It’s that time of year again.
As fall approaches, many of us are gearing back up into the learning mindset. With this spirit in mind, we’ve compiled some of our most popular articles and videos across the realm of music creation below to help you get back in that groove. Give your production some new life and polish, or learn tips and techniques from some of the most talented professionals in the industry.
Splice Creator plan subscribers can also dive even deeper with hours of tutorials on Splice Skills. Celebrate this season of learning with us, and pick up tips to get your music made.
Production
“Production” is one of those terms in music that’s incredibly broad, and it can mean totally different things in different contexts. Here, we’re specifically thinking of any processes that involve the creation of new musical material, whether it’s composing melodies and chord progressions or sequencing beats. We’ve also included some interviews and walkthroughs conducted alongside top-tier producers, who each gave us their unique perspective on how to approach the craft of music production.
1. Composition
- 8 tips for writing effective melodies and chord progressions (free MIDI files included)
- 4 easy ways to improve your chord progressions
- How to build chord progressions (50 free MIDI files included)
2. Drum programming
- How to create drum patterns across genres (lo-fi hip hop, metal, and more)
- 5 techniques for improving your drums
- How to make drum patterns: Rhythms every producer should know
3. Producer spotlights
- Boi-1da on his Grammy win, working with Drake on “Mob Ties,” and giving back
- Take A Daytrip (Lil Nas X, Juice WRLD) give us an inside look into their sessions
- Oliver on his most iconic loops, new sounds, and Doja Cat’s “Say So”
Mixing and mastering
While production addresses the composition of catchy hooks, colorful chords, and driving beats, mixing and mastering place an emphasis on how we arrange, blend, and present those building blocks as one cohesive whole. Spanning beginner-friendly overviews to expert-led discussions, the articles below explore various subtopics in mixing and mastering at all sorts of altitudes.
1. Mixing
- An introduction to mixing: Levels, panning, and audio effects
- What is compression? | A compressor’s parameters and main uses in music production
- How to create a vocal chain from start to finish
2. Mastering
- Expert engineers demystify the mastering process
- 5 mastering myths you’ve believed this whole time
- How loud should you master your music?
Sound design
Last but not least, sound design is the art of making sure that our melodies, chord progressions, beats, and everything in between are voiced by the timbres that best serve our music. While this process can easily blend into production and mixing, we’ve identified two topics below that particularly come to mind when we think of sound design: synthesis and sampling.
1. Synthesis
- The difference between subtractive, additive, FM, and wavetable synthesis
- Make it grain | An introduction to granular synthesis
- How to use Splice’s new Astra synthesizer
2. Sampling
- How to find your voice with sampling
- Sampling and sound design tips for string instruments
- 3 strategies for auditioning samples | How to choose the right sound
While everything we’ve highlighted above ultimately barely scratches the surface of the expansive realm of music creation, we hope that you find a few articles and videos that inspire you to learn something new. What aspect of music creation is your favorite? In what areas are you looking to improve in the coming months? Let us know in the comments below.
Continue developing your craft with a steady stream of tutorials taught by seasoned pros:
September 8, 2021
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