What equipment do you need to start producing?

Let's say you have decided to start producing tracks on your own, either for your releases or to sell on ghost production platforms. Obviously you would need some sort of music production equipment for this, so where do you start looking first.

Should you buy a MIDI controller, or should you spend that money on plugins and sample libraries instead. In this blog post we will go over the three fundamental things you will need to start making your own tracks.

1. Get a DAW

A digital audio workstation, or DAW, is the software that’s used to produce music that gives you the option to do recording, production, mixing, and mastering all within the comfort of your home.

You can download a demo of most of the DAWs out there for free and some of them come in the form of various different versions where the more expensive versions have more functionality. If you are looking for more information about how to choose a DAW you can check this blog post we did some time ago.

2. MIDI Controller

This one is as important as your DAW. MIDI stands for Musical Instrument Digital Interface and it is a universal technical standard that allows communications between physical hardware and digital audio workstations. One of the most common forms of MIDI controllers is a keyboard, which is supposed to be like a piano keyboard. While keyboards are vital to producers who can already play the piano, grid controllers are a much more intuitive and inexpensive way to arrange beats and trigger samples. 

3. A Pair of Good Headphones

Studio headphones differ from consumer and gaming headphones through their neutral sound and attempt to provide the least colored sounds possible in order for producers to make their tracks as effectively as possible.

For brand new producers, headphones are the better option. Studio monitors require substantial modifications, as their sounds are colored by factors like the shape of the speaker, the room they are sitting in and more.