How to Make Electronic Music Online

If you’re interested in making electronic music, you’re in luck. These days, there are plenty of online tools that can help you get started. In this blog post, we’ll share some of our favorite tips and tricks for making electronic music online.

Introduction

There are a variety of ways to make electronic music these days. The most popular way is to use a computer with some kind of music software. You can also use hardware devices like drum machines, synthesizers, and MIDI controllers.

In this article, we’ll focus on how to make electronic music using software. We’ll go over the basics of electronic music production and show you how to get started with making your own tracks.

We’ll also give you some tips on where to find resources and inspiration for your music. So let’s get started!

What You Need to Get Started

A Computer

First things first, you will need a computer. You can get by with a laptop, but a desktop will give you a bit more power to work with (plus, they’re usually cheaper). If you want to go the extra mile, you can get a custom-built PC made for music production, but this is not necessary.

Second, you will need some software. You could theoretically produce music using only free software, but you will be limited in what you can do. We recommend spending a few hundred dollars on a good digital audio workstation (DAW). This is the heart of your studio, and there are many great options available.

Third, you will need some plugins. These are optional, but they will give you more sounds to work with and more options for processing your audio. Many plugins are available for free, but the best ones usually cost money.

Fourth, you will need some external hardware. This is also optional, but it can make your life much easier (and your music sound better). A MIDI keyboard is the most essential piece of hardware for most electronic musicians, as it allows you to play and record melodies much more easily than using a mouse and keyboard. Other popular pieces of hardware include drum machines, synthesizers, and controllers.

An Internet Connection

One of the great things about making music on your computer is that you can do it anywhere you have an internet connection. All you need is a laptop, a tablet, or even just your phone. This means you can make music on the go, which is great if you’re a busy person or if you travel a lot.

A DAW or Sequencer

If you want to make electronic music, you’re going to need a DAW or Sequencer. A DAW is a digital audio workstation – it’s basically a piece of software that lets you record, edit and mix audio. There are lots of different DAWs out there, but some of the most popular are Ableton Live, Logic Pro and FL Studio.

A Sequencer is a piece of software that lets you create and edit MIDI files. MIDI is a type of digital file that contains instructions for how a musical performance should sound. It doesn’t contain any actual audio data, so it’s much smaller than an audio file like an MP3 or WAV.

There are lots of different sequencers out there, but some of the most popular are Ableton Live, Logic Pro and FL Studio. If you’re just starting out, we recommend trying out a few different ones to see which one you like best.

The Basics of Electronic Music Production

If you’re interested in making your own electronic music, you’ll need to know the basics of music production. In this section, we’ll cover some of the essential concepts and techniques you’ll need to get started. We’ll also provide some helpful resources so you can continue learning on your own.

Creating a Kick Drum

Creating a kick drum is one of the most important aspects of electronic music production. The kick drum is responsible for providing the main rhythmic pulse in a track, and can often be the most powerful element in a production. In this article, we’ll go over some of the basics of kick drum production, including how to create a basic kick drum sound using synthesis, how to shape and EQ a kick drum to get it sounding its best, and how to add effects to a kick drum to give it more character.

We’ll also go over some tips on how to mix a kick drum with other elements in a track, so that it sits well in the mix and doesn’t sound muffled or lost in the mix. By the end of this article, you should have all the knowledge you need to start creating your own professional-sounding kick drums.

Creating a Bassline

A bassline is the part of a song that provides the low-end frequencies. It usually consists of a catchy hook or melody that is played on a bass guitar, synth, or other low-frequency instrument. The purpose of the bassline is to provide a foundation for the rest of the song, and it is often one of the first parts of a song that is composed.

There are many different ways to create a bassline, but one of the most popular methods is to use a software synthesizer. A software synthesizer is a program that allows you to create and edit sounds on your computer. Many synthesizers come with a library of sounds that you can use, or you can create your own sounds by manipulating the synthesizer’s parameters.

Once you have found or created the perfect sound for your bassline, you will need to choose the notes that you want to play. Basslines typically consist of 8th notes, but you can also use 16th notes or even 32nd notes if you want to create a more complex sound. Once you have chosen the notes, it’s time to sequence them in your music production software.

There are many different ways to sequence notes in music production software, but one of the simplest methods is to use a drum machine interface. A drum machine interface allows you to input each note manually by clicking on the appropriate button. You can also change the tempo, volume, and other parameters of each note by adjusting the sliders.

After you have entered all of the notes for your bassline, it’s time to add some effects. Effects can be used to add depth and character to your bassline, and they can also be used to mask any imperfections in your performance. Popular effects for basslines include delay, reverb, and chorus.

Now that you know how to create a basic bassline, it’s time to get creative! Experiment with different sounds and effects until you find something that you like. Remember, there are no rules when it comes to making electronic music, so feel free to experiment until you find your own unique sound.

Creating a Lead Synth

Now that you’ve got your sound sources set up, it’s time to start creating some synths. In this section we’re going to focus on creating a “lead synth.” This will be a single-note instrument that plays the main melody of our song.

First, create a new MIDI track by clicking the “+” button in the track list and selecting “MIDI Track.” Name this track “Lead Synth.”

Next, click the “Instrument” drop-down menu and select your synth plugin. For this tutorial, we’ll be using the stock Subtractive synth that comes with FL Studio.

Now open up your plugin window by clicking the small arrow next to the plugin name in the mixer. This will bring up a separate window with all of the plugin’s controls.

To start creating our lead synth, we need to add a couple of oscillators. Oscillators are the sound sources that generate our waveforms. Most synths have at least two oscillators, and some have four or more.

In FL Studio, each oscillator is represented by its own little box in the Oscillators section of the plugin window. To add an oscillator, click on one of these boxes and select an waveform from the drop-down menu that appears.

Some common waveforms are sawtooth waves, square waves, and sine waves. Each waveform has its own unique sound, so experiment to see what you like best. For this lead synth, we’ll be using sawtooth waves for both oscillators.

Advanced Topics in Electronic Music Production

If you want to get serious about making electronic music, there are some advanced topics you need to learn. In this section, we’ll cover things like samplers, drum machines, and synthesizers. We’ll also talk about some of the more advanced software you can use to create your music.

Mixing and Mastering

Any good producer will tell you that half the battle of making great sounding music is in the mixing and mastering. These two critical processes can make or break a track, and can be the difference between a amateur sounding production and a professional quality one.

Mixing is the process of balancing the individual elements of a track ( drums, bass, synths, vocals etc) so that they all fit together nicely. This is primarily done by adjusting the levels of each element in relation to each other, but also includes EQing ( adjusting the frequencies of each element) and adding effects such as reverb and delay.

Mastering is the process of making sure that all the tracks on an album or EP sound consistent with each other, and also prepares them for release by increasing the overall loudness and ensuring proper playback on all playback systems ( from small phone speakers to club PA systems).

Both mixing and mastering require a good ear, patience and a lot of practice. But luckily there are now some great online resources that can help you learn how to do both.

Arrangement and Composition

In electronic music, arranging and composing are often done at the same time. You might start with a basic idea for a song, or with just a groove or a beat, and then build up the arrangement as you add new parts. Alternatively, you might start with a fully formed arrangement in your head, and then compose the parts to fit that arrangement. There is no right or wrong way to do it – it’s whatever works best for you.

Once you have the basic structure of your song in place, it’s time to start thinking about composition. This is where you decide what sounds will go into each part of the song, and how those sounds will work together. For example, if you have a four-bar loop consisting of bass, drums, and chords, you might want to add a lead melody or some other element in the second half of the loop to keep things interesting.

In general, there are three things to consider when composing your parts:

Timbre: This is the “color” of a sound, determined by its harmonic content. A sound with lots of low frequencies will sound “boomy”, while a sound with lots of high frequencies will sound “shiny” or “bright”. In between those extremes, there are all sorts of possibilities. You can use timbre to create contrast between different parts of your song, or to complement similar parts.

Texture: This is the overall density of sound in a particular part of the song. A thick texture might have lots of layers of sound (such as multiple synths playing different parts), while a thin texture might have just a few elements (such as a single synth playing a simple melody). You can use texture to add interest and movement to static parts (like chord progressions), or to provide relief from densely layered sections.

Rhythm: This is the placement of sounds in time. A rhythmically busy section might have notes happening on every beat (or even every 1/16th note), while a rhythmsically sparse section might have notes happening only on the downbeats (1/4 notes). You can use rhythm to create tension and release in your song, or to emphasize specific elements like the kick drum or melody.

Conclusion

This guide has shown you how to make electronic music online, from start to finish. We began by discussing the basics of electronic music production, including the equipment you need and the different types of software available. We then moved on to cover the various stages of the production process, from composition and arrangement to mixing and mastering. Finally, we talked about how to promote your music online and build a following for your work.

We hope you found this guide helpful and that it has inspired you to start creating your own electronic music. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to reach out to us on social media or via our website. Thanks for reading!