Thanks to the internet, you can learn music production regardless of where you live. I grew up in Winnipeg, and when I developed an interest in music production, the local community was very small. I didn't know anyone else making EDM at the time and it was very lonesome in the beginning. I had the internet at my disposal, but I had no idea what to search for.
Music production is a massive field; it encompasses so many different realms including songwriting, sound design, arrangement, music theory, recording, mixing and mastering. What a lot of people don't realize is that when you jump into music production, you're actually jumping into a world full of different specialties. It can be overwhelming and confusing knowing where to begin. There's so much content available online and at such varying skill levels, that it makes finding relevant content difficult.
After squabbling about with music for a year, I found out that my friend Jorel wrote music as well. We were around the same skill level, so we started hanging out and bouncing ideas off of each other. We both experienced a rapid period of growth at this time. Up until then, I had been shooting in the dark with no sense of perspective. Having just one person to share with, and compare myself to, made a massive difference. We pooled our resources and slowly sorted the good from the bad. We updated our sample libraries, learned more about sound design and found the best online resources that we could.
Now I use Splice Sounds to get all of my samples. It lets me search for sounds online, download them, and pull them up in Ableton within seconds. For all other music production needs, I've created a handy list for you. The following is a directory of the best YouTube Channels I've come across online (bookmark this page so you can refer back to it):
- ADSR
- Black Ghost Audio
- Cymatics.FM
- FabFilter
- Future Music Magazine
- Gearslutz
- Heavyweight Bass
- iZotope, Inc.
- John Miller
- Julian Gray
- KJ Sawka
- loopop
- Make Pop Music
- Mix Better Now
- Mix With The Masters
- MixbusTV
- Mr. Bill
- Multiplier
- Pensado's Place
- PluginAllianceTV
- Pro Audio Files
- Pro Tools Expert
- Produce Like A Pro
- Pyramind
- The Recording Revolution
- Sadowick Production
- SeamlessR
- Slynk
- SonicScoop
- Sound on Sound Magazine
- Tom Cosm
- Waves Audio
- Zen World
Living in a huge city like Los Angeles can be really beneficial, but more so when your music gets to a level where it becomes worth sharing. Networking is easier, there are tons of talented people around you and it can be very inspiring. However, after living in LA for a year, I noticed a downside to it; there are so many distractions that it becomes difficult to work on music. There's so much going on, and so many things to be a part of, that it's easy to get caught up in all of it.
If you're stuck in the middle of nowhere with your laptop and a wi-fi connection, you may be luckier than you think. There's nothing holding you back from writing music, other than excuses. I've taught myself tons of things online, simply by googling different topics and watching YouTube tutorials. I learned how to write music, design websites, and do photography online. All it takes is time, dedication and a willingness to learn. If you set your mind to something and actively pursue it, you'll eventually become good at it.
If it's an option, I recommend giving big city life a go. It provided me with perspective and demonstrated how lucky I am to be from Winnipeg. No distractions, no problems. I feel clear and focused when I'm removed from the chaos of Los Angeles. Winnipeg is truly where I write my best music.
