want to start out but need help?!

[djchob]

hello everyone,

i wanted to start doing this kind of remixes that you guys do but i have no idea how to start or anything??? so can someone help me please?

By the way if there is something that is posted with a tutorial, or something to do and what programs to use, i'm sorry for not seeing it before posting....

[Brian]

What is your budget?

[Nabeel Ansari]

WELL,

there are a few places to start:

-Practice Being Creative

-Learn Music Composition Theory

-Learn Music Production Theory

-Get a sequencer/DAW

The first one you can do by grabbing an instrument. (If you don't have at least a keyboard, skip this step). Even if you can't play the instrument well, keyboards especially you can use to just figure out the notes of the music that's in your head.

The second one is what I think is the most important. Whether it's formal or informal, knowing WHAT THE HELL you're writing down helps A LOT. Learn how chords, scales, notes, melodies, rhythms, and arrangements work. You can do this by taking classes, or if you have a sequencer with MIDI import capabilities you can look at MIDI's of video game music to see what it's made of. (Or if you can, read lots of sheet music of giant expansive orchestral symphonies. )

The third one is very tricky. This is more technical where you start learning about compression, EQ, mastering, balancing, and general soundscape. This definitely isn't something easy to learn on your own, because it's very difficult to pick out your own mistakes when you start out. I suggest reading this guy's guide. It's a great place to start to learn how to make good drum lines, work with acoustic instruments on software, and general production values.

The fourth is the absolute most important if you wanna get anywhere in the world of computer music. You need a good software. Here's a list of software I know of that people like:

-FL Studio (i personally recommend it)

-Reason

-Logic Studio (for Mac)

-Cubase

-Sonar

-Ableton Live

-Finale (standard sheet music notation)

-Reaper

-Audiotool (Audiotool is a very limited online sequencer that runs on flash. www.audiotool.com runs right in your browser)

There are lots more out there, but these are the most frequently used (by OCRemixers and by professionals catalogs.) Try the demo's for each one and use the one you like most. (Having a DAW you're comfortable with is important.)

What the software is for is to write down stuff and hear it at the same time on instruments/synths of your choice. No one has hi quality stuff at the start, but if you have money, I recommend buying stuff like:

-Komplete 6

-KORE 2

-(if FL studio) Sytrus (in my opiniong the best synth in the world)

-East West Composer's Collection

If this stuff puts a dent in your budget, don't bother with it. Stick with the free/cheap stuff. It won't be good quality, but practicing for yourself is more important. Save up for this stuff and it'll be worth the effort.

After you find your software, it's good to have some good hardware. I don't know much about good hardware, but if you check the "Guides and Tutorials" forum in the Workshop section, it's overloaded with helpful info.

As for REMIXING music, what's done here at OCR is taking a VGM source tune and expanding on it, just putting it in different instruments doesn't really cut it. It has to be something that shows a lot of effort was put into it to make it stand on its own as a good arrangement. What you can do is compare OCRemixes to their source tunes, and then try to make your own interpretations. Good ways to do this are imagining source tunes in totally different styles/genre's. Sometimes for me, adding a simple swing rhythm to an otherwise upbeat techno VGM tune gives birth to some great latin jazz rendition in my head.

Also, KEEP PRACTICING!!! Nothing will ever sound awesome when you start out (For two years, I couldn't make anything decent.)

Hope that helps.

EDIT: This might sound super intimidating, but you should realize music isn't something to be taken lightly or learned quickly. Some people still can't get it after years of practice. It takes talent, but that's not to say a lot of people don't have talent. If you like OCRemixes and want to do them, work for it and the practice/experience helps you show your talent.

[UmJammerSully]

Neblix, I feel your advice is very good and should definitely be stickied somewhere.

[Nabeel Ansari]

Neblix, I feel your advice is very good and should definitely be stickied somewhere.

I feel that, too, because for some reason there are suddenly a lot of new threads asking "HOW DO I REMIX"

[CodeD64]

FL Studio is a great DAW for remixing VG tunes and is very versatile in other aspects as well.

There's also a great free music theory guide written by a producer (RavenSpiral) for producers here:

http://ravenspiral.com/rsg2mt/rsg2mt.pdf

[GSO]

I'll say pretty much what everyone else has said: Practice makes perfect. as for a DAW, you might consider this(it's easy to use): http://www.acoustica.com/mixcraft/index.htm

a good music notation program is this: http://www.sibelius.com/home/index_flash.html

(I use these) Hope this helps

[GSO]

I'll say pretty much what everyone else has said: Practice makes perfect. as for a DAW, you might consider this(it's easy to use): http://www.acoustica.com/mixcraft/index.htm

a good music notation program is this: http://www.sibelius.com/home/index_flash.html

(I use these) Hope this helps

wow, it's been awhile. I now recommend these(I upgraded my daw):

Presonus studio one pro

&

ScoreCleaner

(google 'em)