DnB How do you begin producing?

Joined
Oct 12, 2012
Location
Australia
Hello everyone, I'm extremely new to these forums (signed up like 5 minutes ago) and I joined because I am seeking help where I haven't been able to acquire it yet. I've wanted to start producing drum and bass since I first fell in love with the genre but I haven't been able to quite 'grasp' the concept of it. I'm not highly knowledgeable of the genre (although I do listen to it everyday) so if there is anything small you would like to teach me it would be appreciated highly!
I currently use FL Studio 10 Producer's edition, and I have Danny Byrd's sample pack. I've tried creating some liquid but it didn't turn out very well. What is the easiest sub-genre/genre in drum and bass to learn? How do I go about doing this?
Any answer would be obliged, I also accept constructive criticism!
 
I think liquid is the easiest sub-genre to start out on because its really atmospheric and the drums don't have to sound heavy, also making beats is easier IMO cause theres less going on in the track and you can really have the space to let the drums be the main focus. and i see you are from australia... liquid is a really visual music, the australian desert or ocean or in the middle of downtown sydney... if you can just think of a place and a vibe you want to go for sometimes 8 hours go by and you have got the basis of a track that is its own world.

id listen to ryuichi sakamoto and kurt rosenwinkel for some musical inspiration. they are capable of traditional music but also have an abstract aesthetic to playing. and thats another thing about liquid, theres really nothing you can do wrong as long as it sounds good.

you should get an eq with a spectrum analyzer (fabfilter maybe) and study up on how people eq their drums.

 
Last edited by a moderator:
first off, prepare yourself for the deluge of "use the fucking search button!" responses, they're gonna be coming hard and fast.

then, go to youtube, and type in "making a dnb beat in FL" and start watching. find out the basic beat structure of drum and bass, and just try to get a kick drum, snare drum, and hi hat sample arranged properly and balanced with each other the best you can. Try to break the tune down to it's most elemental parts. For example, you have drums and you have bass. Break the drums down further and you have kicks, snares, breaks/loops, cymbals, etc. Even further, you may have multiple samples layered together just to make your kick drum. So try to start as small as you can think and work up. Start with a kick drum, make sure it's a good sample. Listen to it, compare it to a tune you like - what is it missing? Maybe it's enough, maybe it is lacking some high-end punch. If so, layer another kick in another channel that has good top-end sound and EQ the low out of it. Listen again. And again. Is it good enough now? If so, move on to the snare and repeat the process. Just slowly add things that you think sound good and add to the tune.

In the end, you will have a shitty tune. Make a frowny face and start the whole thing over again.

Also, if you think it is going to take anything less than YEARS to get even competent, you're either an idiot or a prodigy. This is not to put you off, I just would have liked someone to tell me that in the beginning. You should try really hard, and for a long time. If you do that, I guarantee you will eventually make a tune you like. Maybe even some other people will like it too. (I just noticed you are really young, you should really work hard now, and you could be king of the clubs once they let you inside)

If you have specific questions, you can always PM myself or lostnthesound and we will be happy to try and help. We use Logic, but most knowledge translates pretty easily...
 
Last edited:
Don't worry about mixing or mastering for now. Just focus on actually writing stuff, that's something I wish I'd done more :(. You might think that your tunes sound bad right now but that's how we all started out. Oh and collect as many samples as you can (y)
 
Thank you all very much! :)
I am aware that just achieving a track that actually sounds decent will take years. I can definitely handle that. I know how to make the kick/snare and hat, I just suck hardcore at making the whole thing sound decent. If I need any further assistance, I will message you msmith222! Any further help or basic reply is appreciated!
 
I think liquid is the easiest sub-genre to start out on because its really atmospheric and the drums don't have to sound heavy, also making beats is easier IMO cause theres less going on in the track and you can really have the space to let the drums be the main focus. and i see you are from australia... liquid is a really visual music, the australian desert or ocean or in the middle of downtown sydney... if you can just think of a place and a vibe you want to go for sometimes 8 hours go by and you have got the basis of a track that is its own world.

id listen to ryuichi sakamoto and kurt rosenwinkel for some musical inspiration. they are capable of traditional music but also have an abstract aesthetic to playing. and thats another thing about liquid, theres really nothing you can do wrong as long as it sounds good.

you should get an eq with a spectrum analyzer (fabfilter maybe) and study up on how people eq their drums.

So the inspiration of my liquid tune would be easier if I took a look outside? That is very interesting
Thank you for the videos!
 
Hi there, and welcome to the forum.

ok, so 1st off, like the other guys have said, Production takes years to master (if we ever really master it at all?) I'd suggest spending ages trawling through youtube looking at basics tutorials relevent to your DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) in your case....FL Studio. Dont restrict yourself to genre or sub genre of music, just make whatever you want at the time. Hell, when I first started out, one track would be a shit attempt at drum and bass, the next would be an even worse attempt at trance, or hip hop etc.......In my opinion, if you limit yourself to a genre, you are also limiting your learning capabilities.

I also wouldnt worry about them sounding shit for now either, they will do for quite some time. Break it down into smaller goals, Just focus on creating an 8 bar loop, consisting of drums, a bassline, and a lead / melody. Once youve got that step down, turn that 8 bar loop into a 16 bar loop with some variation in it. Next try to work out an intro into that loop, then a break, second drop, outro etc. Before you know it, you got your first track!

Once you find you are able to to get bits done, then you might wanna consider reading up / researching mixdown techniques. This is the process of getting all elements of your track to sit in their own space in the sonic field or frequency range. ie; bass is low frequency, kicks low, snares and some basses mid freqencies, hi hats, shakers, lead melodies etc in the high range.

Maybe after that you might wanna branch out into learning synthesis, and how to create all your own sounds. But for now, using preset sounds from a synth is the best way to work when just starting out. You can load up a preset, and start dissecting, working out how it works and learning on the way.

Also.....Stick around this forum, it's a valuable learning resource for any producer. I learnt pretty much everything I know from this place! Dont be afraid to ask a question, no matter how simple it may sound. There's always someone around that'll give you an answer. Just also use the search function on here, most of the questions you will be wanting to ask have been asked many a time before by others such as yourself, as did I when I 1st started out. Anyway, if you cant find anything related to your topic in the search function, post it up here and someone will surely help.

And dont forget to check out the new talent and track review section, to listen to what other members of the community can produce, maybe get an idea of your goals as a producer.


OH!!!! And check this thread out, full of useful information about getting started in production! It's a sticky thread, always up there near the top of the forum!

http://dnbforum.com/showthread.php/...o-get-started-in-Music-Production-quot-Thread
 
Hi there, and welcome to the forum.

ok, so 1st off, like the other guys have said, Production takes years to master (if we ever really master it at all?) I'd suggest spending ages trawling through youtube looking at basics tutorials relevent to your DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) in your case....FL Studio. Dont restrict yourself to genre or sub genre of music, just make whatever you want at the time. Hell, when I first started out, one track would be a shit attempt at drum and bass, the next would be an even worse attempt at trance, or hip hop etc.......In my opinion, if you limit yourself to a genre, you are also limiting your learning capabilities.

I also wouldnt worry about them sounding shit for now either, they will do for quite some time. Break it down into smaller goals, Just focus on creating an 8 bar loop, consisting of drums, a bassline, and a lead / melody. Once youve got that step down, turn that 8 bar loop into a 16 bar loop with some variation in it. Next try to work out an intro into that loop, then a break, second drop, outro etc. Before you know it, you got your first track!

Once you find you are able to to get bits done, then you might wanna consider reading up / researching mixdown techniques. This is the process of getting all elements of your track to sit in their own space in the sonic field or frequency range. ie; bass is low frequency, kicks low, snares and some basses mid freqencies, hi hats, shakers, lead melodies etc in the high range.

Maybe after that you might wanna branch out into learning synthesis, and how to create all your own sounds. But for now, using preset sounds from a synth is the best way to work when just starting out. You can load up a preset, and start dissecting, working out how it works and learning on the way.

Also.....Stick around this forum, it's a valuable learning resource for any producer. I learnt pretty much everything I know from this place! Dont be afraid to ask a question, no matter how simple it may sound. There's always someone around that'll give you an answer. Just also use the search function on here, most of the questions you will be wanting to ask have been asked many a time before by others such as yourself, as did I when I 1st started out. Anyway, if you cant find anything related to your topic in the search function, post it up here and someone will surely help.

And dont forget to check out the new talent and track review section, to listen to what other members of the community can produce, maybe get an idea of your goals as a producer.


OH!!!! And check this thread out, full of useful information about getting started in production! It's a sticky thread, always up there near the top of the forum!

http://dnbforum.com/showthread.php/...o-get-started-in-Music-Production-quot-Thread

Thank you so much! Very helpful :)
How do I properly structure my melody and beat? I put the basic drum loop together and it sounds very nice to me, but I can't figure out how to mix the bass in with it. It just sounds like a piece of shit repeating itself over and over again. Too repetitive and not enough variation!
 
take a song that u really like. drag into fl. deconstruct the track and layer with your own loops and sounds.
this is the fastest way to learn structure, rhythm and general feel of tracks.
if your have cash...you can do a dnb course at pointblank. its really hard learning some tricks in dnb by yourself.
dont go for sub genres coz they are easier. i made the same mistake and it didnt work. go for your prefered sound. its coz you love and listen to it soo much you
know what good tracks sound like.

hope it helps. good luck
 
Instead of beginning my newest track, I've decided that just reading up on the structure would be a much better idea first. Along with synths and all that other stuff. Producing a song where I have no clue what is supposed to go in it is like trying to build a house from grass. Thank you for the helpful replies though guys :)
 
:welcome:
what everybody above has already said m8.
just jump in and have a go - follow a tutorial on youtube is the quickest way to get to know your software and what it can do.
i wouldnt even think about making a track yet - just make some beats and some bass - have some fun.
believe me you will have many tracks to come - most you wont finish unless you are some kind of prodigy :)
 
Ok, if you understand that your first tracks are not going to conquer the world then don't be too precious about them. Drag some tunes that you really like into your daw (make sure the tempo is exactly matched) and just actually try and copy the structure. Like, ok, this part is an intro with a break and some pads, try and find some samples and build your own to match.
You'll soon figure out specific questions you want to ask about making sounds or eq-ing or whatever. Read a lot, search function.

Also it can't be said enough, put up some audio with a question if you can. It's way easier for people to be helpful if they can hear where you're at.

Good luck!
 
Don't worry about mixing or mastering for now. Just focus on actually writing stuff, that's something I wish I'd done more :(. You might think that your tunes sound bad right now but that's how we all started out. Oh and collect as many samples as you can (y)

This, i have been producing for about a year now and i dont have a single project finished, i have like literally 200 unfinished bits and pieces in about 4 different genres but each and all has provided insight in what production is really about and how ts done... dont do it for your mates dont do it for the money, dnt even do it cos you wanna produce... dnt stress yourself into making perfect beats and trying to hast fully finishing something... it should be done for pure enjoyment of music and its a path that should take the rest of life to master... sooo chilllll blud and go with the flow, trail and error and practise makes perfect
 
yes, and another way to facilitate this is to select samples that sound good from the beginning, dont try and engineer the sounds right now, if you want a pssssssssh snare, just get a sample that does that, dont spend a few days in a compressor not getting the sound you want. this is something that will benefit you throughout your music making, check audios walkthrough of his tune headspace, hes a great example of how having the right ears and vision to select the right samples is half the battle. i spent years in plugs with little to nothing to show for it. except a very peculiar workflow involving heavy use of cool edit, which has come as a direct effect of that. or audition as they call it nowadays
 
dont do it for your mates dont do it for the money...it should be done for pure enjoyment of music

This, totally support this opinion!

I'd like to say I have a decent and well managed workflow, but often I just end up messing with pad chords or bass lines and after experimenting, bring in some drums and other instruments to see what I can build. I've definitely learned the hard way that I should arrange the whole track quickly without thinking about it too much as that is what slows me down and stops me from finishing a track.
 
I've got an idea that I wanted to try out for all my WIPs, which was to get some decent sounding WIP tracks, extend them so that they build up / break down a bit (so from 20 secs to 1-2 mins a track) and then just mix them together with other WIP tracks and put them out as like a mini mix.
 
Back
Top Bottom