by Miriam Kolar and Kevin Murphy

Know What You Don't Know

The road to knowledge is one of self-enlightenment. It is not merely so important to know what you know, but rather what you don't know. Examine yourself and your current knowledge. Where are the "gaps" that you need filled? Do you know how to compose for symphony orchestras but are scared to death of turning on your computer? Do you have a great ear for melodies but don't know how many sharps are in the key of A Major?

A good way to approach the subject is by getting a critical outside evaluation of your projects. Have an informed, impartial party listen to your music and give you some honest criticism and tell you where the shortcomings are. The most difficult part of this is not taking it personally. Also important is to get more than one opinion, so that you have more than one person’s view to consider.

Also try comparing your music with some CD's. What is it about commercially released music that your music is missing? Once you can start isolating the problems, then you can start figuring out how to fix them.

Gather Information

Once you know what you need to learn, the next step is to gather the missing information. The good news is that information about music and music technology is available from a wide variety of sources and is very plentiful. The bad news is that information about music and music technology is available from a wide variety of sources and is very plentiful. So some strategies about gathering information are in order!

There are basically two kinds of information available: Opinions and Facts. If we were dealing with a science such as math, we would be dealing mostly in facts. A thing like 2+2=4 is pretty hard to argue against. In music and music technology there are many facts as well, such as 24-bit recordings take up more hard drive space than 16-bit ones. However, once you step away from this and say "24-bit recordings sound better than 16-bit ones," then you are moving into opinion.

In any of the arts, most resources you find will be heavily opinionated. It is important to distinguish opinions from facts and realize that for every opinion about music, there is someone with exactly the opposite opinion.

For example, you can read in a textbook that you should always use XYZ to master your recordings. Then you can read on the Internet not to do XYZ but rather ABC. Which one is right? They both are. So which opinion should you use? Keep in mind that no one has "the" answer. Listen and experiment for yourself to determine what is right for you and your style of music. What is most important is that you gather information so you can make an informed decision.

Information Sources

Where do you go to get the information? As stated earlier, information is plentiful and vast. Some sources to consider are:

The Internet

The Internet is probably the most immediate source of information to help you find out about computer music topics. Manufacturers' websites often offer in addition to specific product information databases of FAQ's, Tutorials/Tips&Tricks, and technical specifications.

Stepping beyond the manufacturer’s website, there are many other sources of information on the net. Many informational sites are available about electronic music and music in general. One of the great things about the arts is that there are so many people willing to share their viewpoints and knowledge with you.

Users' Groups are another potentially helpful source of discussion that can yield quick answers. Most Users' Groups catalog their postings in an easy-to-reference database in addition to emails that you receive on a daily basis. Many are targeted directly to a particular area of interest or a particular program or software, so you can usually find one that fits your needs.

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Books, videos, and more

Books and instructional video tapes, DVD's or CD-ROM's are often available about specific software. Overviews on basic recording techniques or sound synthesis, for example, can be useful in helping you understand basic underlying principles.

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Magazines

There are numerous magazines on the subject of music technology and you should consider subscribing to at least one of them, probably more. Magazines can get a bit expensive (especially if you subscribe to a lot of them), but those costs are usually mitigated by the fact that each issue can give you tips and advice for making yourself more productive. There is hardly an issue that goes by that I don't learn at least something from. For more about the different magazines, see our Computer Music in Magazines article.

School

Many people confuse the purpose of going to college to study music. In other disciplines, such as business, the degree is the only reason you go to school. In the arts areas, that piece of paper is more about making your mother happy than it is about getting you a career in music. What is important about the degree is the broad knowledge base you can gain and the discipline it takes to get the degree. These are things that can never be taken away from you.

If you don't have time to study music full time, or are in another career already, consider other college sources. Community colleges are a wonderful resource for taking classes at your own pace. Also look for summer sessions and seminars, extension courses, and more.

The "Real" World

Experience in the world outside can also help give you some insight on making music with your computer. Electronic and experimental concerts are a great way to hear new sounds and get an idea of how people are using computer music tools for performance. Product demo sessions can be useful in demonstrating functionality of software or hardware. Trade shows and conventions can be similarly informative.

Experimentation and Applied Information

One of the best ways to learn anything in your studio is by experimentation. Take the knowledge you have gained from the sources above and try it out. The worst time to be learning how to do something in your studio is when you are working on a project with a deadline. So a good time to do this is in between projects.

Start with a project that you have already completed and make a copy of it (so you don't ruin the original). Take this project and start to play with it, keeping in mind that now is not the time to worry about the final product, it is a time for experimentation. Tweak settings from the minimum to the maximum; you can only know how far you can go with anything once you've gone too far.

Start applying what you learn as soon as possible. If you have been learning about microphone placement, try making lots of different recordings and play with how the mics are positioned until you get the feel for what is right or what is possible. As I said before, the last time you want to be doing this kind of experimentation is when your project deadline is looming.

Conclusions

Learning about computer music-making and using music technology should not be a painful process. With the right resources, your experience can be made productive and fun.