Music Production Schools are an excellent place to enroll in and further your Music Studio Career and education in Music Production and Recording.

After successful completion of a Music Production School, you should be very familiar with music recording equipment and music recording software.

Many of today’s most successful musicians, to include thriving home studio artists, have attended some of these schools. Some credit most of their success to a music curriculum offered through schools such as these.

You will be taught basic as well as advanced Music Production skills with some of the latest digital recording equipment and music recording and editing software on the market.

If you are really serious in regards to achieving any degree of success in your Home Recording Studio, then consider informing yourself on Music Production Schools. You’ll be glad you did!

Initially developed by Syntrillium as Cool Edit, the full version was useful and flexible, particularly for its era. Syntrillium soon after released Cool Edit Pro, which added the capability to work with multiple tracks, as well as other features. Audio processing though, was done in a destructive manner due mostly with computers not being powerful enough at the time in terms of processor performance and memory capacity to perform the functions in real time.

Cool Edit Pro v2 added support for real-time non-destructive processing, and v2.1 added support for surround sound mixing and unlimited simultaneous tracks limited only by the actual computer hardware. Cool Edit also included a number of plugins such as noise reduction and FFT equalization.

Cool Edit Pro v2.1 was reportedly purchased by Adobe in 2003 for $16.5 million in cool cash as was a large loop library called “Loopology”. Adobe then promptly changed the name of Cool Edit Pro to Adobe Audition.

Adobe released Audition v1 on August 2003. It consisted of no new features and was basically Cool Edit Pro but with a different name.

Adobe then released Audition v1.5 in May of the following year with significant improvements over AV1 which included pitch correction, frequency space editing, a CD project view, basic video editing and integration with Adobe Premiere, as well as a number of other enhancements.

Adobe Audition v2 was released on January of 2006. With this release, Audition leaped into the midst of the professional Digital Audio Workstation scene. Some of the newest features in this release included ASIO (Audio stream input output) support, VST (Virtual Studio Technology) support, new mastering tools and a redesigned UI .

Adobe also included Audition v2 as part of its Creative Suite 2 application package. Audition has not been included in any subsequent version of Creative Suite, having been replaced by Adobe Soundbooth, an audio-editing application for home and semi-pro users.

Adobe Audition v3 was released on November 2007. New features included VSTi (virtual instrument) support, enhanced spectral editing, a redesigned multi-track interface, new effects, and a collection of royalty-free loops.

I personally own both Cool Edit Pro and Adobe AuditionV2, and let me tell you from personal experience… these tools are a necessity for music production and music editing. Every private Home Recording Studio should have either one or the other.

Pro Tools has three types of systems; HD, LE, and M-powered. HD is the high-end package and is an integration of hardware and software. The hardware includes an external A/D converter and internal PCI or PCIe audio cards with onboard DSP.

Essentially, Pro Tools is similar to a multi-track tape recorder and mixer, with supplementary features that can only be performed in the digital medium. The high-end version supports sample rates of up to 192 kHz and bit depths of 16 and 24 bit, opens WAV, AIFF, mp3, SDII audio files and QuickTime video files. It features time code, tempo maps, automation and surround sound capabilities.

Most of Pro Tools’ essential functions can be controlled within Edit or Mix windows. The Edit window displays audio and MIDI tracks, and provides graphical illustration of the information that’s either recorded or imported. Audio can be edited in a non-linear and non-destructive method to the level of individual samples. MIDI information can also be manipulated. The Mix window displays each track’s fader channel and allows for the modification of a channel’s volume and pan, as well as being the usual place to insert plug-in effects and route audio to and from different outputs and inputs.

Pro Tools systems have for some time now, relied on dedicated DSP cards to handle nearly all audio processing. A HD Core PCI card or an Accel Core PCIe card is required in a HD 1 system; the inclusion of one or two additional Accel cards upgrades the system to HD 2 or 3 respectively, and increases the system’s overall processing power which then allows for higher track counts and more plug-ins. An ‘Expansion HD’ product increases capability up to a total of 7 cards using Digidesign’s PCI-X expansion chassis product, which is offered with both PCI-X and PCIe host cards for your computer system.

If you are interested in producing and editing your own music, then Pro Tools is definitely for you.

Much of Live’s unique interface comes from being designed for use in live performance as well as for production. As such the interface is more compact than most sequencers and clearly designed for use on a single screen. There are few pop up messages or dialogs. Portions of the interface are hidden and shown based on arrows which may be clicked to show or hide a certain segment (e.g. to hide the instrument/effect list or to show or hide the help box).

Ableton Live is composed of two “views” – the arrangement view and the session view. The session view is primarily used to organize and trigger sets of sounds called clips. These clips may be arranged into scenes which may be triggered as a unit. For instance a drum, bass and guitar track might comprise a single scene. When moving on to another portion of the composition – a new scene – some or all of those parts might differ and could be triggered in parallel. In Live 6, there is also the addition of “racks” which allow the user to easily group instruments and effects. These elements make for simplifying compositions.

The other view is the arrangement view, which is used for recording tracks from the session view and further manipulating their arrangement and effects allowing for unique compositions. This view is fairly similar to a traditional software sequencer interface.

Ableton Live comes with a wide range of instruments, effects and music composition tools that gives the composer a wide range of musical possibilities. There are also a number of additional instruments which may be purchased separately or as part of the Ableton Suite to make your musical compositions as unique as you’d like.

Ableton Live can also work with samples. Ableton Live attempts to do beat analysis of the samples to find their meter, number of bars and the number of beats per minute. This makes it possible for Live to shift these samples to fit into loops that are tied into the piece’s global tempo. This is great!

Additionally Live’s Time Warp feature can be used to either correct or adjust beat positions in the sample. It does this by setting warp markers to a specific point in the sample, arbitrary points in the sample can be pegged to positions in the measure. For instance a drum beat that fell 250 ms after the midpoint in measure may be adjusted so that it will be played back precisely at the midpoint. Very nice indeed!

Some composers and online stores now offer sample packs that are pre-adjusted, with tempo information and warp markers added. The audio files are accompanied with an analysis file in Live’s native format. How cool is that!

Ableton Live is a great and highly recommended piece of Music Production Software to have in your own personal Recording Studio.

Steinberg Cubase is a series of MIDI, music sequencer and digital audio editing computer applications generally known as a DAW or Digital Audio Workstation.

Recently on January 15, 2009, Steinberg announced that the new version, Cubase 5, was now ready and would be shipped off in early February 2009. Steinberg officially started shipping Cubase 5 on January 27, 2009. The numerous new features include: drum machine features, vocal editing and (real time) pitch correction, VST expression tools for easy editing of instrument articulations, improved handling of automation data, and a VST3 convolution reverb. This version also supports 64 bit-technology under Windows Vista- which is a must for modern computer users.

Steinberg Cubase creates projects which allow the music producer to edit MIDI files, raw audio tracks, and other associated information like lyrics, and to present them in a range of formats including musical scores, editing console, event lists and so on. The composer can also mix the various tracks down into a stereo .wav file which is then ready to be burned onto a CD in Red Book format or .mp3 burnt to CD or DVD as files or to be published on the world-wide web. This makes Steinberg Cubase a favorite of Home Studio enthusiasts all over the world.

While MIDI is a fairly common standard for representation of digital music, there is no generally accepted standard for the interchange of complete projects containing both MIDI and audio between Cubase and other competing recording and editing software suites such as Logic Pro, Pro Tools, Digital Performer, or Cakewalk. So while actual pure recorded audio information can be exchanged, it is very difficult to import a whole project with specific edits, instrument information and automation in its native format from Cubase to another application and vice versa. The cross-platform OMFI format which is supported by Cubase SX resolves this issue to a certain degree. This is one of the features which makes Steinberg Cubase stick out from some of the other Music Producing Suites.

Steinberg Cubase has been one of the heavy weights in Music Production and Recording computer software programs around. And it will continue to be so for as long as the growing trend in private Home Studios continues its steady growth all across America and the world.

A limited version sold as Sound Forge Audio Studio which provides an inexpensive entry-level digital audio editor, is also available from Sony.

The software no longer supports Windows 3.x. After version 3.0 all 16-bit support was dropped.

Some features of Sony Sound Forge included in this suite are as follows:

• DirectX and VST plugin support. Version 9 includes a vinyl restoration plug-in and Mastering Effects Bundle, powered by IZotope.
• CD Architect 5.2 software which allows Disk-At-Once (DAO) CD burning.
• Batch conversion functionality
• Spectrum analysis tools
• White, pink, brown and filtered noise generators
• DTMF/MF tone synthesis
• External monitor support for DV and FireWire (IEEE 1394) devices
• Real-time sample level wave editor
• Stereo and Multichannel Recording
• High resolution audio support: 24-Bit, 32-Bit, 64-bit (IEEE float) 192 kHz
• Video support including AVI, WMV, and MPEG-1 and MPEG-2 (both PAL and NTSC) for use in frame by frame synchronisation of audio and video
• Support for a wide variety of file formats

Supported Formats are as follows:

• Ogg Vorbis (OGG)
• Macintosh AIFF
• NeXT/Sun (AU)
• Sound Designer (DIG)
• Intervoice (IVC)
• Sony Perfect Clarity Audio (PCA)
• Sony Media Wave 64 (W64)
• Sound Forge Project Files (FRG)
• Dialogic (VOX)
• Microsoft Wave (WAV)
• ATRAC Audio (AA3,OMA)
• CD Audio (CDA)
• Dolby Digital AC-3 studio – save only
• Raw Audio (RAW)
• HD video 720p and 1080i
• Macromedia Flash (SWF) format open only
• RealMedia 9 (RealAudio and RealVideo) – export only
• Windows Media 9 Series (WMA and WMV)
• Microsoft Video for Windows (AVI)
• AIFF (AIFF, AIF, SND)
• MPEG-1 and MPEG-2
• MPEG-1 Layer 3 (MP3)

All-in-all, Sony Sound Forge is a very stable and reliable music editing software that has become a must have for the music studio and music producing and editing environments.

Due to this breakthrough, ACID became very popular with composers, producers, and DJs who were interested in rapidly creating beats, music textures, or even complete professional compositions and orchestrations, that would work with virtually any tempo or key signature, and these loops would adjust automatically. To pull this off, Sony’s Acid Pro uses specially prepared or “Acidized” music wave files which can be setup using an audio editing tool such as Sony Soundforge.

This very popular looping technique has been adopted by the majority of other digital audio workstations on the market, which can also use these acidized loop files, though there are various compatibility problems between the Apple Mac Operating System, which uses AIFF files, and the Microsoft Windows Operating System which uses WAV files. To unravel this problem, most publishers are now releasing special versions of “Acidized loops” that are customized for Acid Pro, and also for Apple Macs. Acid Pro runs on PCs with all versions of Microsoft Windows since Windows 2000. At present time it includes over 20 DirectX audio effects, employs the new Media Manager technology, the Beatmapper tool, and the Chopper tool, as well the ability to mix in 5.1 channel surround which as of late, is highly sought for.

With Acid Pro 6, Sony introduced a full digital audio workstation which also includes MIDI and multitrack audio recording with full support for ASIO, VST, and VSTI audio, plugins, and music synthesizer standards.

Sony ACID Pro uses Acid Loops which contain tempo and key information for proper pitch transposition that’s painted out across the screen to create music tracks. Acidized loop sample CDs are available from Sony, as well as from a number of third party companies.
Like most sophisticated software packages, ACID defines a family of products spanning a considerable range of features. In a related-marketing effort, Sony has continued to support ACIDplanet, a content web site originally launched by Sonic Foundry which is aimed at current ACID users, prospective ACID users and the general public. It describes itself as “the Internet’s premier site for music, video and unique artists”.

Sony’s Acid Pro has long been a stable part of the serious music producer as well as a favorite for the Home Studio Music Producers. This is one digital audio workstation you’ll surely want to invest in.

Reason Version 4.0 includes the following Modules:

Subtractor: a subtractive synthesizer

Malström: a graintable synthesizer

NN-19: a simple sampler, which loads pre-recorded instrumental and vocal sounds

NN-XT: an advanced sampler, which features the option of tweaking the various modulation, oscillation and filter parameters of a preloaded sample or patch

Dr Rex: a loop playback device, which slices prerecorded samples into manageable, bitesize units

Redrum: a sample based drum machine with a step sequencer

Thor: a semi-modular synthesizer which features, among others, wavetable, FM and phase distortion synthesis

Sounds from these devices can be routed via either of two mixing devices, or simple merging and splitting utilities. Effects include distortion, reverb, chorus, a vocoder and mastering effects.

The Combinator device, introduced in Reason 3.0, allows users to combine multiple modules into one.

Reason’s interface includes a Toggle Rack command, which flips the rack around to display the devices from the rear. From here the user can route virtual audio and CV cables from one piece of equipment to another in just about an unlimited number of ways. This cable layout enables the creation of complex effects chains and allows devices to modulate one another in creative ways.

Reason cannot record audio, therefore it is not a full digital audio workstation. It does not support third-party plug-ins, being one of the few software sequencers to lack VST support. This has been a frequent cause of criticism, although it also contributes to the product’s stability.

A stripped-down version of Reason known as Reason Adapted, which restricts the user to a limited number of devices, is packaged as bonus software with other audio software such as Pro Tools LE and ReCycle.

The most recent version of Reason includes Thor, a modular synth; RPG-8, a real-time programmable arpeggiator; ReGroove, a detimer/dequantizer; and a complete change to Reason’s sequencer which includes tempo and meter changes as well as support for complex meters.

It also includes vector automation (in-track automation/envelope curves), a new pattern lane for editing patterns in arrange view, foldable tracks (mimicking Logic’s folder functionality), beat/bar count-in, and support for multiple takes.

All in all, Reason has been a favorite for IN-HOUSE start-up studios.

SONAR is an example of a digital audio workstation (DAW). Like most DAWs, SONAR lets the user:
• Record and manipulate multitrack digital audio
• Record and manipulate MIDI data
• Apply special effects, such as reverb and delay
• Automate the process of mixing audio
• Utilize virtual instruments, such as software synthesizers, software samplers, software drum machines
• Connect to other multimedia applications with sample accuracy via Rewire
• Video and Audio Formats
• Sonar provides limited facilities for video, and more complete surround sound capability (5.1 and 7.1), and supports .avi, .mpeg, .wmv and .mov files. SONAR has the ability to show video as thumbnails contained within a separate track with appropriate hardware, it is also possible to output the video to an external monitor screen via Firewire. All the common SMPTE formats, frame sizes and frame rates are supported. It is possible to transfer audio loop files from other compatible software into sonar and complete a final mixdown.
• Active Controller Technology
• Also called ACT, this is a feature that assists in the process of remapping parameters of MIDI controllers or surfaces. Having the ability to control effects and virtual instruments (See Software synthesizer), the controller/surface mappings for a particular plug-in work the same on each instance of that plug-in, whenever that instance has focus.

In addition to supporting dedicated special-purpose controllers/surfaces such as the CM Labs MotorMix, Sonar includes a general purpose plug-in, called ACT MIDI Controller, that can be configured to support any generic MIDI controller (controllers/surface), such as the JL Cooper FaderMaster, Peavey PC-1600, and Kenton Control Freak. Generic controllers/surfaces typically have 8–16 strips of faders/knobs/buttons, are non-motorized, and can often be configured to transmit MIDI messages (continuous controllers, NRPNs, Sysx, etc.).

AudioSnap is a tool that makes it possible to fix audio timing without slicing up or destructively editing audio tracks. It is possible to quantize one part at a time or an entire project. Instead of quantizing a whole clip, it is possible to split the clip into smaller pieces, or into beat-length pieces by using the Split Beats Into Clips command. If the succeeding beats in a clip do not line up with the grid, the clip can be quantized by using the AudioSnap Beats command, which will line up the beats in the clip with the grid.

Beginning with version 6, SONAR is able to fully take advantage of full beginning to end 64-bit internal processing, a 64-bit audio engine, and a 64-bit mixer on 64-bit versions of Windows XP and Windows Vista.

FL Studio features a fully automatable workflow centered around a pattern-based music sequencer. The environment includes MIDI support and incorporates a number of features for the editing, mixing, and recording of audio. Completed songs or clips may be exported to Microsoft WAV, MP3, and the OGG Vorbis format.

FL Studio saves work in a proprietary *.flp format, inadvertently sharing the same extension as a filetype created by Adobe Flash.

The program is acclaimed for its professional DAW features at an attractive price point. Scoring to video is possible using the video-player plugin, but there is no support for traditional music notation.

FL Studio has been the start for many of today’s electronica artists, and has been used by many artists such as Soulja Boy Tell ‘Em, Nickelback, Saving Abel, and Blue October.
Image-Line is unique among many DAW developers in providing lifetime free updates (via internet download) for FL Studio users who have directly purchased the program from Image-Line. Once a user purchases the current version of the program, subsequent new releases can be downloaded free of charge. According to Image-Line, this discourages piracy and simplifies technical support.

FL Studio is marketed with multiple versions, each representing a feature set at a specific price point. Basic features of FL Studio are available in the Express Edition, the use of which is reduced to a simple drum-machine. The Fruity Producer and XXL Editions further introduce more features, such as the ability to use the DAW itself as a VST plugin. The most complete edition, XXL, comes with many bundled effects and synthesizers which Image-Line normally sells separately as VST plugins. Most of the editions of FL Studio also have a boxed sold online and stores of music retailers.

FL Studio is written in Borland Delphi and thus there are no finalized plans to develop a native Linux or Mac OS X port. As of September 2008, the Image-Line website indicates that the company supports users running FL Studio on Intel based Apple hardware via Boot Camp.

The FL Studio user interface is composed of five freely movable windows, plus a static transport bar positioned at the top of the screen. Each part of the transport bar can be undocked by clicking the left side of a single part, dragging it to any other portion of the screen and then dropping it. Once all parts in a row of the transport bar are undocked, the gray rail for that row underneath completely disappears. In this way the transport bar may be made completely modular and can be placed anywhere the user wishes (including on separate monitors). FL Studio supports the use of dual and tri monitor configurations.

Channel Window allows the user to insert generator plugins (VST instruments, audio tracks, samplers etc.) and assign them to a mixer track. The channel window also contains the Step Sequencer which enables quick assembly of drum patterns and short melodic parts.

Piano Roll a two dimensional grid for composing purposes. The vertical axis represents pitch, and the horizontal axis represents time. There is also another grid for note intensity.
Playlist allows the arrangement of sets of patterns and audio files for assembling a complete song.
Mixer used for balancing audio levels, adding effects processors (VST plugins, etc.), and recording audio input.

Sample Browser allows for quick access of audio samples, plugins, presets, and other FL Studio song files (FLPs).

FL Studio processes audio using an internal 32-bit floating-point engine. It can support sampling rates up to 192kHz using either WDM or ASIO enabled drivers. The audio engine in version 7 introduces limited multi-threading and multi-core support for some generators. Effects cannot be threaded in the present version.

The mixer interface allows for any number of channel configurations. This makes mixing in 2.1, 5.1, 7.1 surround sound possible, granted the output hardware interface has an equal number of outputs. The mixer permits audio-in, enabling FL Studio to act as a multi-track audio recording solution.

FL Studio comes with a variety plugins and generators (software synthesizers) written in the program’s own native plugin architecture. This API has a built in wrapper for full VST, VST2, DX, and ReWire compatibility.

An included plugin called Dashboard allows users to create full automation-enabled interfaces for their hardware MIDI devices. This allows FL Studio to control hardware from within the program.

FL Studio 8 Producer Edition includes a version of SynthMaker, the popular graphical programming environment for synthesizers. Support for the software is found in the extensive guides that are provided as HTML help documents. Users may also register for the official Image-Line forums, which are commonly recognized as a focal-point for the FL Studio community.

FL Studio also comes with a variety of sound effects, some of which include, Chorus, Compression, Delay, Flanger, Phaser, and Reverb, just to name a few.

If you’re interested in making your own beats, loops and tunes, Fruity Loops is for you!