Top 5 Gifts For Music Producers

Here you will find the top ten gifts for people who create and love to make music.

Amateurs and seasoned veterans will absolutely love to have any of these gifts in their home or professional studio(s) if they don't already have them.

Making music is a passion and those of us who do it from time to time love playing with our toys. If you are anything like me then you have been building your studio one piece at a time for a long time while saving money and trying to make ends meet. I definitely understand the desire and passion to try to make great music on a daily basis. I also know how expensive it can be trying to go at it alone.

If you or your significant other are a lover or music then this is the definitive guide to what they need and want. I guarantee they will love it.

There are two different types of microphones. You have dynamic mics and condenser mics. They both have their pros and cons when it comes to recording.

Dynamic microphones are generally better for recording loud sounds and stage shows. They are also less susceptible to damage as some can almost be used as a hammer and still function perfectly.

Condenser microphones require a power source to work (Check the device you are connecting phantom power before purchase to save a headache). Condenser mics have a much frequency better pick up resulting in better vocal sound quality. They can be damaged if they fall or are dropped due to the precise mechanics inside.

I have both. I use them differently depending on the type of sound being recorded or the type of sound I want to capture.

What good is the sound if you can't hear it?

Headphones are a must for every studio whether you are engineering, mixing, mastering, or recording. Not just any headphones will do the trick either. When it comes to music production cheap crappy headphones will not allow you to hear the sound definition you need when editing. They will often let in outside noise and interference. Good quality noise cancelling headphones are a must to have at your arsenal.

If you have a home studio then you definitely need a pair of good headphones. There will be many times when you feel the want or need to try to make music in situation like bedtime or at 3:00 am that makes booming loudspeakers a huge no-no. If you have a pair of studio headphones then this will eliminate that problem and you can rock on all night!

Find the exact type of headphones that fit your studio needs.

With analog going out the door you need great software to be succsessful

Digital Audio Workstations (D.A.W.s) are the new standard for creating audio. There are many different audio programs on the market that can meet your needs whether you are working with a MAC or PC. Avid Pro-Tools is the industry standard right now but many other DAWs like Cubase Sonar, Logic Pro, and Fruity Loops have stepped up to the plate and have powerful alternatives.

Beat Makers may want to try Propellerheads Reason, or Sony Acid Pro. There are also quite a few others to choose from. You can find just the right program to fit your music style. Nearly all new DAWs are customized just for you.

This is the premier drum machine

The Akai Pro MPC has become much more then an ordinary drum machine. It is also a sampler and a sound bank. It has a fully integrated hardware and software system and is easily interlinked with other pieces of hardware. This is considered the top drum machine and sampler on the market. Any up and coming producer would love to be able to play with this amazingly designed machine. I highly recommend the MPC. It is well worth the healthy price.

If the MPC Series drum machines are out of you current price range here are some other options for your budget.

The Roland Fantom G Series Workstations have nearly unlimited power. They are upgrade-able and have a powerful sound and software system built into the hardware. This workstation is a keyboard, a drum machine, and a digital mixer combined among other things as well. It has some of the most powerful and natural sounds installed which can also be fine tuned to your liking.

Korg Triton

The Korg Triton is one of the best workstations on the market and has been used by many professional song producers like Kanye West and Scott Storch. It has a beautiful sound bank and is an excellent sampler. You can use the Triton for all of your production needs.

If you use your studio for audio mixing and you probably do you will want to soundproof the room in which the mixing is done. If you do not the acoustics of the sound will bounce off of the walls and cause you not to have and accurate mix. The sound you hear will not exactly be the sound that is being played. This is particularly important when it comes to home studios for two reasons. The first reason is the room in most cases was not created for sound editing and therefore the shape of the room is not designed to deflect sound away from the ears. Number two the room is usually small and the sounds will bounce from wall to wall and back to your ear. With good sound proofing all you will hear is the sound that is actually coming out of the speakers which is the natural sound of the audio with no extra acoustics.

What is great sound if you can't hear it properly

Studio Monitors are an important piece of any studio. Although they did not make our top 5 list they could possibly be the most important part. Sure you can use any type of speaker to hear the sound but most home speakers add high and low frequency to the sound.

For music production you need professional studio speakers with a flat sound. That means that no extra frequency boosts are added. This will allow you to hear the sound and mix it properly.

Tell us what you think! Do you have any mixing or editing advice? If so feel free to enlighten us. All comments are welcome.