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Making Your Own Music Simplified

Making Your Own Music Simplified

The Tunedly Team

The ability to make music online has made it possible for almost anyone to record tracks and full songs without having to assemble a band or go to a music studio. For songwriters and musicians who have dreams of making money from their music, this privilege has enabled many to get a start in the music business through the use of various online tools, apps, and websites.

But what exactly does it take to make music online? Most of you reading this have likely indulged in some form of online music production process, especially if you have used the Tunedly platform (more on that later). If you are an aspiring music creator who has an idea for a song or composition or has written lyrics for several songs, you would probably have thought about the possibilities of making your own music as well.

There are numerous ways to record song lyrics and even produce music on your home computer or smartphone. For example, there are now options to make music using cloud-based services, collaborate online with other musicians, and even use AI tools to come up with melodies or a music mix for your lyrics.

It's a great, big world out there where online music production is concerned. For now, let’s explore some of the basics of how to go about making music online.

Things you will need to make your own music online

There are a few necessities that will allow you to get at least a basic recording done using digital means. These include:

- A digital audio workstation (DAW): Software that allows you to edit, record and produce audio.

- A working computer (obviously): One that has a sizeable hard drive (or can easily be used with an external hard drive), plenty of RAM and a competent processor.

- Internet access: In the event that you need to download tracks or use online tools, you will need a high-speed internet connection.

- Music mixing gear (headphones, monitors): Necessary only if you have knowledge of music production techniques. Many music mixing tools are available in the DAW but suitable headphones and monitors are important additions to get a tight mix.

- Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI): Equipment that allows you to control digital instruments that you plug into your DAW.

- Audio interface: The tool that will allow you to transfer audio from hardware such as microphones, headphones, or physical instruments (if you happen to play one) to your computer.

- A quiet place (not the movie :-)): This can be a bedroom that is acoustically optimized or a room designated to function as a home studio.

This list is not necessarily exhaustive. There are other bells and whistles that can be tossed in, depending on your skill level and what you are trying to achieve. On the other hand, if you are just starting out and worried about cost, some or all of the above can be skipped if you plan to make music fully online. That is, if you want to use music production tools that are wholly cloud-based, or a virtual online recording studio that will handle the entire process for you.

Nonetheless, you can make a decent recording of your song having some or all of the requirements above and knowing the steps to follow. Below is basic overview of the things you will need to do. A more detailed analysis will require you to look up tutorials on how to make music online, as well as from learning from your own experience.

Steps to make music online

- Choose a suitable DAW

- Assemble your recording and production equipment

- Create a music production plan

- Record the different tracks (or download the tracks and audio files you plan to use)

- Assemble your audio files

- Start layering and combining your tracks

- Add sound effects

- Follow recommended practices to mix and master the final track to get the right sound.

Speaking about mastering, this is also a necessary step if you want to make your music sound really good. Mastering a track is a refining process that requires expert audio engineering skills. Sure, you can get a song that sounds “okay” using a DAW, online tools and other equipment mentioned earlier. However, you will need to have some mastering done if you have ambitions to pitch your music to artists or publishers and have a fighting chance of success.

With that said, it can be pretty difficult to make music on your computer and get results that sound as good as what you hear on the radio. Finding ways to make your own music sound good is already a challenge if you are inexperienced and not getting help from studio professionals or someone who has at least done it before.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, there are around 1,700 recognized sound recording studios in the United States (2016 figures). The majority of those are concentrated in just a few cities, such as New York, Los Angeles, and Nashville. Outside of the U.S., the scenario is not much different; many people are situated remotely from traditional recording studios. And then there is the high cost of putting even a song demo together, not to mention a complete, radio-ready song, if you manage to be close to a physical studio.

This is why so many songwriters and music creators are turning to the internet to make music online. Otherwise, it means people who do not have easy access to making music professionally would have to move to a big city.

Making music online professionally

Making music that is of high quality – and which won’t cost you a small fortune – is a challenge in itself. No matter your music skill level, the ability to make music online comes with many benefits. As mentioned before, there are other things to consider if you don’t have all the tools and/or the requisite skills but want to make music that sounds as good as what appears on Billboard and other official charts. How do you bridge that gap? By using an online recording studio. Tunedly is a go-to platform for people falling into the category described above and can help you make music online that is of a professional standard.

Here’s a brief description of what Tunedly is about in a nutshell:

Tunedly makes it easy to make your own music from anywhere, giving you access to all the musical expertise and tools you will ever need to create winning songs, and without even leaving the comfort of your home or shelling out exorbitant amounts of cash.

Tunedly has simplified the way how music is made professionally. There’s no need to rent out expensive studios, master numerous instruments, or interview multiple musicians to get the sound you seek – we do all that for you.

Furthermore, you can collaborate online with already-vetted musicians and discover new ways to gain exposure for your music through our song plugging service. There is lots more in store, so are you ready to make music online? Let's go!