Music has always been a part of the human experience. Ever since people began beating on things and finding harmony within their voices, people have striven to understand and enhance music. Music, while an abstract concept, is just as real today as it was back then. As a result, humanity has gone through great lengths to educate themselves in the realm of music production. From the simplest of recordings and performances to today’s high tech, computerized production, music continues to be a driving force within the arts.
Groove 3
As a result, many resources have become available to musicians and aspiring production professionals. One of the best resources that can be found online is Groove 3. Groove 3 offers many video tutorial series on various audio production topics. Whether you are looking for the very latest in general music production or you are searching for a specific software title, Groove 3 has what you are looking for. They offer music production solutions for hobbyists, amateurs, and professionals alike, including sample packs of different instruments in different genres, produced by professionals.
Mix Books
Another fantastic resource for music production are the titles offered by Mix Books. Mix Books, a subsidiary of Mix Magazine, offers a wide array of titles that cover everything from digital and analog production, effects, mixing, recording, and mastering. Mix Magazine is one of the leading music production publications in the world and continues to offer subscribers monthly articles, tips and tricks, and news on the latest in music production. The Mix Books series continue that tradition of excellence by allows readers to delve deep into specific topics and software titles. This is great if you are trying to learn a new piece of music production software, or if you are simply looking to get more out of what you currently have. Some Mix Books come with audio CDs or DVDs that allow readers to further their experience by listening to, and seeing, real world examples.
Computer Music Monthly
And speaking of publications, Computer Music Monthly, published in the United Kingdom and distributed in the United States, is an amazing resource for all kinds of music production information. With in depth articles and reviews of the latest in music production technology, Computer Music Monthly offers production professionals all that they need to keep up in the ever evolving world of digital music production. On top of that, each issue comes with new software, often times full versions, not demos. Plus, each month, gigabytes of free, fresh new samples are included on the disc that comes with the magazine. If you feel like you have hit a snag in your creative process, often times, new samples to work with in your digital production software are just the thing to get you writing again.
The Free Sound Project
And while we are discussing samples, The Free Sound Project is an immense library of totally free samples that you can download and use in your production. Users can also upload their own samples and set the copyright allowances. The majority of samples on the site are Creative Commons, meaning they can be used in your track free of charge. The thing that makes the Free Sound Project so cool is that you never know what you will find. As mentioned, because users can upload their own samples, you may stumble upon authentic African drums, or professionally recorded bass lines. The Free Sound Project is one of the most valuable music production resources on the internet and it is totally free.
Finally, Youtube, famous for its user uploaded videos, is a great resource for music production as well. There are literally thousands of free videos to watch that cover everything from recording, mixing and mastering, writing, and all other aspects of music production. Simple go to Youtube and search for the specific production topic you are wanting information on, and chances are, someone will have uploaded a video on it. One of the benefits of using Youtube to find music production resources is that you can interact with the people who uploaded the video by leaving comments. This can be helpful if there was something in a particular video that you didn’t understand.
The Internet has certainly changed the landscape when it comes to searching for music production resources. As most production work has moved from the analog world into the digital, producers and musicians now have a much easier time accessing information, software, videos, samples, and songs. Of course, there are still many resources out there, such as the public library, that should never be overlooked. Many libraries carry books, CDs, and tutorial DVDs that address all manner of music production. You may even be surprised to find books on production techniques that you never even thought of.