Composing electronic music requires significant time investment and can seem intimidating to those just beginning the journey.
With some knowledge and practice, it is possible to start producing dance music at home. Begin by exploring production techniques associated with your desired genre.
1. Know Your Instruments
Electronic music is created using synthesized sounds rather than traditional instruments that produce sounds by physical vibration (strings and percussion) or air passage through them (wind and brass). Instead, electronics create sound by turning electrical signals into audio – using modern computer technology and sophisticated software electronic music producers can achieve an infinite variety of sounds and styles not possible with traditional musical instruments.
Electronic music relies on two main tools for its creation – sequencers and synthesizers. A sequencer functions similarly to a tape recorder in that it records notes you play on keyboard and then turns them into music; you can even change tempo or rhythm with ease using sequencers like MASCHINE from Native Instruments.
Sequencers may be costly, but any serious music producer should invest in one. Native Instruments offers their KOMPLETE START bundle which contains not only a sequencer but also an extensive library of genre-specific loops and samples for added value.
Electronic music differs significantly from its acoustic counterparts in that most songs begin with an insistent beat before progressing toward chorus or drop. This stems from its origin in nightclub culture – new wave and synth-pop originated as dance genres originating in nightclubs. Most electronic songs start off with this steady drum beat before building towards chorus or drop.
The chorus is the highlight of any song, when all instruments reach their peak and most dynamic state. EDM songs typically include an energetic bassline accompanied by an eye-catching lead vocal that soars. Some electronic genres also utilize bridge sections (known as “risers”) that serve to build anticipation before reaching the chorus itself.
2. Know Yourself
Understanding yourself and your capabilities is a key step toward becoming an excellent electronic music producer. Understanding both your strengths and weaknesses allows you to craft a production style that embodies everything that defines who you are as an individual.
For example, if you are an accomplished musician but lack expertise with computer software or digital sound design, take lessons or hire a music production coach to hone these skills and mentorship on various topics such as how to produce a song from start to finish or making the best use of music-production software. They may provide invaluable advice.
Another key consideration should be your level of commitment and dedication to the genre. Building an artistic reputation takes time and dedication – be ready to put in both!
If you decide to pursue self-teaching, keep in mind that there’s plenty of information online about creating electronic music production; however, it may be challenging to sift through all this material and find specific guidance relevant to your own goals.
To gain more of a feel for what it’s like to produce electronic music, start composing some original songs and seek feedback from family, friends, and musicians on them. While this can be intimidating and even vulnerable at first, this crucial step to developing as an electronic music producer – constructive criticism will ensure you produce better and higher-quality work!
3. Know Your Audience
As you create electronic music, it is key that you understand who your target audience is. Make sure that your songs are catchy enough that people want to listen over and over. Also ensure they stand out from other songs by learning music theory and structure. One effective method of doing this will allow you to expand upon musical ideas into complete songs.
Electronic music is created using both digital and analogue technology to produce sound, and usually involves synthesizers, drum machines, or processed sounds as its foundation. Electronic instruments first came into being during the 1920s and 30s for manipulating natural and industrial noise recordings into recorded acoustic instruments for manipulation purposes.
Modern electronic music is usually produced using computer software, providing it with almost limitless possibilities and variations. This has led to an array of genres and sub-genres emerging – from disco and synth-pop through EDM and hard dance music genres – all using this versatile form of expression to produce songs of any style or genre.
Producing electronic music often starts with the beat. This is because many forms of this genre originated in nightclubs and were designed for dancefloor use. Once this foundation is in place, other elements can be added in to make more melodic or catchy tracks.
4. Know Your Tools
If you haven’t done so already, begin familiarizing yourself with electronic music production tools. There is an array of software available that will assist with this task; two essential for beginners are samplers and synthesizers. Samplers use audio samples (often called presets or kits) to produce musical sounds while synthesizers use oscillators to generate sound waves which can then be programmed into chords for playback – both offer great tools for producing electronic music across many genres.
Another essential tool to have at your disposal is a DAW (digital audio workstation). This software will enable you to compose songs and can come either free or paid versions; different platforms are also available so it’s up to you whether or not to work on PC or Mac (Mac fans will argue the former platform is better), though both will do just as well (PC fans might claim the former is superior).
Your next essentials for creating music will include headphones and microphone. These tools will enable you to listen back to your tracks and make any necessary corrections that could improve their quality. Finally, some type of sequencer such as Ableton Live may come in handy; there are even complex ones capable of handling multiple layers and MIDI controllers!
Melody is one of the key components in any song, often providing listeners with something to remember long after listening! Melody is closely tied to chords and bass in a song’s foundation and follows rules of music theory; certain notes may complement existing chords while others might create tension – this is all intentional!
5. Know Your Style
Beginning a career in electronic music production requires getting critical feedback from those close to you who can provide honest opinions of how your work is shaping up. This step is especially crucial given that many songs produced by new producers may require some major adjustments before being ready for public consumption.
At this stage, it is also crucial to study and learn about the structures of music, specifically its structure and arrangement. Understanding this concept allows a musician to expand a single musical idea into an entire song; electronic music often follows a standard structure with build-up section, verse/chorus combination, drop, tension buildup section and satisfying chorus as an ideal form.
Electronic music often features a drum beat to drive the tempo and energy of its track, often within certain genres such as new wave or synth-pop; other genres, like ambient or experimental may feature less structured songs without any discernable beat.
Once you understand the basics of composition, experiment with various sounds and instruments to explore which styles fit with your musical vision. Keep in mind that your unique sound should set itself apart from other producers; listen to as much electronic music as possible while studying its tracks to notice their unique elements that set each apart from another.