Where to start? HELP!

[Domokun]

Ok, newbie warning.. and it ain't gonna be pretty!

I'm really putting forth some serious effort to try and learn how to produce music. I chose Ableton because from reviews I'd heard, it's ease of use was unparalleled.

So I've been spending the last 30 days looking through the ableton manual (I've got ableton 8 suite), I bought a lesson pack and additionally I've been resorting to constant youtube videos in order to wrap my head around this.

And with that said... I've gotten nowhere.

My background with music is limited. I enjoy music and would love to one day be able to contribute to the music community by making my own. I dont want to DJ, I dont want to tour the world, I just want to learn how to produce music with Ableton... It just seems like everything just flies over my head. I'm sure this may be due to my lack of musical skills before getting into this.

Anyone have any advice for me on how to wrap my head around learning this stuff? Possibly from previous experience? Any and all help would be appreciated. More than anything, I'm just dying to contribute... and it's hard to when I can't retain shit regarding what I'm attempting to learn because I feel like it's just flying over my head.

Any and all help is genuinely appreciated.

PS. I am not a sensitive kid, rip me and flame me all you want. I know how these internet forums work and I've got thick skin!

Whatever it takes to get some help.

Best regards and thank you

[jestermgee]

Hmmmm...

Do you have the demo version or the full version of suite? There's a difference.

[Montesque]

Lol im in the same boat. I even bought a book on Ableton, but it doesnt teach. The only way to learn Ableton is by doing IMO. And there is sooo much to do...

[Cezband]

http://tweakheadz.com/guide.htm

THIS. Best free guide for absolute beginners on the net, in my humble opinion.

[littlepig]

The lessons included with Live. Work through them, then practice.

[jestermgee]

I think it's a very open question. Kind of like "I want to paint a picture but just so I know how to paint". I may say "Take a brush and some oil paint, get your canvas and start painting what you see"..... And Dude over there may say "Whatdu need canvas and paint and shit for, just throw shit at the wall and what sticks is your masterpiece"...

Point is Ableton is a massive toolbox, that's basically what it is. There are a lot of things to play with and more so when you introduce your own sounds and instruments but everyone uses it differently. I for instance use it in a much more studio/tweaking way because that's how I grew up with DAWs but many use it for live performing.

I guess if you want to "produce" music you need to have some kind of direction of what you want to produce. Start with something simple. Get a beat loop, start it going and then get an instrument of some find and play. Start building slowly. Vary rarely does a great song happen immediately, if at all but every minute you spend playing and researching you WILL be getting better.

Honestly though, if you are 30 days in and still have absolutely no clue after all the youtube vids out there then you have to ask why you are interested?

[oddstep]

ha. that's harsh; but something is wrong if after 30 days nothing makes sense. pull in drum rack preset into midi track 1 and create 1 bar moron loop by mousing in some drum hits, create a midi track and put another instrument preset on it. create a 1 bar clip on that. mouse in some notes to make a simple bass line. press play. review after 20 minutes of playback. surely that's it.
i guess the real hurdle for someone starting without any prior experience with a musical instrument or friends who are making music is how to translate the sounds you hear in other people's music/your own head into structures within a DAW. To the OP, what's the specific problems you're facing.
is it:
a)the mix sounds rubbish? join us in an ongoing obsession with eq, compression and multitrack mixing
b)the tunes sound rubbish? join us in an ongoing obsession with composition and music theory
c)the instruments sound rubbish? join us in an ongoing obsession with sound design

there's then an ongoing discussion on any music fortum about which of a,b and c actually matters the most. at some point minimal techno gets mentioned. or trance.

[abl385]

I've almost never looked at the Ableton manual. Go through Live's lessons though and also check related Youtube channels (Tom Cosm, Dubspot and maybe DJVespers). Don't only watch the videos, but try to DIY too. Learn the basics first and then you'll understand how the rest works by slowly trying everything out.

[jestermgee]

No harshness here.

I'm no musician, producer, DJ, composer or what I would class as anything. I am interested in music and I love what I do. Others do and I assist where I can.

Perhaps if the OP can explain just where he would like to start? What does he know so far? Has he learned anything when researching? I am sure people will assist if it was phrased more like "I am getting to grips with this program and would like to start out creating a beat. Where to start"

I'm not about to write an essay on what I have picked up. Not without a donation for some beers anyway

(I nor anyone affiliated with our company advocate the use of alcohol or other mind inhibiting substances to further your quest in musical freedom but we are not your mother)

[oddstep]

jestermgee.. no offence meant

Love the small print.