[Need Some Direction...]

Have you tried arranging? I find that arranging strengthens your ear (if you learn the song by ear) and gets you used to song structure and other elements that can be applied to your own compositions. When you get used to arranging songs, I would also suggest doing compos. Doing compos ensures that your arrangement gets done, and pushes you to do better each time.

I'm also trying to learn more about production, so I'm stuck in the same boat as you. However, listening to music you like in a more active manner will help you understand more about it -- how the guitar is panned slightly to the right or how some beats from the kick will have reverb but others sound more compressed. When you get used to your DAW, definitely play around with mixing tools. Sometimes I watch videos of mixing/mastering, but they bore me to tears lol. It's more fun to hear what you're doing than having someone explain it to you in a monotone voice.

Before anything though, start with arranging. You'll flow into composition easily once you can break down what happening in a song. I'm sure you'll learn more production the more you arrange/compose with your DAW, so have no fear!

You really think so? Now when you mean "arranging" do you mean taking a song by someone else that I like and making a new interpretation of it, like a kind of remix?

To everyone who replied, thank you and please continue to chime in if you can. Sad to say but even after learning about them I still don't know the difference between a compressor and a limiter, much less know how to use them in a musical context. What are some great resources other than those already mentioned to learn those concepts of audio production?

[Need Some Direction...]

Hi everyone. I'm in need of some guidance, and I hope you can help. Over a year now, I've been researching and learning about music production with the goal of making music for games. I've been a musician for a long time (trained in bass guitar and voice) but I've never composed until recently. The result was pretty awful, as I realized I had no idea how to mix in my chosen DAW (Reaper). So I'm at a bit of an impasse. I want to know what is the best way for me to learn about composing, mixing and mastering and basically everything needed to make great original music and remixes. Are there classes I can take? I have a day job, so I'd have to do them part-time/online. Where should my focus be, learning composition or music production? What are the baby steps I need to take? I completely understand that it may be years before I make anything halfway decent, so I'm willing to be in it for the long haul; I just don't know where to go from here. I really hope you can help. Thanks, and if you need any more info from me, please let me know.

[Good God -SampleTank 3!]

Wasn't there a free version of SampleTank called SampleTank Free? Excuse my ignorance, I'm a newbie at this stuff.

[Looking for help "getting my chops" back]

Best to start learning from the master himself.

Pay good attention to 2:35

I talked to this guy twice in my life for a few minutes and each time it was life changing. (The first time i talked with him he said "You look like a bass player." to this day it's the greatest compliment i've ever received)

I am well aware of Master Wooten. This man is one of the reasons I've never given up being a bassist. The fact that you were even able to speak with him is amazing. I never knew he had a lessons DVD; I will be buying that ASAP.

Please keep the advice coming everyone, I am taking notes. Especially composition wise. Also what are everyone's thoughts on Reaper?

[Looking for help "getting my chops" back]

I disagree with the whole "the theory isn't that important" mentality.

Yeah, theory isn't a formula for creating great music, but the more you understand it, the easier it is to understand existing compositions.

Being able to thoroughly analyse and understand what is going on in your favourite songs is useful as hell because then you will be able to break down and figure out what the composer did and why it worked. Then, you can apply the same concepts that you learned to your own music.

That and it makes communication with other musicians easy.

Thank you. It's not that I'm theory illiterate; it's just as a bassist my expertise lies with basslines and using stuff like 12 bar blues, etc. If you have any advice for me in terms of stuff I can learn that can help, let me know!

[Looking for help "getting my chops" back]

My only beef with your post. I know how you feel though.

Check out Stu Hamm's Fretboard Fitness. Use youtube as a constant source of motivation and inspiration. Read Treble cleff. Chords can be tough since they are so limiting on a bass. Either you get something that ties up your hands or is so full of mud no one can tell it's a chord. Use single/double stops to represent chords just to get some kind of tonality and record that to play over top of. If you are proficient at all of the techniques of bass playing then you can mix Rhythm, Harmony and Melody between your two hands.

I would strongly encourage investing in a midi keyboard for learning because chords are so much easier to deal with when you can drop your hand and get exactly what you want then look at the shape and the notes you use to better get a feel for it.

Not having screwed around with apps myself i don't know if any really help. Seems like a waste of money when there are free lessons on youtube.

Thanks, I will. Stupid question but please bear with me; I definitely need to know chords in order to compose right?

[Looking for help "getting my chops" back]

Hi everyone, I apologize if I'm posting in the wrong area for this but I thought this place would be the most effective for help. I have been a musician for over a decade as a bassist, and I am trying to explore the world of composition. Through a friend of a friend, I have been introduced to the DAW Reaper, and while intimidating, it looks like something I can get on board with. However, I have to admit it has been a few years since I've been on top of my music theory; I remember some scales and such, but as a bassist I'm a little weak on reading treble clef and understanding chords. With the advent of smartphones/tablets, I was wondering if there are any apps you guys could recommend for someone like me who has learned theory, but is relatively rusty. In addition, any other tips for starting composition and how to learn all this stuff while keeping my day job and social life intact, haha. Thanks guys, I hope you can help.

[The Newbie Introduction Thread: Come on in and say hello!]

Hello all. I've been a fan of OCRemix's work for a long time, and as a result I was inspired to follow in the footsteps of fellow remixers/composers. Music is a serious passion; I have a music background (bassist over 10 years, and vocalist over 5) and I also love video games. A goal of mine is to compose music for games one day, and my first step towards that goal is joining this community for advice and guidance. Some of my favorite composers are Nobuo Uematsu, Yasunori Mitsuda, Yoko Kanno, Yuki Kaijura and Koji Kondo.