There has to be an easier way to make pony music

[Rainb0wdashie 60]

Hello everypony, Rainb0w Dashie here. 

 

So I hesitate to call myself an 'up and coming' pony musician, but I'm trying to get my hooves wet at making pony music and I'm having a few issues. 

 

I started out trying to do pony metal but somehow ended up in this weird dark ambient territory where I've been stuck for about a year. I'm trying to ease myself out slowly by experimenting with Aggrotech (think of it like techno with lots of distortion) and I'm finding it increasingly difficult. 

 

Making leads or bass lines aren't the problem, since that's what I've been doing for my entire dark ambient phase, but it's the drums. I don't know how to make drum beats. I've looked around for some free VSTs but all I've found is crap. 

 

I really feel that if I can find a good VST or some kind of MIDI drum machine (or something) I can really get on the fast track to making pony music. I already know how to make leads, I figured out how to get the vocal distortion effect like with most Aggrotech singers, but it's the drums that are tripping me up. 

 

If anypony could suggest some good software I would be most appreciative. Also, if you have any general tips for making pony music I would love love love to hear them; because this crap's hard! 

[Satsuki Kiryuin 1,155]

Sorry to burst your bubble, but a "good VST" isn't going to make your track sound any better. It's good to have one, but it won't do much without the effort. I'd recommend finding good sample packs or modifying the sound of your drum VSTs to make it sound better. Also, music producing is a long and slow process, but eventually you gain tons of experience and get better. I hope you continue to practice in order to succeed,~

[Freeze-Frame 100]

This is just a suggestion: how about just throw away the computers and software and make some music by hand. What I would do is read some books about composition and learn some musical styles. It may be boring, but the results will sound A LOT better than just "trial and error" composing on a computer. If you'd like to do something like this, make sure to go in depth in music theory, chord progressions, arpeggios, scale degrees, intervals, ect.

 

You don't have to do this; it's just a suggestion. I'm just saying, as a musician, that it's probably better to make music by hand.

[Rainb0wdashie 60]

Sorry to burst your bubble, but a "good VST" isn't going to make your track sound any better. It's good to have one, but it won't do much without the effort. I'd recommend finding good sample packs or modifying the sound of your drum VSTs to make it sound better. Also, music producing is a long and slow process, but eventually you gain tons of experience and get better. I hope you continue to practice in order to succeed,~

What I'm looking for really is something that will let me load drum samples in a bank that let's me play them from my usb keyboard.

 

Does something like that exist or do I have to spring for a full blown keyboard?

[Satsuki Kiryuin 1,155]

 

 

What I'm looking for really is something that will let me load drum samples in a bank that let's me play them from my usb keyboard. Does something like that exist or do I have to spring for a full blown keyboard?

 

I don't actually use keyboards for my music. >.> All my stuff is just midi and blaaaahhh technical stuff I forget. 

[Rainb0wdashie 60]

I don't actually use keyboards for my music. >.> All my stuff is just midi and blaaaahhh technical stuff I forget.

 

Heh, I just want to know if there's some kind of middle ground before I say "buck it" and drop a bunch of money on a drum kit or a fancy keyboard

[Satsuki Kiryuin 1,155]

I'm just saying, as a musician, that it's probably better to make music by hand.

 

"I'm just saying, since my opinion is always correct, that real musicians play instruments, not work their butts off to make the perfect mix, or the perfect structure, chords, or anything on a computer. A COMPOOTER ISN'T A REAL INSTURMENT DUH."

 

I'm just saying, as a producer, that it's just as hard/ or harder to produce music than make music by hand. It's not just "pressing buttons and pushing play". 

Edited May 27, 2014 by Otty~

[Rainb0wdashie 60]

"I'm just saying, since my opinion is always correct, that real musicians play instruments, not work their butts off to make the perfect mix, or the perfect structure, chords, or anything on a computer. A COMPOOTER ISN'T A REAL INSTURMENT DUH."

 

I'm just saying, as a producer, that it's just as hard/ or harder to produce music than make music by hand. It's not just "pressing buttons and pushing play".

 

Hey now, please don't start a fight on one of my first posts to the forum. I appreciate both of your guys' help and think there's validity to both physical music making and digital production.

 

Save the fighting for behind the turn tables

[Freeze-Frame 100]

"I'm just saying, since my opinion is always correct, that real musicians play instruments, not work their butts off to make the perfect mix, or the perfect structure, chords, or anything on a computer. A COMPOOTER ISN'T A REAL INSTURMENT DUH."

 

I'm just saying, as a producer, that it's just as hard/ or harder to produce music than make music by hand. It's not just "pressing buttons and pushing play".

I wasn't trying to offend any pony here. I was just trying to give some advice. Even if he wants to make music on a computer, it still should be necessary to learn a bit about composition. It's actually quite interesting.

[Rainb0wdashie 60]

I wasn't trying to offend any pony here. I was just trying to give some advice. Even if he wants to make music on a computer, it still should be necessary to learn a bit about composition. It's actually quite interesting.

Do you have any links as to where I could get started on researching this stuff? 

[Courageous Thunder Dash 7,824]

It's gonna take a lot more than a good VST to make music. It's gonna take your mind, how well you craft those ideas and put them to music. It's gonna take organization, how you organize your melody. It's gonna take theory, how each and every note goes and what chords to use. 

 

A good VST alone won't do anything. 

[jjj 46]

There isn't really a tried and true "easy" way of making pony music.

 

Producing music for a fandom or just in general requires years of experience aswell as personal knowledge on how well you understand music theory, chords, things of that nature. You also require a DAW (digital audio workstation) which appeals to you and fits your style of production. I personally use FL Studio 11 and Reason 5.

 

I have 5-6 of years experience with music production and 2 years of audio engineering, so feel free to ask me any questions!

 

Like what ThunderDash said above, a "good sounding vst" won't do anything if you have no experience with it.

Edited May 28, 2014 by Jerry

[Rainb0wdashie 60]

It's gonna take a lot more than a good VST to make music. It's gonna take your mind, how well you craft those ideas and put them to music. It's gonna take organization, how you organize your melody. It's gonna take theory, how each and every note goes and what chords to use. 

 

A good VST alone won't do anything. 

But a good VST is a great place to start.

 

Organizing thoughts and melodies is all well and good if you know what you're doing, but it doesn't tell me what tools I need or how to get started. 

There isn't really a tried and true "easy" way of making pony music.

 

Producing music for a fandom or just in general requires years of experience aswell as personal knowledge on how well you understand music theory, chords, things of that nature. You also require a DAW (digital audio workstation) which appeals to you and fits your style of production. I personally use FL Studio 11 and Reason 5.

 

I have 5-6 of years experience with music production and 2 years of audio engineering, so feel free to ask me any questions!

 

Like what ThunderDash said above, a "good sounding vst" won't do anything if you have no experience with it.

I know your heart's in the right place, and I understand that from your 5-6 years of experience you think you're offering helpful advice; but it's actually very discouraging. 

 

From a novice's point of view, what you just said tells me that I shouldn't bother trying to make pony music because to do it well I need multiple years of experience. 

 

That's not trying to dismiss what you've said, it's just my first reaction to what you've said. Addressing your other points, I already have a DAW that I'm comfortable with (REAPER). 

 

I have all the tools I need to make something passable, I just don't have the knowledge. Perhaps my phrasing was off when I said I needed a "good VST", but from the minimal knowledge I have, I feel that if I can get some kind of software like FXpansion's BFD3 (that doesn't cost an arm and a leg) that has drum samples that can be played from a keyboard, then I could make a mediocre song and then get pointers on how to improve. 

 

I dunno if that makes sense, I'm rambling. Sorry.  

Edited May 28, 2014 by Rainb0wdashie

[Courageous Thunder Dash 7,824]

@@Rainb0wdashie,

 

Theory is in fact considered a valuable tool. I have 15 years of music experience, almost 5 years of composing and 1 year of audio engineering on my belt. If you want tutoring, you can PM me anytime.  

[Rainb0wdashie 60]

@@Rainb0wdashie,

 

Theory is in fact considered a valuable tool. I have 15 years of music experience, almost 5 years of composing and 1 year of audio engineering on my belt. If you want tutoring, you can PM me anytime.  

 

That sounds like a wonderful idea, I just hope it won't cost me too much  

[Courageous Thunder Dash 7,824]

That sounds like a wonderful idea, I just hope it won't cost me too much

Nope, all for free. I'll PM you right now. Only thing it'll cost you is time and patience. 

[Skull 18]

 

 

Organizing thoughts and melodies is all well and good if you know what you're doing, but it doesn't tell me what tools I need or how to get started. 

 

 

For myself, i use a technique which consist of playing random notes until inspiration comes...Yeah,pretty stupid but it works most of the time.you don't need any kind of tools.

 

 

 

But a good VST is a great place to start.

 

Maybe you should begin with "Freewares" before investing in VSTs.

 

I do understand that you need "good VSTs" but you'll first have to learn how to use the thing before getting into action.

 

 

 

I feel that if I can get some kind of software like FXpansion's BFD3 (that doesn't cost an arm and a leg) that has drum samples that can be played from a keyboard, then I could make a mediocre song and then get pointers on how to improve.   

 

Like i said,you have to learn the stuff. It's like figuring out how to play guitar;it can be very tough & annoying but it will be worth the wait.

[Rainb0wdashie 60]

 

 

Like i said,you have to learn the stuff. It's like figuring out how to play guitar;it can be very tough & annoying but it will be worth the wait.

 

 

But that's where my problem lies. How am I going to practice making drum beats if I have nothing to practice on? My options are either using freeware, buying a VST, buying a drum kit, or buying some kind of keyboard with drum samples built in. 

 

All the latter options are crazy expensive, and while I am planning on buying some of them in the future, in the present my options are rather limited. 

[Courageous Thunder Dash 7,824]

 

 

here my problem lies. How am I going to practice making drum beats if I have nothing to practice on? My options are either using freeware, buying a VST, buying a drum kit, or buying some kind of keyboard with drum samples built in. 

 

Easy, download finale notepad 2012 and pratice with the drum set on that, or find beat makers online where you can make them from scratch.  

[Freeze-Frame 100]

Do you have any links as to where I could get started on researching this stuff? 

 Unfortunately I don't know many websites.  The only one I know of is pretty cool.  There's lessons and exercises.  It's like Khan Academy for music.

 

http://www.musictheory.net/

 

One thing I do recommend is buying a book called "All About Guitar" by Hal Leonard.  If you don't play guitar, then by the piano or bass edition (I have the bass one).  If you want to go an extra step further, buy the drum edition.  It will teach you everything there is to know about music theory, composition, and styles (mainly rock and roll).  You can buy it at a local book store or music store. They're pretty easy to find.

 

Or you can go the easy (yet expensive) way and take a class on it at a university.

 

Sorry if I offended you in anyway.  I did not mean to insult your composition approaches.  I just think you would become a much better musician if you learned a little bit about music first.

[Rainb0wdashie 60]

Easy, download finale notepad 2012 and pratice with the drum set on that, or find beat makers online where you can make them from scratch.  

 

That's more like what I'm looking for, but if I make a drum pattern I really like would I be able to record it? 

 

The reason for asking for a VST is so I can have something to work with while I play around with my DAW, so that way if I make something like I can just cobble it all together. 

Edited May 28, 2014 by Rainb0wdashie

[Courageous Thunder Dash 7,824]

@@Rainb0wdashie,

 

In finale notepad 2012, you can input the notes, and the software itself will play it back for you through it's built-in MIDI driver.  

[Rainb0wdashie 60]

 Unfortunately I don't know many websites.  The only one I know of is pretty cool.  There's lessons and exercises.  It's like Khan Academy for music.

 

http://www.musictheory.net/

 

One thing I do recommend is buying a book called "All About Guitar" by Hal Leonard.  If you don't play guitar, then by the piano or bass edition (I have the bass one).  If you want to go an extra step further, buy the drum edition.  It will teach you everything there is to know about music theory, composition, and styles (mainly rock and roll).  You can buy it at a local book store or music store. They're pretty easy to find.

 

Or you can go the easy (yet expensive) way and take a class on it at a university.

 

Sorry if I offended you in anyway.  I did not mean to insult your composition approaches.  I just think you would become a much better musician if you learned a little bit about music first.

You didn't offend me. I was actually trying to diffuse the situation when that other brony (I'm too lazy to scroll up to find their name) made that one comment. I got kinda scared because I got in a similar argument when I first posted about making music. Granted, this was a year ago, but somepony came in, got upset because I was making electronic music when he works with 'real insturments' and compared me to finger painting next to the Mona Lisa because "anypony can make noise on a computer". 

 

That really hurt, especially as a bright-eyed wanna-be musician. I just didn't want a repeat of that 

 

Anyway, I'll check out that link and I'll see if my bookstore has those titles. They'll actually come in handy because I've got a music project on the back burner that requires me to have a working knowledge of drums, bass, and guitar. 

 

Thanks for the help! 

Edited May 28, 2014 by Rainb0wdashie

[Twilight Sparkle ✨ 8,529]

There's been some good discourse here about what goes into making music. Rainb0wdashie, I do applaud your enthusiasm for getting into music and being willing to take the time to study up at least on the basics. Thunder-Dash is a cool guy and I hope your studies with him prove fruitful!

 

I can recommend Coursera as another resource to call on - they offer a number of courses focused on such things as music production, songwriting, theory, and other musical topics; there's a music "specialization", too. While I haven't personally taken any of the music courses there, the other material I've seen on Coursera has all been excellent and well worth the time.

 

One thing I would suggest getting yourself away from the idea of "pony music". There's absolutely nothing special about taking inspiration from ponies to make music versus taking inspiration from anything else. No software or training on the planet is going to make it any easier to make pony music than any other music.

[Rainb0wdashie 60]

I'll be sure to take a look at what you linked when I get home from work

 

 

One thing I would suggest getting yourself away from the idea of "pony music". There's absolutely nothing special about taking inspiration from ponies to make music versus taking inspiration from anything else. No software or training on the planet is going to make it any easier to make pony music than any other music.

Except pony music is the driving inspiration to me wanting to make music. If we remove that factor then there's really no reason for me to even bother.