Details

You can gain the following skills by completing this learning path:

• Hip Hop Production

 

• Audio Editing

 

• Vocal Recording

 

• Sampling

 

• Beatmaking

 

• Mixing

Please familiarize yourself with the Audacity Basic Training on FreshBrain before you embark upon this path.  Find it here. 

Many of the activities in this learning path were adapted from the Tweakheadz Lab, which you can find here: http://www.tweakheadz.com/hip_hop_beat_construction.htm

 

It doesn’t take tons of money to learn how to produce music.  You can get started using completely free tools, like the built-in microphone in your computer and Audacity, which is free software for recording and editing audio.

 

You can download Audacity here: http://audacity.sourceforge.net/

 

We really want to stress that when you’re getting started, there’s no need for expensive microphones.  You can learn all that you need to learn on the equipment you have, and apply your skills with more expensive equipment when you have developed some competence in recording and editing. 

 

However, if you do want to buy more professional equipment, here are some relatively inexpensive recommendations for noise-canceling microphones:

 

·       Logitech USB Desktop Microphone ($24)

·       Logitech Stereo USB Headset 250 ($30)

·       Sennheiser PC130 Headset with Noise Canceling Microphone ($23)

·       Altec Lansing 502i Ear-Cup Headset with Microphone ($23)

 

There is also no need for expensive audio editing or digital production software.  We recommend Audacity because it’s free and reliable. 

 

However, if you want to explore professional audio editing software, try these out:

 

Protools:

http://www.digidesign.com/index.cfm?navid=354&langid=100&itemid=35911

Soundforge:

http://www.sonycreativesoftware.com/soundforge

Ableton:

http://www.ableton.com/home

 

If you want to explore professional audio production software, try these:

 

Fruity Loops:

 

http://flstudio.image-line.com/

 

Cakewalk:

 

http://www.cakewalk.com/Mac/

 

Sony Acid Pro:

 

http://www.sonycreativesoftware.com/acidsoftware

 

Terms used in this learning path include:

 

Stereo:  Stereophonic sound, commonly called stereo, is the reproduction of sound using two or more independent audio channels through a symmetrical configuration of loudspeakers in such a way as to create the impression of sound heard from various directions, as in natural hearing.

 

Mono:  In monophonic or "mono" sound, audio is in the form of one channel, often centered in the sound field.

 

Input: Audio input devices allow a user to send audio signals to a computer for processing, recording, or carrying out commands. Audio input devices such as microphones allow users record sound.

 

Output:  Audio outputs are best described by example.  The examples we will use in this learning path include speakers and headphones—these are the ways that audio makes it out of the computer and into the listener’s ears.

 

(Some of our instructions are adapted from Audacity’s own manual and tutorials, all of which can be found here: http://audacity.sourceforge.net/manual-1.2/index.html.