How To Make Music: A Guide for Beginners

There are so many paths to start creating music. So let’s boil it down to the main ways you can start making music…

It doesn’t matter how fancy your recording gear is, or how great your singing voice might be. And you cannot expect to “fix” a song during mixing or mastering.

Making music starts with a good idea.

A good song is a good song, even if you play it with just an instrument and a voice.

Whether it’s a melody, a lyric, or an emotion you want to convey, you have to focus on creating the best song ideas possible.

Once you have an idea, there are two main ways to go about turning it into a song:

1. You can write a complete song and then record/produce it, or
2. You can record a musical idea and then write the lyrics/melody as you produce the song

It all depends on your preference for a process…

Many people write a complete song on their instrument and then record and produce it.

These people usually call themselves songwriters or singer-songwriters.

They may record a simple demo, which they can take to a producer to get a pro-level recording of it or try to get another artist to record it.

Or they produce and release the song themselves.

Other musicians will write songs as they produce them.

They might start with a beat or a loop or a chord progression they wrote.

They’ll record the bare bones of it, and then they’ll write the lyrics and melody in the studio or at they’re laptop, recording as they go.

You will find that other musicians are on a similar journey, and there is always strength in numbers.

So find new friends who share your passion and build your own music community. Besides the new friendships, you can learn from each other.

Music is a collaborative art on many levels, so as you embark on your journey of explorative learning, consult with others who can help you.

Don’t feel you have to go it alone.

It doesn’t have to mean finding a “teacher” per se, but thinking of yourself as a learner is a good attitude as you immerse yourself in this new creative realm.

Whatever way you prefer to make music, it would be helpful for you to know the basics of songwriting and composing music.

It will make your creative process flow better and be more fun.

So let’s cover the basic elements of songwriting and composing that you should know…

Song structure involves knowing the parts of a song and then putting them in a certain order.

It may sound too methodical for music, but understanding structure will help you create much more impactful songs.

Music theory can help you understand what chords and notes go well together.

It’s all about how to read and write, spell chords and scales, and analyze and understand rhythms, melodies, and chords.

It’s actually not hard if you take it in small bites.

As with learning anything, you will need to apply yourself and make some small effort, but the rewards will be immeasurable and will only increase your joy in music-making.

Music is subjective, and your melodies are too.

But there are some things to know that can help you write better melodies, including:

• Rhythm and phrasing
• Repetition
• Sideways melodies
• Using “leaps” in your melodies
• Contrast

When it comes to recording and producing music, there are really three distinct phases:

1. Pre-production
2. Production
3. Post-production

Pre-production involves writing and arranging the music, deciding on your recording method, the gear you need, and anything else that could be considered a part of the planning phase.

You want to prepare as much as possible before you hit record.

It will make production so much easier.

Production is the actual recording of the music, which involves laying down tracks using live or electronic instruments.

The electronic side of production often involves using synthesizers, loops, beats, samples, and MIDI instruments, so capturing live audio might not be the main priority here.

The live instruments you might use include voice, guitar, real piano, and percussion.

You may also find yourself overdubbing parts, editing and moving things you’ve recorded, and adding effects. You would do all of this in a digital audio workstation (DAW).

Post-production involves everything after recording, like:

• Editing what you’ve recorded (choosing the best takes, nudging items to be on time, tuning vocals, etc.)
• Mixing all of the instruments and elements together so they sound cohesive
• Mastering the song so it sounds as professional and as loud as what you’d hear on Spotify, the radio, etc.

Now it’s time to get your recording gear and find a space to make music.

Let’s talk about the specific gear and software you should get…

A digital audio workstation (DAW) is the piece of software you’ll use to record, edit, mix, and master your song.

Some of the best options include Pro Tools, Logic Pro, and Reaper.

An audio interface is a device that plugs into your computer, into which you plug your microphone and instruments.

This transmits your recordings into your DAW.

If you’ll be recording any live instruments, including voice, you’ll need a microphone.

You can find very good mics for $100-200.

Some affordable yet good-quality mics include:

• AKG PERCEPTION 170
• Shure SM58
• Audio-Technica AT2035

Along with a mic, you’ll want to get a mic stand, an XLR cable (mic cable), and a pop filter for recording vocals.

You’ll need to be able to hear the music you’re making, so headphones are an essential piece of gear.

It would also be ideal to have studio monitors to get a more accurate aural landscape.

But if you can only afford one, get headphones so you can record live instruments to avoid the playback bleeding into the microphone.

A MIDI controller lets you play virtual instruments within your DAW.

So if you want to play virtual drums, piano, bass, strings, etc., you’ll want a MIDI controller.

Usually, they look like a little keyboard, and it plugs into your computer via USB.

Now it’s time to set up all your equipment and recording space.

Most likely, you don’t have that kind of space or the bandwidth to treat a room. And that’s okay.

You can make music at your kitchen table, on your couch, or even in your bed.

But ideally, you would have a designated room for recording that you can treat with room acoustics.

Which room should you use?

Use the largest room in your house/apartment if possible.

Then use absorbent material like acoustic foam, carpets, or a couch to help unclutter the sound. Bare walls are reflective surfaces that make it hard to hear what’s going on in the mix.

Lastly, position your recording/listening location so that the long walls are on either side of you

It’s essential to think about what kind of musician you want to be.

You surely will learn this as you go and make adjustments, but it can help to have a starting point.

Ask yourself questions like:

• Do you want to be in a duo or band, or just work solo?
• Do you want to perform your music live, or mainly stay in the studio?
• Do you want to focus on writing or producing or a mixture of both?
• Do you want to help other artists write and record their songs?

These are all questions that will help you decide how you want to make music and what kind of music you want to make.

Of all the industries and activities that are being changed the most by artificial intelligence, music-making is one of the most affected.

AI tools can help with everything from coming up with catchy melodies to mixing and mastering tracks.

These products can analyze tons of music data and offer suggestions that might spark new ideas you hadn’t thought of before.

In the coming years, AI could take things even further by making music creation even more intuitive and interactive.

Programs that learn your personal style and preferences over time, and offer suggestions and adjustments tailored just for you might soon become available.

For those just starting out, AI could simplify the learning process by breaking down complex concepts into more digestible pieces and offering practice exercises that fit your current skill level.

It could even help you understand music theory and composition more deeply by providing interactive lessons and examples.

Of course, there are big questions about how it will hurt human creators, in addition to being a help. But as of right now, it’s not clear what exactly that will look like.