This is an equipment guide for beginners looking to get into beat making and trying to figure out how to get started. With technology where it’s at today its very simple and takes very little investment. With some key pieces of gear you can easily become a music producer making your own beats. The great thing is you can start making beats right away, regardless of how much investment you’re willing to put into your hobby.
everything in this picture is unnecessary
Rundown of Beat Making Equipment
- The DAW or Digital Audio Workstation: A computer software program where you build your musical compositions
- Practice: Learning how to properly make beats with your equipment is one of the most important parts.
- Computer or Laptop: You’re on one right now, just make sure it meets minimum software requirements for your DAW
- MIDI Keyboard: With a MIDI keyboard your able to record note patterns for your DAW
DAW Digital Audio Workstation Software
The DAW is your main hub. All your beat making will be done in this software. Sequencing, mixing, recording and mastering your composition; it’s all done with this program. There are a lot of free DAWs available to get your feet wet, so I’m going to suggest a free version and a paid version.
MU Lab
MU Lab is probably my best suggested Free DAW. The software allows you to record, mix and play around with multiple tracks. It also has a lot of secrets hidden inside its menus for functionality. MU has MIDI and audio recording which is by far the most important feature needed for producing music. You’d be surprised how many programs don’t have this basic feature. You’ll also find it has a good assortment of effects and filters. You won’t feel too restrained with this program, especially as a beginner. If I had to give up my paid DAW I’d have to go with MU Lab which you can download here.
FL Studio Producer Edition
If I had to go with a paid program I would hands down suggest my ultimate favorite FL Studio Producer Edition. There’s a reason it’s the most used DAW software in the music production industry. It has the most features, most support, most third party add-on effects and sound engineers create samples solely for the program allowing for easy integration and finding the perfect sounds. On top of that I found one of the most comprehensive courses ever to bring you from beginner to master in music production with FL Studio (next section).
Now FL Studio can be found if you know where to look. I want to say, if something brings you so much value and enjoyment, you should definitely support it as a thank you as soon as you can. FL Studio Producer Edition can be purchased here.
Be careful there’s a cheaper “Fruity Edition” of the software that does not allow you to record it is not worth the money, go with MU Lab for free instead.
Practicing, Experimenting and Consistently Growing
Everything that’s worth having takes effort to get and becoming a skilled music producer is no different. I know practice isn’t technically equipment but it’s one of the most important aspects of becoming a good composer. There’s nothing more frustrating than having an amazing piece of music in your head but not enough technical skill to make it reality.
There’s nothing worse than feeling so lost and never finding your way to your dream. The DAW will be daunting when you first get started. It comes with so many sub menus and things that could be done. It can make you feel insanely overwhelmed.
I know I felt that way.
I wished I had a full on road map of what to focus on when, a guide to what the most important things in production were and how to design an build a song from the ground up. What I wanted more than anything was to learn how to go from absolute zero to making my sound, my piece.
Then I found an amazing online course that solved all these issues. With 750 hours of tutorial videos organized to show you where to go next and an on demand community where you could ask questions if you get confused. This course will get you on par with most mainstream producers, and it’s just up to you to refine your sound to be your sound.
That’s why I say practice is mandatory, without guidance and practice you’ll never get where you want to be. Investing in a great course will allow you to quickly reach your goals and become the producer you want to become. Click this link to check out this amazing course.
MIDI Keyboard
Now technically you can start producing music without one. But it’s basically going to be you dragging and dropping notes one by one in a program. I can’t think of anything more disconnected from music. With a MIDI keyboard you’re able to record patterns in real time, play chords out with proper timing, and easily record song patterns.
You don’t need a massive MIDI keyboard either. If you’re extremely enthusiastic and want to invest a lot into your set up you can get a full keyboard. But most of the time all you really need is a 25key 2 octave keyboard. The most popular one on the market and most widely used is definitely the Akai MPK Mini MKII.
The Akai MPK Mini MKII is small, lightweight, and will fit on any desk. For size it’s about the same size as a computer keyboard. On top of that it allows for full MIDI mapping to not only keys, but velocity launch pads. These are insane for drumming beats as the harder you tap the louder it will be in the DAW pattern. It has some assignable knobs to adjust effects as well. However, I just use the mouse and change them in FL Studio myself so I don’t use them that much. The best thing is it’s pretty cheap for how far it will take you. You can check out the keyboard here.
