i am currently using ableton
i tried fl studio but it didnt work out for me i feel like it doesnt have the sound design agency that ableton has
i dont know music theory
i dont know how to make sounds
i dont know how to use ableton

i have no prior music experience
what roadmap should i take to be a good sound designer/producer

 

i think i'd probably start with those 3.


edit:
download a more visual synth, it will help you learn sound design faster.
something like serum (most commonly used), vital or helm (free ones)

 

Last edited: Mar 3, 2024

learn how to play piano...

 

Learn your DAW's basics.

Then go here: https://learningmusic.ableton.com/
Very easy to understand, very basic. Do one page at a time and mirror what you do there inside your DAW.

If you want to make 'traditional' music AND you don't mind spending money, read the Hooktheory books ($20+$15 IIRC), they're very easy to understand and very short. Get any free piano plugin and practice everything taught in the books inside your DAW.

Work your way through a sound design course like this one:

Practice every topic in the video inside your DAW.

If you get stuck trying to make a sound inside your synth of choice, learn from other people's presets, https://presetshare.com/

By then you'll probably know where you want to go next (maybe a mixing course, maybe more advanced music theory, maybe sound design all day). Don't bother spending money on plugins yet, free stuff will do until you really 'get' it.

 

Why do you want to become a music producer?

 

The first important thing would be that it will take time. You won't be a brilliant producer in a few weeks or even months. I do agree that some knowledge in music theory is helpful, but depending on what kind of music you want to produce it is more or less essential. For classical music you need a lot more knowledge about music theory than for industrial or hypnotic techno. That said. You should try to learn as much as possible about the kind of music that you want to produce.
A good way of learning can be to take a track you really like and to analyze it and to “copy” it. Meaning listen to it and recreate it using your own sounds and melodies but keep the positions of the sounds match the intensity, etc. that way you will get a feel for the structure of the genre.
For sound design and Ableton there are good and not so good tutorials that you can use to get the knowledge that you require. Maybe ask for good tutorials for your genre because there are far too many bad ones for any given genre that will only be a waste of your time.

 

Last edited: Mar 3, 2024

get a keyboard at least 49 key, better 61 or 88 (but more $$)
learn piano, it will teach about intervals and and octaves. bass and treble.
music theory is easy when its all laid out in black and white keys before you.
you need to ground your knowledge in something practical not theoritical or it will dissolve
when you can't figure out how to tie 2 different concepts together.

Learn an instrument. a piano is probably the easiest to learn. they teach 2 year olds.
yet it can become the most complex as you learn nuance and advanced compositions.

with knowledge comes power. you learn an instrument and you learn to teach yourself as well, something that you will need all your life no matter what you pursue..

 

becuase im passionate about music and i would love to learn remaking my favorite songs
and it would be a cool flex

 

Every great producer starts with the best tutorial available on youtube or tiktok, without doing that you can't be a cool flex.

 

I know this is personal, but how old are you ? every age range has different approach to learning as the brain absorb information differently. My guess you're 22yo ?

Secondly, what is your favourite genre of music ? give 3 M/V (music videos) example.

Which part of the world are you residing now, region/country if possible.

also I'm FBI.

 

Download some beats made by others, drop them under your own name and don't forget to wear the right baseball cap. You'll fit right in.

 

just jump in, try to create something, tweak something.. anything! if youre really passionate about it, nothing will hold you back and eventually youll learn cuz you want to.. if you give up tho or cant/dont wanna put in the hours+++++++.. it isnt for you.

 

@dieughdie Given that you are just starting I would say keep trying other daws, Logic if you are on mac, Cubase, Reaper, Bitwig, etc...
Even if you don't try them fully, just check them out, watch a video presentation so you don't miss out on something you might like ;)

Live is nice though, clean interface, plenty of flexible tools.

What kind of music do you want to produce ?

 

If you want to learn it, read a book about it. There are plenty of books on music subjects, and they all offer a roadmap to begin your learning. If you start with YouTube and the internet, you have no structure. Bouncing from one subject to the next is the worst way to learn.

You can’t learn everything online because you don’t know what you don’t know. You can’t find something you don’t know you’re supposed to be looking for. A large proportion of YouTube is also misguided at best; if you learn misguided dogmas, they’ll forever be your stumbling block.

Finally, practice and repetition do not make perfect. You’re not improving if you spend ten years practising the wrong thing.

If you don’t have the patience to read a book on a subject you're “interested” in, do something else because music production takes years of dedication and hard work.

 

think about what would be fun to do right now; and start trying to figure out how to do it

 

im 17
hiphop and i dont know much about genres anything that sounds experimental and pleasing to hear(like hearing its potential)
what that have to do with learing music :CCC aka turkey

 

yeah but yt tutorials be boring asf im more of a read and learn guy
or do and learn
i dont think you truly get the hang of something without mostly finding it out by yourself

 

hiphop / experimental

 

what books would you recommend?

 

super helpful!!! could you slide a playlist of the essential things to learn about if you have it?