Good links/advice on getting started with music production

Xprmntr

Having a hard time even recording loops, feel like I'm lost, are there any links or advice, something like a 101 class on getting started in ios music production? Even general music production, I really enjoy creating sounds and feel like I've got a good ear and good composition skills, just am struggling with the technicalities of it all, if anyone can point me to a guide, videos, or anything that would help a complete and helpless noob like me would be greatly appreciated, thanks!

For example, whenever I try to record loops in loopy, there's always a gap and it sounds in-smooth when it plays back

thinds

@Tarekith has some good stuff on his website.

http://tarekith.com/helpandsounds/

I have found that just taking it easy and focusing on one aspect at a time until you get it (almost) right is the best way. I made the initial error of buying a thousand apps without knowing any of the basics and getting very frustrated at the lack of achievement.

WMWM

This is not necessarily ios specifically but many years ago this helped me get a good start to understanding of...well...just about all aspects of project studio recording. The ios environment is easily plugged into just about any of the topics. A good place to start is the "guides" button at the top. This guy is not fly by night and the site contains topics from writing and music theory to mixing and mastering and everything In between. The form it is in now is much evolved from 12 years ago.

http://tweakheadz.com

WMWM

+1 to thinds above statements

thinds

Just to add to my previous post.
I think you also need to find the right app that suits you. Personally I can't get my head around Loopy, (sorry @Michael) I just find it confusing. Just the way my thought processes are I suppose, but after discovering apps like Loopseque and particularly Samplr where you can actually see the waveform and manipulate it, things started making sense. It might be the same for you.

raz

1. What kind of music do you want to produce? The apps you need are different for different styles.

2. Any particular reason you want to use a looper? There are multiple ways to do music production, for instance I don't do anything live, I work with a sequencer then listen, change stuff, repeat.

Whatever you do, don't buy many apps, it's the biggest mistake you could probably make right now.

WMWM

I do agree but am curios, why do you say "right now"?

Edit: I think I know why, but was hoping you would spell it out.

raz

Because that's what I did and wasted money on apps I never use

Xprmntr

Thanks for all the helpful responses, those sites look like they're full of quality info

Too late for not buying a lotta apps! Lol

Im looking to make hip hop, psybient, ambient, tribal like music, psy trance, worship, noise type experimental stuff, and glitch. Along w just new stuff, I'm an artist at heart so I enjoy creating very much, love discovering and enjoying new art, new music etc.

The way I've been making music so far is recording each layer like a jam, tweaking stuff live along the track, then adding layers along the way in that same manner. For me, figure makes it very simple and I enjoy using it, but would like to use apps like sunrizer or isem for the amazing sounds. I guess I just gotta go through the not so fast process of reading through the tutorials of every apps I'm using, kinda frustrating when u just wanna jump right in!

Again, thanks for the links and advice, I'll definitely be going through those sites

cian

Working live with layered loops is a fairly common workflow. It's why Ableton is so popular (and loopy on the ipad).

If your keyboard skills are decent, I would focus on getting a USB-midi keyboard before buying any more apps. And then explore subtractive synthesis using a good tutorial. Once you're comfortable with that you'll probably find that you need a sequencer. Unfortunately sequencers are something where personal taste and workflow tends to define your options. Though none of the sequencers on the iPad are particularly good imho, which is why I use my PC for sequencing.

toddfadel

What apps have you bought? Maybe I could help you develop a workflow with what you have that would excite you.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Xprmntr

Yeah, I want a midi keyboard in the next few months, I've been attempting to hook my ipad to my gfs roland digi piano, but have failed twice, have to buy the midi to usb cable made by roland, so I'll b working with that pretty soon.

I've got thor, nave, different drummer, dm1, ab2 w multi routing, garage band, loopy, figure, and on and on. It's just little technical things that I don't understand that get in the way sometimes, but thanks

toddfadel

I use an IRIG Midi that i got for $60, and it has worked great with any midi device i've used. I currently have a BEHRINGER UMX49 i got for $60 on craigslist and have been assigning midi parameters to the knobs and buttons.

I use garageband, loopy, figure, audiobus and dm1. Right now, the most fun i've been having is with Magellan, Nanostudio ($$) and ikaossalator (also $$).

WMWM

@raz said:

Because that's what I did and wasted money on apps I never use

not at all what I was thinking, but a very good point indeed.

I've recently come to understand that buying everything that comes down the road only makes the consumer easy pickings and tends to bring down the overall quality of apps, ya know, "oh well, put it out there, the'll buy it, maybe we'll fix it latter".