What's your fav dance music production book?

Stab*City

Said id start a thread since i didnt in a while..

At the moment im reading SampleMagics - The Secrets of House Music Production and re-reading my ComputerMusic Special - The Essential Guide to Mixing.

The SM book has lots of great tips/info about house styles specifically. Also v well laid out with excellent pics. It covers lots of popular DAW's and VST's.

The CM special has a great bit on EQ'ing to add lift and power which is very handy for my Daw of choice Ableton.

Quiggers

I find with dance music, that by the time a technique is in a book , it has been done to death, the magazines and their cover discs are better for this as is dubspots youtube tutorials, point blank are ok too.

red dave

I actually was out shopping for books for my college stuff and came across some music production books that looked interesting. Now whether they are much use to me or not I guess I won't know until I start reading them over the summer. I wanted to get books as an addition to looking at internet videos, tutorials etc.

Modern Recording Techniques (7th edition) - http://www.amazon.com/Modern-Recording-Techniques-Seventh-David/dp/0240810694

Dance Music Manual Rick Snoman (second edition) - http://www.amazon.com/Dance-Music-Manual-Second-techniques/dp/0240521072

Audio Production and Critical Listening, Technical Ear Training, Jason Corey - http://www.focalpress.com/books/audio/audio_production_and_critical_listening.aspx I checked out some reviews of this and they didn't seem good but thought I'd check it out for myself

I haven't read any of these yet until finish up the study in May but should give a good base

krd

I don't know. Some of the books confused me more than they taught me anything.

There's a really expensive book that I've seen (over 60 quid) that I couldn't believe how awful it was. Basically, if you don't know much to start with, you'll end up making very bad sounding music, without any real idea what you're doing wrong.

Something that really annoyed me about some books - is advising things as a rule, without saying why they should be.

Neurojazz

In regards to EDM in general, mos the stuff you learn is by hearing or imagining something happening and then figuring out how the hell to do it.

There are many ways to do the same job, plus there are better learning environments than a book.

I think initially that collaborations yield a great amount of learning, but the internet has killed that (unless you're living in a city with lots of other musicians) - because there is nothing like bouncing ideas off another person until you find your own feet and can be more self reliant.

If I found I had a stumbling block or area I was crap at I'd write a piece involving that problem to get around it or learn something - then it's knowledge from experience and that's priceless.

The deeper you go though, books can be a handy reference. Bob Katz or even trawling through the Music Production forum here have the 'next level' of information in regards to the mastering side of music - or just post there with more technical issues that are more sound related rather than EDM/Dance music techniques.

And of course the absolute BEST book to read is the MANUAL - competence with your tools is crucial before taking big steps in my own opinion.

jtsuited

Written instructions on how to make electronic music tend to be over a year and a half out of date by the time they appear.

red dave

Yeah I understand what you guys are saying. The reason I bought the books was to get a grasp of some of the basics regarding arrangements and mastering. I've picked up a lot of bad (wrong) habits over the years regarding arrangements...and the rest.

I haven't bought these books for learning how to produce a particular genre. I've bought them to gain knowledge of some concepts of music production.


Absolutely agree about reading the DAW manual.... I prefer to print that out and read also

Neurojazz

jtsuited wrote: »

Written instructions on how to make electronic music tend to be over a year and a half out of date by the time they appear.

Every time I sit down to write i'm already a decade behind the kids these days

Rockshamrover

Neurojazz wrote: »

Every time I sit down to write i'm already a decade behind the kids these days

Great thread.

There must be some golden rules though? Things that never change? Like low cutting nearly every track?

Neurojazz

Rockshamrover wrote: »

Great thread.

There must be some golden rules though? Things that never change? Like low cutting nearly every track?

Well, even that could be broken and ignored if the source material is already fine/stable (so no sub rumbling) and that the components of the tracks don't conflict.

Recently i've listened (for the first time) to some Tiesto tracks to hear 'what he does'. His music is very simple with very few layers... he could be in his own studio not even touching the EQ if the simple elements are 'fine' in his ears - and listening to it leads me to think he just has some standard plugs setup and running with not much effort on that front (because it works with that format)

I'd say at a minimum that one golden rule would be some simple MATHS. If you layer many sounds they will sum up and create problems - that's where Paul Brewer type voodoo in the mix comes into play by using those set rules for those set situations.

I've personally resorted to simplicity to avoid a lot of this stuff and the music benefits from it.

Like here's another one... speaker position. You'll be able to tell from my videos that my gear moves around a lot lol - so the speakers will never sound the same.... drawbacks? - who knows... but for me it gives me a lot of perspectives on the mix... plus i use very cheap speakers now - just so i can WRITE and not MIX (as i know i've lost that battle)

So many rules out the window, but conscious of them and their potential impact.

In probably a year or two i'll personally be booking the most bitching place in Ireland I can find and take a dance music album through the process that an acoustic album will go through just for craic - and see how much benefit it makes out those big PA (then report back here fully

Rockshamrover

Keep it simple? Good stuff Neuro.

I was watching a video on the very topic recently, some producer (cant remember who) was saying that he very rarely has more than 5 elements in a track.

For the very reason that he doesn't have to spend days eqing and stuff.

He spends all his time on automation and side chaining.

Nice one Neuro.

Stab*City

Well i guess 5ish elements would be about average though really i mean bass, drums, pads, some synth lines and maybe a vocal or extra percussion.. of course you can make those elements seem like alot more when eq & fx are applied. i would have to agree when trying to learn a daw books usually are a bit dated.. but when it comes to tricks, eq techniques or fx parameters i do find some of the newer books and defo some magazines very helpful sometimes.

Ok so surely you guys buy some magazines (sound on sound, future music, computer music etc.) As i said above id recommend the guide to mixing computer music special if you could get your hands on the ebook somewhere.. anybody know if there is anything good out this month even as i dont get much time with work to make it to easons..

i know we have youtube and our ears to learn from but i just thought a book/magazine thread would be handy..

Neurojazz

Stab*City wrote: »

Well i guess 5ish elements would be about average though really i mean bass, drums, pads, some synth lines and maybe a vocal or extra percussion.. of course you can make those elements seem like alot more when eq & fx are applied. i would have to agree when trying to learn a daw books usually are a bit dated.. but when it comes to tricks, eq techniques or fx parameters i do find some of the newer books and defo some magazines very helpful sometimes.

Ok so surely you guys buy some magazines (sound on sound, future music, computer music etc.) As i said above id recommend the guide to mixing computer music special if you could get your hands on the ebook somewhere.. anybody know if there is anything good out this month even as i dont get much time with work to make it to easons..

i know we have youtube and our ears to learn from but i just thought a book/magazine thread would be handy..

I have really found that once you learn the basics like the keyroll edit screen that the manuals really hold the key to opening up the creative box - like once you know your tools you can then mess about and experiment - and if you want to compete in current market then as JTSuited said - books can be outdated.

Saying that, I have been talking to someone about doing a huge ebook on EDM from the ground up - but that's a while off yet... that would only cover how to use the tools mainly and not focus on genres.

I'd say that you'd learn more 'forever' sitting down and writing with someone around your same skill level... half the reason i'm doing the videos for boards - more information seeing this stuff live than in text.

Stab*City

Neurojazz wrote: »

I have really found that once you learn the basics like the keyroll edit screen that the manuals really hold the key to opening up the creative box - like once you know your tools you can then mess about and experiment - and if you want to compete in current market then as JTSuited said - books can be outdated.

Saying that, I have been talking to someone about doing a huge ebook on EDM from the ground up - but that's a while off yet... that would only cover how to use the tools mainly and not focus on genres.

I'd say that you'd learn more 'forever' sitting down and writing with someone around your same skill level... half the reason i'm doing the videos for boards - more information seeing this stuff live than in text.

I wish i had access to someone into roughly the same type of music i like to produce with roughly the same knowledge (hopefully alot more.. not that that would be hard!:D) but alas i do not have such luxuries at the moment.. i know a couple guys alright into making beats but with work and the kids i struggle to find the time to hook up with the lads.. most my studio time is impromptu sessions when the family are asleep/shoppin/watchin tv!! So i have learned a huge amount from books/magazines.. not everyone changes their Daw's every time a .1.112.2 update comes out.. but i defo agree with you about learning from other people.. and excellent work on the vids..

krd

Neurojazz wrote: »

Recently i've listened (for the first time) to some Tiesto tracks to hear 'what he does'. His music is very simple with very few layers... he could be in his own studio not even touching the EQ if the simple elements are 'fine' in his ears - and listening to it leads me to think he just has some standard plugs setup and running with not much effort on that front (because it works with that format)

I'm surprised you waited so long. He's the most popular DJ/producer in the world by a long shot. He's credited with inventing the stadium arena DJ. You should watch his concert videos. It's like Kizz meets Star Trek.

He won the Mixmag best DJ in the world competition, recently. Voted by the readers of Mixmag - who are knobends


He's very popular with kids (teens, tweens and under tens) because he does a very clean sounding music, with no scary bits. He is not the Aphex twin. He goes for really emotive sounding stuff - like Samuel Barbers Adagio (which is well out of copyright). Girls and tweens, generally want to hear something clean and euphoric - with a little "emotion" in it. They don't dig the "you're in a Finnish forest, it's 4:30 in the morning, you've just eaten a strange looking mushroom, and things are taking a turn for the worse" vibe.

And simplicity. It's sometimes what people want to hear. I've heard Tiesto stuff where it goes on forever with very minimal changes - nothing to break the flow.

He has an incredibly popular formula. His internet radio show, has had as many as 20million listeners listening to the feckin thing.

Though. In another way he really turns my stomach. He's always turned my stomach.

His vocal trance music is one step above Tampon ad music - it is tampon ad music. But people love it.

Neurojazz

krd wrote: »

I'm surprised you waited so long. He's the most popular DJ/producer in the world by a long shot. He's credited with inventing the stadium arena DJ. You should watch his concert videos. It's like Kizz meets Star Trek.

He won the Mixmag best DJ in the world competition, recently. Voted by the readers of Mixmag - who are knobends


He's very popular with kids (teens, tweens and under tens) because he does a very clean sounding music, with no scary bits. He is not the Aphex twin. He goes for really emotive sounding stuff - like Samuel Barbers Adagio (which is well out of copyright). Girls and tweens, generally want to hear something clean and euphoric - with a little "emotion" in it. They don't dig the "you're in a Finnish forest, it's 4:30 in the morning, you've just eaten a strange looking mushroom, and things are taking a turn for the worse" vibe.

And simplicity. It's sometimes what people want to hear. I've heard Tiesto stuff where it goes on forever with very minimal changes - nothing to break the flow.

He has an incredibly popular formula. His internet radio show, has had as many as 20million listeners listening to the feckin thing.

Though. In another way he really turns my stomach. He's always turned my stomach.

His vocal trance music is one step above Tampon ad music - it is tampon ad music. But people love it.

I personally could rage all day about him - things like filling prime positions in advertising/shop with POS - getting him a lot of attention, shrewd business but alas just pop as you put it.

It was more to just touch base and see what breaks were being made and length of passages etc... like sometimes people send me links to new emerging styles and they rub off a little. I could never actually copy note for note or sound to sound fully... it would do anything for me

krd

Neurojazz wrote: »

I personally could rage all day about him -

I do not want to even think about the things that make me angry about him as I would be angry for the whole night. And then have dreams about me beating him to death for his crimes against culture, music, and humanity.

But fair due. You really have to hand it to him. Half genius/half idiot. Half "I can't believe that p*** just did that"

things like filling prime positions in advertising/shop with POS

That's record company marketing talk. I have my own theory on how something becomes something - more that something is an idea and how that idea travels. People go to Tiesto gigs to see and experience the idea. People used to go to record shops and buy vinyls in fantastic 12 inch covers with great artwork. MP3s have no covers. They lack that emotional thing of - you know - where people could stare for hours at the cover of Led Zepplin IV - or Pink Floyd's Wish You Were here - Or jack off to a cover of a Blondie album.


Deadmau5's success is largely down to that mouse head. It's a simple Icon that travels as well as mickey mouse. And it's a major part of the fun.

- getting him a lot of attention, shrewd business but alas just pop as you put it.

It's a mixture of things. He knows how to put on a show. He knows his audience really well. He does really understand his music really well.

It was more to just touch base and see what breaks were being made and length of passages etc...

I'd nearly couldn't bear to listen to a whole of one of his albums. Though, I have heard and read , they're structured in a particular way - and it's not just him - but there is an album structure for the genre.

like sometimes people send me links to new emerging styles and they rub off a little.

You know what's a really good way to keep up: The radio - Spin has some shows - there's also the internet radio. There's also the Mixmag cover CD (Swedish house mixmag CD from last year it think is a must listen). which can vary in quality - sometimes is really great. I'd like a collection of the Mixmag CDs going back years - they really cover all the basses - like an encyclopedia. Ministry of sound compilation teasers are pretty good too - you can listen to tasters from 40 tracks in 10 minutes.

I could never actually copy note for note or sound to sound fully... it would do anything for me

Notes is just a little part of it. I'm much more conscious ,now, of "stuff" that's in "stuff" - I do not know how to do this stuff, or know what it's called but I know it's there . It's not really about notes - more that there aesthetic in there. And sometimes, pure and absolute black magic... and .. Voodoo.

Neurojazz

krd wrote: »

You know what's a really good way to keep up: The radio - Spin has some shows - there's also the internet radio. There's also the Mixmag cover CD (Swedish house mixmag CD from last year it think is a must listen). which can vary in quality - sometimes is really great. I'd like a collection of the Mixmag CDs going back years - they really cover all the basses - like an encyclopedia. Ministry of sound compilation teasers are pretty good too - you can listen to tasters from 40 tracks in 10 minutes.

I'm using mixcloud at the moment - seems nice and clean (also youtube) - but can't spend too much time doing that!