As an electronic music producer, you’ll create the music of tomorrow. As a result, you gain the opportunity to cultivate the skills to work in a production studio with a major studio. On the other hand, you could set up a studio at home and have a full creative license to do as you wish.
You will need training, hands-on experience, and certification to get a job in electronic music production. While a certificate program is just the beginning, you’ll learn the fundamentals and practical skills to get started.
What Program Should I Use to Make EDM?
EDM, or electronic dance music, grows in popularity daily as new generations of adults emerge. The music genre has become ever popular at dance clubs, festivals, and large-scale celebrations. When creating EDM, you need technical skills and high proficiencies using music production tools. Electronic music technicians use the popular tools listed below to produce EDM. You will also learn about these tools during an Audio Music Production Certification program.
AVID Pro Tools
AVID Pro Tools is one of the most popular music making tools available and they offer a free version to test the waters and learn the basics of using these production tools. There are three additional versions of AVID Pro Tools: Artist, Studio, and Ultimate. Each version offers various tools you’ll need to create musical productions.
Music Library – The software integration comes with a vast collection of music samples, plugins, and loops to help you get started. With it, you can play virtually any instrument and create exceptional sounds. In addition, you can tweak the audio with sounds such as SynthCell and Xpand to generate grooves and produce unique music for personal use or for the artist’s music you produce.
MIDI Tools – Simple MIDI tools are also available with AVID Pro Tools. You can use them to generate far more realistic sounds. For example, adding more loops doesn’t disrupt the tempo or stop your current playback; it sounds like you record live music instead of just adding sound electronically.
Cloud Collaboration – You can use Cloud Collaboration to share projects with others from any location. Your audio is seamless, and the software offers 32-bit floating/192 kHz audio resolution for all your recordings. It lets you capture high-quality performances from start to finish. So, any time you feel inspired and play something extraordinary, you can start a recording without losing your creative mojo.
Easy Integration – Another terrific aspect of AVID Pro Tools is that they are easy to integrate with all your hardware. The tools work well with the AVID audio interface and let you use all the plugins with almost-zero latency.
Edit Tracks – As you learn to use Pro Tools, you discover how to edit your takes and manipulate tracks more efficiently. The interface allows you to chop or cut your audio and MIDI files to create a high-quality finished product. You can improve timing and control pitch with Elastic Audio or use programs like Melodyne to integrate collaborations into your AVID Pro Tools interface.
Edits are completed in real time, and you can transpose your recordings and rearrange your tracks as needed. The interface allows you to click and drag files into Pro Tools for easier use.
Mix Automation – As you improve your production skills, you’ll discover how to mix automation and have the music flow from one track to the next. The control surfaces let you maintain control over all mixes. You can access these control surfaces using AVID apps and access previous recordings, edit, or mix anything.
Among the famous musicians who use AVID Pro Tools are Dr. Dre, Pharell, and Timbaland. Imagine how amazing it would be to master the same music recording tools as these impressive musicians.
Apple Logic Pro
Apple Logic Pro offers creative tools for making beats, mixing, or editing, and everything you need as a songwriter. The Dolby Atmos tools are integrated into the software, support professional mixing, and allow you to export songs anywhere. These tools are vital for collaborating with artists and producers who are working on projects with you or your team. You can also use these tools to create spatial audio mixes.
3-Dimensional Experiences – Apple Logic Pro gives you a more 3-dimensional experience when recording, and you can create Dolby Atoms sound files. Since these sound files are compatible with Apple Music, you can upload your recordings to the music platform and start selling music for your clients.
Speaker Integration – If you are a songwriter, you can set up compatible Dolby Atmos speakers with your integration and use AirPods. These opportunities let your musical genius flow while you listen to the music tracks and write lyrics for the song.
3D Object Planner – As you mix your music, you can use the 3D Object Panner and adjust the sound to flow around users listening to your song. In addition, the Panner lets you create surround sound effects that place each audio file in different positions. As a result, your listeners may feel like they are in the recording studio with you when listening to your finished products.
Music Library – The software comes with an incredible collection of prerecorded sounds and offers plugins that simplify music production. You can also manage your sessions via your Mac devices using the Logic Remote that comes with the integration. So, you can manage, mix, edit, or export music tracks via your iPhone.
Like AVID Pro Tools, you get prerecorded sounds from various instruments you can add to your production. These features let you add tracks to the music even if you don’t have a studio musician to record these sounds.
The most extraordinary aspect of using these sounds is that you won’t have to pay royalties to musical artists for sampling the tracks. They are all available for free, and you won’t face any limitations or restrictions with your productions.
With Apple Logic Pro, you can use live loops to grid specific phrases or music loops. You maintain control over your arrangements in real-time, creating something awe-inspiring. In addition, the software comes with Multi-Touch mixing features that let you mix different sounds and tracks from anywhere in your studio. So, you don’t have to get back up if you’re lounging on a sofa to create mixes.
Intermediate Music-Making Tools to Try Out
Until you have mastered your EDM recording skills, you can try out a few free or low-cost music-making tools to get started. Here are a few that are highly recommended.
Audacity
Audacity is audio editing software that is available as an open-sourced product. With it, you can produce basic recordings and edit your work. In addition, the software lets you record multiple channels at the same time, and you can incorporate crossfades or even overdub your recordings.
GarageBand
If you prefer Mac products, give GarageBand a try. You can generate loops or beats, record your music or other audio, and create sound effects including reverb. It’s free to add to your Mac devices and is a terrific choice for producers with intermediate skills.
How Do You Become an Electronic Music Producer?
The first step in becoming an electronic music producer is to attend a creative arts college certificate program in audio music production. The program offers all the fundamentals of producing EDM and introduces you to software and tools you’ll need in your career.
As an electronic music producer, you can create your own music and tracks or work with musical artists who inspire generations. This career path is incredible for anyone who loves music and wants to enter the industry.
What Do You Learn During an Electronic Music Production Certificate Program?
In the program, you complete coursework in various classes to gain the knowledge, skills, and experience you’ll need in your career. Here is what you can expect to learn during the Audio Music Production Certificate program.
Audio and Technology Innovation
In Audio and technology innovations, you’ll begin with the history of EDM and its culture. Next, you’ll discover the artists who pioneered the musical genre and the types of sound they produced. Then, as you progress through the course, you discover how technological innovations have transformed the EDM industry and how this music is made today.
You learn how recording technology has changed through the decades and how sound is manipulated and synthesized through music recording equipment and software developments. You will also learn more about how to design sound and use interactive audio products.
You will go on a journey from the start of EDM and understand how the music differs from other genres. In the course, you gain hands-on experience with a digital audio workstation and other equipment you’ll need as you enter the field and take on your first music production.
Desktop Production Fundamentals
In Desktop Production fundamentals, you’ll get a real chance to get your hands dirty and cultivate the skills you need through hands-on exercises. The course takes you from start to finish with new projects where you learn how to record, edit, and arrange musical productions. In addition, you discover how to mix your music and create your own MIDI and audio files for creating incredible songs.
In the course, you learn the computing basics of producing EDM. Next, you discover how to process and manage your own media. Finally, you learn the steps for rendering video and audio files for content creation and saving them for later use.
Principles of Room Acoustics
This course is invaluable to music producers as you’ll learn how a room’s acoustics affect sound and, most importantly, your recordings. You discover how sound moves within any environment and affects the audio you record. The course shows you how wavelengths and frequency change with the room’s acoustics and how introducing new equipment within the space alters the sound you create.
For example, reverberation affects how long the sound lasts. If you want to create echoes or prolong a specific sound, you’ll need to generate reverb with the sound inside your workspace. In the course, you learn how to use reverberation, control modal resonance, and create comb filter effects.
Managing and measuring room acoustics is vital when producing music and generating the best sound. By the end of this course, you will know how to use diffusers and absorptive panels to isolate noises and control the amount of distortion that applies to your recordings.
Studio Production 1 Introduction
The Studio Production 1 course is paramount to your career as an electronic music producer. In the course, you learn your way around a digital workstation and begin to use all the equipment and software required for the job. While it is an introductory course, you can record and edit your projects and cultivate proficiencies in programs you’ll use in the field.
Final Thoughts
A career as an electronic music producer or technician isn’t just rewarding and fascinating. With the right skill sets, experience, and training, you’ll transform the music industry and introduce music lovers to unique sounds they’ve never heard. You never know where your journey will lead while working in the EDM industry. You could work with incredible artists like Skrillex, deadmau5, and many others. So, take your next steps into this new path now and begin an extraordinary career in the music industry today.
Want to Learn More?
This Audio Music Production Certificate program introduces students to the process of making modern music in an electronic production environment. You will Take just two courses per trimester and complete in as little as 30 weeks. All courses are transferrable into USV’s Diploma in Audio Music Production and Bachelor of Science in Digital Audio Technology.
University of Silicon Valley is uniquely poised to offer a meaningful and valuable education for 21st century students. We believe in an education that directly correlates with the work you’ll be doing after you graduate. Interested in learning more? Contact Us today.
