make Beats: Preparation / What to Expect

WARNING

Making beats can be fun and rewarding, but it can also be frustrating and time-consuming. It’s important to have realistic expectations before getting started. This guide will teach you everything you need to know to make professional-sounding beats, but it will take time and effort to get there.

Being realistic

There are no shortcuts to making great beats. It takes time, practice, and dedication to become good at it. Even the best beatmakers in the world have put in countless hours of work to get where they are today.

That being said, anyone can make good beats if they’re willing to put in the time and effort. Just remember that it takes time to get good at anything in life, and making beats is no different.

What are your options?

When it comes to making beats, you have two main options: you can either make them yourself or buy them from a producer.

If you’re just starting out, we recommend that you make your own beats. Not only is it more affordable, but it’s also a great way to learn about the production process. Plus, you’ll have full creative control over your beats, which is something you won’t get if you buy them from a producer.

However, if you’re short on time or you’re not interested in learning how to produce, you can always buy beats from a producer. Just make sure that you buy from a reputable source, so you know you’re getting high-quality beats.

Why Us?

You might be wondering why you should trust us when there are so many other guides out there. And that’s a valid question.

Here’s the thing: we’re not just some random people on the internet. We’re professional beatmakers who have been making music for over 10 years. We know what we’re talking about, and we’re here to help you make great beats.

We created this guide because we wish we had something like it when we were starting out. We want to help you avoid the mistakes we made and teach you everything we know about making beats.

So if you’re ready to learn, let’s get started.

The Bare Minimum You Will Need to Get Started Making Beats

As we mentioned before, you have two main options when it comes to making beats: you can either make them yourself or buy them from a producer.

If you’re just starting out, we recommend that you make your own beats. Not only is it more affordable, but it’s also a great way to learn about the production process. Plus, you’ll have full creative control over your beats, which is something you won’t get if you buy them from a producer.

However, if you’re short on time or you’re not interested in learning how to produce, you can always buy beats from a producer. Just make sure that you buy from a reputable source, so you know you’re getting high-quality beats.

How To Make Beats: Hardware For Beatmakers

You’ll need a computer to make beats. It doesn’t need to be a fancy computer; any basic laptop or desktop will do. Just make sure that it has enough processing power to run the beat-making software (more on that later).

In terms of storage, you’ll need at least a few gigabytes of space to store your beats, samples, and project files. However, if you plan on working with a lot of high-quality audio, you’ll need more storage space. We recommend getting an external hard drive for all your music-related files.

How To Make Beats: Software For Beatmakers

You’ll need beat-making software to make beats. This software is also known as a digital audio workstation (DAW).

There are a lot of different DAWs out there, and it can be overwhelming to try and figure out which one to use. Don’t worry, we’ll help you figure that out later in this guide.

For now, just know that you’ll need some type of DAW to make beats.

Nice to Have’s

While not required, there are a few things that will make your life as a beatmaker much easier.

An audio interface is a device that allows you to connect your instruments and microphones to your computer. This is helpful if you want to record your own samples or if you want to use hardware synthesizers.

MIDI controllers are devices that allow you to control your DAW with physical buttons, knobs, and pads. This can be helpful if you want to have more hands-on control over your beats.

Headphones are essential for any type of music production. You’ll need a good pair of headphones so you can hear your beats clearly and make sure they sound good.

Overview of the Tools/Software You Will Need to Learn

How To Make Beats: Common Vocabulary In Music Production

DAW - Digital Audio Workstation. This is the software you will use to make your beats.

Sample - A recorded piece of audio that can be used in a beat. Samples can be found online or recorded yourself.

Loop - A repeating piece of audio that can be used in a beat.

MIDI - Musical Instrument Digital Interface. This is a protocol that allows electronic instruments and computers to communicate with each other.

Plugin - A piece of software that can be used in a DAW to add new features or sound effects.

VST - Virtual Studio Technology. This is a type of plugin that can be used in a DAW.

AU - Audio Unit. This is a type of plugin that can be used in a DAW.

MIDI Controller - A physical device that can be used to control a DAW.

Audio Interface - A device that allows you to connect your instruments and microphones to your computer.

Synthesizer - A device that can be used to create new sounds.

Sequencer - A device that can be used to record and play back MIDI data.

Drum Machine - A device that can be used to create drum beats.

sampler - A device that can be used to play back recorded audio.

Universal Tools

There are a few tools that are essential for any type of digital work, not just beat-making. These tools will help you stay organized, improve your workflow, and make better music.

A good text editor is essential for any type of programming or scripting. You’ll need a text editor to edit configuration files or write notes or licenses to include with your beats. We recommend using a text editor like Sublime Text or Atom, however, the stock text editor that comes with your os should get the job done if you're looking to keep things minimal.

A file manager is a program that allows you to view, organize, and manage your files. This is helpful for organizing your samples, project files, and other music-related files. We recommend using a file manager like Explorer++ or muCommander, but again, the stock file manager is fine too.

A backup program is a must for any type of computer-based work. This will help you recover your work if your computer crashes or if you accidentally delete your files. This of course will require you to have a large amount of free disk space but depending on what is more important to you may just skip this step and continue without a backup program.

What is MIDI?

MIDI is a protocol that allows electronic instruments and computers to communicate with each other, and it is something you will run into frequently as a beatmaker. MIDI data can be used to control a wide variety of parameters, such as note pitch, volume, and vibrato.

You can use MIDI controllers to play virtual instruments, or you can use MIDI sequencers to record and playback MIDI data. We go into more detail a little later on but for now, just something you will be seeing(and probably using) frequently.

How To Make Beats: Finding Your DAW of choice

There are a lot of different DAWs out there, and it can be overwhelming to try and figure out which one to use. The good news is that there’s no wrong answer here. It’s ultimately up to you to decide which DAW is right for you.

Here are a few things to consider when choosing a DAW:

Price - Some DAWs are more expensive than others. If you’re on a budget, you’ll want to choose a DAW that’s affordable.

Features - Some DAWs have more features than others. If you’re just starting out, you might not need all the bells and whistles. However, if you’re more experienced, you might want a DAW that has more advanced features.

Compatibility - Some DAWs are only compatible with certain operating systems. Make sure to choose a DAW that’s compatible with your computer.

Ease of use - Some DAWs are more user-friendly than others. If you’re new to making beats, you might want to choose a DAW that’s easy to use.

Once you’ve considered all of these factors, you should have a good idea of which DAW is right for you.

How To Make Beats: plugins

As we mentioned before, plugins are pieces of software that can be used in a DAW to add new features or sound effects.

There are a lot of different plugins out there, and it can be tempting to try and collect them all. However, we recommend only using the plugins that you need. Not only will this save you money, but it will also help you keep your DAW running smoothly.

How To Make Beats: Different Beat-Making Techniques

Sample VS Synth

One of the most common questions we get is, “Should I use samples or synthesizers to make my beats?”

The answer is that it depends on your personal preference. There are pros and cons to both approaches.

Samples are recorded pieces of audio that can be used in a beat. Samples can drastically speed up your workflow and can be post-processed to create a wide variety of sounds. However, samples can be expensive, and they can be difficult to tweak to get the perfect sound.

Synthesizers are devices that can be used to create new sounds by generating and combining various rudimentary sound waves. Synthesizers can be expensive, but they offer a lot of flexibility when it comes to sound design. Plus, you can usually find free synthesizers online.

Conclusion

You should now have a firm grasp on the various concepts in beat making. Join us again next week while we dive deeper into the technical aspects of how to write good music