Have you ever heard a new song and wondered how it was made? More people throughout the world are trying their hand at music production thanks to recent breakthroughs in music technology, social media, and file sharing. Aspiring producers have unprecedented access to software that produces professional sounds without having to purchase expensive equipment such as mixers, synthesizers, effects boards, and multitrack recorders. All of this software can be contained on a laptop hard drive and carried around in a backpack. Learning how to use these complicated programs has become easier thanks to the internet. Youtube is filled with detailed tutorials showing how to create very specific sounds from popular songs, as well as general tutorials on composition, mixing, and mastering. All of this information is available for free at the click of a mouse. Once a track is finished it can be shared with millions of listeners via social media sites such as Soundcloud, Reverb Nation, and Beatport. Promoting ones own music is easier than ever. Musicians no longer have to rely on record companies and agents to promote their music thanks to social media and targeted advertising.
As the world changes, the once highly restrictive field of music production is becoming more accessible. Artists aren’t as pressured by record companies to produce what sells, and the growing number of producers is causing music to evolve at a rapid rate. If you are still curious about how music is made, you can go and watch some tutorials on youtube, or even find a demo version of a popular Digital Audio Workstation (Logic Studio, FL Studio, Cubase, Reason, Ableton Live, Garageband) and find out for yourself. Just remember that despite being increasingly accessible, there is still one thing about producing music that hasn’t changed. It is a lot of work.
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